Karyn Spero
This class will be a live video class. There will be a group meeting at Young Israel of Brookline or you
can join the class from the comfort of your home. Details will be provided t students who register.
Wednesdays| 7:30 pm – 8:45 pm
4 Sessions: Nov 28; Dec. 5, 12, 19
Cost of Course: $80
This class is open to women only

The final portion of the book of Bereishit is dominated by the fascinating and complicated narrative of Yosef and his brothers, highlighting the complex family dynamic among the children of Yaakov, and the consequences and ramifications of difficult choices made. Those choices bring Yosef to many unexpected crossroads, pushing him to learn, grow and reflect. In this course we will take an in-depth look at the path and trajectory of his journey from a young man, favored by his father and hated by his brothers, to the second-in-command to the Pharaoh in Egypt. We will conduct a literary study of the text to unpack the multilayered way in which the Torah recounts the story of Yosef and his brothers, exploring themes of deception and truth, loyalty and betrayal, and leadership. Over the course of our analysis of the narrative, we will consult the interpretations of commentators to deepen our understanding of what is being said between the lines of the text and underneath the surface. Finally, we will consider the role that dreams play in the unfolding of events over the many years of Yosef’s journey as he develops from a dreamer into an interpreter, and walks the difficult road towards his destiny and the healing of a fractured family

Karyn Spero has an M.A. in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies from Brandeis University with a focus on Second Temple Judaism. Following her B.A. from Stern College, she studied for three years at the Drisha Institute for Jewish Education in New York. Before moving to Boston, Karyn taught Tanach in the Women’s Beit Midrash of the Torat Tzion Kollel in Cleveland. She taught Tanach on the high school level at Gann Academy in Waltham and taught Tanach at Maimonides High School, where she was part of the Student Life Team. She recently moved to Philadelphia to teach Judaic Studies at Kohelet Yeshiva.