Current Courses
Classes for the upcoming zman begin September 1. It’s possible to join the learning at any point during the year.
Registration lets us know which classes interest you and allows us to get back to you. It does not involve any financial obligation on your part.
CHUMASH II: Blessing the Tribes
During the Fall, we will focus on a cross-comparison of the blessings of the tribes of Yaakov Avinu and Moshe Rabbeinu, exploring the commentaries of the Rishonim and later sources to gain insight into the full spectrum of the nature of the Jewish people and its destiny. Yehudis Golshevsky will be guiding chavruta sessions and teaching the class. Twice-weekly.
TEHILLIM II: Psalms of the Morning Prayers
Yael Dworkin will spend the Fall term immersed in the psalms that are incorporated into the regular weekday Shacharit prayers. In addition to reliance upon the Rishonim and including any parallel historical context from Tanach, Yael will weave Reb Nosson of Breslov’s teachings that touch upon those chapters, illuminating them with the light of Chassidut.
SPIRIT OF THE LAW II: 39 Melachot
This term, we will study the 39 categories of productive labor that are forbidden on Shabbat, first learning through their detail during our chavruta periods. We follow this with an immersion in the Chassidic and Kabbalistic sources that infuse the halachah with spiritual meaning. Yehudis Golshevsky will supervise the preparation periods and teach the class.
TANACH II: Sefer Yehoshua
Mrs. Yael Dworkin will be leading our students through a powerful exploration of Sefer Yehoshua, touching upon issues of leadership and conquest, through the lens of classic commentaries, in the spirit of Chassidut.
CHASSIDUT CHABAD
Yehudis Golshevsky and Leah Levitt will alternate supervising the preparation of relevant source material so that our students can then participate fully in an hour-long exploration of a teaching of Chabad Chassidut. Rebbetzin Golshevsky will be teaching selections from the Tzemach Tzedek’s Derech Mitzvotecha, and Leah Levitt will explore Sichot of the Lubavitcher Rebbe.
MEGILLOT II: KOHELET
Our year-long study of the five megillot, led by Yael Dworkin, will begin with Kohelet. Mrs. Dworkin will focus on the opportunities for spiritual growth that call out to us from the megillot, as revealed through the classic commentaries as well as the Kabbalistic and Chassidic masters.
PIRKEI MACHSHAVAH II: “The Big Questions”
Yehudis Golshevsky will provide thought-provoking and illuminating teachings from the Rishonim, Acharonim, Chassidic and mussar giants as we examine a number of classic issues of hashkafah and Jewish philosphy: Good and Evil, Bitachon and Hishtadlut, Free Will and Determinism, the Problem of Suffering…
BNOT MACHSHAVAH TOVAH VAAD
A personal growth vaad based on the teachings of the Piaseczna Rebbe, H”yd, led by Yehudis Golshevsky. We will use various chassidic and mussar texts as springboards for reflection and discussion in our search to refine ourselves and draw closer to G-d, others, and our highest selves. Local students only.
MUSIC OF THE SOUL II: Zemirot of Shabbos
Through in-depth analysis of the language and allusions within our holy prayer poetry, Yehudis Golshevsky will lead us on a soulful journey, accompanied by guitar and song. She will focus mainly on the melodies common to the Breslov Chassidic tradition.
KITZUR LIKUTEI MOHARAN CHABURAH
A collaborative learning from the condensed version of Rebbe Nachman’s Likutei Moharan, with focus on the relationship between the teachings and Reb Nosson of Breslov’s matching explorations in prayer—Likutei Tefillot. The group is led by Yael Dworkin.
TALMUDIC NARRATIVE II: Sages of the Talmud
Yehudis Golshevsky will share selections from the Talmud that bring the sages and their world to life for us. Text-based and eye and heart opening.
REBBE NACHMAN ON THE PARSHAH
Rebbetzin Rochel Silber will lead us on a journey through a weekly lesson from Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, brought down into the world of our experience.
ARAMAIC STUDY GROUP
Nechama Wells will provide a step-by-step introduction to Aramaic in its various historical expressions, helping students make better use of Targum, understand the Aramaic portions of our siddur, and acquire the tools to find their way through Talmudic literature.
BEGINNER'S GEMARA CHABURAH
In Elul, the chaburah will finish keitzad mevorchin in Berachot and make a siyum. Time permitting, they will continue with short topics especially relevant to the beginning of the new year. Nechama Wells heads the chaburah, and it’s also open to the curious who have never had an opportunity to attend a gemara shiur.
CERAMICS STUDIO
Chaya Esther Ort, the local host of our weekly extracurricular ceramics session, is an artist and art teacher in Nachlaot. She believes passionately in the healing and transformational power of working in clay, and the inherent holiness of functional art. Working with ceramics under her guidance enhances our growth and creative expression.