Insights on Tradition: Circumcision
Four Tuesday Evenings
(October 8, 15, 22, 29)
Time: 7-8:30 PM ET
Instructor: Gideon Amir
Location: Zoom Classroom
Standard Class Rate: $120
Base Rate: $80
(Subsidized by Haberman Institute donors)
Haberman Institute courses are offered on a sliding payment scale.
Both tiers receive identical access to the program. All interested students are encouraged to join our classes. Should the registration rates become a barrier to enrollment, please contact our Executive Director, Matthew Silverman.
Join us for our Tuesday night classes led by Gideon Amir, where we delve into the interpretations and nuances of Jewish ritual.
October brings a deep dive into the significance of circumcision in Jewish tradition. While the command to circumcise every born son on the 8th day of his life was directly given to Abraham as a sign of the covenant between God and the Children of Abraham, interpretations of its practice vary throughout history. In modern times, there is a growing debate within non-Orthodox Jewish communities about the ethics of circumcision, questioning whether it is a meaningful tradition or a form of unnecessary harm to a child.
Come join the conversation to explore these central texts and ethical questions.
Gideon Amir was born in the Netherlands to Holocaust survivors who immigrated to Israel in 1947. He grew up in Jerusalem and served in the IDF as a Paratrooper.
Gideon received his Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and a Master’s degree in Computer Science from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rechovot. In 1980, he moved to the United States, where he worked as a manager in several companies including Sperry Univac, British Telecom, and Cisco Systems.
In 1999, he pursued his interest in Judaic Studies and enrolled in a full-time graduate program at Baltimore Hebrew University, where, in May 2001, he received his Master’s degree with honors. Redirecting his passion for teaching from computer science to Jewish and Bible studies, he became an adult Jewish educator for several education programs, including the Haberman Institute, where he continues to teach today.
This series continues throughout the fall. We invite you to join us for one, two, or all three sessions!
September: Insights on Havdalah
November: Insights on Mourning