Professor Avigdor Shinan Opens the 5th Annual Gandel Shabbaton

One hundred and fifty Gandel students took part in the 5th Gandel Shabbaton, a weekend of study, held jointly with the Shabbaton of the progressive movement in Israel.  

This year the Shabbaton, held in Jaffa in March 2011, was sold out weeks before the start of the weekend.  We were honored to have Prof. Avigdor Shinan, Head of the Academic Committee of the Gandel Institute, who enthralled all the participants with his opening lecture on the question: "Are Our Sages' Stories Folk Stories?"

One of the highlights was Rabbi Shalom Sharon who was born in Ethiopia and made aliya on his own as a young child.  He had all participants in fits of laughter with his description of the absorption of the Ethiopian community into Israel. 

Today, Rabbi Sharon heads an Ashkenazi community in Kiryat Gat and is currently writing the Shulchan Aruch for the Ethiopian Jewish communit. "We have an oral Shulchan Aruch for thousands of years, and it is time we put it in writing," he said.

Held just before Purim, this outstanding Gandel Shabbaton, focused on the subject of happiness and humor in Jewish and Israeli Culture.  In addition to the guest lectures, nine Gandel faculty members gave workshops on the topic which were very well received by the participants.