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Beit Avi Chai invites you to a fascinating series of cultural events taking place this month: lectures, children’s activities, and more.

EVENTS THIS MONTH AT BEIT AVI CHAI

Speech God spoke and the world was created. In this session, we explore the power of speech in rabbinic thought with a comparison to a neo-platonic philosopher.The rich and diverse world of Rabbinic Literature left an indelible impression on Jewish culture. The Sages devoted time to study, lived amongst the people, and took part in daily life. In our new series, we study central passages from Rabbinic Literature that relate to significant life themes – and compare them to other currents of thought in Late Antiquity

Jewish Thought in Late Antiquity- Speech: ZOOM Event

Prof. Marc Hirshman

Charity Zedaka (charity) was a hallmark of both Judaism and Christianity as noted by the emperor Julian around 362 CE. Yet each religion took its own path in developing the ethical and religious underpinnings of charitable works.The rich and diverse world of Rabbinic Literature left an indelible impression on Jewish culture. The Sages devoted time to study, lived amongst the people, and took part in daily life. In our new series, we study central passages from Rabbinic Literature that relate to significant life themes – and compare them to other currents of thought in Late Antiquity

Jewish Thought in Late Antiquity- Charity: ZOOM Event

Glorifying God In one beautiful passage of a Tannaitic commentary, the early Sages offer a veritable roadmap to differing ways of glorifying God. The rich and diverse world of Rabbinic Literature left an indelible impression on Jewish culture. The Sages devoted time to study, lived amongst the people, and took part in daily life. In our new series, we study central passages from Rabbinic Literature that relate to significant life themes – and compare them to other currents of thought in Late Antiquity

Jewish Thought in Late Antiquity- Glorifying God: ZOOM Event

The Book of Bereshit (Genesis) reveals God's expectation of mankind, telling a story of People and their challenges in a world that was created for them. We learn about human psychology, sin, punishment, education and the establishment of separate societies based on a diversity of ideas. The Book of Bereshit also reveals the power of the individual and the ability to establish a family nucleus that is faithful to the divine expectation of all human beings. Each chapter contains messages filled with great depth and meaning.Our new series focuses on revealing the secrets that establish the foundations of The People of Israel - and Humanity as a whole. &nbsp;Parashat Chayei Sara The dynamics of families&nbsp; In English | Wednesday | November 8 | 8pm (1pm EST)Parashat Toledot Mistakes and the Lessons to be Learned In English | Wednesday | November 15 | 8pm (1pm EST) Parashat Vayetzei Universal Ethics&nbsp; In English | Wednesday | November 22 | 8pm (1pm EST)Parashat Vayishlach Blaming the Victim? In English | Wednesday | November 29 | 8pm (1pm EST) &nbsp;

The Weekly Torah Portion: The Stories of The Book of Genesis

Rabbi Shai Finkelstein

The devastation inflicted on an entire range of Jewish institutions, beginning with the cessation of sacrificial worship, placed into question the ongoing relationship between God and Israel. Was this relationship severed? What alternate paths of religious devotion were established? This session will examine some of these alternatives, most notably the role of prayer.Sunday | Dec 17 | 7pm (12pm EST)

Responding to Catastrophe at Beit Avi Chai

From Rupture to Healin with Prof. Isaiah Gafni.

Sages set out to console their followers by claiming that a whole range of alternatives were capable of filling the void created by the destruction. Not the least of these was the claim that Torah-study, alongside other acts of piety unrelated to the Temple, might achieve the same results as sacrificial worship. Consequently, words intended originally as consolation ultimately evolved into independent theological doctrine.Sunday | Dec 24 | 7pm (12pm EST)

From consolation to theology with Prof. Isaiah Gafni.

From consolation to theology - Prof. Isaiah Gafni.

In the aftermath of the destruction a wide-ranging &nbsp;restructuring of Jewish religious leadership came into effect. Decisions relating to the intercalation of the Jewish calendar, as well as the need to establish a recognized legal body empowered with the authority to rule on a broad range of legal questions previously addressed in Jerusalem, now required a new authoritative center. Determining the nature of that "center”, its location and composition, will be addressed in this session.Sunday | Dec 31 | 7pm (12pm EST)

From Jerusalem to Yavne with Prof. Isaiah Gafni.

According to Jewish tradition, there is a unique relationship between the People of Israel and the Land of Israel. As part of this connection, there is a set of land-related mitzvot – mitzvot ha'tluyot ba'aretz – which deal mostly with agriculture. In our series, we will study the development of these commandments and their impact on modern day agriculture in Israel.There are numerous ways of defining the boundaries of the Land of Israel as described in the Bible for the purpose of observing land-related mitzvot. In this episode, we explore the biblical boundaries of the Land of Israel and the effect of Exile on the halachic status of some of these boundaries. We will see how geopolitical considerations affect where and how Israel grows its food and when and what agricultural produce is exported from and imported to the State of Israel, which is not necessarily equal to the Land of Israel.&nbsp;In English | Sunday | Jan 7 | 7pm (12pm EST)

Boundaries of Holiness at Beit Avi Chai

The Mitzvot of the Land in the State of Israel with Dr. Joshua Klein.

The Mitzvot of the Land in the State of Israel.

According to Jewish tradition, there is a unique relationship between the People of Israel and the Land of Israel. As part of this connection, there is a set of land-related mitzvot – mitzvot ha'tluyot ba'aretz – which deal mostly with agriculture. In our series, we will study the development of these commandments and their impact on modern day agriculture in Israel.The mitzva of orla mandates that fruit from trees less than three years old must not be eaten or utilized in any other way. In this episode, we discover how long three years actually are according to the Jewish law. We also explore the halachic definition of a tree, including how a fruit from a tree can be considered a vegetable, therefore evading the orla restriction. Finally, we also discuss the implications of who grows the trees and where.In English | Sunday | Jan 14 | 7pm (12pm EST)

"Orla" at Beit Avi Chai

According to Jewish tradition, there is a unique relationship between the People of Israel and the Land of Israel. As part of this connection, there is a set of land-related mitzvot – mitzvot ha'tluyot ba'aretz – which deal mostly with agriculture. In our series, we will study the development of these commandments and their impact on modern day agriculture in Israel.Interspecies mixing includes mixed weaving of cloth, plowing with two kinds of animals, and sowing different kinds of seeds together. In this session we consider the implications of the prohibition against such mixing, the restrictions on grafted plants and genetic engineering, and religious distinctions between those who can and cannot use the fruits and vegetables resulting from kilayim.&nbsp;In English | Sunday | Jan 21 | 7pm (12pm EST)&nbsp;

"Kilayim" at Beit Avi Chai

According to Jewish tradition, there is a unique relationship between the People of Israel and the Land of Israel. As part of this connection, there is a set of land-related mitzvot – mitzvot ha'tluyot ba'aretz – which deal mostly with agriculture. In our series, we will study the development of these commandments and their impact on modern day agriculture in Israel.Most agrarian societies practice crop rotation, including letting land lie fallow for a period of time to let it "regenerate". Jews are divinely commanded to do so in the Land of Israel every seven years, and at the same time commanded to forgive debts. We discuss the connection between these two aspects of shmita, and their agricultural and social benefits. We also explore terms like heter mechira and see how food policy, consumerism, and international relations join with halacha in determining shmita observance in the State of Israel. In English | Sunday | Jan 28 | 7pm (12pm EST)&nbsp;

"Shmita" at Beit Avi Chai

Join noted scholar Prof. Ruth R. Wisse as she speaks on the impact of October 7 on Israeli and American Jewry – and on new questions about the paradoxes in the international perception of Jews in politics and power. Moderated by Israeli journalist Moav VardiMonday I February 19 I 7pm (12pm EST)

Jews and Power After October 7 at Beit Avi Chai

Ruth R. Wisse,
Harvard University Professor Emerita,
Distinguished Senior Fellow at Tikvah.

Ruth R. Wisse,
Harvard University Professor.

The core dispositions of early Hasidism include joy, generosity, equanimity, respect, non-judgmentalism, and love for God, Torah, and people. Led by spiritual masters, beginning with the Baal Shem Tov (d. 1760), the Hasidim foregrounded fervent prayer, storytelling, open-hearted Torah, and sacred melody (niggun) as vehicles for inner growth and transformation. The teachings of Hasidism show us how to embrace our unique personalities, how to be genuinely present, how to build community, how to fuse body and spirit, how to trust God and our own inner selves.Sunday | February 4 | 7pm (12pm EST) | zoom

An Introduction to Hasidism at Beit Avi Chai

The Baal Shem Tov - With Rabbi Dr. Nehemia Polen.

The Baal Shem Tov.

The core dispositions of early Hasidism include joy, generosity, equanimity, respect, non-judgmentalism, and love for God, Torah, and people. Led by spiritual masters, beginning with the Baal Shem Tov (d. 1760), the Hasidim foregrounded fervent prayer, storytelling, open-hearted Torah, and sacred melody (niggun) as vehicles for inner growth and transformation. The teachings of Hasidism show us how to embrace our unique personalities, how to be genuinely present, how to build community, how to fuse body and spirit, how to trust God and our own inner selves.Sunday | February 11 | 7pm (12pm EST) | zoom

Niggun and Storytelling - With Rabbi Dr. Nehemia Polen.

Niggun and Storytelling.

The core dispositions of early Hasidism include joy, generosity, equanimity, respect, non-judgmentalism, and love for God, Torah, and people. Led by spiritual masters, beginning with the Baal Shem Tov (d. 1760), the Hasidim foregrounded fervent prayer, storytelling, open-hearted Torah, and sacred melody (niggun) as vehicles for inner growth and transformation. The teachings of Hasidism show us how to embrace our unique personalities, how to be genuinely present, how to build community, how to fuse body and spirit, how to trust God and our own inner selves.Sunday | February 18 | 7pm (12pm EST) | zoom

Women in Hasidism - With Rabbi Dr. Nehemia Polen.

Women in Hasidism.

The core dispositions of early Hasidism include joy, generosity, equanimity, respect, non-judgmentalism, and love for God, Torah, and people. Led by spiritual masters, beginning with the Baal Shem Tov (d. 1760), the Hasidim foregrounded fervent prayer, storytelling, open-hearted Torah, and sacred melody (niggun) as vehicles for inner growth and transformation. The teachings of Hasidism show us how to embrace our unique personalities, how to be genuinely present, how to build community, how to fuse body and spirit, how to trust God and our own inner selves.Sunday | February 25 | 7pm (12pm EST) | zoom

Hasidism in the Modern Period - With Rabbi Dr. Nehemia Polen.

Hasidism in the Modern Period.

Focusing on a story in Tractate Hullin, we find a narrative that portrays a dichotomy between a "good" and a "bad" heretic, offering a glimpse into the complexities of theological dissent within the Jewish-Christian communities. What makes this narrative particularly intriguing is what it demonstrates about rabbinic knowledge of contemporary Christian beliefs.In English | Sunday | March 10 | 7pm (1pm EDT)

Good and Bad Heretics at Beit Avi Chai

Humour and Satire in Interreligious Dialogue with Prof. Michal Bar-Asher Siegal.

Humour and Satire in Interreligious Dialogue.

We turn our attention to the question of humor within early Christian writings. We examine the parallels between the humorous elements found in Christian texts and those identified in polemic rabbinic literature directed towards Jews. Through a comparative analysis, we attempt to discern commonalities and differences in the use of humor as a rhetorical device, shedding light on the diverse strategies employed by both communities in expressing dissent and engaging in religious polemics.In English | Sunday | March 17 | 7pm (1pm EDT)

An Ancient Christian Joke? at Beit Avi Chai

Jews and the American Civil Rights Movement and Beyond Prof. Eli LederhendlerIn this series we analyze how race became American society’s most pressing domestic issue in the postwar decades, how Jews in America were affected by this trend, and whether Jews can be considered an influential party to that national debate. Did the legacy of the civil rights struggle have special meaning for Jews? How can we account for the “disappearing Jew” in the identity politics of the post-sixties yearsWhile the legal battles for equal protection under the law were under way, a new kind of struggle was shaping up in the streets of the nation’s cities, the nation’s capital, and on college campuses. What were the ramifications of Jewish involvement in the movement and how were Jews affected? What were the early achievements and the initial costs of street activism? And did the Black-Jewish Alliance survive the end of the decade?In English | Sunday | April 7 | 7pm (12 pm EDT) | zoom

"Jews, Counterculture, and the Black-Jewish Alliance" at Beit Avi Chai

From the March on Washington to 1968.

Why did “militancy” and “radicalism” take precedence over equality in the new racial and identity politics of the late 60s, and how did this influence Jewish life? What lessons, if any, did Jews in America draw from the Civil Rights struggle? Where do we see continuities in Jewish public and community life between the 60s and the following years, and where can we see changes?In English | Sunday | April 14 | 7pm (12 pm EDT) | zoom

"Black Power and Jewish Identity" at Beit Avi Chai

New Dilemmas after 1968.

The first Jews reached Greece in the early Hellenistic period as entrepreneurs, tempted by the possibilities of trade, military activity and other opportunities. They established themselves quickly into communities which resembled each other, with similar institutions uniting them. In the next few centuries, a steady stream of Jewish emigrants arrived from Judaea to the cities of the Greek diaspora. We will discuss how it was possible for Jews to dwell in cities “not their own” and what their strategies were for coping with, accepting and participating in Greek life without losing their identities.

The Long History of the Jews of Greece at Beit Avi Chai

The First Jews of Ancient Greece with Dr. Katherine Aron-Beller.

The First Jews of Ancient Greece.

The study of Byzantine Jewry – its political and social history no less than its cultural institutions and achievements – has long been the stepchild of Jewish scholarship. A further challenge is the continually shifting borders of the Byzantine world. For a few hundred years, Jews were granted freedom of settlement and movement within the Empire and were not excluded from the Christian socio-economic space. We will attempt to define Jewish life in Greece at this time and how Jews coped with their loss of the Holy Land. We will also look at the beginnings of the Karaite communities in Greece.

The Rhomanian Jews of Byzantine with Dr. Katherine Aron-Beller.

The Rhomanian Jews of Byzantine.

Spanish speaking exiles found a welcoming haven in the Ottoman Empire in the late XV and early XVI centuries. The newcomers settled in central parts of the mainland, particularly around Salonika, turning the city into one of the most important ports in the Ottoman Empire. The Sephardim, who were innovative and radical, constituted the majority of the city’s population and developed communities with many institutions. Among them was the false messiah Sabbatai Zevi, whose presence and followers in Greece caused an emotional upheaval in the Jewish community the reactions to which continued until the XX century.

The Sephardi Jews and Sabbatai Zevi with Dr. Katherine Aron-Beller.

The Sephardi Jews and Sabbatai Zevi.

Among the unique Greek Jewish communities in the late XIX and early XX centuries, Salonika was considered the most distinguished. Until the arrival of the Nazis in 1941, the city housed two-thirds of Greek Jewry, resulting in over one-third of its population being Jewish. The Jews of Salonika were the undisputed masters in almost all sectors of the economy. They represented all social classes, and were to be found in every profession. In this last session, we will follow the city’s history in the XX century by looking at different historical events up to the Jews’ return in the post-war years.

Greek Jewish Life in the Twentieth Century with Dr. Katherine Aron-Beller.

Greek Jewish Life in the Twentieth Century.

How would the man who dreamed of a safe home for the Jewish people in Eretz Israel react to the tragedy of October 7? Join author Matti Friedman and news anchor Tamar Ish Shalom in a special presentation about the enigmatic character of Theodor Herzl. Using his writing and rare archival footage, they reflect on his vision and discuss the gap between that vision and reality. "Dreams and actions are not so different as usually thought", Herzl wrote, "as all actions of men are founded upon dreams…."Tuesday | June 25, 2024 | 8:30 PM

An Old-New Land: Theodor Herzl at Beit Avi Chai

The Man and the Vision After October 7.

Dr. Marik Shtern In the first session, we explore how Jerusalem changed from a small and religious center to a Mediterranean cosmopolitan city. The physical and human landscape is changing rapidly, as modernism and nationalism take hold amidst its various communities.&nbsp;In English | Sunday | June 2 | 7pm (12pm EDT)

Discovering Jerusalem at Beit Avi Chai

The Late Ottoman Period.

Dr. Marik Shtern Our second session is devoted to the years of British rule in Palestine, where we discuss urban planning and modern architecture, see the widening of the religious and nationalistic rift and the gaps between Zionism and the Palestinian national movement.In English | Sunday | June 9 | 7pm (12pm EDT)

The British Mandate Period.

Dr. Marik Shtern After 1948, the capital of Israel developed as a city split into two. We discuss the development of the city over the years, the annexation of East Jerusalem and the influence of Mayor Teddy Kollek.&nbsp;In English | Sunday | June 16 | 7pm (12pm EDT)

The Israeli City.

Dr. Marik Shtern As Jerusalem entered a new era, different issues had to be dealt with and impacted the development of the city. Beginning with the first and intifada, the Oslo peace accords and the construction of the separation wall, and continuing with growing tension and extremism of the various religious communities.&nbsp;In English | Sunday | June 23 | 7pm (12pm EDT)

Post Oslo Accords Period.

Getting to know Elijah the Prophet with Dr. Chana Shacham-Rosby &nbsp;

Elijah the Prophet at Beit Avi Chai

Elijah the Prophet in Medieval Ashkenaz 

In the first centuries AD, the idea crystallized that Elijah would be involved in the eschaton. We will examine how medieval Christians and Jews in Europe discussed Elijah’s eschatological role and how these mutually exclusive approaches to the future reflected contemporary struggles of identity.In English | Sunday | August 11 | 7pm (12pm EDT)

Elijah the Prophet in Medieval Ashkenaz at Beit Avi Chai

Harbinger of Redemption
 Dr. Chana Shacham-Rosby



The prosperous world of Midrash, the product of centuries of Jewish creativity, has been created entirely by men. Recent years have seen new midrashim written by learned, committed, and creative women. Many have appeared in the Hebrew and English editions of the collection Dirshuni. These writings explore the riches of Jewish life and are now joined by midrashim by various women grappling with the experience of living through October 7 and its aftermath. This 4-part series will include an introduction to the new world of women’s Midrash and its relationship to classical Midrash, an exploration of women’s midrashim on various topics, including current midrashim that will help orient us in the run-up to the coming new year. &nbsp;Who writes and why? Who writes midrashim these days and why? What are these midrashim about? We will read together several midrashim that beautifully illustrate how the writers use the classical genre of midrash to speak to the realities of the 21st century. &nbsp;Sunday | September 8 | 7pm (12pm EDT) &nbsp;

Israeli Women Writing Midrash at Beit Avi Chai

Who writes midrashim these days and why? What are these midrashim about? We will read together several midrashim that beautifully illustrate how the writers use the classical genre of midrash to speak to the realities of the 21st century.

Who writes midrashim these days and why?

Sharing their personal experiences from that day and afterward. &nbsp;Sunday | September 15 | 7pm (12pm EDT)

After Simchat Torah at Beit Avi Chai

Midrashim written by women from kibbutzim Kfar Azza and Nir Oz. 

Around the country about captivity, displacement and where God was on October 7. &nbsp;Sunday | September 22 | 7pm (12pm EDT) &nbsp;

Dealing with Trauma at Beit Avi Chai

Midrashim written by Israeli women 

As we turn towards the coming year and look for hope. &nbsp;Sunday | September 29 | 7pm (12pm EDT)&nbsp;

Closure and Beginnings at Beit Avi Chai

Midrashim on the theme of endings and new beginnings. 

As we turn towards the coming year

Come join our English tour to discover Israel’s most celebrated forgotten artist – and his fascinating legacy!Friday | November 15 | 10am | The Beit Avi Chai Gallery

Guided Exhibition Tour in English at Beit Avi Chai

You Must Choose life – That is Art: Pinchas Litvinovsky

In this session we will focus on two related themes: immigration and Americanization. What are the origins of the key subgroups of Jews that make up the American Jewish collective? When did they arrive in the United States? How have they integrated into American society? What are their respective contributions to the evolution of American Jewish life?Sunday | November 3 | 7pm (12pm EST) | ZOOM

At Home in the USA - Beit Avi Chai

Who are the Jews of America?
Prof. Adam S. Ferziger

Who are the Jews of America?

This session will highlight the ways America's religious and social cultures have impacted the trajectory of American Judaism and Jewish family life. Among the topics that will be addressed are state and religion, religion coercion and the lack thereof, market-driven religious life, social boundaries – endogamy (in-marriage) and exogamy (intermarriage), and the various ways of defining the key religious streams or sectors.Sunday | November 10 | 7pm (12pm EST) | ZOOM

Religion and Family - Beit Avi Chai

We will examine in this session the role of Israel in American Jewish identity, and relatedly, the raging debates as to the relationship between rising levels of Jew-hatred and antipathy toward Israel.Sunday | November 17 | 7pm (12pm EST) | ZOOM

Israel and Antisemitism - Beit Avi Chai

This session will take place after the November 2024 presidential elections and will attempt to analyze their results in the Jewish context. The aim is both to share initial impressions, as well as to draft insights from the prior sessions that can be useful in contextualizing them.Sunday | November 24 | 7pm (12pm EST) | ZOOM

The November 2024 Elections and American Jews - Beit Avi Chai

In 332 BCE Alexander the Great conquered Tyre and Gaza, and, according to Josephus Flavius, Alexander also met the Jewish high priest Jaddua at that time. The rabbis tell a rather different version of this encounter. By focusing on some key differences between the parallel accounts, we hope to show how the rabbis enlisted a biblical literary model as they molded the legend of Alexander anew in line with a distinctive political ideology. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Beit avi chai-Simeon the Righteous meets Alexander the Great

Prof. Amram Tropper: The Second Temple Period through Rabbinic Eyes


According to Josephus, the Hasmonean brothers fought a civil war (c. 65 BCE), and word of this war eventually made it to the rabbinic sages in Babylonia. The talmudic narrative of the civil war, however, has many details not mentioned in Josephus. We will attempt to identify the sources of these unique details focusing especially on the source of inspiration for the character of the old traitor Sunday | December 8 | 7:00pm (12pm EST) &nbsp;

Beit avi chai-The Siege of Jerusalem during the Hasmonaean Civil War 

According to Josephus Flavius, as King Herod neared the end of his life, he was worried that the Jewish people would celebrate his demise, so he secretly ordered trustworthy relatives to execute a large group of elders on the very day he died, thereby giving the people good reason to mourn on that day. Rabbinic literature has preserved an alternative version of this story. We will hope to show how these different versions are connected to each other&nbsp; &nbsp;

Beit avi chai-The Twice Told Tale of a Despot’s Death

In the wake of the fall of Jerusalem in 70 CE, the rabbis established a rabbinic center in the city of Yavneh, but early rabbinic literature does not reveal how the rabbis arrived at Yavneh. This lacuna in early rabbinic literature, however, was filled in the later literature by means of a story which tells how Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai escaped the besieged Jerusalem, met the Roman emperor Vespasian and received his blessing to relocate to Yavneh. This story became a foundation myth for the rabbinic movement, and we hope to identify some of the sources of inspiration which guided the sages in their formation of this famous legend. &nbsp;

Beit avi chai-Fashioning a Foundation Myth for the Rabbinic Movement

Come join our English tour to discover Israel’s most celebrated forgotten artist – and his fascinating legacy!

You Must Choose Life - That is Artat Beit Avi Chai

Guided exhibition tour in English - Artist Pinchas Litvinovsky

This course lays bare the longevity of Jews doing violence towards images of Christ in Christian literature and non-literary sources and examines how allegations, judicial accusations as well as related charges launched within works of art affected Jewish individuals and communities. Ranging from the Byzantine Empire in the V century to early modern Europe at the end of &nbsp;XVII, it focuses on a particular aspect of late-medieval anti-Judaism: how the Jews were portrayed by Christians as desecrators. &nbsp;

Jews and Christian Art - Dr. Katherine-Aron Beller

Interesting Zoom course that portrays the jews in the Christian art 

This series will introduce key kabbalistic principals and their impact on different historical figures, with their actions and ideas, like dominos, causing a chain reaction from one to another. Ultimately, the stories of these people will end up deeply interwoven with the late 19th century Zionist movement.

The Kabbalistic Birth Pangs of Zionism | Dr. Jonnie Schnytzer

Lecturer at The Multidisciplinary Department of Jewish Studies, Bar Ilan University's & postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Jewish Thought, Ben Gurion University.

You Must Choose life – That is Art: Pinchas Litvinovsky.&nbsp;Come join our English tour to discover Israel’s most celebrated forgotten artist &nbsp;

You Must Choose life – That is Art: Pinchas Litvinovsky
.Come join our English tour to discover Israel’s most celebrated forgotten artist

A guided tour at the Beit Avi Chai gallery

Orly Rahimiyan - Researcher of Iranian JewryThis series will examine the history of the Jewish community in Iran from its earliest days to the present, in light of social, cultural, and political developments both in Iran and beyond.&nbsp;We will highlight the experience of Jews in Iran as a case study of the status of a Jewish minority under Muslim rule, and specifically under Shia Muslim rule. Additionally, various aspects of the culture and life of the Iranian Jewish community will be reviewed.&nbsp;The series will present primary sources from the period, alongside research on the Jews of Iran in particular and Jews in the Muslim world in general.

The Children of Esther: The History of the Jews of Iran

Join this series and explore the history of the Jewish community in Iran from its earliest days to the present

The history of the Jewish community in Iran

Redemption is an important motif in Judaism. It begins with the original Exodus of the Hebrew slaves from Egypt and continues to the contemporary Exodus – the creation of the State of Israel – as the first step of the Divine promise to liberate all of humanity.&nbsp; In light of Rabbi Greenberg’s new book, “The Triumph of Life: A Narrative Theology of Judaism”, we will explore the liberation from slavery as partial fulfillment of the ultimate goal of the Jewish covenant with God – the victory over all the enemies of life: poverty, hunger, oppression, war and sickness, with the Earth turned into a paradise &nbsp;

Pesach: The Once and Promised Future Redemption at Beit Avi Chai

Rabbis Irving Greenberg and Meesh Hammer-Kossoy

Upon regaining independence, Lithuania faced various challenges in addressing Holocaust history: admitting guilt and apologizing, commemorating victims, prosecuting perpetrators, ensuring historical accuracy, revising textbooks, and restituting stolen Jewish property.&nbsp;Dr. Efraim Zuroff will discuss the situation in Lithuania and other post-communist countries in current times

Holocaust Distortion - The case of Lithuania at Beit Avi Chai

Dr. Efraim Zuroff

Come join our English tour and discover Israel’s most celebrated forgotten artist. Join our Gallery Talk: AI and the Art of Legacy." The recognizable style of artists like Pinchas Litvinovsky is often celebrated as a symbol of originality and authenticity. Today, artificial intelligence challenges these ideas by replicating and reimagining personal styles, blurring the lines between human creativity and machine innovation. This talk explores the intersection of AI and artistic legacy through a groundbreaking interactive installation inspired by Litvinovsky’s paintings Artist Alon Chitayat will reveal the creative and technical process behind the installation, unpacking audience reactions and the ethical questions raised about authenticity, appropriation, and the possibilities of human-machine collaboration &nbsp;

This series explores the evolution and impact of the Garbage Pail Kids phenomenon, tracing its journey from a 1980s American childhood icon to its adaptation and transformation within Israeli popular culture. We will cover the changes the brand underwent during this period and the role it played in Israeli politics, satire and for different religious groups.4 Meetings | Every Sunday, beginning May 4 | 7pm (12pm EDT) | Zoom

Grossing Out at Beit Avi Chai

On Garbage Pail Kids, Caricature and Israeli Politics with Dr. Ido Noy


Come join our English tour to discover Israel’s most celebrated forgotten artist&nbsp; &nbsp;

Prof. Yeshayahu Leibowitz (1903-1994) of Jerusalem was an original, learned, and bold philosopher. He developed a fascinating approach to Judaism, based on the philosophies of Maimonides and Immanuel Kant. He fearlessly discussed the most difficult questions of religion, Zionism, and the State of Israel. He was a source of inspiration to many and also irritated many – but to this day he remains an Israeli thinker who should not be ignored.Professor Emeritus in the Department of Jewish Thought at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. &nbsp;His research focuses on medieval and modern Jewish philosophy. He is an EMET Prize laureate in the Humanities (2009).4 Meetings | Every Sunday, beginning June 8 | 7pm (12pm EDT) | Zoom

Yeshayahu Leibowitz with Beit Avi Chai

Audacious Israeli Philosophy with Prof. Zeev Harvey


Archaeological work in Israel and the neighboring countries over the last 30 years has revolutionized our understanding of ancient Israel’s history. It has also radically changed the way we approach the biblical text, which some people find disturbing, and others find exhilarating. In these four sessions, Dr. David Ilan will discuss how archaeological discoveries dating back to the Bronze and Iron Ages (circa 3000-500 BCE) contributed to a new synthesis of the history of ancient Canaan and Israel.4 Meetings | Every Sunday, beginning July 6 | 7pm (12pm EDT) | Zoom

Digging for Answers: When Archaeology Meets the Bible

With Dr. David Ilan

This four-part lecture series offers a comprehensive journey from the legendary origins of Solomon’s ring and seal to its manifold afterlives across medieval and early modern European history and within Christian, Muslim, and Jewish magical traditions. We begin by examining the scriptural and legendary foundations of Solomon’s dominion over spirits, proceed to the rise of magical Solomonic seals as central instruments of coercive magic in the Middle Ages, then survey their broader cultural and scientific deployments in Renaissance manuscript culture, and conclude with a focused study of a Hebrew talismanic corpus that reshaped these motifs for Jewish practitioners.4 Meetings | Every Sunday, beginning August 24 | 7pm (12pm EDT) | Zoom

The Magical Seals of Solomon at Beit Avi Chai

With Dr. Gal Sofer

In this two-part series on S.Y. Agnon’s “The Days of Awe” we will read from the Nobel laureate’s beloved High Holiday collection alongside other Agnon stories dealing with Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. Together with Rabbi Jeffrey Saks, we will delve into the depths of these writings and through them prepare for the upcoming days of awe.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Agnon and the High Holy Days at Beit Avi Chai

Jeffrey Saks 

With the story of “The Flag” (1900), Sholem Aleichem pioneered a literature for children of all ages. On the Jewish holidays, these stories demonstrated, every adult became a child again when the weekday routine turned into a carnival, a paper flag opened a wondrous Biblical landscape, and each festival became a mini-drama of shattered dreams and expectations. &nbsp;Sunday | October 19 | 7pm (12pm EDT)&nbsp;

The Comedy of Childhood at Beit Avi Chai

Sholem Aleichem: The Making of a Comic Master 

“The Haunted Tailor” (1901) is Sholem Aleichem’s most hilarious and baffling work. It is the story of a poor tailor whose wife sends him on an impossible mission to buy a milk-giving goat. But Shimen-Elye Shma Kolenu (Hear-Our-Voice) is trapped at the bottom of the socioeconomic ladder; trapped in the body of a goat; trapped in a story without an end; and trapped by his own character. In the end, even Sholem Aleichem, the doctor of the soul, cannot rescue him from his tragicomic fate. &nbsp;&nbsp;Sunday | October 26 | 7pm (12pm EDT)&nbsp;

The Comedy of Character at Beit Avi Chai

This series will explore some of the most important works created in the centuries when Arabic was the everyday language of most Jewish communities. Our path will take us from the great literary works used in religious life to the patchwork of Judeo-Arabic texts that filled the daily routine. Along the way, we’ll gain a clearer sense of how deeply this Judeo-Arabic world shaped Jewish history and writing. We’ll conclude by looking at the relationship between Hebrew and Arabic, and the roles each played in this fascinating period. This series continues the journey we began in Jews and Arabic: Judeo-Arabic, Its Literature, and Why It Matters.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A World Written in Judeo-Arabic: From Sa’adia’s Tafsir to al-Andalus 

Prof. Miriam Goldstein 

Jewish life in the Golan | Seder Boker

Dr. Mechael Osband

This series traces the history of Hungarian Jewry from the Middle Ages to modern times, marked by both flourishing and conflict. Centers of Torah study thrived from the 11th century, yet prosperity and royal protection often provoked hostility, leading to accusations and expulsions. Jewish life improved under Ottoman rule, attracting Sephardi settlers, and by the 19th century emancipation opened doors to professions, finance, and culture. But emancipation also sharpened divides between Orthodox, Hasidic, and reform-minded Jews, making Hungary unique for its deep polarization. As Jews became increasingly integrated, political antisemitism grew, and ultimately the Holocaust devastated the entire community, regardless of identity.&nbsp;

The Jews of Hungary at Beit Avi Chai

Tradition and Conflict series zoom with Dr. Katherine Aron-Beller FRHistS | Lecturer at the Rothberg International School at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv University. 



The Hebrew University of JerusalemThis series explores how Yiddish culture navigated the massive spatial and temporal upheavals of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Through the lens of movement and displacement, we’ll examine how Yiddish speakers created meaning while crossing oceans, borders, and generations, and how the language itself transformed in the process. The organizing principle is transit as both literal movement (immigration, trains, ships) and metaphorical transformation (linguistic change, cultural adaptation, generational shifts).&nbsp;Sundays | start Feb 1 | 7:00 pm (12:00 pm EST)

Yiddish in Transit at Beit Avi Chai 

 Dr. Yael Levi

My Life at the Moment is a new exhibition presented at Beit Avi Chai, bringing together works by five prominent Jerusalem artists created during an extended period of war and uncertainty.Participating artists: Meydad Eliyahu · Raya Bruckenthal · Noga Greenberg · Elkana Levi · Alon KedemThe exhibition examines how wartime reality, both on the home front and at the front lines, has influenced local artistic creation. The works were produced over two intense years, from the surprise attack and massacre on Simchat Torah 5784 through to the ceasefire on the eve of Simchat Torah 5786, a period marked by continuous tension and emotional upheaval.The events of these years could have filled decades of history in many other places. Here, they intersected with artistic practice in varied ways, sometimes directly responding to current events and at other times addressing them through abstraction, metaphor, and emotional resonance. The exhibition presents works in painting, drawing, photography, and print, offering insight into the artists’ creative processes during moments of instability.These works serve as a window into the artistic studio, revealing instinctive responses and personal reflections shaped by a reality that breached even the most protected creative spaces. Together, they document moods, questions, and emotional states that emerged as artists navigated daily life alongside national trauma.The exhibition’s title is drawn from a line by Jerusalem poet Israel Eliraz, from his book Is Clarification Expected. Eliraz’s writing encourages viewing reality through art, isolating a single moment with all of its contradictions and emotional weight. This perspective guides the exhibition, presenting a snapshot of life as it is experienced now, after two years of war that has not fully ended. As Eliraz wrote, “the account is yet to be settled.” This is life at the moment.The exhibition is accompanied by guided tours in English and gallery talks on selected dates.Opening Hours: Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: 10:00–18:00 Late Night Mondays: 10:00–22:00 Friday: 09:00–13:00

My Life at the Moment: A New Exhibition at Beit Avi Chai

A group exhibition at Beit Avi Chai featuring works by five Jerusalem artists, created during two years of ongoing war and uncertainty, explores how life, emotion, and artistic expression respond to moments of conflict.

Contemporary Art Created During Wartime

It was precisely in a suffocating Soviet prison cell—at a solitary Passover Seder table where salt served as bitter herbs and water served as wine—that Natan Sharansky tasted the meaning of freedom. “For me, the idea that a nation of slaves could win freedom was not an ancient tale, but an eternal truth,” he recalls. In a series of online conversations in honour of Passover, Rachel Sharansky Danziger will speak with her father, Natan Sharansky, about their family history, the collective memory of the Jewish people, core ideas from the Haggadah, and the meeting points between the distant past and present-day challenges. &nbsp;

“And You Shall Tell Your Daughter” | Beit Avi Chai

Natan Sharansky, Rachel Sharansky Danziger

Beit Avi Hai invites you to a series of fascinating cultural events that will take place this month.

Stunning facility offering numerous cultural activities. Lovely library and lounge area for chamber concerts. Beautiful artwork and a lovely outdoor area for additional events. This cultural center has something for everyone. From musical concerts, poetry readings and art exhibitions, to lectures and workshops. Everything was top notch. Wow, the place is neat and well organized. The production and sound of the shows is great. There is a great service there. Amazing performances.

Lovely place at the heart of Jerusalem. You’ll find different exhibitions, shows, programs etc and all the a fair price / free. You can also park for free for 3 hours which is a great for the center of the city.

This cultural center has something for everyone. From musical concerts, poetry readings and art exhibitions, to lectures and workshops. Everything was top notch. I took my 10 year old son and 77 year old mother to a Kaplan exhibit and the talented and knowledgeable guide was able to engage all of the participants which includes grandparents, young children and young couples.

The exhibition was followed by a hands on workshop where we learned to create lithographs, and the entire process was explained, modeled and then our work was showcased.

Parking is validated and underground. The entire building is spotless including the rest rooms.

I asked to join the mailing list because the event was so well organized, engaging and fun!

Stunning facility offering numerous cultural activities. Lovely library and lounge area for chamber concerts. Beautiful artwork and a lovely outdoor area for additional events. I he staff is professional and helpful. Parking in rear and readily available via public transportation.

Great cultural place with many facinating talks and lecures.
Free parking for cuatomers.

EVENTS THIS MONTH AT BEIT AVI CHAI

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