During this class we will study a letter written by a student of Rabbi Kalonymus Kalman Shapira, a Chassidic Rebbe of Piaseczno, Poland, who became a spiritual leader in the Warsaw Ghetto and left behind profound teachings on resilience and inner work amidst crisis. After exploring its meaning and significance, we’ll take time to experience the practice ourselves.

From the early Roman era through the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, we’ll explore how Jews navigated shifting societies, how they were seen by those around them, and the roles they played in a changing world. Instead of getting lost in the details, we’ll focus on narratives that reveal the bigger picture: moments of struggle, triumph, and transformation.

One of the most familiar features of Jewish practice is the use of the term “Amen” after a prayer. The goal of this class is to make this very familiar practice seem strange.

Binary ways of thinking-- the "either/or" model-- exist everywhere, not just in relation to gender. In this interactive workshop, we'll learn from contemporary queer and Jewish texts to help us parse out when rigid boundaries serve us well, and what it might mean, at other times, to think from a "nonbinary" perspective. Bring as much or as little gender as you have.

From ancient dreams of a Promised Land to modern reimaginings, Israel has long inspired Jewish artists and authors. Together, we’ll read classic and contemporary stories that engage with Israel as both an ideal and a complex reality. Through tales that celebrate and challenge Israel’s place in the Jewish imagination, we’ll explore these nuanced and provocative works of speculative fiction.

Each spring, Jewish tradition invites us to say a rare and beautiful blessing upon seeing blossoming trees for the first time: "and the world lacks for nothing."  In an age of climate anxiety, loss, and disconnection, these words can feel almost jarring—out of sync with our lived reality. Together, we’ll explore a surprising midrash about how God lured the first human into the world through beauty and ask: does this blessing ask us to do the same—to see the world not as it is, but as it could be? No prior knowledge of Jewish law, Talmud, or even the blessing itself is needed—just come with curiosity, and a willingness to see the world anew.

In this first session, we will cover the significance of preparation in Judaism in understanding the "set and setting" of journeys with psychedelics. Using models from the holidays, Shabbat, and spiritual practices, we will discover that getting ready for something is just as important, if not more important, than the thing itself. 

Jerusalem has been home to a thriving community of Sefardim for over 500 years. Exiled from Spain in 1492, Sephardic Jews made their home in Jerusalem and dominated the "Old Yishuv". Their familiarity with middle-eastern culture and their poly-lingualism served them well in Jerusalem's Ottoman era. Through Sarit Yishai-Levi's gorgeous work, The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem, we will explore Sephardic life, language, and customs, during the time shortly before and after the founding of the State.

This class will give an inside look at the process of conceiving, adapting, and staging a new piece of theatre based on Yitzkhok Leibush Peretz’s short story Mayses (English: Stories). This class, led by Artistic Director Catherine Nist, will give a behind-the-scenes look at both the practical side of the theatrical process, as well as at the wider philosophical and theological questions underlying the project.

Ancient synagogues weren’t just places of prayer—they were also filled with stunning mosaics and wall paintings that reimagined biblical stories in surprising ways. These artworks don’t just illustrate the text; they interpret it, often in ways that echo midrashic literature like Genesis Rabbah. In this class, we’ll explore these fascinating depictions, uncover the influences that may have shaped the artists’ choices, and dive into the ongoing debate about the role of rabbis in ancient Jewish society.

While back home working in his family's Jewish funeral home, clairvoyant birth doula Ezra falls for widowed death doula Ben… The novel's themes span transitioning, body dysmorphia, being Jewishly observant, navigating complicated family dynamics, consistent and respectful use of pronouns, and navigating conversations about pleasure and consent.

Race has shaped history, society, and personal identities—including Jewish identities—in profound ways. In this class, we’ll explore why race matters from historical, sociological, Jewish, and personal perspectives.

What does it mean to live as a Jew in diaspora—and what might that mean politically, spiritually, and relationally today? We will attempt to establish a definition of diaspora before exploring Judith Butler’s powerful writing on diaspora as our foundation and launching point. Together, we’ll ask: How do we relate to non-Jews around us? What does it mean to be part of a people, scattered but connected? Expect rich discussion, critical frameworks, and new ways to think about your own place in the Jewish story

Join Chef Beejhy Barhany for an intimate conversation exploring "Gursha", her groundbreaking new cookbook celebrating Ethiopian Jewish cuisine.

Hannah Arendt was one of the most influential and controversial political thinkers of the 20th century. In this session we will read “The Jew As Pariah: A Hidden Tradition,” which explores how the outsider status of Jews in the diaspora was, for some, an opportunity for independence, creativity, and freedom.

Join us as we explore Becky Chambers’ utopian novel Psalm for the Wild-Built, using its portrayal of earth-based golems and Tellurian powers to examine themes of feminism, environmental consciousness, and restitution. How can these narratives inspire us to imagine a better future?

What happens when life gets in the way of showing up for something important? In the book of Bamidbar (Numbers), a small group of people miss the chance to celebrate Passover—and instead of being dismissed, they’re given something remarkable: a second opportunity, one month later, known as Pesach Sheni. This class explores that moment and what it means.

Mizrahi Jews (from the Middle East and North Africa) have historically bridged the divide between Jews and Arabs, Hebrew and Arabic, while also facing suspicion and accusations of dual loyalties. This class explores how figures like Arabic broadcasters and mista'arvim (undercover agents) both upheld and challenged cultural boundaries, reimagining the role of Mizrahim in shaping coexistence in a divided region.

Join poet Richard Fein for a reading from DEAR YIDDISH, his deeply moving exploration of language, memory, and mortality. With fearless honesty and lyrical brilliance, Fein’s poems bridge the worlds of English and Yiddish, personal history and collective legacy. The reading will be followed by a Q&A with Richard.

Talking with your loved ones about controversial and divisive politics, especially the Israel/Palestine conflict, can feel overwhelming, emotional, or even impossible. This class will offer tools for navigating these conversations with calm, compassion, and clarity. Whether you're hoping to repair a rift or simply open a difficult conversation, this class will help you show up grounded, thoughtful, and prepared. 

Join Rabbi Benjamin Weiner for a deep dive on James Joyce's Ulysses - no prior experience required!

James Joyce's Ulysses, published in 1922 and still considered one of the most important works of modernist literature, transposed Homer's Odyssey to early-20th century Ireland, but featured a Jewish character, Leopold Bloom, as its hero. Why? We will examine chapter twelve of the book, "The Cyclops", an extended barroom meditation on nationalism and the outsider, love, "force, hatred, history, and all that", and explore how Joyce deploys his imaginary Jew in the midst of this fray. Along the way, you will also get a gentle introduction to this intimidating but delightful masterwork! 
Note: No prior experience required. Participants are not expected to have read Ulysses.

Racism has shaped American history and continues to impact our society today. In this class, we’ll examine how racism operates on both personal and structural levels and explore its connection to Jewish identity and experience.

This event is for anyone interested in analyzing life for the purpose of living it better—whether through self-exploration, therapy, or drawing on Jewish wisdom for personal growth. Led by Matthew Lowe, a licensed psychotherapist with over a decade of experience, we’ll explore insights from his self-help book Seeing the Forest and the Trees. Together, we’ll learn how to appreciate both the big picture and the finer details of our lives, empowering you to truly make yourself at home in your own life.

Hannah Arendt was one of the most influential and controversial political thinkers of the 20th century. In this session we will see how Arendt, a fiercely independent thinker, became a pariah among her own people with the publication of "Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil."

Despite the common notion of spirituality being about asceticism and denying the body, Jewish mysticism has reframed eating as a central way to connect with the Divine. Through exploration of excerpts from 18th century Hasidic rebbes, contemporary kabbalists, Yiddish women's cooking prayers, and modern neo-Hasidic writers, we will explore how our tradition has seen food to be a primary avenue to spiritual uplift.

What does it mean for a trip to be Jewish? How can we stay grounded and keep safe in the midst of expanded states? These questions and more will be examined in this second of three sessions, focusing on the most immersive moments of psychedelic states and what Jewish wisdom has to offer us about encountered moments like these.

This session dives into the dramatic transformations of Jewish life in Italy from the mid-1600s to World War II. We’ll explore the realities of the ghetto period, the liberation that followed, and the astonishing rise of Jews to positions of influence as Italy evolved from scattered principalities into a unified nation.

During our first class together, we will––as the title aptly states––orient ourselves within the larger history of Jewish futurisms. Using scholarship, liturgy, and other modes of “futurisms,” we will begin to collaboratively define our own understandings of the relationships between Jewish histories, presents, and futures.

The Talmudic story of the Four Who Entered Pardes (aka "the orchard" of expanded consciousness) can be understood as a kind of cautionary tale of the obstacles along our spiritual path. How do we live this story and become like Akiva, engaging with the spiritual path from a place of whole-heartedness? This session will look at the three spiritual blockages and the second will look at the archetype and lineage of Akiva.

What does it mean to be a “dying person” or goses in the intensive care unit of 2025? Could our rabbis have conceived of states of life supported by ventilators, kidney hemodialysis, or experimental therapies? In this session, we will explore the intersection of Jewish law (Halakha), ethics, and modern medical practice in end-of-life care.

Hannah Arendt was one of the most influential and controversial political thinkers of the 20th century. In the final session, we will examine how Arendt was both a passionate Zionist and a harsh critic of Zionism. 

Using various tools of strategic foresight, we will examine art, culture, media, politics, and academia for concrete, compelling evidence and trends that can help us with perceiving, anticipating, and interpreting how American Jewish communities and identities are changing.

There are many resources available to those who seek higher pay, professional advancement, or career guidance. How can Jewish texts and teachings also enhance work life? This class will present rich and diverse Jewish perspectives on income, work, and careers that provide a spiritual lens through which to view our professional lives.

The Talmudic story of the Four Who Entered Pardes (aka "the orchard" of expanded consciousness) can be understood as a kind of cautionary tale of the obstacles along our spiritual path. Four enter -- one dies, one goes crazy, one becomes a heretic, and only one (Rabbi Akiva) emerges "b'Shalom." How do we live this story and become like Akiva, engaging with the spiritual path from a place of whole-heartedness?

For our final class together, we will bring together our insights from our first two classes to begin to imagine the impact of climate relocation on various aspects of American Jewish life, from Jewish education, art, liturgy, clergy, family and relationships, and more.

In this final session in our series we will think together about ways of talking out what remains present after a psychedelic experience and how that can help fully harvest any meaningful insights which can be tangibly brought into day-to-day life and consciousness.