The Professional Lecture Series

This series of speakers focuses on the family as a natural system and on knowledge from the study of other natural systems and the sciences. A distinctive feature of this meeting is the length of time the presenter is given to develop and illustrate ideas followed by audience discussion. The ideas presented are to encourage a broader way of thinking about the human as a product of evolution both in one's own family and in the natural world. Click here to view past Professional Lectures on our Youtube Channel.

Professional Lectures are held online via Zoom 7:00pm - 8:30pm Eastern Time.
Lectures are free and open to the public.
COMING SOON! Lectures for the months of January, February, April, and May.
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2025 - 2026 Professional Lectures

OCTOBER 23, 2025 | 7:00 - 8:30 PM ET

The Sexual Evolution: Why Sexual Diversity is Normal, Natural, and Advantageous

Nathan H. Lents, PhD
From insects to apes, Professor Lents will present a fascinating journey through the animal world, revealing what the incredible array of sexual diversity can teach us about ourselves. Nature, it turns out, has made generous space for diverse genders and sexual behaviors. Why? Because when it comes to evolution—diversity wins. This conclusion is rooted in science and cultivated from understanding the full breadth of sexuality that exists throughout all species.

Nathan H. Lents is Professor of Biology at John Jay College, where he is the director of the Cell and Molecular Biology program. His research lab studies human genetic evolution and forensic DNA technology. He also writes regular popular science articles and is the author of Not So Different: Finding Human Nature in Animals, Human Errors: A Panorama of Our Glitches, from Pointless Bones to Broken Genes, and The Sexual Evolution: How 500 Millions Years of Sex, Gender, and Mating Shape Modern Relationships. Learn more at www.linktr.ee/nathanlents

DECEMBER 4, 2025 | 7:00 - 8:30 PM ET

Joseph: Family Rupture, Reconciliation, Repair, and Redemption

Rabbi Rachel Hersh, MSW, BCC
In Jewish tradition, the Biblical Joseph is called "HaTzadik - the Righteous" by our rabbis. His story spreads across four sections of Torah reading, bringing the Book of Genesis to a stunning finale and laying the foundation for the Book of Exodus. Seen through the lens of family systems theory, this story highlights important ways that Joseph breaks some of the challenging family patterns in his own lineage and offers inspiration for us to reflect on our own. Come explore this remarkable piece of storytelling, engaging both classical rabbinic commentary and modern family systems theory as we seek to understand some of what this story teaches.

Rabbi Hersh serves as director of Jewish enrichment and engagement at JSSA, a historically Jewish human service agency serving neighbors of all backgrounds across the national capital region. Through her work at JSSA, she integrates Jewish wisdom and tradition with clinical human service practice, spiritual care and mindfulness techniques for agency staff, clients, patients and community partners. Prior to her work at JSSA, Rabbi Hersh had a long tenure in synagogue spiritual leadership.

MARCH 12, 2026 | 7:00 - 8:30 PM ET

Being a Self from the Middle: Differentiation, Hierarchy, and the Work Environment

Rev. Robert Abram
Defining a self is a lifelong undertaking. In the workplace, this process presents unique challenges—including how one may think about self within a hierarchy. This presentation considers the benefits, pitfalls, and challenges of what it means to define a self “from the middle”: when accountability to a superior, and oversight of those lower in rank in the organization, are a reality of one’s work environment.

Rev. Robert A. (Bob) Abrams serves as Assistant to the Bishop of the Southern Ohio Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, having been ordained after sixteen years of legal practice focusing on litigation. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Ohio Wesleyan University, a Juris Doctor from The Ohio State University College of Law, and a Master of Divinity from Trinity Lutheran Seminary. He is a graduate of the Natural Systems Academy of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, has completed two years of the Postgraduate Program at the Bowen Center, and remains in supervision with Bowen faculty.