Partner Event: Shabbat with JTS Rabbinical Student Alex Friedman at Congregation Beth Shalom

November 3:

5:30 Kabbalat Shabbat

6:45 Shabbat Dinner (a gourmet vegan mideastern meal catered by Eli Lahav)
"Joseph: Queer Coated?" learning following dinner

Joseph: Queer Coated?
Joseph is often the primary example we look to for queer tropes and ancestors in our tradition, and for good reason! We will take a trip together through our Torah and holy midrashic imagination to explore the depths of queer experience in Joseph's life, seeing if we (even those of us who are not queer) can find ourselves reflected in the story of his life. Even if you think you know Joseph, or Queer Joseph, you likely have never met him like this! All are welcome to come and learn together.

Register below by Monday 10/30 to attend Shabbat dinner. Tickets: $36/person.

There is no cost to attend the class and services.

Register here for Shabbat dinner on Friday night 11/3. Registration is not required for any of the other event components. 

November 4:

Dvar torah by Alex Friedman at Shabbat Services

Nigun program after kiddush lunch. Alex will also be teaching Prozdor.

Nigun Circle (Part of our Shabbat Singing Series):
A nigun is a study in sound. Most often wordless, they are tunes which turn around and around, creating deeper and deeper soundscapes into which our own feelings and prayers can find their unspoken expression. We will be exploring just a couple nigunim in depth, with the goal of learning them from scratch together. All who are willing to sing together are very welcome to join.

Registration is not required for Saturday events, and there is no cost to attend.

Alex Friedman (he/him) is a Rabbinical student at the Jewish Theological Seminary in his fourth year of study. A native Texan, Alex grew up in the Conservative movement, leading his shul's USY chapter as its president in high school. He holds a BA in Politics and Near Eastern and Judaic Studies from Brandeis University, where he led the Conservative minyan and served on the Hillel executive board. He is currently pursuing an MA in Jewish Education from JTS' William Davidson School.

Alex has worked as Rabbinic Intern at his childhood synagogue in Austin; High Holiday Hazzan at Congregation Ahavas Chesed in Mobile, Alabama; Rabbinic intern for the Native Pre-college Leadership Program in Israel; and is currently the Resnick Fellow at Glen Rock Jewish Center in Glen Rock, New Jersey. Alex enjoys cooking, podcasts, Jewish music and niggunim, queer Torah, and collecting owl tchotchkes.