June 20, July 25, August 29, 7:00pm, hybrid option available

Join Rabbi Holzman to read and discuss Clint Smith’s How the Word is Passed. This New York Times best-seller investigates the legacy of slavery and explores how we remember in present day America.

July 18, August 1, August 22, 7:00pm, in person at NVHC only

How do you feel when you see jewish themes and practices portrayed on TV? Proud? Uncomfortable? Indifferent? Let’s explore the growing variety of Jewish characters and theme that are key elements in several TV shows just in the past year! How do we think about the portrayal of Jews on TV? How do we hope to be portrayed? What are the messages that are being conveyed and how do they affect us?

June 29, July 13, August 10, 7:00pm at Aslin Brewing (767 Elden St, Herndon, VA 20170)

Join Rabbi Barrett for good conversation and a little bit of learning over drinks at Aslin Brewing in Herndon! Together we’ll dive into some of Judaism’s most fun and weird stories about drinking. You won’t want to miss these light-hearted evenings of learning, relationship building, and libations.

Rabbi Michael Holzman

Tuesdays, November 8, 29, December 13, January 17, 31, February 28, March 7, 28, April 18, May 2, June 6 – 6:30-8:00pm

In person

A huge majority of Americans are concerned about the future of our democracy, and at NVHC, we have discovered through the Rebuilding Democracy Project (RDP) that spirituality and religious ideas can restore hope, build resilience, and transform the way we approach deliberation and politics. These ten sessions will explore the principles of spirituality that undergird norms of healthy citizenship and how religious behavior transforms those rituals into practice. (Note: in the near future, NVHC may undertake an expansion of the RDP to neighboring houses of worship; this course will prepare laypeople to mentor peers in this work).

   i.      November 29, 2022:  Understanding the mechanics of religion—theologies, practices, structures

  ii.      December 13, 2022, January 17, 2023:  Liturgy and Ritual as essential American container creators

  iii.      January 31, February 28, 2023:  Text Study, Revelation, Narrative and the American quest for Meaning.

  iv.      March 7, 28, 2023 : Institutionalism, Constitutionalism, Covenant, Membership and Belonging as the structure of American republican democracy.

 v.      April 18, 2023 Healing, Hope and Chaplaincy and the confrontation with American reality.

 vi.      May 2, 2023: The unique American interfaith landscape—the interaction of faith, power and race—and our opportunity.

 vii.      Potential Additional Session:  peer mentoring, facilitating

Rabbi Michael Holzman

Tuesday, October 11, November 15, December 20, February 7, March 21, April 25, June 13, June 27 (tentative), 6:30-8:00pm

On Zoom

The Shalom Hartman Institute of North America contains some of the brightest and most insightful thinkers in the modern Jewish world. This class will explore part one of four in a new Hartman curriculum designed “to explore and make accessible the most compelling and deepest questions in Jewish thought, to demonstrate the principles and debates that underlie our Jewish heritage, and to reject the assumption that every learner is on track toward practicing Judaism in a specified way.” This year, we will investigate our system of mitzvot, their goals and meaning in a modern age, and the way they lead to holiness.

Rabbi Michael Holzman

Saturday, October 8, November 12, December 10, January 14, February 25, March 25, April 29, May 20, June 17, 9:00am

REGISTRATION FOR GREAT TEXTS OF AMERICA IS NOT REQUIRED

Great Texts of America inserts into our Shabbat morning once/month a foundational text addressing the American experience. We are living in a time when public figures are debating core ideas about America and our identity as Americans, and some controversies focus on the ability of schools to teach certain subjects or of libraries to hold certain books. Relying upon the sacred setting we create every week with Torah study and prayer, we look at our American narratives through a spiritual lens.  Our Shabbat morning environment and habits allow us to go deeper, to avoid the political noise, and to better understand this country we love.

First Monday of each month, 7:30pm

On Zoom

Join us for a second 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.

Andrew Stein

Summer 2023

More information will be available closer to the time.