News Highlights Rabbi Dr. Michael Shire to Deliver Lecture at Chautauqua Institution

Rabbi Dr. Michael Shire, academic director of Hebrew College’s Master of Jewish Education program, will deliver a lecture on July 5, 2023 at the Chautauqua Institution’s Interfaith Lecture Series in Chautauqua, NY.

The Chautauqua Institution is a community of artists, educators, thinkers, faith leaders and friends dedicated to exploring the best in humanity. The Interfaith Lecture Series is designed to present issues that impact the lived experience of everyday life from theological, religious, spiritual, ethical, and humanitarian perspectives.

Week two of the series, which takes place from July 3-7 focuses on the theme “A Spirit of Play,” which the lecture site describes as the following:

We do not always think of religious life as the wellspring of playfulness. And yet, winning, losing, competition, and the joy of playing with others create a distinctive dimension of being human. There is a spiritual nature to many of the games we play, which are metaphors for life. Many of our religious traditions embrace or even revere the spiritual lessons of the trickster — one who plays games and causes trouble or mischief to explore life’s complexity. This week takes us into the spiritual, bonding, teaching, and socializing nature of play — and makes us smile.