Every group has a Master Story and in every few generations, the Master Story crashes. Crashes happen to both individuals and communities; they are inevitable. A big crash happened to the Jewish people when the Second Temple was destroyed two thousand years ago, and another crash is happening today.

Join Deborah Newbrun in learning about Rabbi Benay Lappe’s Crash Theory and how Talmud is Queerheaded. Crash Theory explains how the first rabbis created sources of truth to defend the changes they were making to traditional Judaism of their era, so that Judaism survived and thrived. Then explore how crash theory can be used today to help people find sources of truth to become “crash-flex.”

Deborah Newbrun was the Director of Camp Tawonga for 26 years. Her career as a Jewish leader spans more than 30 years including 4 years as Hazon’s Director in the Bay Area, and nine months as Keshet’s Bay Area Director. Deborah is a nationally recognized Jewish educator and is a recipient of the prestigious Covenant Award. Her ground¬breaking work Spirit In Nature/Teaching Judaism and Ecology on the Trail, connected Jewish values with environmental values. Twenty years ago, she started the first Jewish LGBTQ Family Weekend and has been directing the four day immersive program for 70 families each year since then. Five years ago, she cofounded SVARA’s Queer Talmud Camp and serves as its Camp Director.

Co-Sponsor: The Richard S. Dinner Center for Jewish Studies (CJS) at the Graduate Theological Union