Simi Peters

Simi Peters, author of Learning to Read Midrash, is an internationally acclaimed Jewish educator and speaker. Her interactive style is warm, inclusive and intellectually engaging.

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Simi Peters, author of Learning to Read Midrash, is an internationally acclaimed Jewish educator and speaker. With unique expertise in Tanach, Biblical exegesis, and Midrash, she specializes in providing access to a wide variety of classic Jewish texts for audiences at all levels of Jewish literacy and experience. Her interactive style is warm, inclusive and intellectually engaging.

Programs

Vashti's Tail and Other Tales: Midrash for Adults

If you associate Midrash with children's stories, it's time to get an adult perspective on this fascinating body of classic Jewish literature. Why do the Rabbis use stories to convey complex theological concepts? How can we translate Midrash into our idiom? Why does Midrash remain relevant today? Journey deep into the heart of Midrash through readings of these profound texts.

Sexual Politics in Midrash: Surrogates and Trophy Husbands

What happens when intimate relationships are complicated by deception, power struggles, and questions of status? In their reflections on biblical narratives about Rivka and Tamar, Sarah, Avraham and Hagar, and the women hidden in the Korah story, the midrashic authors offer some provocative answers to these questions--answers which touch on contemporary sexual politics.

The First Murder

One of the first narratives in Tanakh, Abel's murder at the hands of his brother Cain, raises questions about human nature, free will, and theodicy. Midrash addresses these issues with unflinching candor and psychological subtlety. These texts afford an opportunity to explore the dialectical nature of midrashic discourse and how it uses interpretive tools to address existential issues.

The Pagan Mind in Biblical Narrative

A recurring motif in Tanakh is the encounter between Israel and the pagan world. Drawing on texts ranging from the capture of the Ark in Samuel to the healing of Na’aman in Kings, and the sailors in the book of Jonah, as well as other accounts, we will explore the significance of this clash of cultures and ask: Is there really a difference between the Israelite and the pagan mindsets?

Life After Loss: Jeremiah and Lamentations

How does a person continue to live after unimaginable loss? This question is personified in the life of Jeremiah, who survived the destruction of the Temple and the exile of Israel from their land. In his confrontations with God and in his choices, Jeremiah presents an enduring model for the hope of a meaningful life, even after utter destruction.

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