The Institute for Jewish Studies

Q.	Who has attended the 'institute'?
A.	Jews from all walks of life. Conservative, Orthodox, Reconstructionist, Reform, and unaffiliated Jews. The Institute is a community program open to all Jews of all backgrounds and levels of observance.

Curriculum A:

The Jewish Home
Fall 2007 Session
7 Sundays, 10:00 AM
Dates: October 21, 28, November 4, 18, December 2, 9, 16

The home is by far the most important Jewish institution. This course will provide both the rationale for this fact as well as defining what a Jewish home is.

Jewish Symbols
A Jewish home is defined, to a large extent, by the Jewish symbols and objects it contains. This course will discuss the Mezuzah and Jewish books, among other symbols and objects that make the home Jewish.

Holiness, Purity and Light
A home must be clean, well illuminated and the have proper ambiance for it to be an inviting place. Judaism has its vision of what makes a home pure, bright and holy. This course will discuss the three pillars of an inviting Jewish home.

Family and Friends
While a home is primarily a private place for its occupants, a Jewish home must be open to extended family, friends and even to outsiders. This segment will discuss the Jewish attitude towards hospitality.

Jewish Life Cycle
Winter 2008 Session
8 Sundays, 10:00 AM
Dates: January 6, 13, 20, 27, February 3, 10, 24, March 2

This course is a survey of all the life-cycle events, beginning with conception and ending with life beyond the grave. Besides detailing the significance of each event, this course will identify the thread that runs through all of these life-cycle milestones.

• From Conception to Redemption
• Early Childhood
• Bat and Bar Mitzvah
• Adolescence and Teens
• Marriage
• Mid-life
• The Golden Years
• Death and Dying
• Beyond the Grave

Daily and Annual Cycles
Spring 2008 Session
6 Sundays, 10:00 AM
Dates: May 18, June 1, 8, 15, 22, 29

Jewish life is known for its vibrancy. Each day, week and month is filled with multiple activities and holidays that manifest the dynamic nature of Judaism and the joy of being Jewish.

• Washing Hands, Blessings and Prayers
• Tzitzit and Tefillin
• Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur
• Sukkot and Simchat Torah
• Chanukah
• Purim
• Passover
• Shavuot
• Minor Holidays

Curriculum B

Biblical Studies: The Exodus: The Biblical Guide to Personal Freedom
Fall 2007 Session
7 Sundays, 11:00 AM Dates: October 21, 28, November 4, 18, December 2, 9, 16

These classes will be repeated on Monday evenings at 8:00 PM

Discover the origins of our people. Explore the extraordinary events of this celebrated historical period. Examine the fascinating details of the Egyptian bondage, the ten plagues and the process of liberation. The Biblical text and its commentaries will guide us through this remarkable narrative, providing us with penetrating insight to discover the dynamics of oppression and liberation that had such a powerful impact on us as a people.

1. The Anatomy of Slavery
   To appreciate freedom in general and the Exodus from Egypt in particular we must first understand what it means to be a slave. Part of Judaism involves experiencing the bondage as well as the liberation.

2. The Profile of a Liberator
   We can not separate the liberation of the Jewish nation from its liberator, Moses. What were the qualities that made Moses the most important Jewish leader of all time.

3. Confronting Pharaoh and the Setbacks
   Who was Pharaoh? Why was he such an important player in the Exodus drama? Why did G-d and Moses have to spend so much time and energy in their dealings with Pharaoh?

4. The Ten Plagues
   If G-d wanted to liberate the Jews, He did not need to inflict ten plagues upon the Egyptians. One plague would have sufficed. According to our Sages the Ten Plagues were also an educational device for both the Egyptians and the Israelites.

5. Preparing for the Exodus
   Understanding the dynamics of liberation requires a deeper appreciation for the role of preparation in the process of liberation. This lecture will examine what the Israelites had to do prior to the departure from Egypt.

6. Between a Rock and a Hard Place
   When the Jews reached the Sea of Reeds, with the Egyptian army in hot pursuit, they were in a quandary about what to do. Their four responses and the right one are instructive in our own lives as well when we face adversity.

7. Splitting of the Red Sea and Singing the Song
   The splitting of the Red Sea (or the "Sea of Reeds") is arguably the most fascinating, miraculous and colorful historical event. This class will survey some of the spectacular events recorded in the Midrash as well as their spiritual symbolism as explained in Judaism's mystical tradition.

The A, B, C of Kabbalah: The Mystery of the Hebrew Alpha-Bet
Winter 2008 Session
8 Sundays, 11:00 AM
Dates: January 6, 13, 20, 27, February 3, 10, 24, March 2

These classes will be repeated on Monday evenings at 8:00 PM

Kabbalah sees the Hebrew alphabet as the building blocks of creation and the DNA of our souls. Discover the mystical significance of each of the 22 letters of the Aleph Bet, and how they can be the keys to opening up our soul's potential.

The Feminine Mystique: The Role of Women and Men in Judaism
Spring 2008 Session
6 Sundays, 11:00 AM
Dates: May 18, June 1, 8, 15, 22, 29

These classes will be repeated on Monday evenings at 8:00 PM

Learn Judaism's real view of the woman and her role in Jewish life. Examine the differences between men and women and how they share aspects of the feminine and masculine energies. This course will examine women in Jewish history, law and mystical literature.