Institute of Jewish Studies

Learn

Temple Emanu-El offers learning opportunities nearly every day of the week thanks in part to the generosity of the Koffler and Bornstein families.

Click on any of the offerings listed below for more information, or scroll down to see information on all of our offerings

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Tuesday Morning Learning: Pirkei Avot with Rabbis Tucker, Elad-Appelbaum, and Friedman

This oft-cited but rarely understood book on the Jewish shelf is well-known for maxims such as "if not now, when?" and "the world rests on three things." We will explore it each week after morning minyan, turning it over again and again, guided by two of the Conservative/Masorti Movement's brightest lights, Rabbi Gordon Tucker and Rabbi Tamar Elad-Appelbaum.

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Hebrew at Temple Emanu-El!
Days: Tuesdays (September 2, 9, 16, 30, October 21, 28, November 4, and 11)
Time: 6:00 - 7:00 PM (except beginner, which is 5:00-6:00 PM)
Location: In-person at Temple Emanu-El
Cost: $100 per person (scholarship available)
Registration: Click here!
For more information regarding which level is right for you, contact Toby Liebowitz: tobyaane@gmail.com

Join us for Hebrew Conversation and improve your speaking skills. This Fall Semester we will be offering 5 Hebrew Conversation Classes.

Beginner (beginning November 4, more details to come):
Have you always wanted to read Hebrew or did you learn many years ago and need a refresher course? This course is an introduction to Hebrew. You will learn to read and write the Aleph Bet and practice some basic conversational Hebrew. (need to purchase a book)
Taught by: Toby Liebowitz
Introduction to Prayerbook Hebrew (6:00-7:00 PM):
Begin your journey toward understanding Prayerbook Hebrew. This course assumes that you can read Hebrew. If you want to follow along in the prayer book and participate in services with understanding, this class is for you. There will be many ‘aha’ moments as the words on the page and in your ears begin to have meaning. (need to purchase a book and a workbook)
Taught by: Rabbi Daniel Kripper
Advanced Beginners for Spoken Hebrew (6:00-7:00 PM):
This course is offered to those who can read and write Hebrew and are interested in learning how to speak modern Hebrew in a warm and friendly atmosphere.
Taught by: Janice Kaiden
Intermediate (6:00-7:00 PM):
If you can speak some basic Hebrew using the present and some past tense and are interested in improving your vocabulary and fluency, while having fun with fellow Hebrew speakers, this is the course for you! (need to purchase a book)
Taught by: Toby Liebowitz
Advanced (6:00-7:00 PM):
This course is for you if you are looking for a fun setting to read and discuss essays, poetry, and music in Hebrew. You can suggest your own topics of interest as well.
Taught by: Rita Braude

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Wednesday Morning Learning: Journeys in the Shulhan Arukh
Day: Wednesdays (ongoing)
Time: 7:30 AM
Instructor: Rabbi Michael Fel
Location: In-person and Zoom options

After the 7:30 AM minyan on Wednesday mornings, Rabbi Fel will teach for 30 minutes, line by line, from the 16th century book of Jewish practice known as the Shulhan Arukh. Each breakfast gathering will give us a chance to learn more about how our ancestors infused meaning into their everyday lives, share our own Jewish experiences, and work together to develop a spiritual practice that is meaningful and relevant for us today

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Zimrah B'Ma'agal
Join us every Thursday after morning minyan and once a month after Shabbat kiddush to raise our voices in song! We’ll sing a wide variety of Jewish tunes, from classic Shabbat z’mirot to the up-and-coming sounds of Hadar Ensemble. Bring your favorite tunes to teach or just come to learn and sing along. All music lovers welcome, no experience necessary.

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Delve Deeper

Delve Deeper is an adult education initiative that brings dynamic teachers to present in-depth, university level Judaic courses to a diverse group of adult learners. Delve Deeper programs are presented in cooperation with the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island; area synagogues including: Congregation Beth Sholom, Temple Beth-El, Temple Emanu-El, Temple Habonim, Temple Sinai, and Temple Torat Yisrael; and the Jewish Community Day School of Rhode Island. Financial support is provided by the Joseph and Jacqueline Teverow Memorial Fund at the Jewish Federation Foundation of Greater Rhode Island. All are welcome to join!

Fall 2025 - The Land of Israel in the Religious Imagination from Antiquity to Present
Day: Thursday - October 9 to December 18
Time: 6:30 - 8:30 PM
Instructor: Michael L. Satlow, Ph.D., professor of Judaic Studies andReligious Studies at Brown University
Location: Zoom only
Cost: $250 (Scholarships available)
Registration: Register Now!

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all consider the land of Israel to be, in some sense, "holy." But what does that really mean, and what is its significance? In this course, we will take a deep historical dive into the texts that discuss and define the holiness of the land, including Jerusalem. Our focus will be on traditional Jewish texts, such as the Bible, the Talmud, the siddur, the Zohar, and the law codes, while also occasionally including evidence from archaeology as well as Christian and Muslim perspectives. Toward the end of the class, we will see how these ideas played (and continue to play) a role in the Zionist movement and the modern State of Israel.

For more information about the course and the instructors, visit www.delvedeeper.org

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Parashat HaShavua
Day: Fridays (ongoing)
Times:
In-person: 7:30 AM - 9:15 AM, (class begins after minyan/zman kodesh)
Zoom: 8:30 AM - 9:15 AM
Instructor: Rabbi Alvan Kaunfer
Location: In person and Zoom
For more information, please email Rabbi Kaunfer: akaunfer@cox.net

Join Rabbi Alan Kaunfer for a weekly study session to discuss highlights from the Torah portion of the week. This weekly discussion takes place on Friday mornings after Z’man Kodesh.

All are welcome!

CLICK HERE to join on Zoom

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Hug Ivri
Instructor: Rabbi Alvan Kaunfer
Location: Zoom only
For more information, please email Rabbi Kaunfer: akaunfer@cox.net

Rabbi Kaunfer leads this group, conducted entirely in Hebrew. It will continue its study and discussion of midrashim on biblical stories from Bialik’s Sefer Aggadah often moving into a variety of fascinating topics. If you are an advanced Hebrew speaker, join us!

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929 Tanakh B'yahad (Hebrew Bible Together)
Day: Every other Thursday unless otherwise indicated
Time: 7:00 PM
Instructor: Fellow 929ers
Location: Zoom only
Cost: $36 suggested donation to support educational scholarships. (Those not in a position to donate are more than welcome to attend.)
Registration: Call the office to register

Have you ever wanted to read the Hebrew Bible in its entirety? Now in its third cycle, join people all over the world reading just one chapter a day during the week (you get weekends off!). Using classic and modern biblical commentaries, we will look at the book of Genesis with a fresh set of eyes. This class will look at sources in Hebrew with English translation. All are invited, whether you are participating in 929 or not. Learn more about 929 at https://www.929.org.il/lang/en/today