Adult Education

E-mail: execdir@bethisrael-aa.org

Adult Education Calendar

Upcoming Events

• Thursday March 11 7:00PM Conversational Hebrew 3.
• Thursday March 11 8:00PM Conversational Hebrew 4.
• Monday March 15 7:00PM Conversational Hebrew 2.
• Monday March 15 8:00PM Conversational Hebrew 5.
• Tuesday March 16 6:00PM Reading Biblical Hebrew 3.
• Wednesday March 17 Noon Lunch and Learn: "What I Did Over My Sabbatical." Rabbi Dobrusin will discuss his sabbatical experiences and share some of the writing he has been working on during his months away. He will also teach from the texts that he has been studying over this time. (1st of 2 sessions)
• Wednesday March 17 1:45PM Reading Biblical Hebrew 2.
• Wednesday March 17 7:00PM Reading Biblical Hebrew 1.
• Wednesday March 17 8:00PM Judaism 101: Conservative Judaism
• Thursday March 18 7:00PM Conversational Hebrew 3.
• Thursday March 18 8:00PM Conversational Hebrew 4.
• Friday March 19 8:00PM Rosenberg Scholar in Residence Weekend with Burton Visotzky (see CV below) Mar. 19 - 21. "THE DYSTFUNCTIONAL FAMILY AS MORAL EXEMPLAR"
  BURTON L. VISOTZKY serves as the Nathan and Janet Appleman Professor of Midrash and Interreligious Studies at the Jewish Theological Seminary, where he joined the faculty upon his ordination as rabbi in 1977. He has served as a dean of The Graduate School, as the founding rabbi of the egalitarian worship service of the Seminary Synagogue, and as the director of the Louis Finkelstein Institute for Religious and Social Studies at JTS. Dr. Visotzky has been a visiting scholar at Oxford University and a life member of Clare Hall, University of Cambridge, as well as a visiting faculty member at, among others, Union Theological Seminary, Princeton University, and the Russian State University of the Humanities in Moscow. Rabbi Visotzky served as the Master Visiting Professor of Jewish Studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome during the spring of 2007. With Bill Moyers, Visotzky developed ten hours of television for PBS on the book of Genesis, serving as consultant and a featured on-screen participant. The series, Genesis: A Living Conversation, premiered in October, 1996. He was also a consultant to Jeffrey Katzenberg of DreamWorks for their 1998 film, Prince of Egypt. Dr. Visotzky's articles and reviews have been published in America, Europe, and Israel. He is the author of nine books and one hundred articles and reviews. Visotzky's popular volumes include: Reading the Book: Making the Bible a Timeless Text (1991), The Genesis of Ethics: How the Tormented Family of Genesis leads us to Moral Development (1996), The Road to Redemption: Lessons from Exodus on Leadership and Community (1998), and From Mesopotamia to Modernity: Ten Introductions to Jewish History and Literature (1999). In addition to these popular works and his scholarly monographs, Visotzky's novel, A Delightful Compendium of Consolation, which is set in eleventh-century North Africa, was published in spring 2008. Visotzky sits on Fordham Law School’s Stein Center for Law and Ethics board of advisers, the New Israel Fund Rabbinic Council’s steering committee, the American Jewish World Service’s education committee and is a co-chair of its rabbinic council, and on J-Street’s board of advisers. He served on the board of trustees and executive committee of CancerCare. He is active in Jewish–Christian–Muslim dialogue internationally, in capitals such as Washington, Warsaw, Rome, Cairo, Doha, Qatar (where he was in the first group of Jews invited to dialogue by the Emir), and Madrid (where he was in the first group of Jews invited by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia). Rabbi Visotzky is active as a lecturer and scholar-in-residence throughout North America, Europe, and Israel. His study groups and books have been hailed on radio, television, and in print. He has two adult children and is married to an attorney, Sandra Edelman. They make their home in New York City and Kent, Connecticut.
• Saturday March 20 12:30PM Rosenberg Scholar in Residence Burton Visotzky presents: "ISAAC UNBOUND" Free and open to the general community. Jusaism, Christianity and Islam all put the sotry of the binding of Abraham's son at the heart of their religious identity. We will study the texts of all three religous traditions and discuss their implications for current events.
  BURTON L. VISOTZKY serves as the Nathan and Janet Appleman Professor of Midrash and Interreligious Studies at the Jewish Theological Seminary, where he joined the faculty upon his ordination as rabbi in 1977. He has served as a dean of The Graduate School, as the founding rabbi of the egalitarian worship service of the Seminary Synagogue, and as the director of the Louis Finkelstein Institute for Religious and Social Studies at JTS. Dr. Visotzky has been a visiting scholar at Oxford University and a life member of Clare Hall, University of Cambridge, as well as a visiting faculty member at, among others, Union Theological Seminary, Princeton University, and the Russian State University of the Humanities in Moscow. Rabbi Visotzky served as the Master Visiting Professor of Jewish Studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome during the spring of 2007. With Bill Moyers, Visotzky developed ten hours of television for PBS on the book of Genesis, serving as consultant and a featured on-screen participant. The series, Genesis: A Living Conversation, premiered in October, 1996. He was also a consultant to Jeffrey Katzenberg of DreamWorks for their 1998 film, Prince of Egypt. Dr. Visotzky's articles and reviews have been published in America, Europe, and Israel. He is the author of nine books and one hundred articles and reviews. Visotzky's popular volumes include: Reading the Book: Making the Bible a Timeless Text (1991), The Genesis of Ethics: How the Tormented Family of Genesis leads us to Moral Development (1996), The Road to Redemption: Lessons from Exodus on Leadership and Community (1998), and From Mesopotamia to Modernity: Ten Introductions to Jewish History and Literature (1999). In addition to these popular works and his scholarly monographs, Visotzky's novel, A Delightful Compendium of Consolation, which is set in eleventh-century North Africa, was published in spring 2008. Visotzky sits on Fordham Law School’s Stein Center for Law and Ethics board of advisers, the New Israel Fund Rabbinic Council’s steering committee, the American Jewish World Service’s education committee and is a co-chair of its rabbinic council, and on J-Street’s board of advisers. He served on the board of trustees and executive committee of CancerCare. He is active in Jewish–Christian–Muslim dialogue internationally, in capitals such as Washington, Warsaw, Rome, Cairo, Doha, Qatar (where he was in the first group of Jews invited to dialogue by the Emir), and Madrid (where he was in the first group of Jews invited by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia). Rabbi Visotzky is active as a lecturer and scholar-in-residence throughout North America, Europe, and Israel. His study groups and books have been hailed on radio, television, and in print. He has two adult children and is married to an attorney, Sandra Edelman. They make their home in New York City and Kent, Connecticut.
• Saturday March 20 7:30PM CAIRO TO QATAR AND BEYOND – JEWISH-MUSLIM DIALOGUE IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS: ONE RABBI’S EXPERIENCES. presented by Burton Visotzky, Ph.D. Rosenberg Scholar-in-Residence.
  BURTON L. VISOTZKY serves as the Nathan and Janet Appleman Professor of Midrash and Interreligious Studies at the Jewish Theological Seminary, where he joined the faculty upon his ordination as rabbi in 1977. He has served as a dean of The Graduate School, as the founding rabbi of the egalitarian worship service of the Seminary Synagogue, and as the director of the Louis Finkelstein Institute for Religious and Social Studies at JTS. Dr. Visotzky has been a visiting scholar at Oxford University and a life member of Clare Hall, University of Cambridge, as well as a visiting faculty member at, among others, Union Theological Seminary, Princeton University, and the Russian State University of the Humanities in Moscow. Rabbi Visotzky served as the Master Visiting Professor of Jewish Studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome during the spring of 2007. With Bill Moyers, Visotzky developed ten hours of television for PBS on the book of Genesis, serving as consultant and a featured on-screen participant. The series, Genesis: A Living Conversation, premiered in October, 1996. He was also a consultant to Jeffrey Katzenberg of DreamWorks for their 1998 film, Prince of Egypt. Dr. Visotzky's articles and reviews have been published in America, Europe, and Israel. He is the author of nine books and one hundred articles and reviews. Visotzky's popular volumes include: Reading the Book: Making the Bible a Timeless Text (1991), The Genesis of Ethics: How the Tormented Family of Genesis leads us to Moral Development (1996), The Road to Redemption: Lessons from Exodus on Leadership and Community (1998), and From Mesopotamia to Modernity: Ten Introductions to Jewish History and Literature (1999). In addition to these popular works and his scholarly monographs, Visotzky's novel, A Delightful Compendium of Consolation, which is set in eleventh-century North Africa, was published in spring 2008. Visotzky sits on Fordham Law School’s Stein Center for Law and Ethics board of advisers, the New Israel Fund Rabbinic Council’s steering committee, the American Jewish World Service’s education committee and is a co-chair of its rabbinic council, and on J-Street’s board of advisers. He served on the board of trustees and executive committee of CancerCare. He is active in Jewish–Christian–Muslim dialogue internationally, in capitals such as Washington, Warsaw, Rome, Cairo, Doha, Qatar (where he was in the first group of Jews invited to dialogue by the Emir), and Madrid (where he was in the first group of Jews invited by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia). Rabbi Visotzky is active as a lecturer and scholar-in-residence throughout North America, Europe, and Israel. His study groups and books have been hailed on radio, television, and in print. He has two adult children and is married to an attorney, Sandra Edelman. They make their home in New York City and Kent, Connecticut.
• Sunday March 21 9:30AM MOSES GOES TO HOLLYWOOD,” presented by Burton Visotzky. Ph.D. Session includes breakfast. There is no charge.
• Monday March 22 7:00PM Conversational Hebrew 2.
• Monday March 22 8:00PM Conversational Hebrew 5.
• Tuesday March 23 6:00PM Reading Biblical Hebrew 3.
• Tuesday March 23 8:00PM Study at Starbuck's -- rescheduled from March 8.
  Study and discussion group for women in their 20s. Please contact Rabbi Blumenthal for more information: 665-9897 x 235 or kblumenthal@bethisrael-aa.org.
• Wednesday March 24 Noon Lunch and Learn: "What I Did Over My Sabbatical." Rabbi Dobrusin will discuss his sabbatical experiences and share some of the writing he has been working on during his months away. He will also teach from the texts that he has been studying over this time. (2nd of 2 sessions)
• Wednesday March 24 1:45PM Reading Biblical Hebrew 2.
• Wednesday March 24 7:00PM Reading Biblical Hebrew 1.
• Thursday March 25 7:00PM Conversational Hebrew 3.
• Thursday March 25 8:00PM Conversational Hebrew 4.
• Saturday March 27 9:00AM Shabbat Limmud: Rabbi Dobrusin will lead a discussion of Jewish texts on the subject of "Slavery in Jewish Law and Tradition." Pesach is an ideal time to discuss the issue of slavery both past and present, and to consider how our ancestors' experience has affected Jewish law and philosophy over the centuries.
• Thursday April 1 7:00PM Conversational Hebrew 3.
• Thursday April 1 8:00PM Conversational Hebrew 4.
• Saturday April 3 9:00AM Shabbat Limmud: Rabbi Dobrusin will lead a discussion of Jewish texts on the subject of "Slavery in Jewish Law and Tradition." Pesach is an ideal time to discuss the issue of slavery both past and present, and to consider how our ancestors' experience has affected Jewish law and philosophy over the centuries.
• Wednesday April 7 Noon Lunch and Learn: "So This Guy on a Plane Starts to Daven ...." Join us for a serious discussion about a rather bizarre story which took place a few months ago. What does this story say about Jewish observance and being a Jew in America?
• Wednesday April 7 1:45PM Reading Biblical Hebrew 2.
• Wednesday April 7 7:00PM Reading Biblical Hebrew 1.
• Saturday April 10 9:00AM Shabbat Limmud: Rabbi Dobrusin will lead a discussion of Jewish texts on the subject of "Slavery in Jewish Law and Tradition." Pesach is an ideal time to discuss the issue of slavery both past and present, and to consider how our ancestors' experience has affected Jewish law and philosophy over the centuries.
• Monday April 12 7:00PM Conversational Hebrew 2.
• Monday April 12 8:00PM Study at Starbuck's.
  Study and discussion group for women in their 20s. Please contact Rabbi Blumenthal for more information: 665-9897 x 235 or kblumenthal@bethisrael-aa.org.
• Monday April 12 8:00PM Conversational Hebrew 5.
• Tuesday April 13 6:00PM Reading Biblical Hebrew 3.
• Wednesday April 14 Noon Lunch and Learn: "The Afterlife in Jewish Tradition." One of the most critical and yet most puzzling aspects of Jewish belief is, "What does Jewish tradition say -- and what doesn't it say -- about what happens after death?" Join us as we study some texts on the subject and discuss their meaning for our lives today. (1st of 2 sessions)
• Wednesday April 21 Noon Lunch and Learn: "The Afterlife in Jewish Tradition." One of the most critical and yet most puzzling aspects of Jewish belief is, "What does Jewish tradition say -- and what doesn't it say -- about what happens after death?" Join us as we study some texts on the subject and discuss their meaning for our lives today. (2nd of 2 sessions)
• Wednesday April 21 8:00PM Judaism 101: Sacred Texts
  Are you looking to expand your knowledge of Jewish topics? This is the class for you. Judaism 101 is meant for anyone who is looking to learn or review some of the fundamentals of Judaism. There will be 5 topics covered over the course of the year—The Jewish Calendar, Shabbat, Prayer, Conservative Judaism and Sacred Texts. Each topic will be explored for three weeks. You are welcome to sign up for one topic, a few topics, or all five topics. All classes begin at 7:30pm with maariv, the evening service.
• Sunday April 25 10:00AM Library Book Club, facilitated by Nika Bareket
• Monday April 26 8:00PM Women's Study Group.
  Discussion group for women in their 30s and 40s. Location rotates. Please contact Rabbi Blumenthal for more information: 665-9897 x 235 or kblumenthal@bethisrael-aa.org.
• Monday April 26 8:00PM Conversational Hebrew 5.
• Wednesday April 28 Noon Lunch and Learn: "Memories of a Dark Weekend in November, 1963." For those of us above a certain age, the day of November 22, 1963 echoes in our memories the way that September 11, 2001 does for Americans of all ages. What are your memories of the assassination of President Kennedy? This subject has been of great interest to Rabbi Dobrusin for years, and he will lead a discussion and share some of his thoughts on this moment in American history. Included will be a discussion of how Rabbis and other clergy interpreted the event for their communities at the time. The discussion will be of interest to everyone, even those who are too young to remember the day.
• Wednesday April 28 8:00PM Judaism 101: Sacred Texts
• Wednesday May 5 8:00PM Judaism 101: Sacred Texts
  Are you looking to expand your knowledge of Jewish topics? This is the class for you. Judaism 101 is meant for anyone who is looking to learn or review some of the fundamentals of Judaism. There will be 5 topics covered over the course of the year—The Jewish Calendar, Shabbat, Prayer, Conservative Judaism and Sacred Texts. Each topic will be explored for three weeks. You are welcome to sign up for one topic, a few topics, or all five topics. All classes begin at 7:30pm with maariv, the evening service.
• Monday May 10 8:00PM Study at Starbuck's.
  Study and discussion group for women in their 20s. Please contact Rabbi Blumenthal for more information: 665-9897 x 235 or kblumenthal@bethisrael-aa.org.
• Sunday May 30 8:00AM Library Book Club, facilitated by Nika Bareket
• Sunday June 6 7:45PM Lecture by Israeli Archaeologist and Frankel Fellow, Oren Gutfeld, PH.D. A Current Topics in Jewish Studies series presenetation
• Sunday June 27 10:00AM Library Book Club, facilitated by Nika Bareket