Wagner Institute 2012

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Join Us
at

The Isidor and Rose Wagner Institute for Leadership Development

of
The Jewish Theological Seminary
in partnership with Chicagoland Jewish High School

“The Ethics of Power: Might vs. Right”

Chancellor Arnold M. Eisen
Keynote address

Sunday and Monday

April 29–30, 2012

7–8 Iyyar 5772

Chicagoland Jewish High School
1095 Lake Cook Road
Deerfield, Illinois

What is the Wagner Institute?

The Wagner Institute is a key program of continuing education at The Jewish Theological Seminary. In 1994, Nate Wagner and Ruth Braver (z”l) endowed the Isidor and Rose Wagner Institute for Leadership Development at JTS, and the first Wagner Institute was held that same year. This year, the Wagner Institute will be held in Deerfield, Illinois, in partnership with Chicagoland Jewish High School (CJHS), known for its culture of academic excellence. The Wagner Institute provides a dynamic forum for people to explore ancient and modern Jewish texts and traditions with some of the most creative and compelling faculty of JTS. JTS teachers are world-leading scholars who will help participants deepen their Jewish knowledge and understanding during two days of thought-provoking study of Jewish texts and inspirational conversation.

How knowledgeable do I have to be?

All that participants need to bring to the Institute is their interest and enthusiasm. While some may have a background in Judaic studies, others may be new to the texts and information presented. The diversity of backgrounds of our participants will enhance every aspect of the program.

Who will I learn with at the Wagner Institute?

Participants will also have the opportunity to engage in meaningful conversation with members of JTS’s world-class faculty:

Professor Arnold M. Eisen, chancellor, The Jewish Theological Seminary: “Israel, American Jewry, and the Covenantal Use of Power”
Cantor Nancy Abramson, director of the H. L. Miller Cantorial School and College of Jewish Music: “Nusah and Niggun: The Power of Music”
Rabbi David Hoffman, assistant professor in the Department of Talmud and Rabbinics and scholar-in-residence in the Development Department: “The Culture Wars and Judaism: A Jewish Perspective on the Beginning of Life”
Dr. Amy Kalmanofsky, assistant professor of Bible: “Might and Right: Justifying Violence in the Torah”
Dr. Raymond Scheindlin, professor of Medieval Hebrew Literature: “Power and Conscience in the Poetry of Shmuel Ha-Nagid”
Rabbi Abigail Treu, rabbinic fellow and director of Planned Giving: “Aging Gracefully in the Age of Botox: The Power of Beauty and the Ethics of Enhancement”

Where can I stay?

Accommodations for Wagner Institute participants are available at the Embassy Suites, 1445 Lake Cook Road, in Deerfield, Illinois, which is near CJHS. A special rate of $129 per night for a room with a king-size bed has been secured. Please call 1-(800)-EMBASSY or phone the hotel directly at (847) 945-4500 and be sure to ask for the “JTS Wagner Institute” group rate. You can also secure your reservations online by going to the hotel website at www.embassysuitesnorthshore.com; entering the date of the event, April 29; and then entering group/convention code JWT.

What is the cost of the Wagner Institute?

Through the generosity of Nathan Wagner and Ruth Braver (z”l) and the Wagner family, fees for this program are only $72 per participant. This includes all texts and program meals: snacks and dinner on Sunday and breakfast, lunch, and snacks on Monday.

Sunday, April 29, 2012—Registration begins at 1:00 p.m.
The first learning session will begin at 1:30 p.m.
Dinner with keynote address by JTS Chancellor Arnold M. Eisen will be at 5:30 p.m.
The program will conclude for the day at 7:00 p.m.

Monday, April 30, 2012—Program begins at 8:00 a.m. and concludes by 4:00 p.m.

For further information, please contact Nadine Sasson Cohen, principal gifts officer,
JTS Midwest Region at nacohen@jtsa.edu or (312) 606-9086.