Midway Jewish Center

Nazir is a tractate of the Talmud that deals religious zeal bordering on extremism. The Nazirite was one who took a vow to abstain from certain foods (e.g., refraining from grape products) and pleasures, over and above the prohibitions that would fall on an ordinary Jew. What moves people to treat themselves as such? Why is asceticism connected to God? Why was Judaism uncomfortable with such behaviors, even though it permitted such behaviors? What does Nazir teach us about religious extremism today and how we might understand it better? Daf Shevu’i, the Weekly Page,” goes through a page of Talmud a week. The program is open to Midway members and non-members. A working knowledge of Hebrew is helpful but not at all necessary to follow the class which is conducted primarily in English. Discussion is always energetic and relevant to our day, in spite of material that is well over 2500 years old.

Kabbalat Shabbat

A video presentation on The Power of Vulnerability to help us empathize, belong and love. The evening begins with a TED talk by Dr. Brene Brown, research professor at the University of Houston. And the evening will continue with a panel discussion led by Rabbi Joel Levenson, D.Min., and our Daf Shevu’i member, Gila Gevirtz, author.

We prepare for the Yamim Nora’im with Selihot, prayers asking God for forgiveness and the fortitude to forgive others. Our Selihot service will follow the ancient traditions as led by Rabbi Rank, Rabbi Levenson, Cantor Frei and choir.