About Us

The Davar Institute was launched in 2000 in response to perceived community desire for intellectually challenging and stimulating lectures, programs and events in a modern orthodox context.

The Davar Institute is a Modern Orthodox think tank that is open to the entire community. Davar strives to expose our audience to unique speakers and programs to enhance our interests and understanding of Torah, halacha, and Jewish culture, philosophy, music and art.

In 2013, the community of Skokie, Illinois requested to form a branch of Davar as a result of their enthusiasm about our speakers, principles, and practices.  We have since shared speakers and agendas to further the educational model in other Orthodox communities through a broader array of intellectually open and challenging scholars and professors and other educators. 

Some of our past events…

Halakha

 

Shocking but True: How Forbidden Is Electricity on Shabbat, Really? Dov Linzer


Filial Loyalty and Divine Commands: Can Parents Force Their Children to Violate the Torah? Ethan Tucker


Cheresh (the speaking and hearing impaired): the pain and pleasure of halakha's encounter with modernity. Ysoschar Katz


On Halachic Censorship and Classified Rules Rachel Keren

 

Politics

 

What is the relationship between anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism? Peter Beinart

Early Zionism - Then and Now Hillel Halkin

We Stand Divided: Competing Visions of Jewishness and the Rift Between American Jews and Israel Daniel Gordis

"Technically Jewish" -The future of "who is a jew" and the rabbinates’ new reliance on technology. Seth Farber

 

Tanakh

 

The 'Truth' about Torah Christine Hayes

Inside versus Outside in the Bible James Kugel

Dreamscape in the Song of Songs Simi Chavel

The Case of "Sota" - From the Torah to Chazal Rachel Keren