Paradigms of Friendship: What Philosophers and Rabbis Can Teach Us
Date: Dec 04, 2023
Time: 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Sponsor: Online Learning | Public Lectures and Events
Location: Online
Category: Online Learning Public Lectures & Events Two Are Better Than One
Paradigms of Friendship: What Philosophers and Rabbis Can Teach Us
December 4, 2023
1:00–2:30 p.m. ET
Part of our fall learning series, “Two Are Better Than One:” Friendship in Jewish Text, Thought, and Life
With Rabbi Eliezer Diamond, PhD, Rabbi Judah Nadich Professor of Talmud and Rabbinics
The Greek philosophers asserted that there are four types of friendship. This model, which was adopted by Maimonides, considered shared joint engagement in intellectual matters the highest form of friendship. Missing from this paradigm is the importance of certain character traits in creating and sustaining friendships. We will consider the “four friendships” model and then take a Mussar-oriented approach to suggest alternative paradigms.
If you have previously registered for another session in this series, your registration admits you to all sessions in the series, and you may attend as many as you’d like.
Note: The Zoom link for this session will be in the confirmation email that you receive after you register.
ABOUT THE SERIES
“Two Are Better Than One:” Friendship in Jewish Text, Thought, and Life
Friendship is a critical component of our daily lives, our mental health, and our Jewish communal experiences. Ecclesiastes (4:9) posits, “Two are better than one,” underscoring the significance of companionship and partnership in Jewish tradition and the role they play in a life well-lived.
In this series, JTS scholars will explore the concept of friendship through Jewish texts, history, and thought. They will examine a range of paradigms for friendship and consider what values emerge from each. Together, we will reflect on friendship in times of joy and times of crisis, both with those in our inner circles and with our neighbors and fellow citizens more broadly.
