Or Emet president Allan Malkis will speak about the Dead Sea Scrolls from 10 a.m.-noon Sunday, April 14, at the Talmud Torah of St. Paul, 768 Hamline Ave. South in St. Paul. A social time will follow.

The Dead Sea Scrolls are a famous set of writings from Qumran, an area in the valley of the Dead Sea south of Jerusalem, that provide the largest known collection from the era of the Second Temple of Jerusalem. The works include the books of the Bible, commentaries on those books, and explanations of the rituals and practices of a religious sect active during that time.

What do they tell us about Jewish thought and practices just before the first Jewish revolt against Rome and the destruction of the Second Temple? What relationship, if any, do they have to the sect that grew up around Jesus of Nazareth? 

Malkis, a longtime member of Or Emet, is a retired social researcher who holds a master’s degree in sociology from the University of Minnesota. He enjoys exploring the early history of the Israelite people and recently participated in a webinar studying the scrolls and their times, led by prominent (and controversial) biblical scholar Dr. James Tabor. 

Those who cannot attend in person may join over Zoom. Please register in advance here.

The Sunday adult programs are free and open to the public and meet concurrently with the Jewish Cultural Sunday School.

Or Emet is a secular congregation celebrating and honoring Jewish culture, history and values from a humanistic, inclusive perspective.

For information about Or Emet’s Jewish Cultural Sunday School, contact JCSS director Molly Phipps at school-1@oremet.org. For information about Or Emet, email info@oremet.org or visit oremet.org.