Temple Beth-El

Adult Education

ADULT LEARNING ACADEMY
Temple Beth-El routinely offers a variety of adult education courses on a range of topics including current events, historical reference, and Hebrew language.

All courses are also listed on our calendar.

 

TUESDAY NIGHT SYMPOSIUM  7-8:30 P.M.

The Song of Songs: Classical and Modern Interpretations of the Bible’s Most Scandalous Book 
Rabbi Brian Stoller & Rabbi Jerry Blum (of Temple Isaiah of Great Neck) 

April 2, 9 & 16 
As erotic love poetry, the Song of Songs’ meaning as a sacred text has been hotly debated by religious readers for centuries. For these 3 weeks leading into Pesach, the holiday on which the Song is customarily read in synagogues, we will study various interpretations of this scandalous book and how they can enrich our spiritual lives in the 21st century. You will be invited to read material outside of our weekly meetings to enhance our class discussions. 

For more information, call 516-587-0900. Join us in person or online via zoom. No registration is needed. Join Zoom Room (Meeting ID: 858 6898 6205 Passcode: shA8B1).

Not Your Average Women in the Bible 
Rabbi Megan Brumer 

March 19 & 26 
We talk frequently about the main female characters in the Bible, but have you ever thought about the women who might only show up for a chapter or two? In this class, we will explore the stories of lesser-known women in the Bible, like Shifra, Puah, Yael, Rahab, and others, who had significant impacts on our Jewish story. 

For more information, call 516-587-0900. Join us in person or online via zoom. No registration is needed. Join Zoom Room (Meeting ID: 858 6898 6205 Passcode: shA8B1).

Intro to the Jewish Classics: History, Politics, and Personalities from the Talmud to the Shulchan Arukh
Rabbi Brian Stoller
10 weekly sessions through February 20 (no class on 12/26 or 1/2)
Originally designed by Rabbi Stoller for his seminary students at Hebrew Union College, this course is being offered separately at TBE as an opportunity for congregants to engage in higher-level study. We will gain basic familiarity with the major classical texts of Judaism from Late Antiquity to the Middle Ages—Midrash, Talmud, Biblical Commentary, Philosophy, and Law Codes—including a general understanding of what they are, the historical contexts in which they were produced, their literary features, and how to navigate them in the online Jewish library Sefaria.org. Because the goal is to introduce you to a more sophisticated level of adult study, you will be invited to read and prepare material in advance of each session to enhance our learning in class.

 

ONGOING ADULT EDUCATION—Every Thursday

Judaism’s Spiritual Vocabulary: Discovering Meaning in the Siddur (Thursdays following morning Minyan)
Class meets weekly on an ongoing basis.
9:15-10:15 a.m. IN PERSON AND ONLINE

The prayers in the siddur are the spiritual vocabulary of the Jewish people: they help us praise and thank God in times of joy, lament and mourn in times of sadness, and give us words to speak when our own words fail us. Like other forms of poetry, our prayerbook uses vivid imagery to stir our emotions, affirm the majesty and mystery of life, and attempt to express the inexpressible. In this class, Rabbi Stoller will guide us in exploring the siddur in all its many facets: its structure, its language, its history and evolution, and its relevance as a living spiritual vocabulary for our own lives.  

Bagels and coffee will be served. To register, call 516-487-0900.

Previous sessions may be viewed with the links below:

March 30, 2023

March 23, 2023

March 16, 2023

March 9, 2023

March 2, 2023

February 16, 2023

February 9, 2023

February 2, 2023

January 26, 2023

January 19, 2023

January 12, 2023

January 5, 2023

December 22, 2022

December 8, 2022

December 1, 2022

November 17, 2022

November 10, 2022

November 3, 2022

October 20, 2022

October 13, 2022 part 1

October 13, 2022 part 2