If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed trying to make sense of Jewish history — from Abraham to Herzl, from Sinai to the state of Israel — you’re not alone. But what if someone promised to cover the biggest turning points of the last 4,000 years… in just one hour?
That’s the goal of Richard Gavatin, who’s bringing his whirlwind presentation, “4,000 Years of Jewish History in One Hour,” to an in-person audience on Tuesday, June 17 at 2 p.m. at the Mirowitz Center. The program explores 29 pivotal moments that shaped Jewish identity, survival and continuity — all in a single sitting.
The idea, he says, emerged from a previous class on Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, who is considered one of the founders of the Jewish renewal movement.
“We did a program on Rabbi Zalman Schechter-Shalomi last year and we used a book about him called ‘Paradigm Shifts,’” Gavatin says. “And that led us to come up with the idea to talk about paradigm shifts in Jewish history.”
From there, Gavatin built a fast-paced class tracing 29 key moments when Jews had to adapt, reimagine and rebuild.
Of course, not everyone agrees on which moments matter most.
“I’m often asked, ‘Why did you pick these 29 (or so) events and not others?'” he says, laughing. “It’s always a lively discussion.”
Poignant Jewish events
Among the events he believes deserve more attention is one that happened shortly after the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 C.E. — a moment he considers pivotal to Jewish continuity.
“When the Temple was destroyed in the Year 70 and Judaism, as an animal-sacrificing temple-cult, ceased to exist, a rabbi, Yonathan Ben Zachai, had his students smuggle him out in a coffin — because the Roman soldiers did allow burials outside the gates of Jerusalem despite their siege,” Gavatin says. “Once outside, he set out on a journey to the Mediterranean coast and founded a school at a place called Yavne. That was the beginning of what we call Rabbinic Judaism. Without that event, Judaism would have ceased to exist — along with Greek, Roman and other cultures.” (He’s got it marked as slides 16 and 17 in his deck.)
Forgotten Jews in history? You’ll meet a few.
Gavatin also uses the talk to spotlight lesser-known figures — including the Verein group, 19th-century Jewish thinkers behind the Reform and Conservative movements. “The number one person from this era that I would love to have met would be Zechariah Frankel, generally seen as the founder of the Conservative movement,” he says.
Kol Rinah’s adult education group, which Gavatin co-chairs, took its name from this underrecognized cohort.
Bringing history to life — and inviting yours
Whether you’re a lifelong learner or just starting to explore Jewish history, this session promises to introduce some unfamiliar names who left a lasting mark on the Jewish world.
“This particular presentation has only been given once — at Kol Rinah (and on Zoom, which makes a difference),” he says. “At Mirowitz Center it is always ‘live’ and in-person.”
Audience feedback has been lively, especially around his choice of events — but one thing Gavatin hasn’t heard yet is personal reflections from attendees. He hopes that changes on June 17.
“So far, I have not had anyone tell their own story, but that is a great idea,” he says. “I will encourage the audience to do so!”
What: “4,000 Years of Jewish History in One Hour”
When: Tuesday, June 17. 2-3 p.m.
Where: Mirowitz Center, 8 bMillstone Campus Dr.
Info: Free and open to the public. Register here
