The Allen J. Worters lecture will feature Rabbi Toba Spitzer who will be discussing her book, God is Here: Reimagining the Divine. https://rabbitobaspitzer.net
Most of us are hungry for a system of meaning to make sense of our lives, yet traditional religion too often leaves those seeking spiritual sustenance unsatisfied. Rabbi Toba Spitzer understands this problem firsthand, and knows that too often it is traditional ideas of the deity―he's too big, too impersonal, and too unbelievable―that get in the way. In God Is Here, Spitzer argues that whether we believe in God or fervently disbelieve, what we are actually disagreeing about is not God at all, but a metaphor of a Big Powerful Person that limits our understanding and our spiritual lives.
RABBI TOBA SPITZER is a popular teacher of courses on Judaism and economic justice, Reconstructionist Judaism, new approaches to thinking about God, and the practice of integrating Jewish spiritual and ethical teachings into daily life. She served as President of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association from 2007-2009, and was the first LGBTQ rabbi to head a national rabbinic organization. A longtime activist for Israeli- Palestinian peace and social justice causes in the U.S., she has also received the honor of being included in Newsweek’s Top 50 Rabbis in America list and The Forward’s list of 50 Female Rabbis Who Are Making A Difference. Since her ordination from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in 1997, Rabbi Spitzer has been the spiritual leader of Congregation Dorshei Tzedek in Newton, MA.
The Allen J. Worters Annual Memorial lecture honors the pursuit of Jewish learning at Temple Hillel B’nai Torah, with its mission of promoting adult education which is accessible to all, by providing a multi-dimensional exploration of Jewish identity reflecting top-notch Jewish scholarship
The fund was established after Allen's death in 2005 by his widow, Paula Doress-Worters, to honor the deep love of Jewish learning that Allen discovered late in life. As he studied in the Me'ah class and later joined the first Adult B'nai Mitzvah group, Allen became known as "Rabbi Allen" in admiration of his immersion in the readings and texts and his enthusiasm in teaching to his fellow students.
Past lecturers have included Rabbi Arthur Green, Leonard Fein, Lori Lefkovitz, Rabbi Laura Geller, Sasha Chanoff, and Anita Diamant.Join us for dinner and The Allen J. Worters Memorial Lecture. on Zoom and in person
2022 Details
Friday night October 28th
Dinner begins at 6:15pm - cost is $24 per person
Lecture begins at 7:30pm - on Zoom and in person
no cost to attend the lecture only - donations are welcome to support the fund
Free copies of Rabbi Toba's book will be available at the lecture.