On Saturday, March 7th, Adath Jeshurun welcomes Dr. Michael A. Portal as our Shabbat Scholar presenting “Emmanuel Levinas and Seeing the Needs of Another as One’s Own.”

Emmanuel Levinas (1905-1995) was one of the most important Jewish philosophers of the 20th century. In this teaching, Dr. Michael A. Portal will introduce Levinas and analyze a catchphrase – “ethics is an optics” – with which his philosophy has become associated. Our question: What is the relationship between ethical responsibility and sight?

Dr. Portal is an assistant professor in the Department of Philosophy and the director of the Jewish Life & Learning Initiative at the University of Louisville.

All are welcome to join us for Shabbat morning services at 10 a.m. followed by a Kiddush Lunch and Dr. Portal’s teaching. The lunch is sponsored by the Julie Olson Shabbat Scholar Fund and by Carol and Arnold Zegart in honor of Arnold’s 90th birthday.