Sefer Ha-Bloggadah: the countdown begins!

The Sefer Ha-Aggadah project will kick off in 26 days!!! We'll begin officially on Shabbat afternoon, August 16, Tu Be'Av, at the NHC Summer Institute at Franklin Pierce University, following the formal completion (siyyum) of the Encyclopaedia Judaica. You can still register to come to the Institute for the full week or just for Shabbat.

After a week to readjust to normal life, our study schedule will begin on Monday, August 25. Here is the schedule for the first year. It will conclude on Friday, July 31, 2009, and we'll have a siyyum on the first half of Sefer Ha-Aggadah at the NHC Summer Institute, on Shabbat afternoon, August 8, 2009.

There will be an ongoing discussion of the daily reading right here on the blog. Every day, at least one member of the blogging team will post something about that day's reading, and everyone is invited to discuss in the comments. The substantive discussion will be here on the blog, but all participants are also invited to join the email list, to keep with administrative announcements and discussion.

In addition to the blog, there is talk about starting local Sefer Ha-Aggadah groups to meet occasionally in person. I have heard rumors about groups starting in Jerusalem, the New York area, and Philadelphia. Email the list if you want to start something in your area.

I am very excited to announce the amazing Sefer Ha-Bloggadah blogging lineup. Our team includes bloggers in North America and Israel; grandparents and college students; people with ties to each of the major Jewish denominations; people who teach and study Jewish texts full-time and people with a wide range of other jobs; veteran bloggers and people who have never blogged before. Here's the list:

MONDAY
Marisa Harford
Sara Meirowitz

TUESDAY
Jonah Steinberg
Howard White

WEDNESDAY
chillul Who?
Benjamin "feygele" M., Oy is Yo, Backwards and Jewschool

THURSDAY
Drew Cohen, Jewschool
Iyov
Neil Litt, Daf Am Haaretz

FRIDAY
Rabbi Alana Suskin
David A.M. Wilensky, The Reform Shuckle

SATURDAY/SUNDAY
Bruce, Three Jews, Four Opinions
Diane Klein, Three Jews, Four Opinions
Steve, Three Jews, Four Opinions

PINCH HITTER
BZ, Mah Rabu and Jewschool