What’s coming up in May?
Whats coming up May?
This May, CSP continues to bring timely voices, rich scholarship, and engaging storytelling that connect Jewish history, creativity, and contemporary life. We’ll kick off the month with a virtual tour of Jewish Vienna and a deeply relevant conversation featuring Yossi Klein Halevi helping us reflect on the complexities of the current moment. Marc Michael Epstein returns with an 8 part series across May and June, Holy Loopholes: Adaptation and Integrity in Jewish Law, revealing the wit and creativity embedded within Jewish textual tradition.
Many exciting new speakers are joining us this month as we close our 25th fiscal year. Tamar Biala will lead a three-part series featuring guest writers from the new volumes of Dirshuni, bringing her thoughtful approach to contemporary midrash. Our newest CSP host, Callie Reynor, will shine a light on Jewish women in American TV comedy. Steven Fine will trace the extraordinary journey of the Arch of Titus from Jerusalem to Rome and back, and Elliot Friedman will offer a fresh perspective on encountering the Bible through his latest work of historical fiction.
Join us this May for programs that invite curiosity, deepen understanding, and connect us to the enduring creativity, resilience, and intellectual vitality of Jewish life from the past, present, to the future.
Shining Light into the Fog of War Rabbi Elie Spitz in conversation with Yossi Klein Halevi
Thursday May 7, 2026
10:00-11:00 AM PST/1:00-2:00 PM EST/20:00-21:00 Israel time
Join Yossi Klein Halevi in conversation with Rabbi Elie Spitz for a timely discussion on Israel’s evolving identity during a period of crisis, resilience, and regional conflict. Drawing on decades of reporting, writing, and interfaith leadership, Halevi will share personal insights into Israel, rising antisemitism, and the moral and political challenges shaping the future. An acclaimed author and senior fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute, Halevi’s work has profoundly influenced contemporary conversations about Zionism, Israeli society, and Jewish-Muslim relations.
Holy Loopholes Adaptation and Integrity in Jewish Law with Prof Marc Michael Epstein
Sundays May 10, 17, 24 & 31 and June 7, 14, 21 & 28, 2026
12:30-1:30 PM PDT/3:30-4:30 PM EDT/22:30-23:30 Israel time
This engaging series explores some of the most debated practices in Jewish law such as the eruv, selling chametz, heter iska, and Prozbul beginning with the provocative question of whether these are genuine expressions of halachic commitment or clever legal workarounds. With nuance and intellectual rigor, the sessions examine how rabbinic thinkers addressed real human needs while remaining rooted in the framework of halacha. Ultimately, the series reveals that what may seem like loopholes often reflect deep responsibility, creativity, and moral reasoning within Jewish legal tradition.
Voices of Midrash: Tradition, Loss, and Renewal with Tamar Biala
Tuesdays May 12, May 19, May 26, 2026
10:00-11:00 AM PST/1:00-2:00 PM EST/20:00-21:00 Israel time
Join Tamar Biala for a three-part series exploring how ancient forms of storytelling are being reshaped to respond to the most urgent realities of our time. Through the lens of contemporary midrash, these sessions bring together scholarship, personal testimony, and creative expression. Guided by Tamar and her guests, we will encounter voices that bridge past and present, revealing how traditional Jewish interpretive tools can help process grief, hold complexity, and search for meaning in moments that defy understanding.
The First Writer on Earth
Thursday May 21, 2026
10:00-11:00 AM PDT/1:00-2:00 PM EDT/20:00-21:00 Israel time
Richard Elliott Friedman’s newest project is a work of historical fiction centered on a woman he believes authored one of the Bible’s longest texts during the time of King Solomon, nearly three thousand years ago. The story imagines how this pioneering writer—who may have produced one of the earliest long prose works in history—came to shape biblical literature centuries before classical historians and novelists. While fictional in form, the work aims to illuminate the historical world of the Bible with the same depth and insight as Friedman’s scholarly research.
The Arch of Titus From Jerusalem to Rome and Back with Prof. Steven Fine
Thursday May 28, 2026
12:30-1:30 PM PDT/3:30-4:30 PM EDT/22:30-23:30 Israel time
Join us for a fascinating exploration of the Arch of Titus, tracing its meaning from the Roman destruction of Jerusalem to its powerful symbolism in modern Jewish life. Guided by Steven Fine, the program examines how this ancient monument shaped Jewish memory, medieval imagination, and contemporary identity. Through this journey, participants will discover how a single artifact can carry centuries of political, religious, and emotional significance.