Topics Previously Offered

WEEKDAY JUDAISM
WORK, PLAY & THE EVERYDAY

​“What’s so special about a rainy Tuesday in February?” From finding meaning in our work (whatever we may do, as long as it’s legal) to the evaluation of our homes as sacred space, from how we handle money to our relationships to food and sex, Judaism offers us opportunities to go off auto-pilot and live mindfully. Explore the facets of kedusha—holiness—in the rhythms of daily life and the “normal mysticism” of our tradition. ​​

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ETHICAL FITNESS
GRAPPLING EVERY DAY 

In ethics it’s usually the big issues—capital punishment, lifeboats, euthanasia—that get all the attention. However, being a good person in the real world of jury duty, time-share offers, and internet bargains poses more regular challenges to our consciences and our society. Being an ethical person is not about having ready-made decisions; rather it is a byproduct of a process that requires training and practice. Strive for “ethical fitness”.  
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​​TaNa"KH 
DIVING DEEP IN THE HEBREW BIBLE 

TaNa”KH is an acronym for the entirety of the Hebrew Bible from Genesis to Chronicles. We tend to think of the Bible as a single volume but it is actually an anthology covering the greatest hits of Hebrew literary production spanning nine centuries. It includes historiography, narrative fiction, law, prophecy in prose and poetry, aphorisms, laments, battle hymns, love songs, genealogical tables, etiological tales, and more. Whether you’re interested in studying one verse, one chapter, one book or the entire canon, the opportunity to do a deep dive into the TaNa”KH can be deeply gratifying. 

TEXT STUDY

WOMEN MAKING
​A SCENE 
IN THE BIBLE

​“In the Bible, women are rarely born, they almost never die and when they give birth it is usually to a boy.” (Prof. Yair Zakovitch, Hebrew University). Yet from Eve to Ruth, Sarah to Delilah, Queens Esther to Sheba, the women we do glimpse are endlessly intriguing.  Study the stories of famous and lesser-known Biblical women through a selection of Biblical passages, midrashim, and modern feminist literature. 
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"DARSHENI!"
THE TORAH DEMANDS INTERPRETATION

Both a genre of literature and a process of reading and interpreting that we continue to engage in today, midrash is the creative life force of Jewish text study. From the audacious to the insipid, from the insulting to the inspired, midrash brings us close to the text, grabs us by the hand and pulls us into the world of Jewish experience, ideas, and aspirations. 
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EYE-OPENERS 
READING THE BIBLE THROUGH ART

​For most of its history the Torah was “read” primarily through images carved in stone, pieced together from mosaics, and assembled in stained glass.  The powerful hold these representations had on the popular imagination continues to impact our understanding of the Bible today.  Yet, the role of the artist, as de facto interpreter of the text, is often overlooked. Through the study of texts and use of the basics of visual literacy we examine these core stories to see them anew.​​

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE...

FROM A SINGLE STRAND
UNRAVELING BIG IDEAS

​These "Curiosity Cases" prompt provocative discussions. ​Enchanting, sensual, and strangely interconnected, these discrete topics are examined through traditional and modern Jewish sources ranging from scientific to mystical, from poetry to philology.​ 
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JEWISH ​PRACTICE
 D.I.WHY 
FOCUS ON THE WHY & HOW 

​What is quintessentially Jewish? The Passover Seder? Actually: modeled on an ancient Greek banquet. The intricate layout of a page of Talmud? Actually: a joint creation of rabbis and Jewish scholars working with Italian Catholic printers under the direction of a Dutch Protestant publisher. To say nothing of the bastard origins of the bagel….. Judaism is not a monolith of static concepts and practices but a dynamic system of choices and questions.  Examine the evolution of particular Jewish practices and come away with practical skills to participate meaningfully in Jewish life.  
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​SEEN
​BETWEEN
REVISITING JEWISH RITUAL

​Drawing on her experience designing and facilitating Jewish rituals, as well as founding and directing Jewish Milestones—a nonprofit developed to serve as an educational resource for those seeking support in creating meaningful Jewish lifecycle rituals—Rachel Brodie shares some best practices in ritual creation.
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FOR AFFINITY GROUPS...

AS PARENTS & TEACHERS