A rabbi and historian based in Jerusalem will be in town to headline Magen David Sephardic Congregation’s mid-April Shabbaton.
Rabbi Ken Spiro is a senior lecturer and researcher for Aish HaTorah in Jerusalem. He is also a licensed tour guide from the Israel Ministry of Tourism.
“Every time I interact with Rabbi Ken Spiro, whose specialty is Jewish history — as you can see from the books he has written and his many podcasts — I walk away having learned so much,” Nicole Totah, a member of MDSC who coordinated the Shabbaton, told Washington Jewish Week.
From April 17 to 19, Spiro and his wife will present on Jewish and Israel-related topics for the synagogue community: “He often interprets current events through the lens of the past,” Totah said of Spiro.
The Shabbaton will kick off with an April 17 talk on the “metaphysical roots of the Middle East conflict,” in which Spiro will take attendees beyond the geopolitical tensions in the area and focus on the spiritual origins of the current conflict, drawing on ancient Jewish sources.
“It gives a much deeper understanding of what is happening as opposed to just reading the headlines,” Totah said. “So much in the Middle East is about the roots: the roots of the tribe. I think to really understand where it’s coming from gives a much deeper understanding and a framework to what you read.”
Over a kiddush luncheon on April 18, Spiro will present “Back to the Future: The Jewish View of History.” He’ll discuss what the Jewish past says about the future, what’s really happening behind the “big events” on the world stage and how the decisions people make as individuals impact the world.
That afternoon, the rabbi’s wife, Kaila Lasky Spiro, will trace the influence of Jewish women across generations, dating back to the Garden of Eden.
“Kaila Lasky Spiro will be talking about Jewish women, what values they had and what we can learn from them, and how it can inspire our lives and our actions today,” Totah said.
Rabbi Spiro will close out Shabbat with a conversation on the “Jewish conception of the Messiah,” then explore the deeper meaning and message behind antisemitism, the world’s longest hatred.
“I think for many people … we’ve had the luxury in this country of not having lived with antisemitism, and I think that [we need to] understand the breadth and the depth of it and what it meant and how to handle it,” Totah said, adding that Spiro typically ends his talks on a positive note.
Totah first met the rabbi during a trip to Jerusalem, where Spiro gave her an “information-laden” tour that included a view of the Western Wall from atop the Aish HaTorah building.
She learned that the educator and historian has a podcast called “Remember What’s Next” and has authored a few books on Jewish history. Spiro, who is originally American, made aliyah 43 years ago.
“He’s only in America for a number of months, and so, before he goes back [to Israel], I thought that people could take advantage of his presence and learn,” Totah said. “It’s going to be a weekend of learning, it’s going to be a weekend of intellectualism and I think that a lot of people will walk away inspired.”
