Adult Jewish Learning
Generously supported by the Elaine Belle Krasik Fund for Adult Education.
Explore Ongoing and Upcoming Learning Opportunities
Early Prophets
Monday, October 7 @ 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM EDT$295 for this 25-session series.
Mondays at 9:30 AM, Sep. 23, 2024 – May 12, 2025.
Please Note: No class on Nov. 4, Dec. 23, 30, Jan. 6, Feb. 24, Mar. 3, 10, 17, Apr. 14.
The prophetic section of the Hebrew Bible contains powerful material that is rarely studied closely. In this 25-session course, read through the works of the Early Prophets while gaining insights into their enduring significance.
Ten Pathways
Tuesday, October 8 @ 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM EDT$250 for this 20-session series.
Tuesdays at 7:00 PM, Sep. 24, 2024 – May 20, 2025.
Please Note: No class on Nov. 5, 26, Dec. 17, 24, 31, Jan. 7-Mar. 4, Apr. 15.
If you want to study the essence of Judaism on a sophisticated level – no prior knowledge required – this 20-part course is for you. Designed by the late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, this class delves into core Jewish concepts through accessible and engaging texts and conversations.
Understanding Zionism: What It Is and How We Got Here
Monday, October 14 @ 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM EDT$145 for this 10-session series. Mondays at 7:00 PM, Sep. 30 – Dec. 9. Please Note: No class on Oct. 7. What is Zionism? This course will examine the history of the modern Zionist movement, its revolutionary impact on Jewish life and the challenges to Zionism in 2024.
Global Jewry One Year Later
Tuesday, October 15 @ 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM EDT$85 for this 6-session series.
Tuesdays at 12:00 PM, Oct. 15 – Nov. 19.
This course will take the pulse of the five largest Jewish communities in the world (not including Israel and the US): France, Canada, the United Kingdom, Argentina and Russia. Rabbi Schiff will converse with experts on each of these Jewish communities, assessing the impact of antisemitism and the health of these communities one year after October 7.
Rashi: The Greatest Commentator of Jewish History
Thursday, November 7 @ 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM EST$55 for this 4-session series. Thursdays at 7:00 PM, Nov. 7 – Dec. 5. Please Note: No class on Nov. 28. *Please note on the brochure this class was marked as April 14, which is incorrect and we apologize for the confusion. Meet Rashi. This course will provide a closeup encounter with the most important and prolific commentator that the Jewish people has ever known, together with a look at some of his key insightful texts.
Jewsandwords
Wednesday, January 15, 2025 @ 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM EST$90 for this 4-session series. Wednesdays at 9:30 AM, Jan. 15 – Feb.5 , 2025. In 2012, Amos Oz and his daughter, Fania Oz-Salzberger wrote “jewsandwords”. The book describes the “chain of words at the core of Jewish life, history, and culture.” In this course, we will read the book together and consider the chain of words that lies at the heart of Jewish literature.
Continuing Legal Education Series
The Alan Papernick Educational Institute Endowment Fund presents a 6-Part Series taught by Gefsky Community Scholar Rabbi Dr. Danny Schiff.
Earn 2 ethics credits per class!
Cost with credit: $195 series/$35 each individual class
Cost without credit: $165 series/$30 each individual class
CLE: Halloween, Yoga and Seances: The Legal Boundary Between Forbidden Practices and Harmless Activities
Thursday, October 31 @ 8:30 AM - 10:45 AM EDTAre popular secular practices with roots in beliefs that are foreign to Judaism benign from a Jewish perspective? Or are there Jewish legal concerns that should be weighed? This CLE will explore how Judaism draws the line between the acceptable and the unacceptable – and why.
CLE: Legalizing Cannabis Is It Jewishly Acceptable?
Thursday, January 16, 2025 @ 8:30 AM - 10:45 AM ESTThe legalization of cannabis is expanding. Jewish law has helpful insights on the use of cannabis both for medicinal and recreational purposes. This session will focus on cannabis concerns through a Jewish lens.
CLE: Understanding the Structure of Jewish Legal Texts
Thursday, April 3, 2025 @ 8:30 AM - 10:45 AM EDTWritten Torah. Oral Torah. Mishnah. Midrash. Talmud. Codes. Commentaries. Responsa. We often quote from these Jewish legal sources. But what exactly are they? How do they fit together and how important are they? This CLE will explore the structure of Jewish texts.
CLE: Jewish Law in the Legal System of Israel
Thursday, May 1, 2025 @ 8:30 AM - 10:45 AM EDTIsrael is a Jewish state. How, though, should Jewish law most appropriately be incorporated into the state’s legal system, and to what extent? This CLE will explore the controversial relationship between Jewish law and the state of Israel.
CLE: War Ethics in the Jewish Legal Tradition
Thursday, June 26, 2025 @ 8:30 AM - 10:45 AM EDTWar involves a host of moral and legal dilemmas. This session will explore these issues from a Jewish perspective: How do we know when war is just? How should we deal with innocent civilians? How are Jewish legal ideals incorporated into the conduct of the IDF?