Join us as we explore and discuss the startling Talmudic story of the sage Rava (3rd-4th century C.E. Babylonia) creating a “humanoid” who he sends to visit his colleague, Rabbi Zeira. We’ll utilize this haunting, brilliant, and very relevant story as a canvas for discussing artificial intelligence in relation to communication. What constitutes authentic expression? From where does it emanate? Is A.I. capable of such a relational encounter?

Rabbi-Cantor Michael McCloskey is a inspiring and innovative teacher of Torah and thought leader. He has taught at the Toronto Jewish Music Festival, Hebrew College Open Circle Jewish Learning, through the Cantors Assembly, and currently is a Lecturer at the Academy for Jewish Religion in New York. The Rav-Chazzan at Temple Emeth in Chestnut Hill, he has had writing published in AJS Perspectives, Masorti: The New Journal of Conservative Judaism, and Exploring Judaism, among others. He is also an accomplished composer and pianist. In his spare time he loves to boulder and read cosmic horror.