Nanci Katz-Ellis and Peter Ellis Yizkor Speech | Yom Kippur 5786

In the gaps, the ambiguities, the contradictions, and the mysteries of Torah, Midrash is born. Like a flower emerging from the crack in the sidewalk, a new image captures our attention, transforming the entire landscape. In this three-part series, we’ll investigate the project of Midrash– where these new stories come from and how they shape our understanding of both the Torah and its interpreters.

Two extraordinary moments of recognition in the Book of Ruth remind us that the simple act of seeing one another—of identifying with another’s pain—can restore our humanity and redeem the world. May 16, 2026 – Bamidbar 5786

Ancient Biblical agricultural laws call us to imagine a radically inclusive social, political, and economic reality. That’s still possible for us today.

This is a recording of the final class of the For the Love of Learning series with Rabbi Sharon Brous and Morris Panitz.