Special Programs

Temple Emeth offers a number of special programs throughout the year, including lectures, arts and film. Check this space throughout the year as we add more programs to our calendar. 

Rabbi Louis J. Sigel Scholar-in-Residence Weekend
With Professor Gary A. Rendsburg
Friday, April 17 through Sunday, April 19, 2026

Temple Emeth's biennial Scholar-in-Residence weekend features Professor Gary A. Rendsburg, Chair of Jewish History and Distinguished Professor in the Department of Jewish Studies at Rutgers University. The theme of the weekend is From New Moon to New Vistas: How We Read and Study the Bible and Our Classical Jewish Texts. Dr. Rendsburg will speak four times:


 

Friday night, April 17, Shabbat Dinner*, at 6:00 p.m.
Shabbat Evening Service at 7:30 p.m., followed by lecture (in person and Livestream)
Rosh Chodesh—What, Why, and How?
Ancient Israel made a conscious break from the polytheisms of its neighbors, for whom the sun, the moon, and the planets were all deities. So how is it that Rosh Chodesh, the celebration of the New Moon, became a part of Jewish observance? Is it a holiday or not?

Saturday morning, April 18, Torah Study at 9:00 a.m. (in person and Zoom)
How to Read the Bible: The Story of Jacob and Rachel
During the last several decades, biblical scholars have uncovered numerous literary devices embedded in the text, all indented to enhance reading pleasure. These techniques can be found in the appealing story of Jacob and Rachel in Genesis 29. Among these devices are the typescene, allusion, alliteration, narrative time, and dischronological storytelling—all packed into a single tight chapter of exquisite biblical narrative prose.

Saturday morning, April 18, Rosh Chodesh Service at 10:30 a.m. (in person and Livestream)
Saturday afternoon, Lunch* at 12:15 p.m., followed by presentation at 1:15 p.m. (in person)
From Cordoba to Cardamon: The World of the Cairo Geniza
During the 1890s, the contents of the Cairo Geniza, the storeroom of the Ben Ezra Synagogue built c. 900 in Fustat (Old Cairo), came to the attention of scholars in England and elsewhere. The discoveries constituted nothing less than a revolution in the field of Jewish studies. In the end, 300,000 documents emerged from the dusty attic space, including old Torah Scroll sheets, records documenting the spice trade with India, Maimonides's own drafts of his legal and philosophicall works, and even the memoir of an Italian monk who had converted to Judaism. Every aspect of medieval Jewish life, from the sacred to the mundane, is revealted through our study of the always fascinating Cairo Genisa documents.

Sunday morning, April 19, Brunch* at 10:00 a.m., followed by presentation at 11:00 a.m. (in person)
England as the Custodian of the Jewish Past
England is the center of antiquarianism, with an abiding interest in all matters biblical (witness the impact of the King James Version). No other country in the world possesses both the quality and the quantity of Hebrew manuscripts in its libraries—almost off of which were collected by Christian scholars and not Jews. Why is this so, and how did it happen? We will survey this process through the centuries, commencing with the Middle Ages and then proceeding from Tudor times to the Victorian age.

*RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED FOR ALL MEALS BY APRIL 10.

All lectures are free and open to the public. It is our hope that you will participate in the Rabbi Louis J. Sigel Scholar-in-Residence Weekend by coming to those lectures and whatever meals you choose. We welcome benefactors, patrons, sponsors, and donors whose support assures the continued existence of this special program. If you have any questions, contact David Fox or Marion Wolf at SIR@emeth.org. We are looking forward to sharing this tribute to Rabbi Sigel with you.

TO REGISTER FOR MEALS, click here.

Use this link to become a Benefactor, Sponsor, or Donor. Select donation and then the Rabbi Louis J. Sigel Scholar-in-Residence Fund and indicate your level of support in the notes.
 

One Book, One Synagogue Shabbaton
Saturday, January 24, 2026

Our One Book, One Synagogue book this year is Songs for the Brokenhearted, by Ayelet Tsabari. The book tells the story of Zohara, a young Yemeni Israeli woman who learns of her mother’s secret romance in a dramatic journey through lost family stories, revealing the unbreakable bond between a mother and a daughter. Her investigation forces her to question everything she thought she knew about her parents, her heritage, and her own future.

Our One Book, One Synagogue Shabbaton will begin at 9:00 a.m. with a text study on the poetry of Mizrahi Israeli poet Sami Shalom Chetrit. Our service at 10:30 a.m. will incorporate the themes of the book to give new perspective to our prayers. A festive Kiddush lunch will be followed at 1:00 p.m. by Professor Shoshana Madmoni-Gerber speaking on Reclaiming Identities and Contested Narratives: Yemeni Jews and the Unpromised Land, which will include the screening of the 1992 documentary, The Unpromised Land.

To register, visit https://www.emeth.org/event/onebook2026.

Rabbi Joshua Trachtenberg Memorial Lecture
Friday, October 17, 2025 at 7:30 p.m.

Does the Torah Contain a Hidden Message
A Closer Examination of the Design and Structure of the Book of Genesis
Rabbi Steven Kushner

Most critical students of Torah are in agreement that the Torah is a composition of multiple documents, authored by different hands. But is it just that? Are the many texts simply placed into a seemingly coherent order, possibly chronological, without any underlying structure? Or might there be more to Torah than meets the eye? Rabbi Steven Kushner believes that there is in fact a design, particularly in the Book of Genesis. What is more, he feels there is also a message, lying in wait for anyone open to it. All it takes is a closer examination. 

A native of Detroit, Michigan, Steven Kushner is an ordained Reform rabbi and served as the spiritual leader of Temple Ner Tamid of Bloomfield, New Jersey, from its inception in 1980 until his retirement in 2018. In his 38 years of service to the congregation, Rabbi Kushner helped grow the synagogue not merely in size but in programming and influence. During that time, he also served as Adjunct Lecturer of Religion at Bloomfield College, which honored him with a Doctor of Laws honoris causa degree. He was the president of multiple community-based organizations, including notably the Coalition of Religious Leaders of New Jersey and served as the editor of the Central Conference of American Rabbis Newsletter. Upon retirement, Rabbi Kushner was honored with the title of Rabbi Emeritus of Temple Ner Tamid.

Currently Rabbi Kushner is an award-winning fine art photographer. He resides in Jersey City with his wife, Rabbi Leana Moritt.