Congregation Or Chadash has an active Adult Education program
throughout the year.
Most classes are held on Sunday mornings or on weekday evenings.
Note: No class on Nov. 13. Instead, we have the opportunity to hear Israeli writer David Grossman, as part of the Chicago Humanities Festival. He will be speaking on Sunday morning, Nov. 13 at 10:00 at Thorne Auditorium, Northwestern University Law School (downtown, on Chicago Avenue). We have reserved 10 tickets; class members have priority.
Latest Chapters
Taught by: Rabbi Laurence Edwards; Location: Library at Emanuel, 5959 N. Sheridan
Time: 10:15 - 11:30 A.M.
The past ten years or so have seen a small explosion of writing on the overlapping subjects of Judaism, Bible, and LGBTQ perspectives. I will pick a few excerpts for us to read and discuss, just to try to get an overview of what people have been thinking and writing.
Fee: $50 for Or Chadash members, $100 for all others.
Biblical Hebrew Verse of the Day
Taught by: Rabbi Laurence Edwards; Location: Library at Emanuel, 5959 N. Sheridan
Time: 11:35 - 11:55 A.M.
This popular course is ideal both for those just beginning their study of Hebrew and those more advanced.
Fee: free
Abraham in the Jewish Tradition
Taught by: Howard Aronson; Location: Library at Emanuel, 5959 N. Sheridan
Time: 12:00 P.M. - 1:15 P.M.
Beyond the biblical accounts, how has Abraham been seen in later rabbinic tradition? Readings will be drawn from Louis Ginzberg’s magisterial Legends of the Jews (available on-line).
Fee: $50 for Or Chadash members, $100 for all others.
Pre-Shabbat teaching/learning experience
Friday evening, 7:00, before services.
Periodically we schedule various topics which are presented before regular 8:00 services. Watch for announcements of these session.
Adult B'Nai Mitzvah Studies
If people are interested, we may organize individual adult bar or bat mitzvah study, or perhaps a small group of several people who are interested in studying together for adult b’nai mitzvah study as a group.
Study for an adult bar or bat mitzvah would involve:
6-18 months preparation, depending on previous background.
Depending on previous background, an Intro to Judaism class, or a few books and articles selected in consultation with the Rabbi.
Prepare a minimum of 10 verses to read (chant, if possible) from the Torah
Prepare Torah blessings.
Prepare haftarah blessings and at least part of the haftarah.
Prepare a d’var Torah.
The bar/bat mitzvah could be done either at a first Saturday service or a second Friday service (when we read the Torah).
Invite friends and family to attend, and to make donations to Or Chadash in honor of the occasion.
Sponsor the Oneg for that service, perhaps expanded.
If there is a group of people going through this process at once, we might schedule a series of perhaps three sessions, in which we discuss various issues related to the desire of the people in the group to do this, what it means, how bar mitzvah developed, what seems most important in the service itself, etc.
If you are interested, please contact Rabbi Edwards to discuss this further.
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