Classes

This semester we are featuring a wide variety of classes, both beginner and advanced:

Basic Level Classes:

JH200 Inspired Lives Rabbi Hanoch Teller
The history and the impact of the leading Torah luminaries of the past 100 years. Filled with biographical information, anecdotal insights and meaningful stories, we will probe into the vast accomplishments of these saintly scholars that have shaped the communities we live in today.

M103 The Book of Ruth Rebbetzin Tziporah Heller
An in-depth analysis of the Book of Ruth, based on the text and the commentary of Rashi, combined with the approaches of the other commentaries. Discover the challenges and greatness of Ruth, the mother of the Davidic dynasty. Rudimentary knowledge of Hebrew preferred, but not necessary for the class. Book of Ruth with Rashi’s commentary required for the class.

P101 Topics in the Parsha Mrs. Shira Smiles

Mrs. Smiles delivers lectures covering selected texts from a wide range of sources from which she brings out the unique moral lessons that can be learned from every moment in time. Each class is based either on the Torah portion of the week or on the Yamim Tovim, the Jewish holidays. Mrs. Smiles begins with basic primary sources, usually a verse from the Torah, and delves into its meaning and message through extensive selections from both the Early Commentators of the Middle Ages and the Later Commentators of the Modern Era. Mrs. Smiles adds excerpts from classical works produced by both the Chassidic and Mussar Movements, and ties together all components of the lecture to bring home a new insight into our lives as inspired Torah Jews.

Advanced Level Classes:

K202 Sefer Tehillim 2 Rabbi Avishai David

Sefer Tehillim is replete with praise, joy, tears, and entreaty to Hashem. At times one can fail to recognize the uniqueness of each perek, as the praise and pleading seemingly repeat themselves again and again. Through the use of many commentaries, Rabbi David breaks down every perek into its components and clarifies the distinctions between them. What emerges is a new understanding and appreciation of the precision and pathos contained in Sefer Tehillim

CH104 Akeidat Yitzchak Mrs. Shira Smiles

Through her unique question and answer technique for learning Tanach, Mrs. Smiles analyzes many aspects of Avraham Avinu's final test. An in depth look into this brief but powerful section of Chumash. Classical and modern Commentaries will be analyzed. The ultimate goal of every learning session is not only to fully understand the Chumash, but also internalize its lessons. Chumash Mikraot Gedolot with Ohr HaChaim and Kli Yakar required for the class.

JPH203 Sefer Netivot Olam of the Maharal 2 Rebbetzin Tziporah Heller

The Maharal of Prague is a paradigm of depth and sophistication of Torah thought that forms the foundation for many of the teachings of Chassidus, Mussar and Machshava. His Sefer Netivot Olam, on Man's obligations of conduct, is an important text for one who is focused on self-improvement and ethical behavior guided by Torah. Rebbetzin Heller focuses on the words of the Maharal and their meaning, and then applies them to our lives through concrete examples. For the Spring Semester, Rebbetzin Heller will be covering Netiv Hashalom and Netiv Hayissurim.