Baseball (A Jewish American Pastime)
Date: May 04, 2026
Time: 1:00 pm - 2:15 pm
Location: Online
Category: America at 250: Jewish Ideas and the American Experiment Online Learning
Baseball (A Jewish American Pastime)
Part of Our Summer 2026 Learning Series, America at 250: Jewish Ideas and the American Experiment
Monday, May 4, 2026
Online
1:00–2:15 p.m. ET
With Rabbi Robert A. Harris, Professor of Bible and Ancient Semitic Languages, JTS
If you have previously registered for another session in this series, your registration admits you to all sessions in the series, and you may attend as many as you’d like.
Baseball has long been called America’s pastime—but what happens when we read the game through the lens of philosophy, theology, halacha and aggadah? This session explores the striking parallels between rabbinic interpretation and the rules, debates, and evolving traditions that shape baseball—from classic arguments over judgment calls to today’s introduction of the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) system, which raises new questions about authority, precision, and the role of human interpretation.
Through stories of Jewish players, fans, and cultural figures—and with insights from Rabbi Robbie Harris, known as the “rabbi of the right field bleachers” for the New York Yankees—we’ll uncover how meaning is constructed both on the field and in the beit midrash. Expect a lively conversation that brings together sport, text, and the enduring Jewish love of argument.
About the Series
As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, the JTS Summer 2026 Learning Series will explore the rich and surprising intersections between Jewish thought and American life. From baseball and youth culture to constitutional law, storytelling, and democratic theory, leading scholars reveal how Jewish ideas, texts, and experiences have shaped—and been shaped by—the American experiment.
