Lehrhaus Founder Franz Rosenzweig's 1921 work The Star of Redemption, constitutes a major contribution to both the traditions of western philosophy and Jewish thought. It is a multifaceted and difficult book, and the purpose of this series is to work through the content of Rosenzweig's Star through group reading and discussion.

Join us as we explore and discuss the startling Talmudic story of the sage Rava (3rd-4th century C.E. Babylonia) creating a “humanoid” who he sends to visit his colleague, Rabbi Zeira. We’ll utilize this haunting, brilliant, and very relevant story as a canvas for discussing artificial intelligence in relation to communication.

Are Jews strong or weak in today's world? A Jewish state exists along with a well educated and successful world Jewish community. On the other hand Jews—even in America—now face high levels of anti-Semitism. How do we synthesize, reconcile, and balance our agency and our fate at the hands of others?

Explore how Jewish communities navigate the tension between preserving tradition and embracing transformation in the age of the hyper-empowered individual, guided by Andrés Spokoiny’s Tradition and Transition.

Join Rabbi Charlie Schwartz in a Lehrhaus series exploring 66 essential Talmudic passages identified by leading rabbis and scholars, blending legal, narrative, practical, and absurd themes with engaging and fun learning.

As our communities across the country and around the world experience ecological and political turmoil, we will offer a container of authentic connection and ground in a shared, timeless text. We will give careful attention to a passage from Sefer Shemot, exploring the different forms of resistance, challenging ourselves to expand our definition of this term. We will closely read the text, uplift a range of voices, and allow the text to speak to us in our personal lives as we contend with this political moment.

The Italian Renaissance gave rise to the use of visual media to tell well-known Biblical stories, often with an intention of imparting moral and ethical lessons. During this class we will explore the choices artists made in creating their masterpieces by comparing them to the original text.

In our polarized society, others' actions often seem irrational, but what if they make sense from their perspective? This session uses Talmudic stories about rabbis navigating such challenges to help us reflect on understanding and responding to others in our own lives.

Bestselling author Alice Hoffman delivers a stunning novel about one of contemporary history's most acclaimed figures, exploring the little-known details of Anne Frank's life before she went into hiding. Based on extensive research and published in cooperation with the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, When We Flew Away is an extraordinary and moving tour de force. Join poet Raisa Tolchinsky in conversation with author Alice Hoffman to discuss her newest novel.

In this class we’ll take a look at some examples of popular Yiddish fiction—the romance novels, detective fiction, and adventure tales that made up the daily reading of Yiddish speakers in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

Improvisation is more than a performance skill; it’s a practice of observing, connecting, and responding to the world around us. In fact, we all improvise every day as we navigate life’s unexpected twists and turns. In this safe, welcoming, and experiential workshop, we’ll delve into the Jewish value of Kol Yisrael arevim zeh ba’zeh (all Jews are responsible for one another), using the playful and powerful tools of Applied Improv.  

No experience is necessary—just bring your presence, curiosity, and an openness to connect with others in a spirit of collaboration and mutual care.

We live in a moment where the old comedic truism: when there are 2 Jews in a room, there are 3 opinions; could arguably be replaced with a more tragic one: when there are two Jews in a room, there are 2 rooms. In this interactive learning experience we are going to practice Machloket (argument for the sake of heaven) as a way to rebuild our muscles so that we can grow our capacity for making Teshuvah (repair) within ourselves, our close relationships, and the communities we find ourselves in.

Join Jews in the Garden author Judy Rakowsky as she shares her family’s decades-long search and many trips to Poland for the truth about how some relatives died in hiding in Poland during World War II. We will discuss fresh efforts to politicize history near and far and possible solutions. 

Let’s talk about flowers and deepen our relationships to these beautiful plants that can uplift and comfort us during difficult times. In part one of this series, we will explore Jewish teachings and uses of poppy, violet, white clover, and chamomile.

Before Tu B'shvat became a holiday about planting trees and environmentalism, the Kabbalists of Tzfat saw it as the day the Tree of Life reawakens from winter's slumber. Come learn about this Divine Cosmic tree, otherwise known as the S'firot, and how the power of brachot aid in drawing down supernal abundance into reality.

This series of classes will be an in-depth text-study of Likkutei by Nahman of Bratslav, one of the most audacious and innovative Hasidic masters. We will study a variety of his homilies paying attention to structure, interpretive method, and theory of the self. We will spend the first two sessions unpacking Likkutei Moharan homily 1:19.

Join us for an afternoon of conversation with Rabbi Adina Allen, author of The Place of All Possibility: Cultivating Creativity Through Ancient Jewish Wisdom, in conversation with Joshua Foer.

The Esnoga, Amsterdam's Portuguese synagogue inaugurated in 1675, inspired art and music, including works by its composer-in-residence Abraham Caceres in the early 18th century. This class explores the context of synagogue performances, analyzes Caceres' cantata L'El Eilim, and examines its role in Jewish music and the Dutch Baroque tradition.

This class explores the evolving linguistic landscape of Jewish communities, focusing on the decline of endangered Jewish languages like Ladino, Judeo-Arabic, and Jewish Malayalam, while highlighting the rise of new Jewish language varieties. Participants will discuss the importance of preserving and reclaiming these languages, sharing their own ancestral language experiences and the “heritage words” passed down through generations.

Did you love, hate, or love to hate this Jewish rom-com? An agnostic sex-and-relationships podcaster and a charismatic rabbi meet cute at an L.A. dinner party and embark on an ill-advised relationship; will it survive their disparate lifestyles and meddling friends and families? We’ll discuss themes of cultural divides, faith, identity, feminism, love, privacy, and millennial malaise drive the plot; stereotypes and tropes abound.

In Genesis, love emerges through stories of drama, favoritism, and family struggles. Later, Leviticus and Deuteronomy emphasize inclusive love to foster unity and peace. This class unpacks how the Torah's idea of love evolves from chaos to lasting harmony.

If you have ever felt like you have sincerely prayed but your Tefillot have gotten you nowhere, this class is for you. This inspirational and text based class will explore several fundamental approaches to the phenomenon of unanswered prayers, and how we can derive guidance and encouragement as we continue to make requests of G-d. 

Over the course of history Jews have taken part in the citrus trade out of financial and religious necessity. In honor of the upcoming Holiday of the Trees, we will learn about the significance of "perot hadar" and the place that both citrus and almond (two symbols of the holiday) have had in Jewish kitchens from Marrakesh to Vienna.

Philosophers know how to philosophize, theologians know how to teach theology, and writers know how to craft literature. In this class, we will study passages from the Mishnah (and perhaps a bit of Talmud) in Tractate Megillah, seeking the hidden and surprising messages the Sages wove into their words.

American Sign Language is still a new language--only a few hundred years old. But signed communication has been a part of human culture for thousands of years. Come explore how, over the course of Jewish history, sign language came to be understood (and sometimes misunderstood)--opening new channels of communication between hearing Jews and Deaf Jews.

Let’s talk about flowers and deepen our relationships to these beautiful plants that can uplift and comfort us during difficult times. In part two of this series, we will explore Jewish teachings and uses of saffron, artichoke, linden and sunflower.

Jewish tradition likens people to trees. Kabbalah likens God to a tree. If people are trees, and God is a tree... 🤔 Come celebrate Tu Bishvat by exploring the intersection between nature, human, and Divine.

This series of classes will be an in-depth text-study of Likkutei by Nahman of Bratslav, one of the most audacious and innovative Hasidic masters. We will study a variety of his homilies paying attention to structure, interpretive method, and theory of the self. We will spend the first two sessions unpacking Likkutei Moharan homily I:19.

Lehrhaus Founder Franz Rosenzweig's 1921 work The Star of Redemption, constitutes a major contribution to both the traditions of western philosophy and Jewish thought. It is a multifaceted and difficult book, and the purpose of this series of meetings is to work through the content of Rosenzweig's Star through group reading and discussion.

Prayers for Dark People is a collection of 71 prayers written over the course of approximately two years, from 1909-1910 while W.E.B. Du Bois was teaching at Atlanta University. Nearly half a century later, Du Bois’s almost-contemporary, the famous Civil Rights leader Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, would describe prayer as a specific way of knowing and questioning. While there is scant evidence of any significant relationship between Heschel and Du Bois, there are important similarities between how the two write about the importance of prayer as a method for identifying and grappling with uncertainty and complexities.

We will be studying a selection of poems written in Israel that deal with the grief, anger, courage and grace that followed October 7. The poems are included in Shiva: Poems of October 7 which includes the original Hebrew together with the English translation which we will be reading.

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.

Traditional Judaism forbids tattooing our bodies, but the mystical traditions give a handful of examples in which we “tattoo” God. Come explore how the tradition imagines us inscribing things into the Divine "body." What do these ideas tell us about our relationship with the Divine?

Fanfic (fan fiction) re-imagines literary characters and settings through a new lens.  Often humorous, occasionally serious (the Jewish history of wizards at Hogwarts is one of my personal favorites), these works challenge us to (re)imagine how well-known franchises can expand to include a Jewish perspective.  Together, we'll read original tales that add layers of Jewish content to some beloved stories.

Let’s talk about flowers and deepen our relationships to these beautiful plants that can uplift and comfort us during difficult times. In part three of this series, we will explore Jewish teachings and uses of orange blossom, jasmine, and rose.

This series of classes will be an in-depth text-study of Likkutei by Nahman of Bratslav, one of the most audacious and innovative Hasidic masters. We will study a variety of his homilies paying attention to structure, interpretive method, and theory of the self. We will spend these two sessions unpacking Likkutei Moharan homily 1:64.

Between 1600 and 1800, German Christians regularly sought out Jewish magical expertise to combat devastating urban wildfires. Yet this fascinating history has been completely forgotten—and with it, a powerful precedent for Jewish responses to contemporary climate catastrophe. Drawing on one German Christian and one Hebrew Jewish source (both in translation), we'll examine how a ritual involving challah bread and kabbalistic symbols became a sought-after firefighting intervention in early modern Germany.

This series of classes will be an in-depth text-study of Likkutei by Nahman of Bratslav, one of the most audacious and innovative Hasidic masters. We will study a variety of his homilies paying attention to structure, interpretive method, and theory of the self. We will spend these two sessions unpacking Likkutei Moharan homily 1:64.

If you've ever found yourself in certain kinds of synagogues, you may have noticed a particular way in which people daven (pray): by mumbling! Come and celebrate the silliness of the Purim season by taking a super serious class about mumbling and grumbling your way through all of the Jewish liturgy.

This class will draw upon Dr. Glass's experience of writing her personal memoir about leaving Hasidic Judaism to set herself and her children free. As a trauma-focused psychotherapist, Glass learned to use writing as a tool for healing and reconstructing her relationship with herself, her queer identity, and her Judaism.

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?

Join us to explore and discuss Divine encounters in coffee shops as presented by two of Israel's most acclaimed 20th century poets, Lea Goldberg and Yehuda Amichai.

When Rabbi Kibbitz gives advice, no one listens. He hates being called, with a smirk and a snicker, "a wise man." Just once, hed like to be taken seriously, but all they do is laugh… Will it ever change?

You'll laugh and smile, perhaps sing along, and maybe (just maybe) learn a bit.