Jordan Rosenblum is the chair of the UW-Madison Art History Department, the Belzer professor of Classical Judaism, and the Max and Frieda Weinstein-Bascom Professor of Jewish Studies. His latest book is Rabbinic Drinking: What Beverages Teach Us About Rabbinic Literature.

His talk will focus on the concept that while classical rabbinic texts are fundamental to understanding the history and evolution of Judaism, they are also quite complex and daunting for the novice to read. Rabbinic literature presumes tremendous prior knowledge, and its fascinating twists and turns in logic are disorienting for even those well-versed in the corpus. In order to help readers to navigate this brilliant but bewildering terrain, this talk focuses on rabbinic conversations about beverages, especially related to beer and wine. Rabbinic debates about what, when, how, and with whom one should drink allow readers to set sail on what is often called “the sea of the Talmud."

First Century Brunch

As those who have enjoyed previous Kolot Kehilla presentations can attest, one of the hallmarks of this program is the bountiful breakfast buffet conceived and produced by dedicated volunteers under the creative guidance of Adrienne Borisy Gross and Barry Rich.

Although we can't gather around the same breakfast tables together, we can enjoy the same foods. Join Adrienne and Barry online at 9:45 when they will share the dishes featured in the recipe collection that could have been prepared in Talmudic times in Israel.

View some tasty recipes here!

Need the link? Email office@bethisraelcenter.org