Adult Education 2022-23
Danish & D'rash
Shabbat mornings, about 30 minutes after the start of Kiddush-Lunch, Kronsberg Library, starting October 22
Come and explore the Torah portion in depth. Study the weekly highlights, commentaries, midrashim, contemporary ideas, and application of the text. Each week, about 30 minutes after our Kiddush-Lunch starts, bring your plate, and maybe an extra lechayim, and join us in the Kronsberg Library!
The Book of Genesis
Dr. Michael Kogan
Mondays @ 7:30pm on Zoom, starting October 24
“Genesis,” a foundational document of western civilization, is the source of our ideas of good and evil, of our origins and destiny, and of the meaning of life itself. In this class, we will examine it verse by verse, and story by story, exploring its content and authorship over the six centuries of its composition, and asking how and why it still influences our view of ourselves and of our world. Register here.
Talmud with Rabbi Ravski
Thursdays @ 6:30pm, ongoing, in-person and Zoom.
Navigate the Talmudic thought process in tractate Avodah Zarah (idol worship), one of the most controversial sections of the Talmud, which explores the limits of relationships between Jews and the larger ancient world in which they lived. The class will study in English, and copies of the text will be provided. If you would like to purchase your own volume, we will be using the Koren-Steinsaltz edition of Avodah Zarah (Volume 32 of the whole series). New students are always welcomed!
Shabbat Morning 101
Rabbi Ravski
Wednesday, March 1, 8 @ 6:15pm and Saturday, March 11 @9:30am
Shabbat morning services are the highlight of the week. They are when our community most frequently comes together to pray, socialize, and eat. While the latter two things come naturally to us, navigating the service, the prayers, and the chorography can be a challenge. Join Rabbi Ravski on two consecutive Wednesday evenings to learn about the matbeah, the order of the services, the choreography, and the intention behind the services. Following those two classes, we will then sit as a class together throughout Shabbat morning services with Rabbi Ravski acting as a guide through the service in real time. The goal of this class is to help those less familiar with the service to feel comfortable finding their way, while also giving those who already know the service a deeper understanding of why we do what we do on Shabbat mornings.
Techeilet: The Color of Tzitzit
Rabbi Ravski
Sunday, April 30 @ 12:45pm or Sunday May 14 @10:00am
One color stands above all others in the Torah, techeilet, a color almost indistinguishable from indigo, said to be the same color as the sky and water. It was such a prominent color because when the Torah speaks of tzitzit, the ritual fringes on the tallit (prayer shawl) one string is commanded to be techeilet. It was expensive, difficult to make, the color of royalty, and then…it disappeared. Learn all about the mitzvah of tzitzit, the history of this Biblical blue color, how it was lost and rediscovered. At the end of the class, we will learn how to tie tzitzit and, for those who would like, a set of techeilet tzitzit can be purchased ($55) via Rabbi Ravski here to add to and enhance your tallit.
Please note: this is a single class with two sessions offered on two different days/times.