Shabbat Psalms Class

Class Led by Rabbi Carl Astor

Meets Once Monthly – Wednesdays: January 19, 2023 / February 16, 2023 / March 15, 2023 / April 19, 2023

Time:  7:30 – 8:30 PM

About a third of our Siddur consists of selections from the Book of Psalms.  Usually when we encounter  these Psalms  in the context of the worship service, we recite them as prayers and try to understand them in that way.  However, in doing so we neglect the fact that they were originally literary creations – poems or songs.  As with any piece of literature, they need to be studied and analyzed in order to accurately understand them.   Studying these Psalms as works of literature can only enhance our ability to experience them as prayers.  We will be looking at some of the Psalms found in the Shabbat and Festival services especially using a book by Benjamin J. Segal, A New Psalm.

Rabbi Carl Astor, who will become our interim rabbi as of January 1, invites you to join him in exploring the Shabbat Psalms from a literary perspective. His four-session Zoom class on these important psalms
will begin on Wednesday, Jan. 18, and continue on Feb. 15, March 15, and April 19. Each session is scheduled for 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Rabbi Carl believes that studying the Shabbat Psalms from a fresh viewpoint enables us to capture their beauty fully and to derive the most meaning from them. He looks forward to sharing this class with our congregation. Eight to 10 individuals from Rabbi Carl’s hometown of NewHaven, CT, have signed up for the class.

To Sign Up For This Class Please Click Here