Jewish Learning Project - 5783 Sunday Classes

Invitation to Judaism | 9-10a | Year-Long Course

Instructor: Rabbi Steven Morgen

This class is open to anyone but is specially designed for newcomers to Judaism to learn the basics of our way of life, our way of thinking about God, and our way of looking at the world. A separate syllabus outlines the class sessions and topics. The reading list includes Anita Diamant's "Choosing a Jewish Life," Harold Kushner's "To Life!", George Robinson's "Essential Judaism," and Joseph Telushkin's "Jewish Literacy."

See the year-long curriculum/class schedule here.

Judaism 2.0 | 9-10a | Year-Long Course

Instructor: Rabbi Danny Horwitz

Highly recommended for those who took the "Invitation to Judaism" course in past years and those who haven't taken any courses since graduating from religious school.  More insights into why Conservative Judaism, the problem of evil, key Hebrew terms, lessons in the prayerbook, and a multitude of aspects of Jewish life and all the questions you can ask!

Introduction to Hebrew | 10-11a | Year-Long Course 

Instructor: Cantor Diane Dorf

Learn to read Hebrew and recognize essential prayer vocabulary. No prior knowledge is necessary. This course is open to everyone but is required for the Invitation to Judaism students.

Lessons from the Chasidic Inheritors | 10-11a | Year-Long Course 

Instructor: Rabbi Danny Horwitz

This is a follow-up to last year's class on the early Chasidic masters.  Learn how the powerful personalities and teachers of succeeding generations adapted what they received from the founding generations and what they have to say to our own time.

Limited Series Courses

Understanding the Talmud | 10-11a 

Dates:  October 15, 22, 29; November 5, 12, 19; December 3, 10, 17

Instructor: Rabbi Steven Morgen

It is often said that the Talmud is the basis for Judaism, as it has been practiced for about 2,000 years. It contains stories, laws, and - most importantly - debates and arguments. The language of the Talmud is terse and stylistic. Many of the arguments are difficult to follow. This class will give an introduction to Talmudic study, and then we will study together Chapter 10 of the Tractate for Passover. That chapter discusses how to conduct a Seder and so the discussion will be easily accessible for beginning Talmud students.

Unorthodox Jewish Beliefs | 10-11a 

Dates:  January 7, 14, 21, 28; February 18, 25; March 3

Instructor: Rabbi Steven Morgen

Jewish tradition has a lot to say about the nature of God. How can we relate to God? How can God relate to us? If God is all-powerful and all-good, why do bad things happen to good people? Will there be an Afterlife? And what might that be like? Will the Messiah come at a future time and "perfect" the world? This class will explore several Jewish answers to each of these questions as well as answers from tradition and from modern Jewish thinkers. 

Postponed to 2024-25

Communal Prayers for Modern Jews | 10-11a 

Dates:  March 10, 17, 24; April 7, 14; May 5

Instructor: Rabbi Steven Morgen

Jewish communal prayers were written hundreds of years ago in Hebrew and Aramaic and in a language that is very poetic. That makes it difficult for us to relate to the ideas and beliefs that inspired them. This class will focus primarily on two basic units of Jewish public worship:  The Amidah and the Shema and its Blessings. We will unpack their language and "translate" it into images, concepts, and metaphors that speak to us today.