ONLINEThe Wisdom of Judaism: An Exploration for Curious Jews and Non-Jews

Jewish traditions and texts are filled with wisdom for living a good and meaningful life, and the story of the Jewish people is a story of hope and resilience. This is a course for anyone interested in exploring this wisdom and this story.

Over the course of 16 sessions, we will learn about the wisdom of Jewish traditions such as Shabbat, holidays, keeping kosher, and prayer; trace the story of the Jewish people from biblical times to our current moment; and explore the wide range of Jewish beliefs about God, justice, and what it means to live a good life.

This course assumes no background knowledge and is open to all. It is a wonderful opportunity for Jews, non-Jews and interfaith couples who are curious about Jewish life, thought and history. This class will meet online, with some additional opportunities for in-person gatherings as a cohort.

About the teacher: Rabbi Jethro Berkman has been a Jewish educator for more than 25 years. He taught Hebrew Bible, Jewish thought, and Jewish history at Gann Academy, Boston’s pluralistic Jewish high school, for 12 years. He now directs a national fellowship for leaders in Jewish education at the Mandel Institute for Nonprofit Leadership.

Class format: Online class, led by Rabbi Jethro Berkman with guest teachers from Temple Ohabei Shalom clergy and staff.

Financial assistance: We are committed to making our programs accessible to all. Thanks to the generosity of our community, scholarship funds are available for those who may need financial assistance. All inquiries are handled confidentially. Contact the clergy at clergy@ohabei.org for more information.

Enrollment: We are excited to offer this course. To ensure a high-quality experience, a minimum number of participants is required. If minimum enrollment is not reached, we reserve the right to cancel the program. Those registered will be notified in advance and any payments will be refunded.