Join us for five consecutive Thursday mornings beginning January 9th for bagels, lox, and a chance to learn together!

Lox and Learn features a range of fascinating scholars and experts who share their knowledge with us. Each of this year’s speakers will present on one of our five core values: Kehillah - Sacred Community, Tzedek - Social Justice, Makom - Connection to Place, Amcha - Celebrating Diversity, Limud - Learning.

We will meet at Beth Am and Zoom. Please register for the zoom link.

Contact Zack Berger at zackarysholemberger@gmail.com or Melissa Gerr at gerrmelissa@gmail.com with any questions.

Speakers: 

January 9th: Rabbi Naomi Zaslow of Beth El Congregation

Your Next Rabbi Will Probably Be Queer: The Evolving Face of Conservative Judaism 

Growing up Queer in the Orthodox Jewish community, Rabbi Naomi Zaslow will discuss her experiences, and how LGBTQ inclusion has changed in Conservative Judaism.

January 16th: Rachel Kutler, Baltimore Director at Jews United for Justice

Rooted in Justice: Jewish Values and the Importance of Joining Social Movements

Kutler will explore the role of Jews in social justice movements and the Jewish values that call us to take action. Drawing on her own journey with Jews United for Justice, she examines the power of building broad, multi-racial coalitions to drive transformational change. She invites us to reflect on how Jewish teachings—rooted in justice, equity, and community—call us to be active participants in the fight for systemic change, advocating for the safety and dignity of all people. 

January 23rd: Hahrie Han, JHU political scientist and director at SNF Agora Institute

Where Do I Belong?

Han explores the concepts of belonging and the work it takes to create community and incite change.

January 30th: Sam Spinner, JHU Asst. Professor in Yiddish Language, Literature, and Culture

Yiddish Books after the Holocaust

The Holocaust consisted not only of the murder of a large proportion of the world’s Yiddish speakers but also the systematic destruction of the things that make literature possible: printing presses, publishing houses, bookstores, newspapers, theaters, and the like. Despite this devastation, Yiddish publishing never stopped—it is still going strong today. Spinner will present an overview of Yiddish literature and publishing during the years of the Holocaust and the decade immediately following; together we will discuss whether the presence – or absence – of the Holocaust in these books can teach us anything about the place of the Holocaust in our own culture.

February 6th: Father and son, Michael and Sam Novey

There’s No Place Like Home

For most of the past century, there has been a Novey regularly showing up to daven at 2501 Eutaw Place. Michael Novey, father to Sam, was a Chizuk Amuno member when the congregation called the glorious structure in Reservoir Hill its home. Now, Sam Novey and his family have roots in the space and in the community that Beth Am has called home for 50 years. Father and son will talk about the arc of connection to place and the strong draw of community.