Adult Learning
Torah — our ongoing story — and Jewish learning in general, is central to our life as a community. Our learning answers questions and enables questioning, and instills an abiding sense of pleasure in Jewish thought and practice. We strive to develop the basic knowledge and skills needed for ongoing religious practice, cultural engagement, and ethical action. Ideally, learners of all ages and backgrounds will understand what Judaism means for them, identify strongly as Jews, and have the cultural fluency needed for active engagement in Jewish life and community.
—Kolot Chayeinu Values Statement
What We Offer: Kolot is proud to offer a range of courses on text study, ritual, observation, Jewish life, language, and prayer. These classes are led both by clergy and members of our community. Come learn with us in 5785, and keep checking back here as we add more exciting opportunities!
December 2024
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Date: December 12, 2024
Time: 7:30-9:00 p.m. EST
Location: On Zoom
Summary: We often see messages, especially on social media, that Chanukah is a minor holiday. While Chanukah is surely no Jewish Christmas, and while there is definitely an element of American consumerism in how this holiday is portrayed in the media, the Kabbalists, and even more so Hasidic teachers, definitely treated Chanukah as a major spiritual holiday.
Rabbi Abby will explore how Chanukah is the moment when the Ohr Haganuz, the pure light of creation that’s hidden most of the time, shines through from the candles. Chanukah is the true finale of the High Holy Days, with an early Hasidic Rebbe arguing that Chanukah is HIGHER than Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Hasidic texts on Chanukah are relatively the most voluminous.
In short: Come learn to push back against the “Chanukah is a minor holiday” narrative!
This class will also serve as a precursor to the Intro to Hasidism class that Rabbi Abby will be teaching in the winter.
January-February 2025
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Dates: Tuesday, January 14; Tuesday, January 21; Tuesday, January 28; Wednesday, February 5
Time: 7:00-8:30 p.m. EST
Location: Zoom
Summary: In this second 4-session series, we will dive deeper into the U.S. relationship to Israel, two-state and one-state "solutions", and gain a better understanding of modern movements.
You do not need to have taken part 1, which explored historical contexts of the ongoing war on Gaza, of this course to participate in part 2.
Learn more and sign up here -
Dates: January 13, February 10, February 24
Time: 6:30-8:30 p.m. EST
Location: In-person at the Church of Gethsemane, 1012 8th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215
Summary: “In every generation, God enlightens the eyes of that generation to interpret the Torah according to the needs of that generation,” writes the grandson of the Baal Shem Tov (the founder of Hasidic Judaism). This class will explore Hasidic texts about happiness, the Divine, the power of every person, and more that teach us to find our own path within Judaism—a path that works for us—as an introduction to Hasidism and its context within our contemporary lives!
This class will be accessible to everyone, whether this is your first time with Jewish texts or if you spent your whole life in Yeshiva!
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Date: January 15, 2025
Time: 7:00-8:30 p.m. EST
Location: On Zoom
Summary: Why do we sing when we read Torah out loud? How do the readers figure out all the notes? Join Rabbi Abby and Kolotnik brin solomon for a one-night exploration of the art and practice of leyning our most sacred texts. We'll talk about audible punctuation, melodies, and sentences, and the many little squiggles that hold the keys to trop.
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Date: February 3rd, 2025
Time: 6:30-8:00 p.m. EST
Location: In-person at the Church of Gethsemane, 1012 8th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215
Summary: The Rabbis of old wouldn’t know what to do with a coming out ceremony or a queer mikveh dip. Nonetheless, these and other queer rituals are links in the chain of Jewish liturgical creativity which has helped our tradition remain both dynamic and affirming throughout the centuries. Join Student Rabbi Madeleine for a hands-on one-night session to explore the queer life cycle and all of its significant moments that call to be ritualized. We’ll discuss nonbinary Hebrew, the connection between name changes and havdalah, and the groundbreaking innovations that are becoming more and more vital to our changing Judaism.
March-June 2025
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Dates: Thursdays, March 20th - May 15th (except for April 17th due to Pesach)
Time: 7:00-8:30 p.m. EST
Location: In-person at the Church of Gethsemane, 1012 8th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215
Summary: Come learn Yiddish with Kolot educator and Yiddishist, Zachary Wager Scholl! In this 8-week intensive for beginners, we'll start from the beginning as any language does: Who am I, and who are you? We'll learn to talk about the world around us, where we live, where we're from, our daily lives, how we're doing and feeling, holidays, idioms, humor, superstitions, and so much more! All while infused with Yiddish song, culture, history, and context. By the end students will have the foundations for speaking, reading, and writing in Yiddish. No prior knowledge of the alef-beys necessary. Nu? Lomir lernen zikh Yidish!
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Dates: Mondays, March 10, 24, and April 21
Time: 6:30-8:00 p.m. EST
Location: In-person at the Church of Gethsemane, 1012 8th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215
Summary: Many of us are currently grappling with Zionism, its meaning(s), and its social justice and political ramifications. This class will explore the textual history of religious anti-Zionism — the opposition to a sovereign uniquely Jewish state at this time — from the Talmudic era to the medieval period to modern Zionism’s founding in the 19th century. This class will cover some Orthodox (Hasidic and non-Hasidic Haredi), Sephardic, as well as Jewish Enlightenment and Reform anti-Zionism. While this class will not focus too much on political/secular anti-Zionism, we will touch on some of the political ramifications of religious anti-Zionism.
Time permitting, we will also discuss some historical religious figures, who out of their deep love and yearning for Eretz Yisroel (the Land of Israel) went up to live there, yet taught and practiced an opposition to political Zionism. -
Dates: Wednesday, April 23rd - June 4th (except for May 7th)
Time: 7:00-8:30 p.m. EST
Location: Zoom
Summary: The Amidah is the central prayer of the Jewish service, a personal holy conversation between you and God, however you may understand or not understand God. For six weeks, we will explore the seven rubrics of the Shabbat Amidah (ancestors, power, holiness, Shabbat, service, gratitude, and peace), and participants will each write their own version of the Amidah, exploring and expanding the specific topics in a personal way using writing prompts, discussions, alternate translations, optional readings, guided meditations, and learning about Jewish liturgical structure.
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Dates: Monday, April 28th - June 16th (except for May 26th and June 2nd in observance of Memorial Day and Shavuot, respectively)
Time: 6:30-7:15 p.m. EST
Location: In-person at the Church of Gethsemane, 1012 8th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215
Summary: Join Kolotnik brin solomon for a six-week introduction to the fundamentals of leyning, the art of chanting Torah in public. Over the course of these classes, you'll learn how Torah cantillation is notated in printed editions, which melodies go with which symbols, and how these melodies fit together into longer phrases. By the end of the course, you'll be able to leyn a short passage of your choosing — without having to find a recording to study first. Come learn one of the core skills that make Kolot's services possible! (Knowledge of the alef-bet is required.)
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Dates: Monday, May 12th and May 26th
Time: 7:30-9:00 p.m. EST
Location: TBD
Summary: Coming soon!
Morning Torah Study
Torah Study is a vibrant place for Kolot members to wrestle with Torah together on Zoom and in person at Gethsemane every Saturday at 9:00 am. Non-members are welcome to stop in for a visit. Whatever your relationship (or not) with God, and whatever your level of knowledge of Torah, Hebrew or Judaism, we welcome your questions and opinions. Please join us on a regular basis or drop in when the spirit moves you. Generally, we study the parashah, meaning the Torah portion assigned to the week in question.
Kolot members who want to be added to the Torah Study listserv to receive materials about the weekly Parashah, email Malkie Grozalsky at MalkieG@kolotchayeinu.org.
Interested in learning more about Torah Study? Email msjrprice@gmail.com.
Rabbi Sue Oren’s Introduction to Judaism Class
Kolot is proud to co-sponsor this course, which is offered twice per year (fall and spring terms). For more information and to register, please contact Rabbi Oren at introclass@postpro.net.
