“When two sit and study together, the Shechina dwells among them.” (Pirke Avot) Judaism’s unique mode of study is called “chavruta”—from the Hebrew root, “chaver” meaning friend. Friendship is inherently about learning—from another, about oneself, about the world beyond oneself. We will explore what Jewish sources teach about friendship. This course is best experienced when shared with a friend, so bring a friend to be your study partner!

For millennia, we humans have wanted to know how it all began, and why. Within the tradition of the Western world, we need to go back to its earliest civilizations to find the foundations of our own notions of creation. First on our list is the Book of Genesis narrative, actually two creation stories blended into one. While that will be the focus of our class, we’ll also delve into the origin stories of ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt and Greece to see not only how they differed from each other, but to what extent they contributed to each other and the Biblical account. Sessions will include richly illustrated historical and archaeological background so that students can fully appreciate the process that created the tales of our beginnings. Texts, notes and additional readings will be provided by the instructor.

The second semester of a three-semester sequence, this course is designed for those who have completed New Lehrhaus Hebrew 1 and have a working Hebrew vocabulary of 75-100 words and are familiar with the grammar of nouns, adjectives, possessive endings and simple participles. It’s also a great choice for students with basic sight-reading skills who need a

In partnership with Congregation Emeth

Session 1: Rabbi Naamah Kelman & Dr. Elan Ezrachi: American Jews and Israelis: Looking Back, Looking Forward

In partnership with Temple Sinai and KlezCalifornia

Watch and discuss scenes from Shtisel while eating classic Ashkenazi foods featured in the show in this fun, interactive program. We will explore traditions and foods and hear commentary from Ron Reissberg—who spent several years in Haredi (ultra-orthodox) yeshivas in Israel and the US—about the community and its practices, and share y... Read more

Explore the book of Genesis: major themes, style, character, and authorship. Topics include: Origins, Ancestors, Jacob's Family, and Joseph and His Brothers. We will also consider Genesis within the broader context of ancient Near Eastern literature. The recommended translation is Robert Alter, Genesis: Translation and Commentary.

In partnership with and at BASE-Bay, Rockridge

This eight-session course covers all the basics found in our Fall Hebrew 1 class in just four weeks. You’ll begin to learn to read, understand and appreciate Prayerbook passages, and lay the foundation for study of the Hebrew Bible. We start at the beginning, teaching the alphabet and sight-reading skills, then move on to build both vocabulary and grammar knowledge using the text Prayerbook Hebrew the Easy Way. And along the way, you’ll learn about related topics, from key Prayerbook melodies to the origins of Hebrew to life in the Biblical world.

In partnership with Berkeley Hillel and KlezCalifornia

Sing along with the movie!

"Jewish Christmas?" You bet! Join us for a Fiddler singalong complete with a kosher-style Chinese dinner buffet at Berkeley Hillel.

A partnership program of New Lehrhaus

In this course we read and study the Zohar, the masterpiece of Kabbalah. Currently, we are exploring the Zohar on the Book of Genesis. Students can enroll in the current series, held live on Zoom.

In partnership with Urban Adamah