The Intellectual Vibrancy of Central European Jewry Between the Wars

Join Rabbi Jonathan and a select group of scholars for a captivating series of classes exploring the remarkable intellectual and cultural flourishing of Central European Jewry between World War I and World War II.

This extraordinary period produced some of the modern era’s most influential thinkers and creators: Sigmund Freud and Theodor Herzl in Vienna; Abraham Joshua Heschel and Hannah Arendt in Berlin; pioneering scientists such as Leo Szilard and Edward Teller, whose innovations in physics contributed to the development of the Manhattan Project; Hannah Szenes in Budapest; Franz Kafka in Prague; and many others whose ideas continue to shape our world.

Together, we will examine the social, cultural, religious, and political conditions that fostered this remarkable flowering of Jewish thought and creativity, while also considering how it was transformed and ultimately disrupted by the rise of Nazism and World War II.

The series will begin with an in-person introductory session. Subsequent classes will alternate between in-person meetings and presentations by guest scholars joining via Zoom.

Time: 7:00PM to 8:30PM

Course Dates: Oct 14 (Onsite), Oct. 28 (Onsite), Oct 29th (Zoom), Nov 4 (Onsite), Nov 11(Offsite TBD)

Member Pricing for 5 Sessions: $90: Member Price

Non-Member Pricing for 5 Sessions: $180: Non-Member Price

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The World That Was, The Legacy That Endures

Congregation Emanu-El’s Jewish Journey to Budapest, Vienna & Berlin

Led by Rabbi Jonathan Singer

Join Rabbi Jonathan Singer for a unique educational journey through the great centers of Jewish life in Central Europe. Building on his course exploring European Jewry between the First and Second World Wars, this experience will bring history to life as we explore Budapest, Vienna, and Berlin through the lens of Jewish thought, culture, creativity, and resilience. (SAVE THE DATES: APRIL 3 – 12, 2027)