From Sinai to ’76: Covenants and Declarations

What do Mount Sinai and Independence Hall have in common? As America prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary, join Rabbi Charles Savenor for an exploration of two defining moments in Jewish and American history: the covenant at Sinai and the Declaration of Independence. Through biblical texts, founding documents, and historical sources, we will examine how shared commitments helped forge communities, shape identities, and inspire collective purpose.

But commitment comes with a cost. Throughout history, individuals have risked their standing, their security, and sometimes far more in service of the communities and ideals they believed in. What compels people to bind themselves to a cause greater than themselves? And what responsibilities do those commitments place upon us? Together, we will explore how covenant, courage, and sacrifice helped shape both the Jewish people and the American experiment.

Rabbi Savenor brings a unique perspective to this conversation as the Executive Director of Civic Spirit, a national organization dedicated to civic education through the lens of history, identity, and democratic values. As we approach July 4 and the America 250 commemoration, he will help us uncover the surprising connections between Jewish covenantal thinking and the ideals that inspired America’s founders, and consider what those enduring commitments ask of us today.

We strive to ensure access and meaningful participation by all. As such, this program will have closed captioning.

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Rabbi Charles E. Savenor is the Executive Director of Civic Spirit. Founded in 2017, Civic Spirit provides training and support to Jewish, Catholic, and Christian day schools in civic education. The mission of the organization is to educate, inspire, and empower faculty and students towards civic belonging, knowledge, and responsibility. Before Civic Spirit, he worked for eight years as the Director of Congregational Education at Park Avenue Synagogue (PAS) in New York. Rabbi Savenor came to PAS from the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism (USCJ), where he served as the Director of Leadership and Organizational Development.

Rabbi Savenor graduated from Brandeis University with a B.A., summa cum laude, in History as well as Near Eastern and Judaic Studies. He received Rabbinic Ordination, a Masters degree, and an Honorary Doctorate from the Jewish Theological Seminary.  He also  earned a Masters of Education at Columbia University, Teachers College. He currently sits on the international boards of Leket Israel (the National Food Bank of Israel) and Gesher, and Brandeis University’s Alumni Admissions Council. Rabbi Savenor’s articles on leadership, parenting, and Judaism in the 21st century have appeared in The Jerusalem Post, The Jewish Week, The New York Observer, Kveller, The Fulcrum, and Hadassah Magazine. He blogs for The Times of Israel and is currently writing a book called What My Father Couldn’t Tell Me.

Charlie and his wife, Julie Walpert, are the parents of two sons, Joseph and Benjamin, and live in New York City.

 #Bible #CurrentEvents #History

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