NVHC

Exploring Biblical Hebrew
2025-12-18 18:00 - 18:55, 2026-01-08 18:00 - 18:55 (America/New_York)
Taught by: Elizabeth Lacher
Thursdays, September 11, 18, 25; October 9; November 6, 13; December 4, 18; January 8, 29; February 5, 19, 26; March 12, 19, 26
6:00-6:55pm, in person only
$200/members, $250/non-members
Prerequisites: Ability to read Hebrew phonetically
Minimum 4 students required for the class to run.
For students who want to be able to read, understand, and translate selections from Torah. We will learn Hebrew grammar and to recognize a variety of verb forms and expand knowledge of Biblical vocabulary.
Click here to register!

Distinguished Speaker Series - Dr. Alan Shark
2025-12-18 19:30 (America/New_York)

Erev Shabbat Service
2025-12-19 19:00 - 20:15, 2025-12-26 19:00 - 20:15, 2026-01-02 19:00 - 20:15 (America/New_York)
Join us every Friday at 7:00pm to welcome Shabbat! Our Shabbat services are joyous, musical, spiritual, and welcoming. And make sure you stick around afterwards for oneg Shabbat.
All services are in person and streamed on YouTube.

Game Night
2025-12-19 20:30 - 23:00 (America/New_York)
Join us for Erev Shabbat services followed by Game night! Game night is open to everyone, whether you’re a casual board gamer, serious hobbyist, or just want to hang out with your NVHC friends. We’ll have plenty of games and snacks, but please feel free to bring your own!

Shabbat Sustenance: For the Body, Soul, and Mind
2025-12-20 09:00 - 10:15, 2025-12-27 09:00 - 10:15, 2026-01-03 09:00 - 10:15, 2026-01-10 09:00 - 10:15 (Africa/Abidjan)
Join us in person for a Shabbat morning full of soul-filled sustenance – bagels and coffee for the body, Torah study for the soul, and conversation for the mind!

NVHC Invisible Illness and Disability Support Group
2025-12-22 19:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York)
Meets on the 4th Monday of the month.
7:00-8:00pm, on Zoom only.
Click here to register.

Qeshet Torah Study
2025-12-23 18:00 - 19:00, 2025-12-30 18:00 - 19:00, 2026-01-06 18:00 - 19:00 (America/New_York)

Tot Shabbat
2026-01-03 09:00 - 09:30 (America/New_York)
Nothing is more heartwarming than the sight of the youngest members of our community running to the sanctuary for Shabbat! Typically held on the first Saturday of the month, Tot Shabbat affords our children and their families the time and space to truly experience the joys of Shabbat. Nell Hirsch, our children’s music specialist, leads Tot Shabbat with the assistance of Rabbi Holzman, Cantor Caro, or Rabbi Barrett.
Songs, stories, plenty of active participation, an Ark overflowing with plush stuffed Torahs, and a child-friendly d’var Torah (lesson). What could be better? Well, maybe the oneg!
Each service is followed by a delicious nut-free oneg (personal snacks are allowed but they must be nut free) and a fun activity! Paint your own mezuzah; build an edible sukkah of pretzels, fruit, and marshmallows; or decorate your own tzedakah box – the fun is endless!
While Tot Shabbatot (plural for Shabbat) are designed for toddlers and preschoolers, the whole family is invited to attend. If you have any questions, please contact Emily Hummel.

Leader Development Program
2026-01-04 14:30 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
Leading a project, a task force, or a committee is different in a synagogue than it is at a traditional workplace. This program will help you develop your confidence and comfort level to take on a leadership role and/or enhance the role you are already fulfilling.
In-person class sessions include text study and active engagement; there is no lecture. Each session requires about an hour of individual pre-work: reading, watching a video, completing an assessment, and thinking about past experiences. All materials and snacks are provided by NVHC. At the end of the program, participants will decide what they want to be involved in at NVHC; nothing is predetermined.

Intermediate Modern Hebrew
2026-01-05 19:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York)
Taught by: Neta Litvin
Textbook: Hebrew – A Language Course, Level 2
Mondays, 12 weeks beginning October 13, 7:00-8:00pm
Online only
$200/members, $250/non-members
Prerequisites: Beginning Hebrew 1 or equivalent. Knowledge of the Aleph-Bet and beginning proficiency with reading Hebrew.
Class participants will have the opportunity to hone their Hebrew reading skills using a modern Hebrew textbook, learning Hebrew from simple stories.
Features include: Varied reading selections that range from contemporary stories to Hasidic tales, midrashim, and biblical narratives. Lessons that train students to read confidently both with and without vowels. Grammatical concepts explored through comparison to English structure.
This class is for anyone who would like further practice in their Hebrew reading skills and who would like to expand their Hebrew vocabulary and understanding of Hebrew grammar.
Click here to register!

Short Story Discussion Group
2026-01-05 19:30 - 20:30 (America/New_York)
Short Story Discussion Group
First Monday of each month
7:30-8:30pm, on Zoom
Join us for a fourth year of monthly lay-led discussions of Jewish short stories. Four
NVHC members have selected the stories and will take turns leading the discussions.
Each session will stand on its own – you can attend whenever you have the time and
interest. We’ll meet on the first Monday of the month on Zoom at 7:30pm for 45 minutes
to an hour. Participants will receive the story and meeting links in advance. To sign up
for this year’s discussion group, email shortstories@nvhcreston.org. Even if you
participated last year, we’d like you to sign up again so that we can gauge interest in the
program and ensure that we have the correct email address for you.

Tamid (8th-12th Grade)
2026-01-06 17:45 - 20:00, 2026-01-11 12:00 - 13:30 (America/New_York)
Tamid is our religious school/youth group program for students in 8th-12th grade. Click here to learn more!

Advanced Modern Hebrew
2026-01-06 19:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York)
Taught by Neta Litvin
Textbook: Brandeis Modern Hebrew
Tuesdays, 12 weeks beginning October 14, 7:00-8:00pm
Online only
$200/members, $250/non-members
Prerequisites: Intermediate Hebrew II, Prayer Hebrew II, or equivalent. Comfort with reading Hebrew fluently and intermediate knowledge of Hebrew grammar.
In this course you will continue to expand your vocabulary, advanced grammar, adjectives, and verb tenses. The textbook reflects some of the main principles that have shaped the Brandeis Hebrew curriculum during the past decade. These include: an emphasis on the learner’s ability to use the target language in all four skills areas: speaking, listening, reading, and writing; an effort to contextualize each unit within a specific subject or theme; exposing the student to authentic and semi-authentic materials (texts written by native speakers); and exploring different elements from Israeli and Jewish culture in the language drills, reading passages, and in selections of sources from the Hebrew literary canon. The text in this edition comprises 11 units, supplementary Hebrew proficiency guidelines, and a vocabulary list. Audio-visual components for all reading passages are available online for download.
Click here to register!

Loving Our Own Bones Book Study
2026-01-06 19:00 - 20:30 (America/New_York)
Taught by: Rabbi Holzman
Tuesdays, December 2, December 16, January 6, January 20, February 3, February 24
7:00-8:30pm, in person and online

One of the most important aspects of Jewish life is how we approach the Torah text as the center of our tradition. We do not simply read and absorb the words on the page, but we apply different filters to help us interpret and apply the text to our lives.

Julia Watts Belser introduces a fascinating and helpful new lens to contemporary Torah study with her book, Loving Our Own Bones.

Join us as we explore the book and talk about how its thinking could become part of our congregational vocabulary and tradition.
Click here to register.

Adult B'nai Mitzvah Class
2026-01-07 18:30 - 20:00 (America/New_York)
We are excited for a new Adult B’nai Mitzvah class! This is an opportunity for adult members of our congregation, with a group of peers, to engage with our millennia-old tradition and community ritual of affirming one’s place in the Jewish community.
There will be a Hebrew learning component as well as a content study with Cantor Caro, Rabbi Holzman, and Rabbi Barrett. The culmination of this journey is set for Shabbat morning, May 23, 2026.
The Adult B’nai Mitzvah Hebrew class will be divided into two sections from April through August, to address varying levels of Hebrew. Starting in September, we will all come together into one Hebrew class. The calendar includes the dates and times for both sections of the Adult B’nai Mitzvah Hebrew classes.
All classes will be in person.

Beginning Modern Hebrew
2026-01-07 19:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York)
Taught by: Neta Litvin
Textbook: Hebrew Alfon Primer
Wednesdays, 12 weeks beginning October 13, 7:00-8:00pm
Online only
$200/members, $250/non-members
You’re about to start learning Hebrew and immersing yourself in this unique language and culture. Our beginners course will give you a strong foundation in Hebrew. We start by learning the use and sound of all the Hebrew letters and vowels, which paves the way to reading, speaking, and writing. We teach Hebrew with an Israeli flavor, making learning an enjoyable and successful experience for all!
Click here to register!

Silver Line Kugel Cafe
2026-01-09 17:30 - 19:00 (America/New_York)
The Silver Line, NVHC’s 55+ group (no one is asking) hosts a monthly Shabbat dinner we like to call Kugel Cafe. We meet at 5:30pm to schmooze and enjoy a delicious catered meal together before heading down to the Sanctuary for Erev Shabbat services at 7:00pm.
Questions? Contact Marsha Sheinman, ShowClick Here to View Contact Information or Laura Zelman, ShowClick Here to View Contact Information.

Erev Shabbat Service - Board Installation and Kol Shirah
2026-01-09 19:00 - 20:15 (America/New_York)

Kehillat Limmud (Religious School)
2026-01-11 09:30 - 12:00 (America/New_York)
Kehillat Limmud (Community of Learners) is our religious school program for children ages 0-7th grade. Click here to learn more!

The Legacy of Holocaust Refugees, Displaced Persons, and Survivors Post-1945 in the Jewish World
2026-01-11 10:45 - 12:00 (America/New_York)
Taught by: Andrew Stein
Sundays, September 14; October 12, 19, 26; November 9, 16; December 7, 14; January 11, 18, 25; February 1, 8, 22; March 1, 8, 15, 22; April 12, 19, 26; May 3
In Person & Online
10:45am-12:00pm
With the end of World War II in Europe in May 1945, civilians and former combatants in formerly Nazi-occupied countries in Western, Central, and Eastern Europe began a long process of taking stock and rebuilding in the wake of what had been the most destructive war in human history. In the Jewish world, over two-thirds of prewar European Jewish communities had been wiped out, and in many instances there was no home or surviving family to return to, or with the division between Soviet-dominated communist rule and the West, survivors had no interest in living under Stalinism and in the bloodlands that had claimed their families and communities. This course will not focus on the Holocaust per se, but rather its aftermath, as the surviving remnant, scattered all over the Middle East, Asia (Shanghai, specially), Europe, and North and South America began to rebuild, and the legacy that this generation bequeathed to the Jewish community over the last 80 years. This includes in the USA, Canada, UK, and Western Europe, and also Poland, Argentina, Australia, and Israel.

Women of NVHC Luncheon
2026-01-11 13:00 - 15:30 (America/New_York)
