In the Talmud it says: "These are the deeds which yield fruit in time to come: honoring parents; doing deeds of loving kindness; attending the house of study punctually, morning and evening; providing hospitality; visiting the sick; helping the needy bride; attending the dead; probing the meaning of prayer; making peace between one person and another and between husband and wife. And the study of Torah is the most central of all."
Study is the most central because it is fundamental to action as well as understanding. In the Jewish tradition, study is profound spiritual practice.
To paraphrase Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel: "When I pray, I talk to God; when I study Torah, God talks to me."
The challenge of being a Jew includes finding an appropriate way to continue to study, to stretch, to grow. Our Lifelong Learning Program offers a wide range of classes and experiences that include Adult B’nei Mitzvah, Interfaith Couples Workshops, learning Hebrew, Torah Study, exploring prayer, developing a personally meaningful Shabbat celebration. If we aren’t offering it and you want it and know a few others who share your interest – be it meditation, mysticism or Israeli dance – we will provide it.
Lifelong Learning is indeed a central Jewish practice, and here at Beth Chaim, it sure can be fun, stimulating and a source of joyful meaning in our lives.
LIFELONG LEARNING 2009-2010
Nu, You Think That’s Funny?
A Century of Jewish Humor in America
Led by Mark Levy
From Myron Cohen to Rosanne Barr, Jewish Jokesters have had a disproportionate influence on 20th century American comedy. Hear and see vintage recordings and clips from vaudeville, Borsht Belt, TV and film and learn why and how Jews have made us laugh for a hundred years. Mark Levy has performed and taught around the country for several decades. He is a singer and lecturer specializing in Jewish music history and a student of Jewish humor.
Dates: Tuesdays, November 10, 17
Time: 7:00 – 9:00 pm
Tuition: $20 for BCC members; $30 for non-members
Lunch and Learn
Or, How to do Sacred Texting
Led by Rabbi Dan
Bring a bag lunch and chew on some sacred Jewish texts. Every week we will look at a different text from various periods and streams of Judaism. We will look into these texts to discover what they might mean to us.
Dates: Every Monday
November 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, December 7, 14
Time: 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Tuition: Free; drop-ins welcome
“Letting Go of the Stress of Looking for Work”
Shabbat Support Group
Led by Rabbi Dan
An open gathering for people looking for work, and for those who have something to share about coping with the stress of unemployment and under-employment. Come have a glass of wine, relax, unburden, and be with people who understand where you stand.
Dates: Last Friday of Every Month
beginning Friday, October 30th,
Time: 9:15 – 10:30 p.m.
Tuition: Free; drop-ins welcome
Torah-Scope
Led Rabbi Chaya Gusfield
Use your birth portion as a lens into our sacred Torah text. We will explore how to study the Torah portion that was being read during the week you were born. If you are new to Torah study or have experience studying Torah, this class is for you. We will learn different approaches to studying Torah focusing on the personal significance of your birth portion.
Dates: Six Thursday evenings:
November 5, 19, December 3, 17, January 7, 21
Time: 7:30-9:00 p.m.
Tuition: $75 for BCC members; $110 for non-members;
Pre-registration and birth dates (and year) required
Spiritual Support Group for Caregivers
Led by Rabbi Chaya Gusfield
Being a caregiver for a parent or other adult has its unique challenges and joys. Let us share our stories, celebrate the successes, support each other with the struggles, and learn about how the Jewish tradition can support us on this journey. This group is for those caring for an aging parent or other adult either locally or long distance.
Dates: First Wednesday of each month
November-March
November 4, December 2, January 6,
February 3, March 3
Time: 7:30-9:00 p.m.
Tuition: $50 members; $75 non-members
no one will be turned away
Pre-registration required; drop-ins welcome for the first month
Healing Gathering
Led by Rabbi Dan and Rabbi Chaya
Learn how simple it is to help those who are in need of healing through meditation and prayer. Join if you are in need of prayer for healing of body, mind or spirit or if you would like to learn and practice this for others in need.
Date: Sunday, October 11
Time: 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Tuition: Free
Rosh Chodesh Group
Led by Rabbi Chaya Gusfield
On behalf of the Sisterhood
for Beth Chaim Women and Their Friends
We will gather together as women to share our lives, have fun, learn music, and honor our strengths. We will support one another in our challenges, do ritual, learn about the qualities of the Hebrew months and the sacred rhythm of the year, and most likely eat fun food!
Date: Wednesday, November 18;
All other sessions will be held on the Fourth Wednesday of each month through May
Time: 7:30-9:00 p.m.
Tuition: Free;
Pre-registration is helpful so we know how many people are interested
Interfaith Couples Support Group
Co-led by Rabbi Dan Goldblatt and
Yael Lieberman-Goldblatt, Ph.D., clinical psychology
This is a group designed for interfaith couples that are exploring how to navigate through issues such as child rearing, conflicts with family of origin, holiday dilemmas, and split loyalties.
Dates: Mondays, January 25, February 1, 8, 22, March 1
Time: 7:30-9:00 p.m.
Tuition: $100 for BCC members, $150 for non-members
May their Memory be for a Blessing
Grief Group Forming in February 2010
Led by Rabbi Chaya Gusfield
Has the loss of a loved one transformed your connection with God or your spirituality? Rabbi Chaya Gusfield will be facilitating a grief group for those who have experienced the death of a loved one and want to explore their journey through the lens of contemplative Jewish spirituality.
“May their memory be for a blessing” or in Hebrew “Zichronam Livracha” is the expression that we use when mentioning the name of someone who has died in order to honor them and to remember them.
Limited to 7 participants;
apply by January 1 by contacting
Rabbi Chaya Gusfield;
( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , 925.212.7943)
Dates: Sessions will meet on two
Wednesday nights per month,
February 10, 17, March 10, 17, April 14, 21
Time: 7:30-9:00 p.m.
Tuition: $50 members; $75 non-members
no one will be turned away
Do You Love to Sing?
Led by Cantor Linda Hirschhorn
Cantor Linda Hirschhorn is a dynamic singer/ songwriter, and director of women's a cappella ensemble Vocolot.
Come join an experienced leader of choral music who will guide you to make joyful music together. This is for people who love to sing and enjoy singing with other people. It is open to singers of all levels, and you do not have to be able to read music. There will be 4 sessions to learn the music and will culminate in a choral performance for the community.
Dates: Sunday evenings
November 8, 15, 29, December 6;
with a choral performance on December 13
Time: 7:00-9:30 p.m.
Tuition: $80 members, $120 non-members
(children free; teenagers half price)
If you would like to sign up for any of our Lifelong Learning Program courses, please call the office at 925-736-7146 or come in and get a registration form.
Registration Form
Name: _______________________________________________
Phone Number: (_________) _________-______________
E-mail: ________________________________________________
|
Programs: |
Member |
Non-Member |
# of People |
Total: |
|
Do You Love to Sing? |
$80 |
$120 |
|
|
|
Healing Gathering |
Free |
Free |
|
|
|
Interfaith Couples Support |
$100 |
$150 |
|
|
|
Letting Go of the Stress of Looking for Work |
Free |
Free |
|
|
|
Lunch & Learn |
Free |
Free |
|
|
|
May Their Memory be for a Blessing |
$50 |
$75 |
|
|
|
Nu, You Think That’s Funny? |
$20 |
$30 |
|
|
|
Rosh Chodesh Group |
Free |
Free |
|
|
|
Spiritual Support Group for Caregivers |
$50 |
$75 |
|
|
|
Torah Scope |
$75 |
$110 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total: |
|
Payment By:
ÿ Check (made payable to Beth Chaim Congregation)
ÿ Credit Card:
Name on Card: ____________________________________
Card Type: M/C _____ VISA _____
Card #: ____________________________________
Exp. Date: _____________
Signature: ____________________________________
