Exploring Traditionally Radical Talmud with SVARA (Open Beit Midrash)

Tuesdays, April 6, 13 & 20
7:00-9:00 PM on Zoom
Laynie Soloman, SVARA

SVARA Faculty Member Laynie Soloman will teach a 3-session online bet midrash where will we will dig into SVARA’s traditionally radical approach to Talmud learning, all in a queer, radically inclusive learning space. All you need is the ability to sound out the alef-bet and we’ll have you learning in the original in no time!

Laynie is a passionate teacher of Jewish text, thought, and tradition, they believe deeply in the power of Talmud study as a healing and liberatory spiritual practice. They have spent several years learning and teaching in various batei midrash (homes for Jewish learning) including at Hadar, an egalitarian yeshiva in New York City, where they currently serve as an adjunct faculty member. Laynie is completing a Dual M.A. in Talmud/Rabbinic Literature & Jewish Education from the Jewish Theological Seminary, and holds a B.A. in Religious Studies from Goucher College. They love facilitating experiences of Jewish learning that uplift the piously irreverent, queer, and subversive spirit of rabbinic text and theology, and they have taught and lectured on these topics in various community spaces, campuses, and in academic settings. When not in shul or learning Talmud, you can find Laynie reading about liberation theology, collecting comic books, and singing niggunim.

Register Now!

This class is offered as part of our Open Beit Midrash (Open House of Learning) series, which provides our community with a steady stream of learning opportunities that stir our hearts, ignite our minds, and inspire connections among one another. Our study is rooted in Jewish text and carried out through hevrutah (partnered) learning. 

From November 10, 2020-May 11, 2021, we will gather every Tuesday night for learning. Each class in the series meets for three consecutive weeks and is facilitated by a different teacher.  All texts are provided in the original language and in English translation, giving each hevrutah (learning pair) the ability to move at their own level and pace. All sessions will meet on Zoom until further notice.

For a full list of courses offered and to register, click here.