Nosh & Drash

As part of our Shabbat Synaplex, we offer Nosh & Drash at 10:00 am in-person and with permission of the presenter, online via Zoom. During the hour, presenters will discuss their interpretation of the weekly parasha, a subject relevant to today or something in their area of expertise. We are excited to offer the following Nosh & Drashes on Shabbat beginning September 2023.

Nosh & Drash is available in-person and online via the Shabbat in the Chapel link

There are 3 ways for you to join us:

• In-Person
• ZOOM: Click Here to Connect
  • Meeting ID: 863 6175 1481
  • Password (online): Sh@lom
• DIAL IN: (929) 205-6099
  • Meeting ID: 863 6175 1481
  • Password (via phone) 510478

Naomi Gurt Lind (she/her) is a Shanah Dalet rabbinical student at Hebrew College in Boston, where she is editor (and occasional writer) for the 70 Faces of Torah blog. Naomi has studied at Drisha, Pardes, Hadar, and Aleph Jewish Renewal and is delighted to return to Shirat Hayam for another year. She also serves as Rabbinic Intern at Temple Ahavat Achim in Gloucester, MA; and Temple Reyim in Newton, MA.

In addition to her congregational work, Naomi is a sought-after educator, with several successful courses to her credit through Open Circle Jewish Learning at Hebrew College, Temple Israel of Boston, Brookline Community Tikkun Leyl Shavuot, and Temple Shalom of Newton, among others. She cultivates a lively classroom with plenty of space for questioning, discovery, and connection. She has been known to take her classroom outdoors and all over town for Pop-up Mishnah Study. Also a performer, Naomi appears frequently with the Zamir Chorale of Boston and participates in local Sermon Slams.

Naomi’s approach to Nosh & Drash is to invite students into joyful, community-oriented learning, aiming to weave a web connecting students to each other, to Torah, and to the divine. You’ll also have a lot of laughs! Her greatest joy is saying to her students, “Here is the text. Let’s wonder together.”

In her free time, she reads, writes divrei Torah on her blog Jewish Themes, solves crossword puzzles (in pencil!), and bakes a legendary challah. Naomi lives in the Boston area with her spouse and their two sons.

Are people in the Torah two-faced, inconsistent, or just completely messed up? Our forefathers and foremothers are virtuous and praiseworthy in one verse and doing something morally repugnant just a few chapters later?  Abraham argues with G-d to save Sodom and is perfectly happy to sacrifice his own son? Sarah welcomes all to her tent yet beats Hagar?  How do we make sense of these stories and more importantly, what do we take from them into our lives now? We will study together in hevruta (pairs) and small groups and try to resolve the problems in the text that we see.  No Hebrew or prior experience with Jewish text is needed.

Janis Knight has been our Director of the Center for Jewish Education (CJE) since 2016.  Her approach to teaching Torah is designed to make text as accessible and relevant to the student’s life as possible.  With humor and insight, she brings you into conversation with an ancient text and with one another.

Noam Sender, a regular at Shirat Hayam, returns to discuss the mystical and spiritual treasures hidden within the weekly Torah portion through a Hasidic lens, providing participants with spiritual tools and understanding for everyday life. Noam will also accompany our clergy as the guest musician during the Renewal service on these dates.

Noam is a musician and teacher. He grew up in Israel where he learned the beauty of sacred Jewish music around the Shabbat table. He studied at Berklee College of Music and the New England School of Acupuncture and has been a spiritual seeker, a meditation practitioner, and a student of mystical traditions for over forty years. Noam plays music, teaches meditation and leads drum circles at various synagogues in the greater Boston area.