Guest speakers from Israel can’t come and speak in synagogues across America these days, but you can catch them online instead. One of Israel’s major Torah conferences – the Yemei Iyun B’Tanakh 2020 – is online this year, with an all-star line-up of Israel-based and U.S.-based speakers.
The Herzog College Yemei Iyun B’Tanakh event traditionally takes place during the week before Tisha B’Av and people travel from all over the world to attend. Last year, Herzog College also partnered with local communities across America to provide suitable video lectures for Tisha B’Av. Recognizing that the annual day of mourning the Temple will be particularly difficult for many people this year, they have decided to broadcast the Yemei Iyun B’Tanakh on the internet also on Tisha B’Av, so that people can watch inspiring lectures appropriate for this sad day. Modelling achdut (community unity), Herzog College is partnering with World Mizrachi for their Tisha B’Av lectures, and with Tanakh website 929 for their Daily Chapter of Tanakh program.
Among the speakers on the Yemei Iyun schedule during the last week of July will be several well-known lecturers from Israel who have spoken in communities across North America in previous years. Familiar names include Rabbi Menachem Leibtag, Dr. Yael Ziegler, Rav Yoni Grossman (speaking in Hebrew), and tour guide Shulie Mishkin. On the American team, you can hear Dr. Erica Brown, Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom, Rabbi Zvi Grumet and Rabbi Adam Mintz. Their lectures will be broadcast online at accessible times for North American audiences to tune into, but you need to register to receive the links and source sheets.
For more information about the Yemei Iyun B’Tanakh and other Herzog College programs in English, visit www.herzog.ac.il.