ב”ה IN APPRECIATION OF George ^ Pamela Rohr DEDICATEDIn the merit of IN bringing LOVING the conceptMEMORY of the OF National Jewish Retreat to fruition and their ongoing efforts to bring theMr. love ofSami Torah toRohr Jews worldwide, ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ר‘ ,happiness שמואל ,health ב’ר with יהושע they be blessed אליהו mayז’ל nachas from all their loved ones and Patron and benefactor of Torah extraordinary success in all their endeavors. institutions the world over, marking his second yahrtzeit on Program Guide י’ז מנחם אב xה’תשע”ד August 13, 2014 And in loving memory of 2 3 Mr. Sami Rohr ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: x ר‘ of שמואל ב”ר in appreciation יהושע Andאליהו ז”ל Patron and benefactor of Torah George ^ Pamela Rohr institutions the world over, In the merit of bringing the concept of the marking his second yahrtzeit on National Jewish Retreat to fruition and their ongoing efforts י”ז מנחם אב ה’תשע”ד to bring the love of Torah to Jews worldwide, August 13, 2014 may they be blessed with health, happiness, Nachas from all their loved ones and extraordinary success in all their endeavors. www.JRetreat.com • 1-877-JRetreat : THE ROHR JEWISH LEARNING INSTITUTE AUGUST 6–10, 2014 • 10–14 AV, 5774 822 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, NY 11213 PALMER HOUSE HILTON 718-221-6900 • www.myJLI.com Chicago, Illinois ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Welcome Shalom, and welcome to the ninth annual National Jewish Retreat. The Torah study at this year’s retreat is dedicated in .ר‘ שמואל ב”ר יהושע אליהו ז”ל ,loving memory of Mr. Sami Rohr Our exceptional faculty members come from all over the world to bring you the best in Jewish learning. Our presenters are leaders in their fields and include rabbis, scholars, scientists, musicians, authors, and political pundits. Program Highlights: Our program offers you a wide variety of topics, and the sessions vary in style from lecture to interactive to pure entertainment. In order to help you customize your experience, we have classified each session according to style: B These sessions are designed to challenge your mind. P These sessions include hands-on activities or will provide practical guidance and insight into action-oriented Jewish practices. H These sessions present human interest stories and talks that stir your emotions, ignite your soul, and move your spirit. M Jewish Medical Ethics Track Medical technology is advancing at a rapid pace, and the ethical questions it raises demand a Jewish response. Patients and their families face unprecedented challenges. Medical professionals grapple with their own dilemmas concerning these emerging treatments and encounter extraordinary circumstances. This series of lectures on Jewish Medical Ethics will prime doctors and laymen alike to embrace the future of ethical medicine. W Rosh Chodesh Society Women’s Day Program : Dedicated in honor of Elana Leah bas Rochel Shaindel. May she be blessed with a complete and speedy recovery. The Rosh Chodesh Society’s full-day seminar focuses exclusively on the Jewish woman, featuring a series of lectures and workshops that explore the role of the modern woman in an ancient religion, ensuring a brighter future for the Jewish people. 2 NATIONAL JEWISH RETREAT 2014 ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Welcome L Jewish Law Conference The forum will compare and contrast the civil and Talmudic legal perspectives on relevant, hot-button issues. It includes interactive discussions between participating attorneys and legal experts on current, new, and emerging ethical issues from a Jewish and common law perspective. Through thoughtful analysis of a wide range of topics, lawyers can expand their understanding of modern-day ethical and moral concerns. S Beit Midrash The unique study method, perfected in the great Jewish academies of ancient Babylonia and Israel, has lived on in yeshivahs across the globe. Now it makes its way to the Retreat in the Beit Midrash series, a collection of classes that departs from the usual lecture format and invites you to experience authentic yeshivah-style learning. The chavruta system pairs students together to study the original texts, encouraging them to sharpen their critical thinking skills as they probe, question, and discover. The chavruta session is followed by a shiur, a class that reviews the material and further explores the topic. R Roundtable An opportunity for a small group of interested participants to partake in an intimate dialogue with the speaker on subjects of their choosing. These sessions are limited, so be sure to show up early. C Sinai Scholars Symposium The Sinai Scholars Mentor-Protégé Program pairs college students with mentors to research literature related to a Jewish topic of their choice, to develop an innovative approach and fine-tune the idea to articulate its modern-day relevance. Enjoy a unique opportunity to discuss and debate the ideas our finalists have passionately researched. You will hear from academics as they share their thoughts, questions, and feedback. Tune In and Enjoy Tune in to channel 58 in your rooms to learn how you can continue your Retreat experience upon your return home, through additional JLI educational offerings. WiFi For your convenience, there is a free WiFi connection in the main lobby and in the tearoom. While you’re connected, don’t forget to“check in” to the National Jewish Retreat on Facebook! PALMER HOUSE HILTON CHICAGO, IL 3 ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Floor Map 3rd Floor x 3rd Floor 1 WABASH 5 MADISON 9 CRESTHILL 2 INDIANA 6 MARSHFIELD 10 SALON 12 3 KIMBALL 7 WILSON 4 LOGAN 8 CRYSTAL 4 NATIONAL JEWISH RETREAT 2014 ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Floor Map 4th Floor x 4th Floor 1 STATE/GRAND BALLROOM 2 EXHIBIT HALL 3 RED LACQUER PALMER HOUSE HILTON CHICAGO, IL 5 ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Floor Map 5th Floor x 5th Floor 1 BUCKINGHAM 2 PRICE 3 CHICAGO 6 NATIONAL JEWISH RETREAT 2014 ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Floor Map 6th Floor x 6th Floor 1 ADAMS 2 MONROE 3 WATER TOWER PARLOR PALMER HOUSE HILTON CHICAGO, IL 7 ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: / :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Special Thanks to Our Sponsors x Dr. & Mrs. Jerome & Shaindel Kasle Mr. & Mrs. Yitzchok & Leah Gniwisch Mr. & Mrs. Dovi and Ruthie Sperlin Ellen Marks Dr. Michael S. Maling & Mrs. Beatrice Crain of the Crain-Maling Foundation The Scan Group Locke Lord, LLP Greenberg Traurig, LLP Katten Muchin Rosenman, LLP Much Shelist, P.C. Schiller DuCanto & Fleck LLP :::::::::::::::::::: :::: :::::: 8 NATIONAL JEWISH RETREAT 2014 :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Wednesday / August 6 / 10 Av Wednesday Wednesday PALMER HOUSE HILTON CHICAGO, IL 9 ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Wednesday / 9:00 a.m. 9:00 a.m. Breakfast Red Lacquer, 4th Floor Registration Mezzanine 11:00 a.m. H Finding Your Mission in Life Monroe, 6th Floor Charlie Harary Without some greater goal to aim for, life is a boring cycle of sleep, eat, work, repeat. We each have a mission, something that drives us and gives meaning to our lives. Living with this awareness adds color to grey, spice to the bland. Discover how we can connect to our purpose as individuals, and as part of our nation. B The Chassidic Personality Test Marshfield, 3rd Floor Mrs. Chaya Epstein Forget Briggs Myers. To get a true glimpse of your personality, it’s time to enter the fascinating work of the sefirot, the ten character traits that form who we are. Kindness, pride, fortitude; we’re each a composite of these ten building blocks. Knowing what they are and how they work helps us better understand ourselves and the people around us. S What in the World Are the Four Worlds? Wilson, 3rd Floor Rabbi Baruch Epstein Chassidic philosophy abounds with references to the four worlds. What are they? Where are they? And how do they help us understand life? Delve into original Chassidic texts and study these fundamental ideas at their source. 10 NATIONAL JEWISH RETREAT 2014 ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Wednesday / 12:15 p.m. L The Case for Israel and Jerusalem Adams, 6th Floor Rabbi Shlomo Yaffe, Alyza Lewin Moderated by Harold L. Kaplan It’s a sixty-year-old question that the world still insists on asking: Does Israel have a legal or ethical right to exist? Do historical bonds count for anything in modern law? What about competing claims to the land? This session takes a compelling look at the complex legal issues surrounding Israel and its capital, Jerusalem. 12:15 p.m. S How to Maximize Your Retreat Experience Monroe, 6th Floor Rabbi Shais Taub How can we stop information from going in one ear and out the other? This rich talk draws on pedagogical principles found in Tanya, which will facilitate taking full advantage of the lessons learned at the Retreat. The goal of Torah learning is not just to encounter it, but to integrate with it and take the lessons with us into our lives. This lecture outlines how. S Seekers of the Lost Ark Wilson, 3rd Floor Rabbi Dovid Flinkenstein Hidden deep in the Temple Mount in Jerusalem is the Ark of the Covenant. For thousands of years this Temple treasure has lain shrouded in darkness and mystery. What exactly does it look like? Where is it? When will it be discovered? Join in a detailed study of the Maimonidean texts that will lead