TBZ Men's Study Group

We'll use this page to post links to articles, notes and other items that our group would like to access.

Click here for written materials made available.

Click here for quick access to the JPS version of 1 and 2 Samuel.

And click here for a summary of Samuel 1 and 2 provided by David Woodruff.

To contact Allen Spivack, just click here:

Email: Allen Spivack

 

• Saturday, November 18, 2006, after kiddush.

  We'll continue with discussion of a program for the b'nai mitzvah, as well as other matters that have been left hanging. (See suggested readings; items 10 and 11 in "written materials.")

• Saturday, December 30, 2006, after kiddush.

  We'll continue with discussion of Pinsky's "David."(See suggested readings; items 10, 11 and 12 in "written materials.")

• Saturday, January 20, 2007, after kiddush.

  We'll continue with discussion of Pinsky's "David."(See suggested readings; items 10, 11, 12 and the new item, #13, in "written materials.")

• Saturday, February 10, 2007, after kiddush.

  The discussion of Pinsky's "David" continues. (See suggested readings; items 10, 11, 12 and 13, in "written materials.")

• Saturday, March 3, 2007, after kiddush.

  Our group started a discussion of ``honor and courage.'' We will continue this conversation next time, as well as reading the text. Item 14 is a précis of last meeting's discussion, kindly provided by Allen.

• Saturday, March 24, 2007, after kiddush.

• Saturday, April 14, 2007, after kiddush.

• Saturday, May 5, 2007, after kiddush.

• Sunday, June 3, 2007, at 10 A.M. See item 16 in "written materials" above.

• Saturday, September 29, 2007, after kiddush.

• Saturday, October 13, 2007, after kiddush.

• Saturday, November 3, 2007, after kiddush.

• Saturday, December 1, 2007, after kiddush.

  Among other things, we'll try to select a book that we can use as a text for our future meetings. See the items numbered 17 and higher in "written materials made available" (above) for information on some of the suggestions that have been made so far.

• Saturday, December 22, 2007, after kiddush.

  1. We can complete our conversation about work (Part III) and focus on how we see our work life evolving/changing and how would we make/have made that happen.

  2. We agreed to start reading the Peter Pitzele book, "Our Fathers' Wells" and to select some topics related to the text. See item #17 in "written materials made available" (above). (If you order the book through Amazon and use the TBZ website, TBZ benefits from this.) 

• Saturday, January 12, 2008, after kiddush.

  We have started reading the Pizele book -- Our Fathers' Wells (see previous notice) -- and decided to jump around. We'll focus on the section about Abraham and the Akedah (pp. 116-138). If you have time to read, go for it. If not, come and participate; we'll fill in the details. Remember, we are not a book club. The texts we study give a focus to the topics we discuss.

• Saturday, February 2, 2008, after kiddush.

  We had a terrific discussion of the chapter in the Pizele book on the Akedah. Discussions of motives, Issac, perspectives on Abraham -- maybe there is more to say about this chapter, so if you have the book, read the pages on the Akedah. We will also eventually be tackling the section about Isaac: Chapter 10, pages 144 to 156.

• Saturday, February 23, 2008, after Kiddush.

  We had a very spirited and intriguing discussion about Abraham, Isaac, the Akedah and related matters. While we encourage folks to buy the Pitzele book and read, it's certainly not a requirement. We are able to set a context for the discussion, and everyone can be a participant. We'll continue reading the book, especially sections on Abraham, Isaac and chapters in between, and see where the discussion takes us.

• Saturday, March 22, 2008, after Kiddush.

  We'll hold off on our "brothers" discussion, and hear from those of us who have been on TBZ's trip to Israel.

• Saturday, April 12, 2008, after Kiddush.

  Let's read pages 14-24 in the Pitzele book. We can talk about what it is to "create" and also discuss "loneliness." (Did in fact Adam become a "lonely" man in the Garden? Did God have "rachmones" on him and decide to create Eve for that reason? What does this say about us as humans and as individuals?)

• **Sunday, April 13, 2008, 10:30 AM (at Bagels and Books)**

  Robert Pinsky will be the guest speaker. We (men's study group) will be sponsoring the food and setup/cleanup.

• Saturday, May 3, 2008, after Kiddush.

  Keep reading in Pitzele -- we can pick up the topics of "creating" and "loneliness" that he writes about in the beginning of the book. However, if you identify a topic from the text that jumps out at you, send it along and we'll schedule it in. (That's how we do business.)

• Saturday, May 17, 2008, after Kiddush.

  We'll continue the discussion on "creating" and "loneliness" that we were in the midst of at the last meeting.

• Saturday, June 7, 2008, after Kiddush.

  Since it's close (just a week) to Father's Day, lets talk about fathers: being one, or your own, or BOTH, or men who were like fathers to you.

• Saturday, June 21, 2008, after Kiddush.

  This will probably be the last meeting of our group until next fall.