Expanding the Canon: Transforming Judaism in the 21st Century Jewish Learning has long focused on texts by an elite group of ancient rabbis.

What would it mean to radically expand our canon, incorporating the voices of women, Jews of Color, people with disabilities, and other historically marginalized groups?

JTS scholars will introduce new voices and also offer new lenses through which to read ancient texts. Together we will explore how diversifying our canonical texts can help us create a more inclusive Jewish community. Faculty: We’re pleased to have confirmed the following faculty for the program:

• Chancellor Shuly Rubin Schwartz will deliver the keynote; she will focus on how we can balance teaching canonical texts at JTS while also introducing new voices and new ways to read our traditional texts, as well as highlight how JTS is instrumental in training students who are now doing some terrific work in this area. To that end, in addition to confirming an outstanding JTS faculty member, we have also confirmed two JTS alumni, and a Rabbinical school student for the program.
• Rabbi Eliezer Diamond, Rabbi Judah Nadich Associate Professor of Talmud and Rabbinics, will discuss the work that he has done in developing new liturgical texts. • Ora Horn Prouser, CEO and Academic Dean, AJR, will teach new ways of reading biblical text through the lens of disability studies.
• Kendell Pinkney, theatre-maker, creative producer and JTS rabbinical school student, who is doing terrific work with Jews of Color (and also a Jew of Color himself), will be leading an interactive workshop on our diverse identities.
• Michal Raucher, Undergraduate Director and Assistant Professor of Jewish Studies, Rutgers University, will focus on new voices in the Jewish community around abortion, highlighting the importance of using ethnography in reading classical texts.

Virtual component: While we are looking forward to offering this program in person once again, however we also understand that many adult learners have grown accustomed to virtual learning over the last couple of years. We are planning to offer a virtual option for portions of the program such as the keynote and perhaps the closing panel as well. We hope that by offering some of the program virtually it will allow more people to participate in the program, while also allowing for an optimal experience for those that are able to attend in person.

Learn more at www.jtsa.edu/evening-of-learning-2022