Home : Adult Programs : Leland & Mary Gottstein Continuing Jewish Education
Studies with Rabbi Alex Felch
An on-going weekly class of study and lively discussion of the Torah, with special focus on the Bible as living tradition as perceived by classical and modern commentaries, and its implications for our contemporary society.
Lore in the Loop and Lore in the Suburbs with Rabbi Alex Felch
Understanding Some of the Most Burning Issues in Life Through the Lens of Jewish Law
We will study and discuss the most amazing decisions of the Committee of Jewish Law and Standards of the Conservative Movement.
Lore in the Loop:
Dec. 15, Jan. 19, Feb. 16, March 16, April 20, May 11
Lore in the Suburbs: $20 includes lunch
Intermediate Conversational Hebrew
Instructor: Rachel Rosenberg
Tuition: $135/Semester, includes dinner
Hebrew from the Siddur
A course for those who have a reading knowledge of Hebrew, or who have completed the "Crash Hebrew" course. Study includes the basic blessings and prayers of the Shabbat and Festival Service.
Call the Synagogue office to sign up. Minimum enrollment is required
Adult Bar/Bat Mitzvah Class
Instructor: Rachel Rosenberg
Learn how to chant the Haftarah and from the Torah and basic prayers. Study various aspects of Synagogue ritual and Jewish life. Celebrate from the Bimah during a Shabbat or Festival service. New class is being formed.
Tuition: $180
Tefilah Series - Understanding the Friday Evening Service
Instructor: Rachel Rosenberg
For those who want to get more out of the Friday evening service, we will look closely at the beautiful prayers through Siddur Sim Shalom. The seminar will include the study of the structure of the service, the choreography of the service, and the meaning of key prayers.
The Wonders Of Our Jewish Heritage
Instructor: Nancy Labbie
The Jewish tradition is filled with wonder --with ideas and practices which are as revolutionary today as
when they first arose. Indeed, Judaism has been the most important intellectual and spiritual development
in human history, and the source of the values and principles of the modern world.
In this class, we will explore
some of the extraordinary ideas in Judaism which can transform us both as individuals and as members of
the Jewish community.
Jewish Film Series
Screening and Discussion -
Sixty Six - A gentle, deeply touching film about the ups and downs of childhood, as well as the joys and sorrows that come with adulthood. Bernie Rubens is a nerdy 12-year-old preparing for his Bar Mitzvah, which he wants to be a huge, ornate affair. However, his parents have accidentally scheduled it for the day of the 1966 World Cup final, so if England makes it, no one is expected to show for Bernie's big day.
Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World - A thoughtful film that manages to strike a sweet balance between comedy and sincerity. The plot follows Albert Brooks, a Jewish-American comedian, sent by the United States government into India and Pakistan to find out "what makes Muslims laugh." Brooks's mission races towards its deadline with stress levels rising and precious little insight into the comic workings of the Muslim mind.
- Love Comes Lately- Based on the complicated love life and three short stories of Isaac Bashevis Singer, this poignant, charming film captures the humor and bittersweet melancholy of his writing. Features pungent dialogue of his lively women and a memorable supporting performance by Barbara Hershey.
- Aviva My Love - Aviva is a middle aged mother of two children living in Tiberias, the northern town of Israel, harboring dreams of getting her stories published. She is hard working in both the jobs that she does, a day time cooking job in a big restaurant and her writing. But the journey to greatness affects her life and the lives of her family.
- Barbarian Invasions - A Cannes Film Festival favorite, this provocative comedy is about the hope and unspoken bonds that hold family and friends together against the onslaughts of life in our contemporary time, with a few barbs against the Canadian health care system thrown in. An estranged father thinks his son a “barbarian” with nothing left in common until they come to confront a major crisis together in an unconventional but fitting climax.