Congregation Chofetz Chayim will offer the Dr. Paul W. Hoffert Spirit Program for two weeks beginning July 25. The program gives men and boys the opportunity to study, yeshiva-style, with five visiting students from the Rabbinical Seminary of America.
The program has been named “in memory of our beloved Dr. Hoffert,” says Rabbi Israel Becker. “Despite his age and physical frailty, he attended every single service, class and program that we offered,” including the Spirit program, which he sponsored over the years in memory of his wife, parents and, more recently, his brother.
Participants can study “virtually anything their heart desires,” Becker emphasizes, from Torah stories to ethics to classic books of Jewish philosophy and personal development such as “Path of the Just,” written in the 1700s. One participant last year pursued an in-depth study of contemporary Jewish law and DNA, while another wanted to brush up on his Hebrew reading skills.
Sessions will be held 9:15-11:15 a.m. daily and 7:30-9:30 p.m. (except Fridays). Sessions may last as long as participants want, from 15 minutes to two hours, says Becker.
Advance registration is requested. A short video about the program is available from the rabbi via email; contact him at YZBecker@me.com or 747-7780.
