Three Los Angeles rabbis from the Orthodox,...

Three Los Angeles rabbis from the Orthodox, Conservative and Reform branches of Judaism will celebrate an upcoming Jewish holiday with an unusual study session on the Ten Commandments.

“It’s rare for Jews from the different movements of Judaism to study together,” said Rabbi Lavey Derby, director of the sponsoring Council on Jewish Life. Most Orthodox rabbis are strongly critical of the selective observance of Jewish law by most Reform rabbis and some Conservative rabbis.

“This event is intended to show that although we may have diverse views about what Jewish life is about, we all read Torah,” Derby said. Torah refers to the first five books of the Bible, but it also has the general meaning of Jewish law in the Scriptures.

The rabbis taking part in the Tuesday program are Perry Netter of Sephardic Temple Tifereth Israel (Conservative), John Rosove of Temple Israel of Hollywood (Reform) and Simcha Weinberg of B’nai David Judea Congregation (Orthodox). The program, which starts at 7:30 p.m. and is open to the public, will be held in the board room of the Jewish Community Building, 6505 Wilshire Blvd.

Each rabbi will give a 20-minute presentation on his understanding and interpretation of the Ten Commandments with a discussion following.

The program was planned to commemorate the two-day Jewish holiday of Shavout, which marks the giving of the Torah to Israel. Shavout begins at sundown May 18.

The Council of Jewish Life, which has sought to foster mutual respect and dialogue among clashing religious groups within Judaism, is part of the Jewish Federation Council of Greater Los Angeles.

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DATES

A two-day conference marking 100 years since the death of Madame H.P. Blavatsky, whose esoteric writings gave substance to the Theosophy movement, will conclude Sunday in Harbeson Hall at Pasadena City College. Following registration at 8:30 a.m., the program will include readings, music and lectures by Southern California enthusiasts from different strains of the movement that combined Eastern and Western religious philosophies.

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