Jewish Federation of St. Louis’ Sh’ma Listen! Speaker Series and partners are bringing Dr. Avivah Zornberg to the community May 8-9, 2018. Dr. Zornberg will present two different programs.

On Tuesday, May 8 at 7:00 pm, Dr. Zornberg will present “Moses Veiled and Unveiled: The Golden Calf.” The narrative of revelation at Mount Sinai is immediately followed by the catastrophic episode of the Golden Calf. We will explore Moses’ role in this episode. Why does his face radiate light at the end of the narrative? This program will take place at Bais Abraham Congregation (6910 Delmar Blvd., 63130).

On Wednesday, May 9 at 7:00 pm, Dr. Zornberg will present “‘And I am a Stranger:’ Becoming Ruth.” Ruth is a stranger in more senses than one. Who is this unknown woman who is destined to become mother of royalty? What is the process by which she finds her way into a foreign and unwelcoming culture and religious tradition? How does destiny come about? This program will take place at Traditional Congregation (12437 Ladue Rd., 63141).

Dr. Zornberg is a Jerusalem-based educator, scholar and philosopher. Her lectures and books are a sophisticated mix of traditional Jewish exegesis, Hassidic texts, Western philosophy, psychoanalytic literature, poetry and more. She is the author of Moses: A Human Life, Bewilderments: Reflections on the Book of Numbers, The Murmuring Deep: Reflections on the Biblical Unconscious, The Particulars of Rapture: Reflections on Exodus and Genesis: The Beginning of Desire.

RSVP to Shirley Wise at SWise@JFedSTL.org or 314-442-3765. For additional information, contact Cyndee Levy at CLevy@JFedSTL.org or 314-442-3754.

This program is sponsored by the Center for Jewish Learning, Bais Abraham Congregation, Torah MiTzion Kollel, Traditional Congregation, The St. Louis Women’s Orthodox Torah Scholar Speakers Initiative, Young Israel and the Saul Brodsky Jewish Community Library.

Sh’ma: Listen! Speaker Series is generously funded by the Lubin-Green Foundation, a Supporting Foundation of the Jewish Federation of St. Louis, and Hank Webber and Chris Jacobs.