Yom Iyun on Talmud and Torah She-Ba'al Peh

Yeshivat Chovevei Torah will be holding a Yom Iyun on Talmud and Torah She-Ba'al Peh on Sunday 1 February 2009 in Riverdale, NY at SAR High School (5900 Netherland Avenue).

Rabbi Saul Berman speaks on Rabbi Emanuel Rackman

Yesterday, Rabbi Saul Berman eulogized Rabbi Emanuel Rackman, who passed away on Monday, at Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, after having attended his funeral. Below is a video of the eulogy (sorry for the shakiness of the camera early on).

Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz speaks at YCT

Today, Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz came to YCT to speak about selihos:

"Free the Slaves": A Presentation on Modern Slavery by African Freedom Award Winners

Last night, "Free the Slaves": A Presentation on Modern Slavery by African Freedom Award Winners took place, sponsored by Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School's Kronish Tikkun Olam Program, Free the Slaves, The Center for the Study of Science and Religion of the Earth Institute, Columbia University, Columbia University Seminar on Slavery and Memory Columbia University Seminar on Human Rights, and Columbia/Barnard Hillel. Two former slaves, James Kofi Annan (of Challenging Heights), and Ricky Richards (of Friends of Orphans), spoke, having recently been awarded, respectively, the Frederick Douglass Purpose Award and the Harriet Tubman Reintegration Award. Afterwards, there was a little Q&A followed by refreshments.

Rabbi Avi Weiss speaks about 9/11

On 11 September 2008, Rabbi Avi Weiss spoke about 9/11:

YCT Begins its Tenth Year

On Tuesday 2 September 2008, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah began its tenth year of school. It is now in its fourth year at its present location in the Kraft Center.

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[Previously, YCT Begins Ninth Year, YCT Begins Eighth Year, YCT Begins Seventh Year]

Sixth Annual Yemei Iyun On Bible and Jewish Thought

From 29 June through 1 July, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah held its sixth annual Yemei Iyun on Bible and Jewish Thought. Held in conjunction with Beit Morasha of Jerusalem, Center for Modern Torah Leadership, David Cardozo Academy, Lookstein Center for Jewish Education, MATAN, RAMAZ, Yeshivat Hamivtar, and Yeshivat Maale Gilboa, the conference once again adhered to a schedule of the first two days being dedicated to the study of various books of the Bible and the third day focusing on topics in Jewish thought. For the first time, the conference was held at the upper school of Ramaz in Manhattan, previously being held in Teaneck, NJ.

Audio from last year's Yemei Iyun as well as audio from 2006's Yemei Iyun and audio from 2005's Yemei Iyun are available.

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YCT Rabbinical School's Seminar on The Rabbi and Persons with Physical Disabilities

From Monday 2 June through Friday 6 June, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah held a one week seminar on "The Rabbi and Persons with Physical Disabilities". Sponsored by Shelley Cohen and her husband in memory of their son, Nathaniel Cohen, who had passed away last year, this first ever seminar sought to educate the rabbinical students about how to be accomodating to people with physical disabilities. The audio recordings are available here, with the exception of Friday's morning session with Deborah Grayson Riegel, who ran a workshop on wrapping the week's activities up.

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Press Release: YCT Rabbinical school's Seminar on The Rabbi and Persons with Physical Disabilities

PRESS RELEASE
YCT Rabbinical School's Seminar on The Rabbi and Persons with Physical Disabilities
Contact: Oksana Bellas 212.666.0036 or obellas@yctorah.org

June 2008, New York City - During the week of June 2nd, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School is launching a new innovative curriculum segment of its program to help rabbinical students explore the issues the issues associated with inclusion and accessibility in the Jewish community. It is believed that this is the first program focused on these issues in any clergy-training program of any faith.
The curriculum, which will alternate years in discussing issues associated with Physical Disabilities and Learning/Developmental Disabilities, will look at the practical, pastoral, theological, and halakhic issues associated with integrating people with disabilities into a community. The curriculum will have session son inclusion in synagogues, schools, and camps, as well as exploration of the impact of inclusion of the disabled on families and the broader community and the need for advocacy on the part of religious leadership. It will broach subjects such as lifecycle events including marriage and sexuality. YCT rabbis will learn to deal directly with issues of halakhic challenges, theodicy, and the ethics of genetic choices.
"This new program is reflective of YCT's commitment to training rabbis who are sensitive to the needs of the entire community. Through this part of our curriculum, students will not only learn about realities of those living with disabilities, they will also explore halakhic and pastoral implications. It is, in effect, rabbinic training at its ideal - an integration of Jewish Law, philosophy, practical rabbinics, and the human dimension," commented Rabbi Dov Linzer, YCT's Rosh HaYeshiva and Dean.
The program will feature the prespectives of leading voices from within the disabled community, as well as rabbinic leaders and ethicists who have been on the front line of developing and implementing their own visions of an inclusive religious Jewish community.
The program will take place at YCT's Beit Midrash, 606 W 115th Street, NYC, and run from Monday, June 2 through Friday, June 6.