The Lifelong Learning Committee brings Jewish educational programs to Beth El, and to the greater Triangle Jewish community. We offer classes, lectures, and discussion groups, on topics that range from prayerbook Hebrew to mindfulness meditation to psalms and megillot. Classes generally take place Sunday mornings at Beth El, or during the evenings at locations in Durham and Chapel Hill.
2018-2019 Schedule of Events
Click here to download the schedule.
Visit our calendar for confirmed times and locations.
Author Series
November 8: Bob Wechsler,
“The Jewish Baseball Card Book
December 13: Jane Gabin,
“The Paris Photo”
February 28: Susan Weinberg,
“We Spoke Jewish: A Legacy in Stories”
March 14: Ariel Burger,
“Witness”
May 16: Rick Richman,
“Racing Against History”
Date to be confirmed: Steve Weisman,
“The Evolution of Judaism”
Classes
October 28: Tzitzit Tying Workshop with
Laura Brody Weaver
October-December, Sundays: Hebrew I with
Donna Goldstein
October-May, Select Sundays and Thursdays:
“Jewish Values and the Israeli/Palestinian
Conflict” with Rabbi Daniel Greyber
Discussions
November 4: Rachel Ariel ,
Review of an Israeli novel
January 17: Margie Satinsky,
Discussion of “Le Juive” / “The Jewess” (Opera)
March 3: Martha Hauptman and Sharon Halperin,
Discussion of “Witness”
Shabbat Shiurim
October 20: Ezra Zuckerman Sivan,
“The Shabbat as a Miracle of Entrepreneurship”
November 3: Larry Greenberg,
Chayei Sarah – Sarah’s Treatment of Ishmael and
Isaac
November 10: Speaker TBD
Toldot – The Deception of Isaac
November 17: Speaker TBD
Vayetzei – Jacob’s Relationships with Rachel and Leah
December 1: Harold Kudler,
Vayashev – Jacob and his Sons
Scholar-in-Residence Weekend
May 3-5: Dr. Arnie Eisen, Chancellor of the Jewish
Theological Seminary
Regular Study Groups
- At 8:45 am on Saturday mornings, a group gathers at Beth El (as of January 2018 the group gathers at Trinity Ave Presbyterian Church, 927 W Trinity Ave, Durham, NC 27701, during Beth El’s renovations) to study Mishnah before Shabbat services. There’s also a brief text study after the 8:00 am Wednesday morning minyan at the Freedman Center (1008 Watts Street). These study groups are open to everyone. No matter what your level of knowledge, and whether you can come once a week or once a year, you’re very welcome to attend.
- Wednesday morning weekday services starts at 8:00 am. Join us for services, coffee, nosh, and schmoozing, followed by a study led by Rabbi Greyber on the book of Exodus as read by the Medieval Jewish Commentators. Rosh Chodesh Wednesday services start at 7:45 am; check the weekly announcements to confirm start time.
- We offer an advanced weekly Midrash class led by Rabbi Emeritus Steve Sager. Please contact Rabbi Sager if you are interested in joining this group.
- Do you sometimes wish there was more time to discuss the Parasha/Torah Portion of the Week? Approximately once a month, we offer Torah discussions led by various congregants. Times vary from before (9:30 am) or concurrent with (10:30 am) the Torah reading in the main sanctuary, to an occasional session held after kiddush lunch. Check out our calendar for upcoming sessions.
- In order to meet some of our members where they are, Rabbi Greyber leads monthly Lunch and Learn sessions at the UNC Chapel Hill Hillel (as of January 2018 the group gathers at the Chapel Hill Library). The topics vary each month, so please check out the calendar for upcoming sessions.
Hebrew Courses for the 2018-2019 Academic Year:
Sign up for Hebrew Level I (Instructor: Donna Goldstein)
