Our special guest this week is Rabbi Amy Eilberg, the first woman ordained as a Conservative rabbi by the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. After many years of work in pastoral care, hospice and spiritual direction, Rabbi Eilberg now directs interfaith dialog programs in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, including at the Jay Phillips Center for Interfaith Learning, and she teaches at the United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities. Her book on Judaism and peacemaking, “From Enemy to Friend: Jewish Wisdom on the Pursuit of Peace”, will be published by Orbis Books in April 2014.
This week's Torah Portion- Parashat Shemot (Exodus 1:1-6:1)- features the beginning of the epic story of Moses and the exodus from Egypt. The portion features a description of the oppression of the people of Israel by Pharaoh, the birth of Moses, his flee to Midian, the story of the burning bush, and Moses' return to Egypt. Our discussion focuses on the way in which the people of Israel are perceived as a threat and as an enemy by the Pharaoh, and on the contrast between his mindset and the heroic actions of his daughter.
