Siddur Skills: Entering the Worlds of Hebrew PrayerLed by Shir Yaakov Feinstein Feit
10 Mondays 7-8:30pm starting March 5th
at the Jewish Life Home on 120 W 106th St.
What is a prayerbook and how do we get inside? We'll start at the very beginning, with an orientation to the content, structure, form and language of a siddur. We'll look at the anatomy of a blessing, the flow of different services and techniques for inspiration, contemplation and meditation. We will also learn how to sing the songs of Romemu, explore their meaning and open to what it means to have a regular prayer practice.
Taught by Shelly R. Fredman
Art Green describes theology as nothing more than a string of moments of Holy and Awesome Presence, or Deep Stillness. What are the places where such moments are evoked and what kind of belief system can we create, so that we can access these experiences more often and more deeply? In this class, we will wrestle with Biblical text and also the sacred writings of Green, Rilke, Rumi, Zornberg and Mary Oliver. Students will practice a new technique of “writing into text,” giving them the opportunity to explore these seeker’s ideas and their own.
This class is intended for anyone who wants to look deeply into text, and explore the places where that text meets the raw and real experiences of their lives. Mine is an extremely democratic process, and because I employ various writing prompts and techniques, even folks who are hesitant to write find themselves launching into the hidden corners of their lives, and shedding new light on those places. They see them anew through the magical lens of the text.
Enrollment is limited to 12 students.
Dates: Wednesdays, May 2 - June 6
Time: 7:30 - 9:00 pm
Location: 120 West 70th Street, Apt. 1D
Shivti: Shabbat MeditationCo-led by Larry Schwartz, Beth Sandweiss, Rabbi David Ingber and Guest Teachers
Larry Schwartz is a student of Mindfulness Training at the Institute for Jewish Spirituality. Each session will focus on meditation, with Kavanot (intentions) inspired by the weekly parsha, calendar, and our daily lives. The intention is to help members to develop a sitting practice. There is no better time to meditate than on Shabbat. No prior experience is required. All are welcome.
Dates: Every Shabbat (Saturday)
Time: 4:30pm-6:00pm
Location: Jewish Life Home on 120 W 106th St.
(between Columbus and Amsterdam) in the auditorium that is one flight up from the main floor.
Led by Shelley Levine
A graduate of a Yoga and Jewish Spirituality Teacher Training program, Shelley will honor the Hindu origins of Yoga but demonstrate how many of the elements are expressions of Jewish spirituality. Many of us practice yoga. Now you will have an opportunity to experience the deep connections between this ancient practice and Jewish tradition. Shelley will invite other teachers to lead from time to time.
Led by Rabbi David Ingber
This ongoing, drop-in style class, weaves a spiritually rich tapestry from Hassidic and Kabbalistic sources, discussing how to apply Jewish mysticism and wisdom to our everyday lives. No prior learning required.
Dates: Tuesdays
Time: 7–8:30pm
Location: 229 W. 97th Street, apt. 2A
Members: Free/Non-Members: $5
Material fees: $5 one time for the duration of the class
Explore the weekly Torah portion from the perspective of Rabbi Nachum of Chernobyl's Me'or Eynaiyim.
Rabbi David will follow this Chassidic master's teaching throughout the year parsha by parsha. This is an advanced class. Familiarity with text study strongly suggested, but all are welcome.
This is a 12-week course with an option to continue throughout the year.
Dates: Thursdays, beginning January 12
Time: 7:30–9:00pm
Location: 645 West End Ave. Apt. 1A
Members: Free/Non-Members: $18
Material fees: $5 one time for the duration of the class
Led by Nathaniel Berman
“Prayer is itself divinity” [התפלה בעצמה היא אלוקות]: one of the most striking sayings of Pinhas of Koretz, an early Hasidic rebbe. It is far from coincidental that it was this same sage who also thanked God for creating him after the Zohar was revealed, because “the Zohar has kept me within Judaism.
Led by Rabbi Henry Glazer
Rabbi Henry Glazer will offer his popular Shalom Aleichem, a one day intensive (eight hours, including lunch) for fifteen members, which will give students the ability to recognize and read Hebrew prayer in a basic way. Henry will offer this course twice in the Semester.
There is a limit of 15 people for this class, members receive consideration first.
Date, time location: TBD
Led by Rabbi Henry Glazer
This course, which will be held in an intimate environment, is a continuation of the “Shalom Aleichem” introduction to Hebrew. Rabbi Henry will guide students through seven 1 ½ hour sessions. Ayn Kelohaynu will emphasize greater reading fluency, combined with a discussion of the meaning of the Shabbat morning service, its vocabulary, rituals and structure.
Date, time and location: TBD
Members Free/Non-Members:$18
Materials Fee: $10
Class Limited to 15
Led by Rabbi David with Guest Teachers
This 8-week course will cover all of your necessary topics to up your JQ (Jewish Quiotient). We will cover topics like Shabbat and Synagogue life; Torah, G-d and the Chosen People; Spirituality, Sex and the Afterlife; Bible, Talmud and other Big Jewish Books. Join us as we build a strong foundation for Jewish literacy.
Dates: TBD
Time: 7-8:30 pm
Location: TBD
Members: TBD / Non-Members: TBD
Material fees: $5 one time for the duration of the class
Led by Nili Weissman
In this class we will develop skills to live deeply with our own personal pasuk (verse of Torah) as a travel companion in our lives. Month by month we will navigate a different theme toward developing a relationship with our pasuk. As a result, its deep teaching will continuously be speaking to us, becoming a window into our deep inner lives. We will meet once a month to witness, support and listen to the stories of this unfolding process. This yearlong journey will offer us a unique experience of learning Torah from eachother as we learn how to listen deeply to a sacred text in our lives. We will embark on this holy journey together following the receiving of our pasukim at the Simchas Torah ritual in October. All are welcome; class size will be small and intimate.
Starts Sunday, March 4
1st Sunday of Every Month
Time: 6:00pm
Location: 131 Riverside Drive, Apt 10D