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The Puzzler: A.J. Jacobs in Conversation with Rabbi Sherre Hirsch

Hosted By: Maven

New York Times bestselling author A.J. Jacobs returns to AJU for a conversation with Rabbi Sherre Hirsch on the enduring power of puzzles of all kinds: why we love them, what they do to our brains, how they can improve our world, and how they can even help us think differently about big questions like the meaning of life. He will also discuss the history of Jewish puzzles and riddles, from Biblical times to the present.

What makes puzzles—jigsaws, mazes, riddles, sudokus—so satisfying? Be it the formation of new cerebral pathways, their close link to insight and humor, or their community-building properties, they’re among the fundamental elements that make us human. And they can even help us understand the interconnections between space and time, which Hebrew translates as olam– perhaps the biggest jigsaw puzzle of them all.

Convinced that puzzles have made him a better person, A.J. Jacobs—four-time New York Times bestselling author, master of immersion journalism, and nightly crossworder—set out to determine their myriad benefits. And maybe, in the process, solve the puzzle of our very existence and the puzzle of God. Well, almost. Join us to learn what he learned, and even explore some puzzles of your own!

The event listed here is hosted by a third party. My Jewish Learning/70 Faces Media is not responsible for its content or for errors in the listing.

Host

Maven

In March of 2020, as the pandemic took hold of our local communities and safer-at-home orders were issued, American Jewish University shifted the delivery of our adult education and community programming to digital formats. Dedicated to providing Jewish learning to our communities, AJU understood the importance of showcasing original content that was not only easily accessible, but also fostered a sense of connection amidst the isolation that many faced.

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