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Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe The Birth of Judaism: The Rise of the Rabbis in Classical Israel June 21 to July 3, 2016 The Birth of Judaism: [Date] The Rise of the Rabbis in Classical Israel Study Tour Led by David Kraemer Joseph J. and Dora Abbell Librarian (Director of The Library) The Jewish Theological Seminary Introduction In many respects, the classical Rabbinic period is the most important period in Jewish history, at least as far as Jews living in subsequent centuries are concerned. This judgment is offered for one very simply reason: Judaism as we know it is the Judaism of the rabbis. It is they—partially through interpretation of their inherited tradition and partially through their visionary chutzpah—who formulated the practices and beliefs that would substantially define Judaism from their own day to the present (or, at the very least, until recent modernity). If we want to understand Judaism, therefore, we must try to understand the visions of its founders, the rabbis of the 1st-6th centuries. The Judaism of the rabbis began in the Land of Israel. Emerging from a Judaism centered on the Temple in Jerusalem, and responding to the destruction of that Temple, the rabbis forged a future that was centered on Torah—Written and Oral—and its interpretation. Gathering mostly in cities in the Galilee, the rabbis began to spread their influence to the institutions that would now form the center of Jewish life—community and synagogue. By the end of Late Antiquity, they had developed an ideology and set of practices that would give Jews a reason to be Jewish for centuries to come. In the course of this tour, we will seek to understand the emergence and unique features of this "new" Judaism. In Jerusalem and Qumran, we will examine the range of Jewish practice and belief that prevailed before the wars with Rome, and thus before the emergence of rabbinic Judaism. 1 Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe The Birth of Judaism: The Rise of the Rabbis in Classical Israel June 21 to July 3, 2016 [Date] We will then turn an eye to the earliest expression of rabbinic Judaism, as forged in the Galilee and recorded in the Mishnah, and ask about its "sense" in the context in which it took shape. In ancient synagogues and burial grounds, we will reflect on emerging Jewish practices, considering the unique contributions of some of the great rabbinic masterworks, the Midrashim and the Talmud of the Land of Israel (the Yerushalmi. At the end of this tour, you should have gained a greater understanding, not only of the history of Judaism and its literary expressions, but of the Judaism we continue to live—in one way or another— today. The Itinerary Jerusalem Tuesday, June 21st – Day One – Departure Fly to Israel from Newark Liberty International Airport. Wednesday, June 22nd – Day Two – Jerusalem Afternoon: Landing in Israel mid-day, we will bus to Jerusalem and check-in to our hotel, where, after dinner, Professor Kraemer will orient you to the tour and begin to articulate the questions we will try to answer: 2 Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe The Birth of Judaism: The Rise of the Rabbis in Classical Israel June 21 to July 3, 2016 Who were the rabbis? How did they transform Judaism? How did [Date] they make the survival of Judaism possible? Evening: After orientation, we will enjoy a festive Welcome Dinner. Meals: Dinner Overnight: Dan Panorama, Jerusalem Thursday, June 23rd – Day Three – Jerusalem Morning: After breakfast, we will have our first Learning Session with Professor Kraemer: BEFORE THE RABBIS: JERUSALEM OF THE TEMPLE (2ND TEMPLE ARCHAEOLOGY). To understand the contribution of the rabbis, it is essential to understand what Judaism looked like before they began to shape it, before the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed. On this first full day of our tour, we will explore the archaeological sites that surround the Temple Mount, trying to imagine ourselves as Jews in Jerusalem when the sacrifices were still being offered. A visit to the Davidson Center in the Jerusalem Archaeological Park which will help us go back in time to imagine the city as it was in the late Second Temple period. Afternoon: We will enter the Tunnels near the Western Wall. We will go the remains of a home that belonged to a wealthy priest, and explore the remains of the affluent upper city on Mount Zion (in today’s Jewish quarter). Evening: Following our strenuous exploration and before dinner on your own, you will have a chance to rest and reflect. Meals: Breakfast Overnight: Dan Panorama, Jerusalem 3 Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe The Birth of Judaism: The Rise of the Rabbis in Classical Israel June 21 to July 3, 2016 [Date] Qumran Friday, June 24th – Day Four – Qumran and Jerusalem Morning: After breakfast, enjoy your second Learning Session with Professor Kraemer: BEFORE THE RABBIS: SECTARIANISM, QUMRAN. We will then descend from the Judean Hills to the Dead Sea region of the Negev. Judaism before the rabbis was characterized by the spread of sects—the Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, and others. To understand them and their ideologies, we will descend to the Dead Sea and visit Qumran, the probable site of the settlement of one such sect. Afternoon: We will then return to Jerusalem, to the Shrine of the Book, to consider what we can learn about the complexity of late Second Temple Judaism from a contemporary library. Evening: After time to relax, we will enjoy a Shabbat Dinner together. Meals: Breakfast and Dinner Overnight: Dan Panorama, Jerusalem 4 Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe The Birth of Judaism: The Rise of the Rabbis in Classical Israel June 21 to July 3, 2016 [Date] Saturday, June 25th – Day Five – Shabbat in Jerusalem Morning: After breakfast there is free time to attend one of the local synagogues. Afternoon: The theme for the day will be Before The Rabbis: The Early Christians. We will unpack this theme by taking a walking tour of Christian sites. Of course, among the most important groups that developed in Judea before the destruction, a group that then adapted and grew after the destruction, was the early Christians. After a morning during which participants can attend synagogue or relax, as they see fit, we will take a walking tour following the footsteps of Jesus, considering his life and teachings (along with those of Paul) along the Via Dolorosa and into the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Evening: At leisure. Meals: Breakfast Overnight: Dan Panorama, Jerusalem Sunday, June 26th – Day Six – Jerusalem The Destruction of the Temple and Its Aftermath (Jerusalem from Mt. Scopus and the Mt. of Olives, Jaffa Gate and Roman encampment, Yohanan ben Zakkai stories). Morning: After breakfast and our third Learning Session, THE MEANING AND EXPERIENCE OF THE DESTRUCTION, we will try to re-live and feel the consequences of the destruction. We will begin at Jaffa Gate and consider the defenses of the city, and the Roman legion that spearheaded the conquest. From there, we will bus to Mount Scopus and the Mount of Olives, imagining the Temple in ruin and reflecting on the message of the Yohanan ben Zakkai stories, suggesting that the Judaism of the Temple would be replaced by a more robust, less destructible alternative. 5 Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe The Birth of Judaism: The Rise of the Rabbis in Classical Israel June 21 to July 3, 2016 [Date] Afternoon: The remainder of our last day in Jerusalem will be devoted to rest and relaxation (and, if you want, shopping), in recognition of the fact that you will need to recover your energy for the remainder of our journeys. Evening: At leisure to enjoy the cultural and culinary delights of the City of Gold. Meals: Breakfast Overnight: Dan Panorama, Jerusalem Caesarea Monday, June 27th – Day Seven – Beit Guvrin and Caesarea Hellenism and Its Influence (Beit Guvrin, Caesarea; stay in area of Caesarea). Throughout this period, both before and after the destruction, the land Jews called their own was pervaded by the culture of Hellenism, both Greek and Roman. Neither the rabbis nor others were impervious to these influences, so to understand Judaism in this period, one must understand this culture. Morning: After breakfast, we will explore this culture, we will leave Jerusalem and descend to the coastal plain, first exploring Beit Guvrin and environs, where we will find burial sites, caves, and a subterranean “city,” all of which are testimony to Hellenistic culture. 6 Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe The Birth of Judaism: The Rise of the Rabbis in Classical Israel June 21 to July 3, 2016 [Date] Afternoon: After lunch on your own, we will head up the coast to Caesarea, whose remains leave no doubt of the power of this culture in the centuries that concern us. We will reach our guest house in the late afternoon Evening: At leisure. Meals: Breakfast and Lunch Overnight: Nof Ginosar Tuesday, June 28th – Day Eight – Sephorris, Beit She’arim, and the Galilee The Rabbis at Home (Sephorris/Tzipori, Beit She’arim; stay in Haifa area). There is no better way to learn about someone than to visit them at home, and the home of the early rabbis was the Galilee. In fact, the city in which the author of the Mishnah (Rabbi Judah the Patriarch) made his home, Sephorris, is excavated and open for all to see, are significant parts of his grave site, the caves at Beit She’arim. On this day, we will do our best to understand Rabbi Judah based upon the places where he was at home (in life and after death). What must someone who lived and died in places like this have been like? Morning: In Sephorris, we will walk the roads and explore both the public and private buildings of the city in which R. Judah the Patriarch lived. We will see that this was a cosmopolitan city, one flowing with cultural currents from throughout the near east. In other words, the Mishnah, and rabbinic Judaism with it, wasn’t born in cultural isolation. It was fully in conversation with the world around it. We will consider the implications of this realization for our Judaism. Afternoon: In Beit Shearim, we will explore the largest Jewish burial site in antiquity; the one in which R. Judah the Patriarch and his family are “buried.” We will see that Jewish burial during the rabbinic period was very different than what we assume Jewish burial to be (to begin with, it wasn’t actually a burial at all), and we will see the unmistakable evidence of Roman culture, even in the way the rabbis and other Jews of their time were prepared for the next world. 7 Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe The Birth of Judaism: The Rise of the Rabbis in Classical Israel June 21 to July 3, 2016 [Date] What does all this mean for our understanding of the Judaism to which the rabbis gave birth? During our visit, Professor Kraemer will conduct our fourth Learning Session on JEWISH AND ROMAN BURIAL PRACTICES AND THEIR COMPARATIVE SIGNIFICANCE. Evening: At leisure. Meals: Breakfast Overnight: Nof Ginosar Hamat Tiberius Wednesday, June 29th – Day Nine – Galilee, Beit Alpha, and Hamat Tiberius The Growth of the Synagogue. Central to the future of Judaism after the destruction of the Temple would be the synagogue reimagined. At first, the postdestruction synagogue was not a rabbinic institution, but the rabbis realized the potential importance of this institution, and they worked hard to gain influence where they could. By exploring several Galilean synagogues—those of Beit Alpha, Hamat Tiberius, and others—we will discover what Judaism looked like before the rabbis became dominant, and how the direction of the Jewish community changed when rabbinic leadership began to take hold. 8 Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe The Birth of Judaism: The Rise of the Rabbis in Classical Israel June 21 to July 3, 2016 [Date] What do we learn from synagogues that are characterized by zodiac mosaics in the very center of their floors, zodiacs that feature not only images of humans and animals (contrary to the 2nd commandment?), but even images of God— the Roman sun god! And what do we make of the fact that these synagogues were constructed at precisely the same time that “Roman” (= Byzantine = Christian) law forbade the construction of new synagogues? These visits will allow us to address some of the biggest puzzles of the development of Judaism during the early rabbinic era. Morning: After breakfast, we will set out and head east. We will visit the synagogue at Beit Alpha. Afternoon: After lunch on your own en route, we will visit Hamat Tiberius. Professor Kraemer will present an on-site fifth Learning Session on WHAT WAS THE SYNAGOGUE BEFORE THE RABBIS? WHAT DID IT BECOME? We will arrive to Safed in the late afternoon. Evening: Evening at leisure in Safed. Meals: Breakfast Overnight: Ruth Rimonim Hotel, Safed Thursday, June 30th – Day Ten – Galilee The Galilee and Jesus, the Sermon on the Mount (Capernaum); the Rabbinic legacy (Tiberius Maimonides’ tomb). Today we travel through time, first going back to visit the Galilean sites associated with Jesus’s life and then jumping centuries into the future to consider the long-term influence of the rabbis. To bring the gospels to life, we will read the Sermon on the Mount on the actual mount, then spend time at the Sea of Galilee imagining miracles with fishes and other such events. Morning: After breakfast, we will head out and focus on Christian sites in the Galilee including Capernaum. Dr. Kraemer will present an on-site sixth Learning Session: THE APPEAL OF JESUS TO LATE SECOND TEMPLE JEWS. 9 Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe The Birth of Judaism: The Rise of the Rabbis in Classical Israel June 21 to July 3, 2016 [Date] Afternoon: After lunch on your own, we will visit Tiberias and then the tomb of Maimonides where Professor Kraemer will conduct an on-site seventh Learning Session on THE CRYSTALLIZATION OF RABBINIC JUDAISM. Evening: Enjoy a fish dinner together in Ein Gev. Meals: Breakfast and Dinner Overnight: Ruth Rimonim Hotel, Safed Safed Friday, July 1st – Day Eleven – Safed and Jerusalem The Rabbinic Legacy II (Safed and Rabbinic Mysticism). Before leaving for Jerusalem, we will spend some hours in Safed, exploring the mystical forms of rabbinic Judaism that became so popular in later centuries. How would the rabbis of old have felt about the Kabbalah? How would the Judaism of the study house be influenced by the cosmic vision of Jewish mystics? Morning: After breakfast and our eighth Learning Session on RE-WRITING THE CREATION STORY: THE MYSTICISM OF ISAAC LURIA, we will drive back to Jerusalem. 10 Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe The Birth of Judaism: The Rise of the Rabbis in Classical Israel June 21 to July 3, 2016 [Date] Afternoon: Arrive to Jerusalem in the late afternoon. Evening: We will enjoy Shabbat Dinner, where we will eat and sing, and reflect upon how nearly all of these practices are a product of the creativity of the rabbis whom we have been studying. Meals: Breakfast and Dinner Overnight: Dan Panorama, Jerusalem Saturday, July 2nd – Day Twelve – Shabbat in Jerusalem and Departure Shabbat in Jerusalem Morning: Shabbat at leisure in Jerusalem. Shabbat is a time of reflection, and there will be much to reflect upon after our strenuous days of exploration. Go to a synagogue, roam in a park or through the quiet streets, and consider what Judaism became when the Temple could no longer anchor our vision. Afternoon: On this last Shabbat in Jerusalem, we will have our final Learning Session on THE LEGACY OF THE RABBIS in the late afternoon and study the rabbis as radical visionaries, paying special attention to the spread of rabbinic religion beyond the boundaries of the biblical Holy Land, into Babylonia and beyond. Evening: After a Wrap-up Session and a Farewell Dinner, we depart for BenGurion Airport and the flight back to the U.S. Meals: Breakfast and Dinner Sunday, July 3rd – Day Thirteen – Arrive In the U.S. This Itinerary is subject to change. 11 Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe The Birth of Judaism: The Rise of the Rabbis in Classical Israel June 21 to July 3, 2016 [Date] The Scholar David Kraemer, Ph.D., is the Joseph J. and Dora Abbell Librarian (Director of The Library) at The Jewish Theological Seminary, where he has also served as Professor of Talmud and Rabbinics for many years. As Librarian, David is at the helm of the most extensive collection of Judaica—rare and contemporary—in the Western hemisphere. David holds degrees from Brandeis University and The Jewish Theological Seminary. He is a prolific author and commentator as well as an instructor of adult learners. His books include The Mind of the Talmud (1990), Responses to Suffering in Classical Rabbinic Literature (1995), and The Meanings of Death in Rabbinic Judaism (2000), among others. His most recent book is Jewish Eating and Identity Through the Ages (Routledge, 2007, 2009). For Questions and To Register For Travel Questions and Registration: For Other Questions: Fallon Robinson, Travel Consultant Gil Travel Group 800-223-3855 [email protected] Moshe Margolin, Director Jewish Explorations 866-898-0037 [email protected] The Registration Deadline is March 4, 2016 12 Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe The Birth of Judaism: The Rise of the Rabbis in Classical Israel June 21 to July 3, 2016 [Date] Special Features Professor David Kraemer will present nine Learning Sessions during the course of the study tour. Dr. David (Dudu) Ha Cohen will serve as our local licensed guide during the study tour. Educational Materials Professor Kraemer will compile a Pre-Departure Bibliography and Sourcebook for use during the study tour. Prices (Per Person) EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT* REGULAR PRICE BY DECEMBER 31, 2015 BY MARCH 4, 2016 LAND ONLY FULL PACKAGE LAND ONLY FULL PACKAGE $3,445 $4,745 $3,595 $4,895 *PAYMENT BY CHECK REQUIRED THE REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS MARCH 4, 2016 Based on a minimum of 20 participants. $500 deposit required upon registration. 13 SINGLE ROOM SUPPLEMENT $1,095 Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe The Birth of Judaism: The Rise of the Rabbis in Classical Israel June 21 to July 3, 2016 [Date] The above prices include: Airfare (Complete Package Only) DATE FLIGHT FROM/TO DEPARTURE TIME ARRIVAL TIME JUNE 21, 2016 EL AL 28 EWR / TLV 1:30 PM 7:OO AM ON JUNE 22ND JULY 3, 2016 EL AL 27 TLV / EWR 12:30 AM 5:40 AM The experts at the Gil Travel Group stand ready to help with your flights from departure locations other than JFK. Hotels DATE NIGHTS HOTEL CITY JUNE 22 TO 27 5 DAN PANORAMA JERUSALEM JUNE 27 TO 29 2 NOF GINOSAR GINOSAR JUNE 29 TO JULY 1 2 RUTH RIMONIM SAFED JULY 1 TO 2 5* DAN PANORAMA JERUSALEM * INCLUDING LATE CHECK-OUT 14 Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe The Birth of Judaism: The Rise of the Rabbis in Classical Israel June 21 to July 3, 2016 [Date] Meals DATE MEAL JUNE 22 WELCOME DINNER JUNE 24 EREV SHABBAT DINNER JUNE 30 FISH DINNER AT EIN GEV JULY 1 EREV SHABBAT DINNER JULY 2 FAREWELL DINNER PLUS HOTEL BREAKFASTS EACH DAY Also Includes: Sightseeing & Transportation – Guide 9 days of sightseeing including entrance fees to all sights on itinerary, via a deluxe air conditioned motor coach with English speaking guide plus 1 walking tour in Safed. Group arrival and departure transfers are included. Porterage 1 piece of luggage per person at each hotel and airport. Other Special Features Gil Travel document kit Special Gil Travel gift bag for each family Bottled Water on the bus 15 Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe The Birth of Judaism: The Rise of the Rabbis in Classical Israel June 21 to July 3, 2016 [Date] Package Does Not Include: Travel Insurance Provided exclusively by Travelex, purchased through Gil Travel. Insurance can be purchased at: http://www.giltravel.com/israel-travel-resources/israel-travel-insurance.html Tips Tips to the guide and driver are not included. They are at your discretion. Based on our experience, here are our suggestions: $8 per person per day for guide $6 per person per day for driver $1 per person per night for the chambermaid Cell Phone Rental For group cell phone rental, please visit our website at http://phones.giltravel.com/ Meals Lunches and dinners not included in itinerary as well as beverages and items not listed on group menus. Personal Expenses All those expenses individual to each passenger including souvenirs, laundry services, valet service, phone calls. 16 Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe The Birth of Judaism: The Rise of the Rabbis in Classical Israel June 21 to July 3, 2016 [Date] Schedule of Payments $500 deposit per person due with application. Balance due 60 days prior to departure – Friday, April 22, 2016. Early Bird Discounts Early Bird Discounts are available to those registering by December 31, 2015. Payment by check is required for the deposit and balance. Deviations Any passenger deviating from the group flights will not be entitled to the group airport transfers. We will be glad to reserve a private car transfer for him/her from/to airport. Cancellation Policy Cancellations must be received in writing. Cancellations received up to March 11, 2016 – forfeit $100.00 per person plus any cancellation charges (if any) from suppliers/airlines. March 12 – April 22, 2016 – forfeit $350.00 per person plus any cancellation charges (if any) from local suppliers/airlines. April 23 - May 7, 2016 – forfeit $1,800.00 per person May 8 – May 21, 2016 – forfeit $2,000.00 per person May 22, 2016 to departure – no refund © 2 0 1 5 Gi l T r a vel Gr o u p an d Ad u l t Jew i s h L ea r ni n g P r o g r a m s | Al l Ri g h ts Re s er v e d | Re p r o du cti o n w i th ou t pe r mi s si on i s p ro hi bi ted by l aw . 17