Adult Education

Adult Education focuses on the Etz Chaim mission of engaging each individual in a life-long Jewish journey by offering a multitude of stand-alone and multi-session intellectual, spiritual, and cultural program offerings. Sessions are offered at various times during the week, with most currently taking place on Saturdays after a kiddush lunch, Sundays, and occasional weekday sessions. Offerings range from interactive study sessions to field trips to guest lectures, with many more events besides. Learners of all backgrounds are enthusiastically welcomed at every event!

 

 

Some highlights of our programming over the past year include:

 

*   Scholar-in-Residence weekend with Rabbi Gary Zola, Professor of the American Jewish Experience at HUC and Executive Director of the American Jewish Archives, who spoke about the history of religious freedom in America, and how American Jews have historically balanced their American and Jewish identities at the ballot box. 

 

*   Tour of Walnut Hills Cemetery, led by Carrie Rhodus, Operations Manager of United      Jewish Cemeteries, where we heard stories of many prominent Jews in Cincinnati’s history, and enjoyed the beautiful grounds. 

 

*  Jews & Jokes Shabbat—Jewish humor program after Shabbat services, with special guest

    Dr. Matthew Krauss, head of the Department of Judaic Studies at UC. 

 

*   Czech Holocaust Torah - Annual program commemorating the Torah and the Trezst community it came from, incorporating old European hazzunut during Shabbat service.

 

*   Epcot Shabbat - Collaboration with other synagogue committees (Ritual, Sisterhood, Men’s Club) in exploring the cultures of Jewish communities in countries throughout the world. 

 

*   Jewish Perspectives on Organ and Tissue Donation - presented by Rabbi Elena Stein, lead chaplain at Jewish Hospital for 20 years, and currently serving as chaplain at Good Samaritan TriHealth. 

 

*   Tour of Klau Library and the Rare Book Archives at HUC.  We had the opportunity

to view ancient cuneiform tablets, tiny travel siddurim, and centuries-old Haggadot

with beautiful calligraphy and illustrations.

 

*    Shabbat in the Park at the Blue Ash Nature Preserve, focused on the connection to

    Nature in the Torah and Jewish teachings. 

 

*    Tour of Cincinnati Recycling & Reuse Hub, where we learned about the do’s and don’t’s

of curbside recycling, plus information about how this private facility collects many materials

    for recycling and reuse that are not accepted by local curb-side recycling programs. 

 

*   Book Discussion:  “Here All Along:  Finding Meaning, Spirituality, and a Deeper Connection To Life—in Judaism (After Finally Choosing to Look There)” by Sarah Hurwitz.  Our discussion offered congregants the opportunity to examine some of the “Big Ideas” fundamen-

    tal to Judaism, e.g., “Why choose Judaism?”; “What is Judaism? (A religion?  A culture?  A

    set of values?); “What is the core animating idea of the Torah?”; “Is the Torah constant or

    evolving?”; “Which of the many Jewish conceptions of God resonates for you?”. 

 

The Education Committee is busy planning for programming in the New Year 5786.  We have several programs in the works, and welcome your suggestions.  If you have ideas for future programs, or might be interested in joining the committee, please contact one of the cochairs:

 

Lynne Haber Tikvah47@yahoo.com or Marianne Nidich, mnidich@gmail.com

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Stay tune for topics & times

For additional program dates and times,

please consult the Etz Chaim calendar by clicking on the button below

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