Our first Sunday morning breakfast and discussion will be November 23, 2025 at 10 AM

Hi Everyone,

Mark your calendars. Our first Sunday morning breakfast and discussion will be November 23, 2025 at 10 AM. It’s hard to imagine doing this without Uri, but his spirit will inspire and warm us as we go forward. Bring your ideas for future breakfast presentations.

I’ll be doing the first presentation about the oldest Hebrew Bible in the world. Here’s some background.

The Story·of Codex Sassoon.    It’s an obscure name, but there’s an amazing story to be told about this 1,000 year old Hebrew Bible. A “Codex” is a book, and this is the oldest complete Hebrew Bible in the world, which in 2023 was sold at auction for $38.1 million . This Bible is valuable not only because of its age, but because of how it authenticates every important detail of the Bible we read today: the text, spelling, punctuation and cantillation (trop – symbols for chanting) that have been passed down since before the destruction of the Second Temple. One example: Every time we sing the “V’Avhavtah” after reciting the Sh’mah, we’re following the ancient system of symbols that appear in the Codex.

Torah scrolls are sacred and invaluable, but without the wealth of informatLon in a Codex, we’d be left guessing about every sentence. This presentation will tell the story of this Bible, its journey over 1000 years, millennia of tradition leading up to it, and how it defied history, surviving Crusades and wars. It’s something you just can’t make up.

I’ll be making this presentation in honor of Uri Taenzer and Rabbi Bleefeld, both of blessed memory. Uri masterfully coordinated our Sunday morning breakfasts for so many years. We’ll feel his gentle hand and guiding presence whenever we gather. Rabbi Bleefeld, was unrestrained in sharing his excitement with me about the Sassoon Codex_at the time it went up for auction in 2023. Both are in our hearts.

Chef David Fisher will be honoring us with his delicious eggs, home fried potatoes and delightful fruits and vegetables. Harvey Friedman will be in charge of coffee. And, of course, we’ll have plenty of bagels to carb everyone up while we schmooz and learn.

Looking forward to a great turnout on November 23rd.