MIDRASH AND THE RABBINIC IMAGINATION

Description

Unlocking the Rabbinic Imagination.

Location

ONLINE

Date & Time

WEDNESDAY, 12:00-1:30pm (ET), February 18, 2026 - March 11, 2026

"Aggadot (Midrashic stories) — if you take them literally, you are a fool;
if you deny them entirely, you are a heretic."
— Derashot HaRan, Derush 10

 

 

Course Description :

Think midrash is just a bunch of stories? Think again!

Midrash is neither the mechanical reading of biblical verses, nor the invention of Rabbinic flights of fancy, but the meeting place between the features of a text and an idea in need of articulation. Through exploration of four midrashic themes, this course is designed to encourage appreciation for the midrashic craft of the creative and careful reader.

By looking closely at the texts from the Bible and the works of midrash, both in English, we will read Scripture as our Rabbis did—like a love letter addressed directly to us. We'll explore questions like: why do characters from elsewhere show up in midrashic expansions of biblical narratives? In what way does a reader's context inform their reading? And who do we trust to hold and transmit our cultural treasures? 

 

Wednesday, 12:00-1:30pm (ET)
 
Dates:  Feb. 18, 25; Mar. 4, 11
 

Affiliation: This course is presented in affiliation with the Hadar Institute and is one of their Project Zug curricula. 

 

                                       

 

                      

   About the Instructor:
 
 
Dr. Sandra Lilienthal has a Masters in Jewish Studies and a Doctorate in Jewish Education. In 2015, she received the prestigious Covenant Award for Excellence in Jewish Education. Sandra has over 25 years of experience in Jewish Education working with all ages in both Brazil and the US. For the past 15 years, Dr. Lilienthal has focused exclusively on teaching adults. She is a Melton faculty member and the author of the Pillars of Judaism curriculum. Sandra is currently working on the Living Wisdom curriculum - nine new courses being taught by Melton schools all around the world. She is a guest speaker at many synagogues in the tri-county area, presents at Limmud conferences in the US and Canada and is invited for scholar-in-residence programs around the country.
 
 
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