Quotes
From one of the SBM participants:
Rabbi Klapper’s brilliance in Talmud and halachic methodology is clear, but it’s his hashkafa, and his sensitivity and caring, that make SBM stand out, and he transmits that to his students incredibly well. With Rabbi Klapper, we studied texts in depth, but we fully understood them only after internalizing this message. Without caring, we cannot be impacted by the texts.
I learned this summer, more than anything else, is it’s not just about the texts. At the end of the day, Jewish leaders only can be an inspiration when they have character and sensitivity. Rabbi Klapper has both.
Rivky Stern
Johns Hopkins University
From the Young Israel community:
The summer Beit Midrash was an opportunity to do some learning about topics of particular interest to me. I was able to focus on areas that I wanted to learn about in depth with specific attention to my questions. I found Tamara to be extremely insightful, knowledgeable, warm, accessible, and enjoyable to learn with. I had a lot of questions answered and issues clarified. The summer Beit Midrash is a great program that I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to participate in. I look forward to next summer!
Jodi Ephraim
The fellows enriched our family’s summer. Hosting several fellows for Shabbat meals provided our children with wonderful role models of interesting, intelligent, committed Jewish young adults. The fellows’ diverse backgrounds, interests, and future plans provided our children with examples of the many options they can consider for themselves. My daughters and I also had the opportunity to learn weekly with two of the female fellows. We each selected a topic of personal interest. The fellows engaged in our suggested topics, did background research to enhance our learning, and respected our levels or prior knowledge. It was wonderful to learn with them.
Chaya Massefski
I enjoyed very much participating with the Summer Beit Midrash this year. While of course seeing my son Avishai be so engaged as a fellow gave me nachas as a parent, I was so impressed by the energy, drive and commitment of all of the fellows. They were challenged by the overall theme of the summer, looking at issues of Lashon Hara within the scope of investigative journalism, as well as by the learning with shul members. Each of them took their responsibilities quite seriously, responsibilities to the community, as well as to themselves, in their individual quests to find their place as Jewish educators.
I particularly enjoyed the evenings with the scholars. I enjoyed seeing how the fellows facilitated the learning with the attendees before the main session. Then I was impressed and challenged by the juxtaposition of secular law with halacha. All in all, it was a summer of sophisticated learning. I'm looking forward to next year, even if I don't have a child participating!
David Gebler
This summer’s program started off on a great foot with a barbeque to get to meet the students. They all were enthusiastic and knowledgeable; I even set up a time to learn with one of the students, Yael Klausner, on a weekly basis. I chose the topic of tsniut –modesty. Yael put together a complete historic and relevant guide from Torah source to Talmudic and then to current rabbinic sources. She gave me suggestions of modern books to read and copied a short essay that was relevant to our discussions. It was a wonderful opportunity to be immersed in a topic that I didn’t have time to learn and haven’t looked at it from such a complete way.
Thelma Newberger-Hirsch
From Visiting Scholars:
Visiting the Summer Beit Midrash in Sharon, MA with Rabbi Klapper is always an exhilarating experience. This past summer, however, the group was outstanding. The students' questions and comments were incisive and insightful. They enriched the presentation and helped develop groundbreaking approaches to the vital issues we addressed. Rabbi Klapper's "out of the box" questions both challenged the students and motivated them to aspire to noble goals in the pursuit of a stronger and reinvigorated Jewish community. I look forward to these students emerging as important leaders of our people in the near future thanks in good measure to the life-changing experience at the summer Beit Midrash.
Rabbi Howard Jachter
Author of Gray Matters Volumes 1-3
Member of the Elizabeth Beit Din and of the RCA Halakhah Commission
Aryeh, it was a pleasure to participate in the program this summer. The idea of examining and contrasting the ethical mandates of Jewish law with the very inexact science of journalistic ethics, practices and standards is a fascinating and important undertaking. The students were engaged, inquisitive and willing to challenge—which is very important. Best of luck and continued success.
Mark Jurkowitz
Associate Director of the Project for Excellence in Journalism
Speaking to the Fellows in the 2009 Summer Beit Midrash was an intellectual highpoint of my year. Under Rabbi Klapper's guidance, the Beit Midrash program is a model for thoughtful examination of the most complex contemporary issues from a Talmudic perspective. I couldn't have been more impressed by the Fellows and Rabbi Klapper and look forward to keeping in touch.
Jeffrey Rosen
Legal Affairs Editor, The New Republic
Professor, G.W. Law School
From other communities:
New England's Modern Orthodox Jews proudly support and are enriched many fine Jewish and Torah institutions throughout the region. Remarkably, we do not yet have a higher institute of Torah study that we can truly call our own, one that resonates with the full spectrum of our Modern Torah values. The Center for Modern Torah Leadership, headed by the scholarly, erudite and compassionate Rabbi Aryeh Klapper is the chance to build a center of Torah that will be consistent with the path we have chosen for ourselves and want to impart to our children. I write these words after Rabbi Klapper and his Beit Midrash fellows spent a Sunday morning with us and showed us a small glimpse of the promise and possibility of this Torah institution that is crucial to New England's Modern Orthodox community.
Rabbi Asher Oser
Cong. Beth Sholom
Providence, RI
We were thoroughly delighted with the Summer Beit Midrash. Rabbi Klapper's team made the topic informative and exciting, and more importantly they encouraged the participation of the entire group. The Rabbi's shiur was truly masterful. We can not say enough good things about the experience!
Rabbi Avrom Kelman
Congregation Ahabat Sholom
Lynn, MA
