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!

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!

Judaics Classes

The Book of Joshua: Life in the Promised Land

Taught by: Rabbi Barrett

Thursdays, October 19, November 9, November 30, December 14, January 11, February 15, March 7

6:30-8:00pm, in person & online

The Book of Joshua recounts what happens to the Israelites after Torah concludes. Moses dies and the people enter the Land of Israel only to face great challenges settling there. This course will take a close look at the complex issues such as identity, leadership, and power as the people settled in ancient Israel.

Our study will make heavy use of the Hebrew Bible text as our primary source but will also call up Midrashic, medieval, and modern commentaries to make sense of the narrative.

Creating Meaningful Rituals for Unique Life Moments

Taught by: Rabbi Holzman, Cantor Caro, and Rabbi Barrett

Tuesdays, October 17, November 21, December 5, January 23, February 20, March 26, April 9

6:30-8:00pm, in person & online

Sacred moments are not just the ones designated by calendar and community. We know that there are many unique moments in our lives, moments of transformation that with ritual would be grounded in greater meaning for ourselves. Whether it is the moment one gets a drivers’ license, heads off to college, begins a new job, recovers from an illness, survives after a divorce, retires from a long career, among so many of life’s milestones, finding and creating ways to celebrate, observe, and commemorate these signposts of life brings them into focus and helps us to be fully present to the lows and highs of our lives.

Each session will focus on a different set of milestones, exploring what might already be contained in Judaism as well as thinking about ways to develop rituals that would elevate those moments for us.

Democracy, Israel, & Zionism

Taught by: Rabbi Holzman

Tuesdays, October 24, November 28, December 19, January 9, March 19, April 16

6:30-8:00pm, in person, online by request

Zionism is the idea that Jews must have a state in our ancestral homeland. That simple statement has been controversial since its inception. For many of us, liberal democracy reflects core tenets of our Judaism, meaning that the Jewish state must be a democratic state, and the recent street protests in Israel over the proposed judicial overhaul reflect the difficulty of applying all these ideas. Over the past seven years, NVHC has been experimenting at the intersection of Judaism and democracy and this year we will turn our focus to how this intersection affects our Zionism and support for the State of Israel. This class requires no prior knowledge and will be conducted in person with a hybrid option.

Foundations of a Thoughtful Judaism: Peoplehood

Taught by: Rabbi Holzman

Tuesdays, October 3, November 7, December 12, January 2, March 5, April 2

6:30-8:00pm, on Zoom only

The Shalom Hartman Institute of North America has prepared a superb curriculum of texts exploring the varied elements of a complex idea: Jewish peoplehood. What is this idea? Are we an ethnic group, bound by some genetic common origin? Are we a theological body, a group of believers connected through our spiritual convictions? Are we geographically based? The answer is yes, and no, to all of the above. Please register to receive the printed packet of texts from Hartman and join us on Zoom only for spirited conversation and learning about what it means to be a part of the Jewish people.

Hasidic Wisdom - It’s Not Just Which Fur Hat!

Taught by: Cantor Caro

Wednesdays, October 11, November 8, December 13, January 24, February 28, March 27, April 10

12:00-1:00pm, in person & online

Hasidism was the response to an overly intellectual Judaism in the 17th century in Eastern Europe. The Hasidic masters applied their insights of Jewish mysticism to discovering paths to one’s inner spiritual life in the midst of the challenges of everyday living. Looking at the lineage of these sages, we will explore some of their parables and sayings, separating ourselves from our pre-conceived notions of Hasidic communities today in order to learn from the beautiful and inspired writings of these earlier teachers and sages.

We will be using Tales of The Hasidim – please purchase your own copy for the class.

Introduction to Reform Responsa

Taught by: Rabbi Barrett

Thursdays, January 18, February 8, March 14, April 11

6:30-8:00pm, in person & online

Responsa is the genre of Jewish text that is concerned with legal decisions and rulings by rabbinic authorities. Responsa take the form of questions and answers on a particular aspect of Jewish practice. There exist responsa on virtually every aspect of Jewish life. Each monthly session will take a deep dive into one particular aspect of Jewish tradition and a related responsa on the topic. This class blends Jewish learning and practice and will guide each learner to reflect on their own relationship to Jewish practice.

Jewish Prayer: Shabbat Liturgy

Taught by: Rabbi Holzman, Cantor Caro, and Rabbi Barrett

Fridays, October 13, November 3, December 8, January 5, February 2, March 1, April 5

6:30-6:50pm, in person only

Prayer has sustained the Jewish People since its earliest days. It is in our DNA as Jews to connect to each other, the sacred, and the world through worship services. Our liturgy has nourished souls, comforted the lonely, and helped people become God’s people. This class is open to anyone who is seeking to connect more deeply to prayer and anyone who wants to wrestle with the meaning of prayer.

This class is team-taught by our clergy and will gather before Shabbat services on a monthly basis to do a deep dive into a prayer or section of our liturgy.

Jewish Historians, History, & Historiography

Andrew Stein

October 8, 15, 22, November 5, 12 December 3, 10, January 7, 14, 21, February 4, 11, March 3, 10, 17, 24

9:30-10:45, on Zoom

This course will take a broad view of Jewish history, how it was envisioned over the centuries, and how over about the last 250 years, modern Jewish historians have trained, written, taught, and practiced their craft. We will focus primarily on the period from about 1500 to 2000 CE and examine a range of themes and approaches in Jewish history, the legacy of exemplary historians of the Jewish experience, and their changing perspectives, methods, and topics. We’ll also consider the continuum ranging from dispassionate, professional historians sorting out the actual record, versus history as popular memory, a source of identity, and drawing lessons from the past for the present and future of the Jewish people. Many among us also have probed Jewish history as part of our own family history research, both in America and in our ancestors’ places of origin. Finally, we will consider the role of archives and museums in conserving Jewish history and shaping our understanding of it.

Short Story Discussion Group

Join us for a third 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.

Ladders of Learning

In 5784, NVHC members are investing their time and energy in Avodat Kodesh – sacred service. One of the spheres of sacred service is Limmud (study). The Ladders of Learning Program is designed to encourage the ongoing pursuit of Jewish knowledge.

Anyone can participate in this program! Participants are responsible for recording their learning activities in their logs (link below), and may enter limmud hours from up to 30 days prior to enrolling in the program.

There is no time limit for accumulating learning hours! We will celebrate our learners at every level together on Erev Shavuot (Tuesday, June 11), with special recognition for learners who have reached the following milestones:

  • Bonim Level: 25 hours of study
  • Keva Level: 50 hours of study
  • Kavanah Level: 100 hours of study

Please bring your logs to NVHC before Shabbat on Friday, May 31 so that we can best prepare to celebrate our community of learners!

Participants may earn limmud hours in any of the following settings:

  • Communal Study: Limmud hours may be earned in any NVHC Lifelong Learning program – Shabbat Sustenance, clergy classes, guest teacher series, Hebrew study, Speaker Series, etc. 
  • Educational Travel: Participants may earn up to 10 limmud hours for travel to unique Jewish communities and historic sites for a maximum of 40 limmud hours in travel-related credit.
  • Independent Study: Limmud hours may be earned through independent study after consulting with the rabbis or cantor to design and evaluate the program.
  • Judaic Studies on a college level: 15 limmud hours will be granted for each credit earned in a Judaica course or related subjects at an accredited college or university.
Click here to download your learning log!

Hebrew Classes

Beginning Modern Hebrew

Textbook: Hebrew Alfon Primer

Wednesdays, 12 weeks beginning October 11, 7:30-8:30pm

$136/members, $160/non-members

All Adult Hebrew classes are on Zoom and are taught by Neta Litvin. Minimum 4 student required per class.

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!

Intermediate Modern Hebrew

Textbook: Hebrew – A Language Course, Level 1-2

Mondays, 12 weeks beginning October 9, 7-8pm

$136/members, $160/non-members

Prerequisites: Beginning Hebrew 1 or equivalent. Knowledge of the Aleph-Bet and beginning proficiency with reading Hebrew.

All Adult Hebrew classes are on Zoom and are taught by Neta Litvin. Minimum 4 student required per class.

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.

Advanced Modern Hebrew

Textbook: Brandeis Modern Hebrew

Wednesdays, 12 weeks beginning October 11, 6-7pm

$136/members, $160/non-members

Prerequisites: Intermediate Hebrew II, Prayer Hebrew II, or equivalent. Comfort with reading Hebrew fluently and intermediate knowledge of Hebrew grammar.

All Adult Hebrew classes are on Zoom and are taught by Neta Litvin. Minimum 4 student required per class.

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.