Fall 2020 Community Education Opportunities
NEW ONLINE SEMINAR SERIES
Old Wine, New Vessels: A Hasidic Master Addresses Today’s Seekers
An online Me’ah Seminar Series with Jewish scholar Rabbi Arthur Green, featuring the original Hasidic teachings of the Baʿal Shem Tov.
Live on Zoom: Mondays, 12:30-2:00pm (EDT)
Dates: October 19, 26, November 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, and December 7
Cost: $200 | Download the flyer
Fall Community Education Courses & Programs
Ulpan | Open Circle | Me’ah Select | Me’ah Classic | Parenting & Grandparenting | Teen Learning
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
| PROGRAM | COURSE TITLE | INSTRUCTOR | DATES | TIME | COST (per person) | REGISTER |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hebrew at the Center | Learning Hebrew from Anywhere | Orit Shakarghi | February 1- March 22 | Mondays at 8 pm | $445 $400 for Prizmah members | Register Register (Prizmah members) |
HEBREW LANGUAGE ULPAN
Visit the Ulpan website for more information.
| Course Name | Instructor | Location | Time | Cost | registration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ulpan Level 1A | Maya Dalzell | online via zoom | Monday and Wednesday 6:30-8:00 p.m., September 21-December 16 | $750 | |
| Ulpan Level 1B | Shlomi Zan | online via zoom | Thursday and Sunday, 6:30-8:00 p.m., September 13-December 20 | $750 | |
| Ulpan Level 1B | Maya Dalzell | online via zoom | Monday and Wednesday, 9:30-11:00 a.m., September 21-December 16 | $750 | |
| Ulpan Level 2A | Shlomi Zan | online via zoom | Monday and Wednesday 6:30-8:00 p.m., September 21-December 16 | $750 | |
| Ulpan Level 2B | Osnat Hazan | online via zoom | Tuesday and Thursday, 9:30-11:00 a.m., September 22-December 15 | $750 | |
| Ulpan Level 3A | Osnat Hazan | online via zoom | Wednesday and Friday, 9:30-11:00 a.m., September 23-December 18 | $750 | |
| Ulpan Level 4 | Maya Dalzell | online via zoom | Monday and Wednesday 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m., September 21-December 16 | $750 | |
| Ulpan Level 6 | Maya Dalzell | online via zoom | Tuesday and Thursday, 6:30-8:00 p.m., September 22-December 15 | $750 | |
| Ulpan Level 9 | Alliza Brosh | online via zoom | Monday and Friday, 8:30-10:00 a.m., September 21-December 14 | $750 | |
| Ulpan Level 10 | Aliza Brosh | online via zoom | Wednesday 10:00 a.m.-noon, September 23-December 16 | $635 |
ME’AH SELECT
For course descriptions, visit the Me’ah Select website.
| PROGRAM | COURSE TITLE | INSTRUCTOR | DATES | TIME | COST (per person) | PARTNER ORGS | REGISTER |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Me'ah Select | The Sword and the Cross from Mexico to Argentina: Jewish Literature of Extreme Situations | Dr. Dalia Wassner | 10 Thursdays, October 15 - January 7 | 9:30-11:30 a.m. | $325 | Temple Emunah, Temple Isaiah, Lexington | Register |
| Me'ah Select | Unpacking Antisemitism: Religious Origins, Modern Forms, and Contemporary Dynamics | Dr. Jacob Meskin | 10 Mondays, October 19 - December 21 | 7:00-9:00 p.m. | $325 | Temple Emunah, Temple Isaiah, Lexington | Register |
| Me'ah Select | Sefer Melachim Alef (The First Book of Kings): The Enduring Riddle of Solomon - Nation Building and the Challenge of Continuity | Rabbi Benjamin Samuels | 12 Mondays, October 19 - January 11 | 9:30-11:30 a.m. | $325 | Temple Beth Elohim, Wellesley | Register |
| Me'ah Select | Sefer Melachim Alef (The First Book of Kings): The Enduring Riddle of Solomon - Nation Building and the Challenge of Continuity | Rabbi Benjamin Samuels | 12 Wednesdays, October 14 - January 13 | 9:30-11:30 a.m. | $325 | Temple Beth Elohim, Wellesley | FULL |
| Me'ah Select | Old New World: The History of Zionist Ideas | Rabbi Neal Gold | 10 Tuesdays, October 13 - December 15 | 9:30-11:30 a.m. | $325 | Temple Beth Sholom, Framingham | Register |
| Me'ah Select | L’Chayim: Bringing the Yiddish Fiddler to Life! | Amy Lieberman & Cantor Lynn Torgove | 8 Mondays, October 19 - Dec 7 | 4:30-6:00 p.m. | $325 | N/A | Register |
| Me'ah Select | Me'ah Seminar Series: Old Wine, New Vessels: A Hasidic Master Addresses Today’s Seekers | Rabbi Arthur Green | 8 Mondays, October 19 - Dec 7 | 12:30-2:00 p.m. | $200 | N/A | Register |
| Me'ah Select | Unpacking Antisemitism: Religious Origins, Modern Forms, and Contemporary Dynamics | Dr. Jacob Meskin | 10 Wednesdays, October 7 - December 16 | 7:00-9:00 p.m. | $325 | Congregation Eitz Chayim, Tremont Street Shul, Cambridge | FULL |
| Me'ah Select | Can We Integrate Tradition and Modernity? Understanding The Crucial Challenge of Modern Jewish Thought | Dr. Jacob Meskin | 10 Sundays, October 18 - March 7 | 3:00-5:00 p.m. | $325 | Worship & Study Minyan, Harvard Hillel | Register |
| Me'ah Select | The Modern Jewish Experience through the Lens of Short Stories | Dr. Jacob Meskin | 10 Tuesdays, October 20 - December 22 | 7:00-9:00 p.m. | $350 | N/A | Register |
| Me'ah Select | A Multiplicity of Voices: The Biblical Legacy of Valuing Different Perspectives | Dr. Susie Tanchel | 10 Thursdays, October 22 - January 14 | 9:30-11:30 a.m. | $350 | N/A | Register |
ME’AH CLASSIC
For course descriptions, visit the Me’ah website.
| PROGRAM | DESCRIPTION | INSTRUCTOR | TIME | DATES | PARTNER ORGS | COST | REGISTER |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Me'ah Classic- First Year, Morning | Hebrew Bible | Leonard Gordon | Tuesdays, 9:30-11:30 | 10/20, 10/27, 11/3, 11/10, 11/17, 11/24, 12/1, 12/8, 12/15, 12/22, 1/5 | B’nai Tikvah of Canton and Temple Israel of Sharon | $650 | Register |
| Me'ah Classic-First year, Evening | Hebrew Bible | Neal Gold | Mondays, 7:00- 9:00 pm | 10/19, 10/26, 11/2, 11/9, 11/16, 11/23, 11/30, 12/7, 12/14, 12/21, 1/4 | N/A | $650 | Register |
| Me'ah classic - Second Year, Morning | Medieval | Alan Verskin | Tuesdays, 9:30-11:30 am | 10/13, 10/20, 10/27, 11/3, 11/10, 11/17, 11/24, 12/1, 12/8, 12/15, 12/22 | N/A | $650 | Register |
| Me'ah classic - Second Year, Evening | Medieval | Shari Lowin | Wednesdays, 7:15-9:15 pm | 10/7, 10/14, 10/21, 10/28, 11/4, 11/11, 11/18, 12/2, 12/9, 12/16, 12/23 | Temple Beth Zion and Temple Sinai, (both Brookline) | $650 | Register |
OPEN CIRCLE JEWISH LEARNING
For course descriptions, visit the Open Circle website.
| PROGRAM | COURSE TITLE | INSTRUCTOR | TIME | DATE | COST | REGISTER |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OCJL Classic | The Jewish Road to Character: A First Trip Down the Mussar Path - Temple Emanuel | Rabbi Eric Gurvis | Thursdays, 7:45-9:15pm | Meets bi-weekly October 22; November 5, 19; December 3, 17; January 7, 21; February 4 | $216 | Register |
| OCJL Classic | Intermediate Mussar- Temple Beth Shalom-Needham | Rabbi Eric Gurvis | Tuesdays, 7:30-9pm | October 27, November 10; Dec 1, 15; January 12, 26; February 2 and 16 | $216 | Register |
| OCJL Classic | Biblical Gems-The Stories Behind the Famous Verses | Jamie Stolper | Mondays, 7:30-9pm | November 9, 16, 23, 30; December 7 and 14 | $162 | Register |
| OCJL Classic | Ancient Mussar Made Modern: Engaging the Weekly Torah Portion to Inform Our Mussar Practice | Rabbi Carol Glass | Alternate Tuesdays, 10-11:30am | New dates: November 10, 24; December 8, 22, 2020; January 5, 19; Feb 2, 16, 2021 | $216 | Register |
| OCJL Classic | The Feminine Scrolls and Social Transformation—From Biblical Times to Today | Rabbi Natan Margalit, PhD. | Tuesdays, 7-8:30pm | Revised dates: November 10, 17, 24; December 1, 8 and 15 | $162 | Register |
| OCJL Classic | Women Wrote: Biblical Beginnings to Late Medieval Times | Rachel Greenblatt, PhD. | Tuesdays, 7:30-9pm | Revised dates: November 10, 17, 24; December 1, | $108 | Cancelled |
| OCJL Classic | Days of Awe: Prayer and Teaching | Rabbi Allan Lehmann | Wednesdays, 7 -9:30 PM | September 2. 9, 16, 23, 30, and October 7 | $150 | Register |
| OCJL Classic | Personal Growth through Ancient Wisdom | Ketriellah Goldfeder | Sundays, 7:30-9pm | September 6, 13, October 18, November 1, 15, 29, December 6 and 20 | $216 | Register |
| OCJL Classic | Inspired Leadership in Times of Crisis | Layah Lipsker | Tuesdays, 1-2:30pm | September 8, 22; October 13, 27; November 10, 24; December 1, 8 | $216 | Register |
| OCJL Classic | In Search of Renewal: Spiritual Teachings of Rabbi Zalman Schacter-Shalomi | Rabbi Or Rose | Thursdays 12-1:30 pm | September 10, 17. 24; October 1, 8, and 15 | $150 | Register |
| OCJL Classic | Daf Yomi for Beginners | Layah Lipsker | Mondays and Thursdays, 9 to 9:45 am | September 10, 14, 17, 21, 24; October 1, 5, 8, 12, 15, 19, 22, 26, 29; November 2 and 5 | $216 | Register |
| OCJL Classic | Hasidic and Neo-Hasidic Insights into Maintaining Hope, Joy and Perspective in Challenging (or normal times) | Rabbi Natan Margalit, PhD. | Mondays, 7:15-8:45pm | September 14; October 5, 19; November 2, 16, 30; and December 14 | $189 | Register |
| OCJL Classic | Service of the Heart: Wrestling with Prayer | Rabbi Mona Strick | Thursdays, 7-8:30 pm | October 1, 8, 15, 22, 29; November 5, 12 and 19 | $216 | Register |
| OCJL Classic | Parenting Through a Jewish Lens through Mussar | Rabbi Marcia Plumb | Wednesdays, 9:15-10:45 am | October 7, 21; November 11; December 2, 16; January 13, 27; and February 17 | $216 | Register |
| OCJL Classic | Jewish Contemporary Life and Living | Rabbi Lila Kagedan | Wednesdays, 11am-12:30pm | October 7, November 4, December 2 , January 13, February 10, March 10, and April 14; makeup date May 12 | $189 | Register |
| OCJL Classic | Not for Artists Only - Creative Responses to Jewish Texts for Our Times | Rabbi Carol Glass and Julie Leavitt | Thursdays, 3:30-5pm | October 8, 15, 22, 29; November 5 and 12 | $162 | Cancelled |
| OCJL Classic | Watch and Learn | Layah Lipsker | Tuesdays, 10:30am to 12 pm | October 13, 27; November 10, 24; December 1, 8, 22; and January 5 | $216 | Register |
| OCJL Classic | An Introduction to Talmudic and Hasidic Stories | Rabbi Lev Friedman | Tuesdays, 2-3:30pm | October 13, 20, 27; November 10, 17; and December 1 | $162 | Register |
| OCJL Classic | Advanced Mussar Study Group | Rabbi Marcia Plumb | Tuesdays 7:30-9pm | October 13, 27; November 10; December 8; January 12, 26; February 9 and 23 | $216 | Register |
| OCJL Classic | The Kaballah of Family | Layah Lipsker | Wednesdays, 12-1:30pm | October 14, 28; November 4, 18; December 2, 16; January 6 and 20 | $216 | Register |
| OCJL Classic | Israel: Then and Now | Maya Dalzell | Tuesdays, 11:30am-1:00pm | October 20, 27; November 3, 10, 17, 24; December 1 and 8 | $216 | Cancelled |
| OCJL Classic | Advanced Mussar Beth El Sudbury | Rabbi Eric Gurvis | Wednesdays, 7:15-8:45pm | October 21; November 4, 18; December 2, 9; January 13, 27; and February 10 | $216 | cancelled |
| OCJL Classic | Exploring Our Soul Curriculum-An Exploration of Mussar | Laila Goodman | Sundays, 10-11:30am | October 18, November 15, December 13, January 24, February 21, March 21, April 18 and May 23 | $216 | Register |
| OCJL Classic | Exploring God: An Intro for Seekers and Skeptics | Akiva Nelson | Sundays, 5-6:30pm | October 18, 25; November 1, 8, 15, 22; December 6, 13 | $216 | Register |
| OCJL Classic | The Torah of Dreams: Understanding Our Dreams Through the Lens of the Pardes | Linda Schiller, MSW, LICSW | Mondays, 6:30-8pm | October 19, 26; November 2, 9, 16 and 23 | $162 | Register |
| OCJL Classic | Jewish Mindfulness Meditation on One Foot | Shoshana Cetlin, PhD. | Thursdays, 7-8:30pm | October 22, 29; November 5, 12, 19; December 3, 10 and 17 | $216 | Register |
| OCJL Classic | Mussar for Everyone | Merry Arnold | Thursdays, 7:15-8:45pm | October 22; November 5, 19; December 3, 17; January 7 and 21 | $189 | Register |
OPEN CIRCLE JEWISH LEARNING: 20s AND 30s
For course descriptions, visit the Open Circle 20s & 30s website.
| PROGRAM | COURSE TITLE | INSTRUCTOR | TIME | DATE | COST | REGISTER |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OCJL 20s and 30s | Zivug: Activist Couples Preparing for Marriage | Rabbi Getzel Davis | Wednesdays, 8-9:30 pm | Oct 14, 21, 28; Nov 4, 11, 18; Dec 2 | $105 | Register |
| OCJL 20s and 30s | Shal-Om: Stories and their Storytellers | Rabbi Getzel Davis | Thursdays, 8-9:30pm | Oct 15, 22, 29; Nov 5, 12, 19; Dec 3, 10 | $120 | Register |
| OCJL 20s and 30s | Tatti Circle: Fathers of Young Children | Rabbi Getzel Davis | Sundays, 8-9:30pm | Oct 18, Nov 22, Dec 20; Jan 17, Feb 21, Mar 21, Apr 18, May 16 | $120 | Register |
| OCJL 20s and 30s | Exploring God: An Intro for Seekers and Skeptics | Akiva Nelson | Sundays, 5-6:30pm | October 18, 25; November 1, 8, 15, 22; December 6, 13 | $216 | Register |
PARENTING & GRANDPARENTING THROUGH A JEWISH LENS
For course descriptions, visit the parenting website.
| PROGRAM | INSTRUCTOR | DATES | TIME | COST (PER PERSON) | PARTNER ORGS | REGISTER |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grandparenting Through A Jewish Lens | Daniel Liben | Online, 11/12, 11/19, 12/3, 12/17, 1/7 | Thursdays, 7-8:30 pm | $80 | Temple Israel Natick | Register |
| Grandparenting Through A Jewish Lens | Leann Shamash | Online, October 19-November 16 | Mondays, | $80 | Congregation Beth Elohim, Acton | Register |
| Parenting Through a Jewish Lens Series B | Getzel Davis | Online, 10/25,11/15, 12/6, 1/24, 2/7, 3/7 | Sundays, 8:15-9:45pm | $80 | n/a | Register |
| Parenting Through a Jewish Lens Series B | Carolyn Keller | Sundays, 8:30-10pm | $80 | Congregation Or Atid, Wayland, Temple Beth Sholom, Framingham, Metrowest Jewish Day School | Register | |
| Parenting Through a Jewish Lens Series A | Benjamin Einsidler | Online, November 8-April 11 | Sundays, 8:15-9:45 pm | $80 | Temple Emunah, Lexington | Register |
| Parenting and Open Circle 20s & 30s: Tatti Circle: Fathers of Young Children | Rabbi Getzel Davis | Online, Oct 18, Nov 22, Dec 20; Jan 17, Feb 21, Mar 21, Apr 18, May 16 | Sudays, 8-9:30 pm | $120 | Register | |
| Parenting and Open Circle: Mussar | Rabbi Marcia Plumb | October 7, 21; November 11; December 2, 16; January 13, 27; and February 17 | Wednesdays, 9:15-10:45 am | $216 | Register |
TEEN LEARNING PROGRAMS
PROZDOR (8th-12th grades, online)
Now enrolling teens for Prozdor Online from across the country! $500 per class per semester (or $950 for the year), $1900 2 hours / Hebrew-only for the year, $2,800 full year program; cost should not be a barrier. Financial aid and discounts available. For course descriptions, view the Prozdor Fall 2020 course guide.
Register for Prozdor: Sundays 9:30 a.m.- 12:30 p.m. (Hebrew meets 10:40 a.m.- 12:30 p.m.), October through May.
| COURSE | INSTRUCTOR | DATE/TIME |
|---|---|---|
| What can the Talmud teach us about Social Justice? | Frankie Sandmel | 9:45-10:30 |
| G!d/Gxd/G?d: A Study of the God We Do or Don’t Believe In | Laura Bellows | 9:45-10:30 |
| "Jewish Cooking" -- What Does That Even Mean? Rules, Recipes, and Regulations That Bind us Together (in the Kitchen) | David Ehrenkranz | 9:45-10:30 |
| American Presidents and the Jews: You Won't Believe the Connections | Norm Finkelstein | 9:45-10:30 |
| Modern Conversational Hebrew for Teens | Mor-Li Hartman, Adva Alpert, Dikla Giladi, Shilo Geva | 10:40-12:30 |
| Selfishness vs Selflessness: How do I know how to balance them? | David Ehrenkranz | 10:40-11:25 |
| Let Me Entertain You: How Jews Created American Popular Culture | Norm Finkelstein | 10:40-11:25 |
| Modern Hebrew and Israeli Poetry: Making Our Texts Our Own | Rafi Ellenson | 10:40-11:25 |
| Pandemics, epidemics, and isolation in Jewish History: How Jewish Communities dealt with the Plague and other disasters | David Ehrenkranz | 11:45-12:30 |
| One People, Two Paths: The Jews of Israel and the United States | Norm Finkelstein | 11:45-12:30 |
| Jews & Whiteness: Exploring Identity, Diversity, and Racism | Frankie Sandmel | 11:45-12:30 |
JTFGB, TEEN BEIT MIDRASH, GESHER ISRAEL SEMINAR, PROZDOR IMMERSIVES
| PROGRAM | INSTRUCTOR | DATE/TIME | AGES | COST | INFORMATION/REGISTER |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prozdor (Feb.-May 2021) | Rabbi Laura Bellows, Director | Sundays, , 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Hebrew only option: 10:40 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. | 8th-12th | $1400 $500 (Hebrew only) | Registration deadline: January 31 Register View courses |
| OTHER TEEN PROGRAMS | |||||
| Prozdor Immersives: Deep Dive Into Innovation, Ethics, and Arts | Rabbi Laura Bellows, Director | January 17, and April 25 for 2-3 hours each | 7th-12th | Each Immersive: $36 household / $25 individual for unlimited learning throughout the day | Program information & registration |
| Jewish Teen Foundation of Greater Boston (JTFGB): Philanthropy and Leadership | Leah Goldstein, Director | Sundays every 3-4 weeks, September through May | 9th-12th | $400 + a fundraising commitment | Register |
| Teen Beit Midrash: Where Talmud, Teens, and Today's Questions Meet | Rabba Claudia Marbach, Director | Tuesdays 7:00-8:30 p.m., September through May | 8th-12th | $1,200 Financial aid and discounts available | Register |
| Gesher Israel Seminar: Teen Israel Experience | Rabbi Laura Bellows and Rafi Ellenson | Sundays 12:30-2:00 pm every 2-3 weeks, October through May | 10th-12th | $250 | Register |