‘Love Your Neighbor’ theme of annual Drash & Dessert

A meaningful evening of learning, study and practice is planned for the Third Annual Drash & Dessert program on Saturday night, March 5, at 7:30 p.m. at the Dwares JCC. Members of the Board of Rabbis of Greater Rhode Island will present five different workshops on the theme “Love Your Neighbor.”

As Rabbi Barry Dolinger, the chair of the event said, “The Torah’s dictate to ‘love your neighbor as yourself’ has inspired Jews and non-Jews for millennia. In our times, it remains extremely relevant and, at times, profoundly challenging. Who is a ‘neighbor,’ and is anyone excluded from the class? Can we truly love others if we don’t love ourselves first? What if ‘your neighbor’ poses a threat?”

In one session, Rabbi Sarah Mack, chair of the Board of Rabbis, will discuss her recent trip to Cuba and how American Jews are reaching out to the Jewish community there. Rabbi Marc Mandel will describe how Jews from around the world helped the first Jewish settlers in Newport, and how in turn, the Jewish settlers in Newport reached out to Jews all over the world.   

Rabbis Elan Babchuck, Mark Elber and Dolinger will lead their group in a variety of spiritual practices, including song, meditation and Torah study, designed to cultivate and foster practices of love and compassion.

Rabbi James Rosenberg will conduct a workshop on the names of God, while Rabbi Alan Flam will lead a session , with members of the Speakers Bureau of the RI Coalition for the Homeless, to discuss how to end homelessness in Rhode Island.

Rabbi Wayne Franklin, Rabbi Richard Pearlman, and Pastor Dennis Kohl will read selections from Lutheran and Jewish documents dealing with the topic of speaking to each other with respect. They will then open the floor to questions, comments and input.

Havdalah will be led by Pastrami on RI, which is Rhode Island’s first-ever Jewish, co-ed, post-collegiate a capella group.

As usual, there is no charge for the event, and a dessert buffet will be served. This year, a hot chocolate bar will be featured.

LARRY KATZ is director of Jewish life and learning at the Jewish Alliance. For more information, contact him at 401-421-4111, ext. 179, or lkatz@jewishallianceri.org.