Professional Lecture Series

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.  

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. 

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.