Every time we study a text, hear a lecture, watch a movie, discuss or share an idea, listen to a sermon, react to a lesson, or especially ask a question we are engaged in the business of learning: la-asok b’divrei Torah. This institution and our Lifelong Learning program exist to provide as many opportunities as possible for people to engage in that business.

Just as the liturgy shows us loving is a two-way street (God loves us, and we have to love God back), so too is learning in community a two-way street. We can provide as many opportunities as possible, but you have to take us up on the offer. So please, put aside whatever may be obstructing your path to learning and sign up. Whether it is a busy schedule, a feeling of inferiority, a sense of confusion about where to start, or a concern about being lonely or left out, we can do our best address any of these things. But you have to take the first step.

If you do not know where to begin, contact ShowClick Here to View Contact Information, ShowClick Here to View Contact Information, ShowClick Here to View Contact Information, or any member of the staff, and tell us and we will help you find your way to a life enriched by the power of Torah. Join us and enjoy the fruits of learning.

All of our Lifelong Learning programs are open to anyone who is interested. We strive to offer a variety of learning experiences which will meet the needs and interests of our members. All programs are free for students registered in our Tamid program.

Check back throughout the year for class updates!

The Layers of the Moroccan Jewish Experience Lecture Series

We are excited to share this lecture series, The Layers of the Moroccan Jewish Experience, with our entire congregation. The series will be presented by Dr. David Mendelsohn. We are thrilled that Dr. Mendelsohn will also be joining us on our congregational trip to Morocco in the fall, in addition to our local guide, to bring added depth to our learning as we travel the country together.

Dr. Mendelsohn’s areas of expertise include Islamic Studies, History and Culture of Arabs with Israeli Citizenship, Bedouin Law and the relationship between language and culture in Arabic and Hebrew. Mendelsohn also lectures on the history and relationship between Middle East countries and militant organizations. Dr. Mendelsohn holds advanced degrees in diverse fields: a Ph.D. in Classics/Linguistics and an M.A. in Archaeology/Linguistics from Concordia University in Montreal. Dr. Mendelsohn is the recipient of one of Canada’s highest academic honors: the Trudeau Prize. From 2005-2012 he was the Israel Academic Director of Givat Haviva, the national education center of the Kibbutz Federation. He has working fluency in 5 languages and working knowledge of two others plus Middle Egyptian (Hieroglyphics). He lives in Jerusalem with his wife Ronny and their 3 children.

Session 1: Berbers and the Indigenous Jews of Morocco

Sunday June 22, 2025 – 10 a.m. on Zoom

It is believed that the first Jews reached Morocco in the 5th century BCE. They settled among the indigenous Amazigh (Berber) tribes and slowly become integrated with them. Intermarriage led to a “Judaization of the Berbers” and conversely a “Berberization of the Jews,” meaning that the Berber Jews may be considered as indigenous to Morocco themselves.

This lecture will look at the history and culture of the Amazigh – especially as it pertains to the cultural imprints left upon the Jews many of which survive until today.

Session 2: The Birth of Islam and the Arabian conquest of Morocco (or There and Back Again)

Sunday July 13, 2025 – 10 a.m. on Zoom

To properly appreciate Morocco as an Islamic country, one needs to understand the origin and evolution of Islam in Arabia. Muhammad’s revelations led to the rise of a new faith and culture that spread through Arabia to the rest of the Levant, Egypt, Persia, North Africa, Asia, Europe and back again, transforming Islam through its encounter with the Berber (Amazigh) culture of Morocco.

Then, in 1492, the Spanish Expulsion led to a wave of Spanish Jews seeking refuge in northern Morocco, and importing a unique cultural heritage, including their own language.

How did these syntheses affect the indigenous Jews of Morocco, who had already lived there for centuries?

The lecture will trace these seemingly disparate histories and examine the difficulties inherent in integrating and coexisting with this dominant new culture and religion.

Session 3: Moving into Modernity: Monarchy, Islam, and the Jews of Morocco

Sunday August 17, 2025 – 10 a.m. on Zoom

As a French colony, Morocco was subject to same anti-Jewish decrees as the Jews of France from Nazi-allied Vichy France during the Second World War. Yet in 1941, King Mohammed V refused to deport Morocco’s 250,000 Jews to the concentration camps of Europe stating: “There are no Jews in Morocco. There are only Moroccan subjects,” resulting in the entirety of Morocco‘s Jewish population being saved. This continuing relationship and the genuine affection most Moroccan subjects (Muslim and Jew) still feel for their king is still evident today.

This lecture will investigate the complex relationship between monarchs and Jews in Morocco – especially as it pertains to the culture of Islam.

Session 4: The Jews of Morocco: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

Sunday August 31, 2025 – 10 a.m. on Zoom

In 1948, the creation of the state of Israel, motivated many Jews to leave Morocco – a land they had inhabited for many centuries – and move to Israel. By 1964, more than 97,000 Jews had left Morocco, mainly to Israel where they presently number around 1,000,000 Jews of Moroccan descent. Today there are about 2500 Jews living in Morocco, mostly in Casablanca. The community has good relations with the current ruler, King Mohamed VI who encourages religious tolerance and who strives to uphold the legacy of tolerance demonstrated by King Mohammed V during the Holocaust.

We will ask and attempt to answer the oft-repeated question: If the Jews had it so good, why did they ever leave Morocco?

Summer Book Study: The Lemon Tree

Taught by Rabbi Barrett
Summer Book Study: The Lemon Tree
Tuesday, July 29, 7:00pm, in person only

Join Rabbi Barrett for a discussion of The Lemon Tree, a powerful story that traces the intertwined lives of a Palestinian man and a Jewish woman connected by a single house in Ramla, Israel. Through their personal journeys, the book opens up deep questions about home, identity, and what it means to belong. As we explore early Israeli history, the pain of war, and the enduring human cost of conflict, we’ll reflect on our own understandings of memory, hope, and the possibility of dialogue across deep divides. This conversation invites us to engage with complexity, compassion, and the shared longing for peace.

Drinkin & Drashin

Taught by Rabbi Barrett
Thursday, July 24, August 14, 6:30pm
In person only at Aslin Brewing (767 Elden St, Herndon)

Join Rabbi Barrett for good conversation and a little bit of learning over drinks at Aslin Brewing! Together we’ll dive into some of Judaism’s most fun and weird stories. You won’t want to miss these light-hearted evenings of learning, relationship building, and libations. Check out our new theme this summer, Midrash: Torah into Imagination.

Hops-dalah

Taught by Rabbi Barrett
Saturday, June 28, 7:00pm
In person only at Aslin Brewing (767 Elden St, Herndon)

Join us for a relaxed summer evening in NOVA as we mark the end of Shabbat with Havdalah and stay for conversation, connection, and your favorite drink. These gatherings are more than social—they’re a chance to build community, share ideas, and learn from one another in meaningful, informal ways. Come curious, come thirsty, and come ready to connect.

Registration

Registration is required for all classes and some classes must meet a minimum number of registrants to run. If you have any difficulties with the registration process, please contact Emily Hummel at emily@nvhcreston.org.

Lifelong Learning at NVHC is supported by donations to the Talmud (Adult Learning) Fund and registration fees. Your continued donations to the Talmud Fund are appreciated.

Click here to register!