I'm loving Eser so far. It's been a valuable learning experience, especially since the group is very responsive to answering questions and diving deeper into discussions. The topics we analyze really make me reflect on my own life experiences.
 
Having Rabbi Neil Hirsch there as one of our leaders is a key component for me, especially since he and I met a few times before Eser and built up a rapport.
 

I’m looking forward to our group’s Shabbat Dinner on Friday. I’ve been to one other organized Shabbat dinner in the Jewish community but it didn’t feel grounded in Jewish tradition or learning (it consisted of a single prayer that wasn't discussed in detail and a couple of pizzas). Hopefully this upcoming Friday will be more valuable for me – everyone from my group is cooking something or buying something to contribute to the meal and I know our leaders are preparing great explanations and discussion for the evening.
 
There are so many new things I have already learned from the first two sessions (we covered the topics of "Jewish Debate" and "Jewish Education"– I didn't know the first thing about how many holy books there are!). We’ve still got eight more topics to go and I'm dying to learn more.

Dimitry Neyshtadt is one of 55 participantsd in Eser, a Jewish learning program for young adults by CJP and Hebrew College. To learn more about the program visit http://hebrewcollege.edu/eser