Contact
Jessica SchultzBeth Shalom Congregation
410-531-5115
jessica.schultz@beth-shalom.net
Adult Education
Fall 2019 Course Offerings
Conversational Hebrew with Ora Fisch
Wednesdays, September 4 through December 11 at 7:45 p.m. (no class on Oct. 9, 16 or Nov. 27)
Fee: $40 members; $80 non-members
This intermediate level class, with emphasis on grammar, conversational Hebrew, and vocabulary acquisition, is led by master teacher and native Israeli Ora Fisch. This class continues previous classes, but newcomers are welcome.
Jewish God Talk: Jewish Theology and Thinking About God Through the Ages (Part 1) with Rabbi Amy Scheinerman
Mondays, September 9, 16 & 23 at 7:45 p.m.
Fee: $15 members; $30 non-members
Jews do not talk or think about God in one voice. Long, long ago, Jews conceived Adonai as a powerful, cosmic Being. In time, Adonai came to be understood as the universal creator God. Later still: omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent. Views departing from the biblical God were eloquently expressed from the Talmudic period onward. With the passage of time, the variety of views grew and came to include creative abstract notions. Yet in every age, (including ours) Jews have continued to employ traditional God-language, confounding many Jews who do not understand the writers’ theological “code.” We will explore many of these creative options for conceiving God.
Rabbi Amy Scheinerman is the hospice rabbi in Howard County, Maryland. She serves on the Responsa Committee of the CCAR and as editor of the Torah Commentary column of the CCAR newsletter. In addition, she is the past president of both the Baltimore Board of the Rabbis and the Howard County Board of Rabbis. She has served Conservative, Reform, and unaffiliated congregations. Rabbi Scheinerman received her bachelor’s degree from Brown University; studied at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and Princeton Theological Seminary; and was ordained at HUC-JIR in New York, where she also received a Doctor of Divinity in 2009.
Kli Yakar: Biblical Interpretations on Interpersonal and Spiritual Relationships
Mondays, Oct. 28 & Nov. 4, Thursday, Nov. 7 & Monday, Nov. 11 at 7:45 p.m.
Fee: $20 members; $40 non-members
Cantor Pohl will lead an insightful exploration of the Kli Yakar (“Precious Vessel”), renowned Torah commentary by Rabbi Shlomo Ephraim Luntschitz, a biblical commentator from the 16th-17th century in Prague. The class will focus particular attention to concepts of human relations and outward appearance vs. inner reality.
Beyond Judaism for Dummies: Everything You Need to Know to Speak Thoughtfully about Jewish Belief, Practice, and Peoplehood with Rabbi Susan Grossman
Tuesdays, November 19, 26 & December 3rd (make up/snow date: December
17) at 7:45 p.m.-9:15 p.m.
Fee: $20 members; $40 non-members
This three-session class is designed to prepare participants to understand forthemselves Jewish belief, practices, and the idea of Jewish Peoplehood (our connectionto each other and to the State of Israel) deeply yet succinctly enough to be able toexplain these ideas and practices to others, whether our children and their teachers; ourneighbors, co-workers and bosses; and particularly to those who may misunderstandus. This class will include how to respond to the 10 most common questions andmisconceptions about Jewish Belief, Practice, and Peoplehood in thoughtful ways.This class is appropriate for both those with basic and advanced Jewish backgrounds.