Dear Friends,
We are delighted to offer you the opportunity to engage with distinguished speakers and thoughtful leaders on issues of vital importance to the Jewish community and beyond. This year our lecture and dialogue series include topics such as international intrigue, international diplomacy, Torah study, theology, and more.
You will also find ongoing study opportunities with your clergy and courses in our Melton Adult School, all designed to deepen your knowledge, observance and joy of Judaism.
As the Center for Jewish Life proudly celebrates its 20th anniversary, we are grateful to our speakers who travel from near and far, as well as to our congregants, for their continued desire and dedication to learning and inquiry.
We look forward, as always, to having you join us.
Sincerely,
Rabbi David Woznica
Isaiah Zeldin Rabbinic Chair
Learn about upcoming Center for Jewish Life and Stephen Wise Temple events: join our email list for the lastest news!
Study with Your Clergy
There is no charge for these classes.
With great subjects, inspiring teachers, and committed learners, our classes make for truly meaningful experiences. You are invited to deepen your Jewish knowledge and practice in classes. Longtime students and newcomers alike are invited to join these classes at any time.
Shabbat mornings 8:30 a.m.
In Person and Virtual via Zoom
Join us each Saturday morning for provocative discussions, meaningful connections, insightful observations and plenty of hearty laughter as we study Torah the way it was mean to be studied: in a group. Join us in person at Stephen Wise Temple, or join us from home. Either way, you will enjoy the camaraderie and wonderful connections made among enthusiastic leaners.
Favorite Moments in the Torah
with Rabbi David Woznica
Summer Schedule
June 16
July 7
August 25
September 15
10:15–11 a.m.
Virtual via Zoom
Among the most consequential questions one can ask is “What is the source of my values? On what basis do I make important decisions?” What does the Torah teach about interpersonal relationships? In this class we look at some of the most consequential teachings in the Torah and other texts, with the focus of how those texts can inform the way we act. Rabbi Woznica leads us in a wide-ranging study with enthusiastic learners.
Center for Jewish Life Online Archive
Wise’s Center for Jewish Life has been programming intellectually stimulating evenings with movers, shakers, and thought-leaders for well over a decade. Rabbi David Woznica has brought an impressive and diverse array of speakers together for lectures, dialogues, and panel discussions.
Watch this page for future updates as we share more enlightening programs from our archives.
Ambassador Michael Oren in Dialogue with Rabbi David Woznica
Recorded on Monday, October 31, 2022
Our 2022-2023 slate of Center for Jewish Life events kicked off with a compelling dialogue between Rabbi David Woznica and Michael Oren, the former Israeli Ambassador to the United States.
Ambassador Martin Indyk with Rabbi David Woznica.
Recorded on Monday, April 3, 2023
On the evening of April 3, 2023, Ambassador Martin Indyk, the former United States Ambassador to Israel, joined Rabbi David Woznica and the Stephen Wise Temple Center for Jewish Life for a webinar on Middle East diplomacy, Henry Kissinger, and the current situation in Israel.
Liel Leibovitz in Dialogue with Rabbi David Woznica
Recorded on Monday, January 11, 2021
Author, journalist, and Unorthodox podcast host Liel Leibovitz joins Rabbi David Woznica for a thought-provoking dialogue. Together they cover a wide variety of topics related to contemporary Judaism and Jewish issues, using some of Leibovitz’s well-known Tablet magazine articles as a jumping-off point.
Dr. Deborah Lipstadt in Dialogue
with Rabbi David Woznica
Recorded on July 1, 2020
Celebrated historian (and author of many books) Dr. Deborah Lipstadt joins Rabbi David Woznica for a dialogue on the state of Jewish life, antisemitism, and race relations in the United States. Dr. Lipstadt made international headlines during her libel defense in London against David Irving, who sued her for calling him a Holocaust denier and right wing extremist. A feature film was later made of the trial.
Dr. Lipstadt is Dorot Professor of Modern Jewish History and Holocaust Studies at Emory University in Atlanta.
Jonathan Kaufman in Dialogue
with Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback
Recorded on October 26, 2020
Jonathan Kaufman tells the remarkable story of how two families participated in an economic boom that opened China to the world. His book, The Last Kings of Shanghai, lays bare the moral compromises of these families—and their exceptional foresight and generosity. At the height of World War II, they joined together to rescue and protect 18,000 Jewish refugees fleeing Nazism. As the United States confronts China’s rise, this book holds a key to understanding the present moment.
Jonathan Kaufman is a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter who has reported on China for thirty years. He is Director of the School of Journalism at Northeastern University in Boston.
Yousef Bashir in Dialogue with Rabbi David Woznica
February 18, 2020
“[The Words of My Father] is captivating. Full of youthful exuberance, unlikely adventures, and raw discovery.” — The New Yorker
Yousef Bashir is a Palestinian-American from the Gaza Strip, the son of Khalil Bashir, a highly respected educator. Still suffering the effects of a near catastrophic injury at the hands of an anonymous IDF soldier, Yousef made his way to the United States where he became an accomplished author, a vigorous advocate of Israeli-Palestinian peace, and much sought-after public speaker. Learn his truly remarkable life story as he speaks with Rabbi David Woznica.
Obama White House Speechwriter Sarah Hurwitz in Dialogue with Rabbi David Woznica
December 2, 2019
From 2009 to 2017 Sarah Hurwitz served as a White House speechwriter, first for President Barack Obama and then as the chief speechwriter for First Lady Michelle Obama. At the age of 36, Sarah took an introductory class on Judaism, attending on a whim. On the road, she found beauty in the rituals, guidance on living an ethical life, a deeper understanding of God—well beyond anything she had learned in Hebrew school. This initiated a multi-year journey meeting with rabbis, attending meditation retreats, sitting at Shabbat tables of Orthodox families, and the reading of many books on Judaism.
Rabbi Harold Kushner in Dialogue with Rabbi David Woznica
February 2, 2016
As part of Stephen Wise Temple Center for Jewish Life’s Forum on Critical Values, Rabbi David Woznica hosts a dialogue with legendary thinker, teacher, and renowned author Rabbi Harold Kushner. This engaging evening yielded timeless answers to thoughtful questions that apply to our daily lives as well as big-picture values introspections.
Elie Wiesel and Governor Mario Cuomo in Dialogue with Rabbi David Woznica
“God: Personal Thoughts” | April 18, 2002
In 2002 Rabbi David Woznica was invited to return to his former organization, the 92nd St. Y in New York City, for this memorable evening. In addition to a filled concert hall, It was broadcast by satellite around the United States. “While these extraordinary men are no longer with us,” reflects Rabbi Woznica, “their insights, candor and depth remain with me to this day.”
The Supreme Court: Crucial Cases of the Past, Present, and Future
Monday, November 4, 2019