Adult Education

At Sha’ar Zahav, you will find adult education opportunities as diverse as our membership. Whether you are looking for basic Hebrew reading classes, guest lecturers speaking about LGBTQ Jews in Israel, or higher level Jewish learning presented by Lehrhaus Judaica, there is something at Sha’ar Zahav that will excite the learner in you. Some of our own members are our most respected teachers and we are always keeping an eye out for those instructors who can help us “transcend the ordinary.” If you have a request for a class topic, please contact heidy@shaarzahav.org Director of Engagement.

Fall 2018 Courses

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Introductory Hebrew

Dates: Thursdays, October 4-December 6 (meets weekly for 10 sessions)

Time: 7:00-8:00 pm

Open to members and non-members of Sha’ar Zahav

Would you like to be able to decode Hebrew, so that you can follow along in the prayer book? Have you always wondered how the Hebrew language works? It is never too late to start learning Hebrew! This class is intended for first time Hebrew students, and will begin by learning the letters and the sounds that they make. You’ll be reading Hebrew words in no time! This course will be led by Michael Lederman. If you have any questions, please contact Adult Education chair, Mark Pressler at markpressler@gmail.com.

Judaism 101

Dates: Mondays, October 15-December 17 (meets weekly for 10 sessions)

Time: 6:30-8:30 pm

Open to members and non-members

The intro to Judaism course, will cover the basics of Jewish history, texts, liturgy, holidays, customs, theology, with plenty of room for you to ask your own questions.The intro class is designed for anyone from any background and any level of Jewish learning, and all are welcome to attend. The class will be facilitated by Director of Education, Sue Bojdak. If you have any questions, please contact Sue at education@shaarzahav.org.

Practical Mussar

Dates: Mondays, October 15-December 17 (meets weekly for 10 sessions)

Time: 6:30-7:30 pm

Open to members and non-members

Do you sometimes find it difficult to be good? To reach deep for compassion? While Jewish ideals and mitzvot are laid out fairly well, we often have trouble following them. Well, look no further. Join long-time member, Mark Pressler, as he leads us in Practical Mussar.

Mussar is a Jewish spiritual practice based on ethical and moral values. It’s an everyday hands-on guide to cultivating inner virtues to improve ourselves. We will meditate, study and improve all of our interactions and relationships. If you have any questions, please contact Adult Education chair, Mark Pressler at markpressler@gmail.com.

Where do we go from here? Jewish thoughts on the afterlife

Dates: Mondays, October 15-November 19 (meets weekly for 6 sessions)

Time: 6:30-7:30 pm

Open to members and non-members

We often know what other traditions have to say about the afterlife far better than our own. We will explore why this is an underdiscussed issue in Judaism and we’ll take a trip through our fascinating and often inconsistent history. Stops along the journey include messianism, the world to come, Kabbalistic levels of the soul, and reincarnation. Led by Rabbi Mychal Copeland. No previous experience with Jewish thought, Hebrew or text is necessary. If you have any questions, please contact Rabbi Copeland at rabbi@shaarzahav.org.