Adult Education

Torah

At Beth El, we have an expanding and eclectic series of classes, seminars and lectures to meet the diverse interests of our members. Think of our adult education program as being truly customer-driven. If we can get three to five people interested in a subject, we’ll form a class and find instructors.

There are classes in Torah, Talmud, learning to read Hebrew, Haftorah and Torah. Classes also include Jewish arts, and current issues facing Jews in the world. Some of our most recent lectures covered issues like Judaism and medical ethics, Jewish women in literature and Holocaust reparations.

The adult education program at Beth El also coordinates classes with other synagogues in the area, especially where those classes can be further enriched by a wider audience and broader dialogue.

Adult Programming

Please join us for one of the following programs.  Please refer to the website or the monthly Shalom newsletter for the current time and topics.

  • Torah and Tea – Come and enjoy a lively discussion of the Torah portion over a light lunch and dessert, coffee and tea with Rabbi Kornsgold.  Classes meet Mondays from 1:30–3:30 p.m.
  • Shabbat Study Group – Meets every Saturday after Kiddush.
  • The Observant Life – This monumental work was written by thirty rabbis and took ten years to produce. It describes in detail what it means to live a Jewish life according to the tenets of Conservative Judaism. In this class we will read selected topics from The Observant Life and discuss how they affect our lives as individuals and as a community. This class will meet one to two times a month on Mondays through June and is taught by Rabbi Kornsgold. Check with the Synagogue Office for class dates and times.
  • Beyond Dispute – Debates – philosophical, spiritual ,ethical and cultural – are at the heart of Judaism and Jewish Life. Are religion and reason compatible? Can Jewish law change based on context? Should we prioritize Jewish causes or universal causes in our giving? In this course we will go beyond the conflicts themselves to uncover the essential questions that underlie them, and to build a more inclusive view of the Jewish past, present and future.
  • Zombies, Vampires & Werewolves, Oh My! – Can you kill a zombie? No, seriously! According to the Rabbis, are you allowed to kill a zombie? You might not believe it, but Judaism has something to say about even this. Come join us as we debate these questions, and other surreal situation involving vampires, werewolves and more.