Temple Beth-El Adult Education Program 5785 (2024-2025) Celebrating 100 Years of TBE!
Ongoing study of Jewish tradition, history, literature, and thought is a critical component of Jewish life, and a central, dynamic element of Jewish experience. Under the inspired leadership of Rabbi Emeritus Scott Glass and now Rabbi Caleb Brommer, our community has developed multiple opportunities and venues for us to engage Jewish texts and ideas.
Adult Education classes are open to all members of the TBE community free of charge. Contributions to the Adult Education Fund support this program and are deeply appreciated.
Registration is required, just click HERE to sign up electronically. If you prefer, you may also call the Temple office at (607) 273-5775 any time and tell us which classes you'd like to attend. Additional programs are being planned, so be sure to check back! Questions? Just email us at: adulted@tbeithaca.org
One Day Classes
American Jewish Fiction is Alive and Well
In the late 1970s, Irving Howe predicted that American-Jewish fiction would disappear after the deaths of Bellow, Roth, and Malamud. Happily, he has been proven wrong many times over. Four subjects we keep writing about--and why they never get old.
Joan Leegant
Sunday, September 8 2024 @ 7 PM in the Social Hall and via Zoom
Jews and Arabs in British Mandate Jerusalem
Rebecca Lesses
Wednesday, November 6 @ 7 PM in person at TBE and via Zoom
Registrants will receive the Zoom link via email before class.
The Kosher and Halal Status of New Food Technologies
Joe Regenstein
Sunday, November 10 @ 7 PM
Lee Gordon
Sunday, March 9 2025 @ 7pm
Even during this very challenging time, Hand in Hand continues its important work building Jewish-Arab partnership and shared society in Israel, with over 2,000 Jewish and Arab students in its network of integrated and bilingual schools across Israel.
Come meet Hand in Hand co-founder Lee Gordon and learn how over the next ten years, Hand in Hand aims to create a network of up to 10-15 integrated bilingual schools, supported and enhanced by active communities, involving thousands of Israeli citizens. Registration is HERE.
For more background on Hand in Hand, visit : www.handinhandk12.org
Ongoing Classes
Chanting the Tanakh
Cantor Richard Rosenfield
Sundays @ 10:00 AM beginning in Fall 2024.
This class is for all adults who are able to read Hebrew, understand the text (with the help of a translation), and want to learn to chant Torah or Haftarah using the cantillation symbols in the Chumash or Tikkun. We will be learning the musical motifs of A. W. Binder, Cantor L. Avery and Cantor E. Schleifer. For more information, please contact Richard Rosenfield HERE.
Prayerbook Hebrew
Cantor Richard Rosenfield
Sundays @ 11:15 AM beginning in Fall 2024.
This class is for all adults who would like to learn how to read and understand prayerbook Hebrew. We shall be using the textbooks Teach Yourself to Read Hebrew (revised edition), Prayerbook Hebrew The Easy Way (3rd edition), and The First Hebrew Primer (3rd edition) all from EKS Publishers. For more information, please contact Richard Rosenfield HERE.
The Art of Biblical Narrative: Reading the Book of Samuel
Ross Brann
Wednesdays, September 11, 18, 25, October 9 @ 7pm
Participants should bring to class a Jewish Publication Society Tanakh.
Jewish Books into Movies: Confronting Modernity
Elliot Shapiro
Short story: Samson Raphaelson. “The Day of Atonement” (pub. 1922)
Movie: The Jazz Singer (dir. Alan Crosland 1927)
Thursday, November 21st @ 7:30pm
Short story: Isaac Bashevis Singer. “Yentl the Yeshiva Boy.” (pub. 1963: in Yiddish, then in English)
Movie: Yentl (dir. Barbra Streisand 1983)
Thursday, May 8th @ 7:30pm
The Jewish Studio Project
Susan Arnsten-Russell
Sundays @ 2 PM in the Social Hall, December 22 2024, January 19, February 2 2025.
New sessions just announced! March 9, March 30 and May 18, 2025
Join Susan Arnsten-Russell to cultivate creativity in a Jewish context using The Jewish Studio Project’s methodology, the Jewish Studio Process (JSP). Art is not just for artists and Jewish texts are not just for scholars. JSP programs combine practices from the field of art therapy with a reimagined approach to traditional Jewish learning to help activate the creative potential that lives inside each and every one of us. The methodology includes textual inquiry/biet midrash, havruta learning pairs, intention setting, art making and witness/reflective writing. For more information, please email Susan at: sarnsten@gmail.com
Jewish History through Literature: A. B. Yehoshua's Mr. Mani
Deborah Starr
Thursdays, January 16, 23, 30 and February 13 @ 7pm
Participants should bring to class a copy of Mr. Mani (1993 pb)
The Book of Esther
Jason Mokhtarian
Thursdays, February 20, 27, Mar 6 @ 7pm
Participants should bring to class a Jewish Publication Society Tanakh
The Art of Biblical Poetry: The Book of Amos
Ross Brann
Wednesdays, March 19, 26, April 9, 16 @ 7pm
Participants should bring to class a Jewish Publication Society Tanakh
Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel and the Rebbe of Kotsk
Jonathan Boyarin
Mondays, April 21, 28; May 5 @ 7pm