On Tuesday, November 5, the Haberman Institute for Jewish Studies presented a lecture entitled “Justice for All? Ethics From Our Bible,” at Congregation Etz Hayim. The speaker was Professor Jeremiah Unterman who is a Resident Scholar at the Herzl Institute – Machon Herzl. Approximately 35 people attended.

Professor Unterman discussed how the ethics of the Jewish Bible represent a significant moral advance over other Ancient Near East cultures. He spoke about how the Bible’s unique conception of ethical monotheism and innovative understanding of covenantal law form the foundation of many Western civilization ideals. He compared secular legal codes (e.g., the Code of Hammurabi) with the ethical underpinnings of Jewish jurisprudence. He summarized his presentation by connecting the biblical texts to the persistent themes of our times: immigration policy, care for the less privileged, and attaining hope for the future despite destruction and exile. A recording of Professor Unterman’s presentation will be available at https://podcast.habermaninstitute.org/

The Haberman Institute for Jewish Studies provides adults with high quality in-depth encounters with Jewish thought, history, and culture. Congregation Etz Hayim is proud to partner with the Institute to bring this learning to our community and hopes to continue the partnership in coming years.

If you enjoyed this event, please attend an upcoming CEH Adult Education class. The next class is Sunday, November 24 from 10:15 AM – 11:45 AM. Rabbi Bass will teach a class entitled: “What the Hell? Jewish Belief in the Afterlife.”