Dr. David Mendelsohn is an amazing scholar and friend of our community, who will be accompanying our congregational journey with Cantor Caro to Greece and Bulgaria. Join us for a four-part exploration of the ideas, history, and culture that have shaped these remarkable places. The sessions are open to our entire community, as together we discover the legacy of Greek philosophy, drama, and democracy on Judaism, and explore the rich history of the Jewish communities of Greece and Bulgaria, to deepen our understanding of the places we will visit and the stories we will encounter and share back home.
4/4 – Think Like a Greek: Philosophy as a Way of Life. Delves into the ethical teachings and intellectual revolutions of thinkers from Socrates to the Stoics.
4/11 – Greek Drama and the Birth of Storytelling. How Epic poetry, Tragedy, Comedy and History shaped our understanding of creating narratives.
4/25 – From Agora to Assembly: The Greek Invention of Democracy: How Athenian politics shaped ideas of citizenship, debate, and modern governance.
5/2 – Exploring the history of the Jews of Greece and Bulgaria: How did the Jews become Greek? How did Hellenism affect the Jews? What can we learn about the Jewish narratives concerning the history of the Bulgarian Jews?
A seasoned scholar and educator, Dr. Mendelsohn specializes in Islamic Studies, Arab-Israeli culture, Bedouin law, and the intersection of language and culture in Arabic and Hebrew. He also lectures on the history and relationships between Middle Eastern nations and militant organizations. Dr. Mendelsohn holds a Ph.D. in Classics/Linguistics, an M.A. in Archaeology/Linguistics, and an Honours B.A. in Classical Studies. A recipient of Canada’s prestigious Trudeau Prize, he lives in Jerusalem with his wife, Ronny, and their three children. For over 25 years, Dr. Mendelsohn has researched Jewish communities across the world, including in Germany, Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Eastern Europe, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Bulgaria, Egypt, and India. Combining his expertise as a historian, archaeologist, and sociolinguist, he uncovers the unique influences of local cultures while identifying the shared threads that connect these diverse Jewish communities.
