On June 20 and June 24, 2024, the Zahava and Moshael Straus Center for Torah and Western Thought hosted its annual summer seminars for high school students, Jewish and Western Texts in Conversation. Each year, this program allows high school students to spend a day studying with the Straus Center faculty and engaging with their fellow students on topics at the intersection of Torah and Western Thought. 

This year, the men’s program was held at Lincoln Square Synagogue and the women’s seminar was held at the Safra Center. At both programs, Dr. Shaina Trapedo kicked off the program by describing the mission of the Straus Center and the Straus Scholars program. The next session, led by Rabbi Dr. Dov Lerner, explored the question of industrialization in England through the lens of both Torah and economics. Other sessions throughout the day included a discussion of Zionism and Israel’s founding led by Dr. Neil Rogachevsky and a session on Shakespeare and the Hebrew Bible led by Dr. Shaina Trapedo. 

The men’s seminar included a tour of Congregation Shearith Israel (the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue), the oldest Jewish congregation established in America. Rabbi Meir Soloveichik, the Rabbi of Shearith Israel and the Director of the Straus Center, led the tour and spoke to the students about the uniqueness of Jewish life in America. The women’s seminar included a visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where Rabbi Soloveichik and Dr. Trapedo directed viewings of American and European paintings through the lens of Torah and Western thought.

The seminars also included student discussions based around the Straus program “Two Texts, Three Questions,” in which students engaged in lively discussions on the relationship between Torah and science, legislation, and literature, grounded by close reading of a range of texts and topics. The seminars closed with a dinner and panel discussion. This was an opportunity for Straus Scholars, past and present, to share their experiences and respond to questions from the high school participants. The Straus Scholars highlighted their favorite classes, reading groups, trips, as well as fellowships and internships they were involved in over the summer.

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