Second Temple Period: From Temple Judaism to Rabbinic Judaism

Insights & Ideas: Tuesday Night Learning with Gideon Amir

Registration opens in July.

Three Tuesday Evenings
September 2, 9, 16
Time: 7-8:30 PM ET
Instructor: Gideon Amir
Location: Zoom Classroom

Standard Class Rate: $120
Base Rate: $80
(Subsidized by Haberman Institute donors)


Haberman Institute courses are offered on a sliding payment scale.
Both tiers receive identical access to the program. Should the registration rates become a barrier to enrollment, please contact our Executive Director, Matthew Silverman.

 

How Did Ancient Temple Rituals Become Today’s Rabbinic Judaism?

Modern Judaism didn’t emerge overnight—it was shaped by centuries of dramatic change, especially during the Second Temple period. This course explores how the destruction of the Temple, competing sects, and evolving interpretations of scripture transformed ancient Judaism into the Rabbinic tradition we know today.

In this course, we will explore:

  • How the Bible was canonized

  • What the Dead Sea Scrolls and Apocrypha reveal

  • The power struggles between Pharisees, Sadducees, and others

  • When Jews began observing the Torah as law

  • How Rabbinic Judaism took shape

Perfect for anyone curious about Jewish history, tradition, and transformation.

Register now to trace the roots of Judaism as we know it.

Gideon Amir was born in the Netherlands to Holocaust survivors who immigrated to Israel in 1947.  He grew up in Jerusalem and served in the IDF as a Paratrooper.

Gideon received his Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and a Master’s degree in Computer Science from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rechovot. In 1980, he moved to the United States, where he worked as a manager in several companies including Sperry Univac, British Telecom, and Cisco Systems.

In 1999, he pursued his interest in Judaic Studies and enrolled in a full-time graduate program at Baltimore Hebrew University, where, in May 2001, he received his Master’s degree with honors. Redirecting his passion for teaching from computer science to Jewish and Bible studies, he became an adult Jewish educator for several education programs, including the Haberman Institute, where he continues to teach today.

Rebecca Leavey