The Torah of Death

What does Judaism teach us about death, end-of-life, and what lies beyond? This upcoming series explores these profound questions offering insights from Jewish teachings, rituals, and stories. Join us to learn with scholar Rabbi Adina Lewittes for one or both sessions.

Session 1: Why and How to Die

Wednesday, February 19: The Birth of Death, 7:00-8:00 pm EST
An immersive exploration of texts and traditions about why life was designed to come to an end.

Wednesday, February 26: Narratives of Death, 7:00-8:00 pm EST
Deathbed stories from the Bible and Talmud, medieval and modern times and the insights they teach us.

Session 2: Death & Innocence

Wednesday, March 12: The God of Tragedy, 12:00-1:00 pm EST
How have Jewish thinkers throughout the ages explained why God allows the innocent to suffer?

Wednesday, March 19: October 7 and the Future of Faith, 12:00-1:00 pm EST
What sense can we make of the most brutal massacre of Jews since the Shoah?

Location: Zoom

Cost: Sliding scale available 

Kavod v’Nichum Community Meetup

Save the Date

Date & Time:
Wednesday, April 9, 2025
7:00-8:00 p.m. Eastern / 4:00-5:00 p.m. Pacific

Location: Zoom

Join us for our April Community Meetup, where Rabbi Joshua Rabin will break down the process of organ donation and the key Jewish perspectives on it. While organ donation can be a life-saving act, it also raises important halachic and ethical questions, especially for those involved in end-of-life care. This session will provide an overview of how organ donation works, explore different Jewish viewpoints, and discuss the implications for Chevra Kadisha volunteers. Rabbi Rabin will share insights from his work at LiveOnNY and offer space for discussion, ensuring participants walk away with a clearer understanding of this complex topic.

Rabbi Joshua Rabin is a Community and Government Affairs Liaison at LiveOnNY, specifically focusing on the Jewish Community. Josh also serves as the rabbi of the Astoria Center of Israel in Astoria, Queens. Josh received his rabbinic ordination and certificate in pastoral counseling from the Jewish Theological Seminary in 2011 and completed executive education at institutions including Harvard Business School, the Institute for Jewish Spirituality, and the Disney Institute. Josh is a recipient of the Wexner Field Fellowship and the Ruskay Fellowship for Jewish Professional Leadership. Josh lives on the Upper West Side with his wife, Rabbi Yael Hammerman, and they are the parents of Hannah, Shai, and Ella. You can read more of Josh’s writings by visiting www.joshuarabin.com.

Into the Taharah Liturgy

Taught by: Rabbi Ebn Leader

Date & Time:
Tuesdays, May 6th, 13th, 20th 
12:30-1:30 p.m. Eastern / 9:30-10:30 a.m Pacific

Location: Zoom

Cost: Sliding scale available

Like most Jewish liturgy, the liturgy we use for taharah is a multi-level text spanning time, generations, and ideas. Different phrases in the liturgy reflect different historical stages in the development of the ritual and different ideas about the goals and efficacy of what we are doing.

Join us for an in-depth analysis of the texts of taharah and hopefully, a deeper understanding of the origins of the text we use will enable the texts to serve as gateways for greater and varied meanings in the ritual itself.*

This series includes three meetings:

1. The Texts of Rehitzah, physical washing
2. The Texts of Taharah, spiritual purification
3. The texts of Halbashah, dressing

*This class assumes a basic familiarity with the commonly used liturgy of Taharah.

Welcome to the Community Events Calendar!

All events shared here are submitted by community organizations and individuals and free to attend. While these are not in partnership with Kavod v’Nichum, we are excited to amplify opportunities so that we can all be inspired and strengthened through learning, sharing wisdom, and connections with one another.

Have an event coming up? Learn more and submit an event here. 

Did you attend an event and want to share how it went? We’d love to hear! Send a note to hello@kavodvnichum.org