The CRASH Talk

“The CRASH Talk is the indispensable introduction to Talmud learning with SVARA. It is a lecture to end all lectures, a mind-blowing intellectual experience to end all…you get the point. Come hear how the Talmud—and all radical ideas—are born, crash, and are reborn anew. Discover your radical edge and how queer you really are (which, you will discover, has nothing to do with your sexual orientation or gender).” 

–Rabbi Lizzi Heydemann (Mishkan Chicago)

New CRASH Talk dates coming soon!

In this introductory talk, SVARA faculty lay out our philosophy of the Talmud and the rabbinic revolution that gave rise to it–along with important vocabulary and concepts for anyone learning Jewish texts. We will explain where the Talmud came from, why it was written, what its purpose is, and why the study of it has been so important for Judaism and the formation of the Jewish mind. This lecture is both an overview of the ultimate goals of the Jewish enterprise, as well as a crash course in halachic (Jewish legal) jurisprudence. Beyond its application to Judaism, the CRASH Theory is a simple but elegant model of how all change happens—whether societal, religious, organizational, or personal. Originally conceived to explain the history of disruptive innovation within Judaism, it has proven helpful to many in understanding and navigating moments of disruptive change in their own lives.

Why now?
No matter who we are, we’re collectively living through a moment of social and material transformation, and facing many unknowns as a society. At SVARA, CRASH theory helps us to orient ourselves in times of change, and to unpack our experiences in community. Whether you’re a SVARA newbie, or you’re a regular SVARA-nik, whether you’ve explored CRASH before, or this is your first time, we’d love to dive in and chart a path through the unknown together.