Read & Listen

Jesus was a radical Jewish prophet, teacher and charismatic healer and leader, preaching and demonstrating an utterly authentic interpretation of the message of Judaism and its prophets: NO ONE is expendable; EVERYONE is a child of God.   His message was not rejected because “the Jews” were unwilling to hear him. He was not crucified ... Read more

We explore the last days of Jesus' life, including the Last Supper, his trial and crucifixion, and the stories of his resurrection.

We explore Mark's account of the final events of Jesus' life.

We continue studying the birth narratives in the Gospels, this session focusing on Luke and John.

We examine the varying birth narratives in the Gospels, today beginning with Matthew.

We look at the parable of the Good Samaritan through a 1st-century Jewish lens.

Dear Friends, As we celebrate Sephardic and Mizrahi Jewish culture this Shabbat and coming week at the WJC, I wanted to offer some thoughts. The vast majority of American Jews are of Ashkenazi origin – that is, their ancestors lived in Central and Eastern Europe and spoke Yiddish. Ashkenaz is the Hebrew name for Germany, ... Read more

We examine the stories of John the Baptist and Jesus in an illuminating discussion that explores historical, cultural and literary context.

This week we turn to the text of the Gospel of Mark, and study it in the context of the Biblical texts that animate its narrative and its choice of metaphors. We also discuss a wide range of compelling questions from participants in the class.

In the context of 1st century Judaism, what did Jesus mean when he spoke of the Kingdom of God? And what did the term "Messiah" mean to Jews of that era? In this week's class we explore these and many other questions.