High School Winter Week Classes

Dr. Beth Samuels Drisha High School Winter Week Dec. 26-29

 

A Friend in Need . . .

Ms. Newman

How can you help a friend in trouble? When is it appropriate just to listen and when should you offer advice? What kinds of things are not helpful to say? We will study the story of Job, a man in the midst of a mess of troubles, and the friends who come to comfort him. What do they do right? What do they do wrong? How can we learn from them how to help our own friends?

 

Friends Forever? Naomi and Ruth

Ms. Amsellem

“Blood is thicker than water” is a phrase used to convey the idea that family bonds trump social bonds. In a culture where family is of paramount importance, what is the role of friendship? We will explore the story of Naomi, a woman who loses and gains a family and her relationship with her best friend Ruth.

 

The Sacrificial Daughter

 Dr. Udel

In this two-part class, we will explore how friendships both serve and fail the members of a family caught in crisis. The Book of Judges describes Yiftach as a mighty warrior with a mighty desire to vanquish the Ammonites. He rashly promises to sacrifice to God whatever creature first meets him upon his victorious return home. Unfortunately, that creature turns out to be his only daughter. What should Yiftach do? What should his daughter do? What role do her friends play and are they able mitigate her fate?

 

“And You Shall Reprove Your Fellow”: Constructive Criticism and Jewish Law

Mr. Winberg
The Torah teaches that we have a duty to reprimand our friends. Is it possible to do this without being over-bearing and bossy? What if the rebuke will drive the friend away?  Are certain kinds of criticisms inappropriate? In this two- part class, we will examine halachic texts relating to constructive and non-constructive criticism. We will study passages from the Talmud and post-talmudic legal texts to better understand this perplexing commandment. 

 

 

David and Yonatan: A Model Friendship?

Ms. Sperling

The relationship between Yonatan, the son of King Saul, and David, the king-to-be, is often described as the ideal friendship. Yet, it is a complicated bond. Does David take advantage of Yonatan? Does Yonatan sacrifice too much for David? In this two-part class, we will explore the Biblical stories of David and Yonatan and consider whether it is the type of friendship that we should emulate.

 

“As Long As We Have Got Each Other” Rabbi Skydell
This two-part class will explore the importance of creating communities of religious fellowship. We will study the Hasidic model of Rabbi Kalonymus Kalman Shapira's Bnei Mahshava Tovah, and the "Mussar Vaadim" of Rabbi Israel of Salant and Rabbi Yosef Yozel Hurwitz of Novaredok. Special attention will be given to the role of trust, the importance of group dynamics and the question of attaching to/separating from the greater community at large.