This fall, TischPDX alum Rabbi Kapor-Mater (Cohort 4/5783) is teaching Talmud in a learning cohort pilot program in partnership with TischPDX. She is excited to teach at a high level, allowing participants to delve deeply into the text and explore the Talmud with both breadth and depth. Rabbi Kapor-Mater is particularly enthusiastic about learning with people who don’t necessarily share the traditional yeshiva worldview, as this diversity of perspectives will enrich discussions and deepen engagement with the texts.
The desire to organize this cohort emerged from Rabbi Kapor-Mater’s experience during their TischPDX cohort, where she noticed a significant hunger for traditional yet radical Jewish learning, particularly among people who lack access or exposure to traditional yeshiva education. The hunger for this learning was often felt by individuals from marginalized communities who have been systematically excluded from such spaces. Rabbi Kapor-Mater aims to challenge the conventional perception of what a Talmud or Torah scholar is and hopes to create an inclusive space for this learning experience. When asked about her favorite part of teaching Talmud, she shared, “I love it when a student comes up with something I have never heard before. That’s why I teach—there’s no better way to learn than to teach.”