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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Hebrew at Temple Emanu-El!
Days:
Tuesdays (March 18, 25, April 1, 8, 15, 22, May 6, & 13)
Time: All classes 6:00 - 7:00 PM except Beginner 1, which is 5:00 - 5:45 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 Winter Semester we will be offering 5 Hebrew Conversation Classes.

Beginner 1: This is an ongoing class and not open to new students. Taught By: Toby Liebowitz
Beginner 2: This is an ongoing class and not open to new students. Taught By: Janice Kaiden
Intermediate 1: Can read and write Hebrew and are interested in spoken modern Hebrew using the present tense. Taught By: Rabbi Daniel Kripper
Intermediate 2: Can read and write Hebrew and are interested in spoken modern Hebrew using present and past tenses. Taught By: Toby Liebowitz
Advanced: Can speak Hebrew easily in all tenses, and can read articles and poetry and discuss a variety of current topics. Taught By: Rita Braude
Hebrew Games: Gaya Dahan, our Rhode Island Israeli Emissary, will be working with all of the classes, sharing games and stories from Israel.

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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!

Winter 2025 - Messianic Hope and Longing in Jewish Thought
Day: Wednesdays - February 5 to April 9, 2025
Time: 7:00 -9:00 PM
Instructor: Paul E. Nahme, Associate Professor of Judaic Studies and Religious Studies at Brown University
Location: Zoom only
Cost: $250 (Scholarships available)
Registration: Register Now!

Messianism is a cornerstone of Jewish thought. Join us as Dr. Paul Nahme, director of Judaic Studies at Brown University, helps us explore Jewish responses to exile, suffering, hope and longing through topics including the disappointment of Sabbatai Zvi, the rise of Hasidism, interpretations of Jewish statehood as supernal redemption, and the influence of Chabad philosophy on contemporary American Jewry.

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

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Torah Chanting - Spring 2025

This Spring, we have two Torah chanting classes available: introductory and advanced. See below to learn about these classes and for registration information.

Introduction to Torah Chanting with Bob Pelcovits
Day: Tuesdays- February 4 to March 4, 2025
Time: 7:00 - 8:00 PM
Cost: $36 for all 5 five classes
Registration: Register Now!

Unlock the secrets of Torah chanting in this engaging 5-session class! Bob Pelcovits will guide you through the melodies, tools, and insider tips you need to master Torah reading with confidence and skill. Hebrew decoding skills required—get ready to bring the Torah to life.

Advanced Torah Chanting with Ron Shufrin
Day: March 2, 12, 19, 26, 30, May 21, & 28, 2025
Time: Sunday sessions at 9:30 AM, Wednesday sessions at 7:00 PM
Cost: $36 for all 5 five classes
Registration: Coming Soon!

Ready to take your Torah reading skills to the next level? Join Ron Shufrin for an engaging class designed for those already familiar with Torah reading who want to improve their proficiency and learn to read multiple and longer aliyot each Shabbat. With years of experience reading Torah at services and the excitement at having the opportunity to teach for the first time, Ron is eager to share the skills that will in time turn beginner level readers into superior ones.

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Aging with Intention
Day: Sundays, January 26-March 9, 2025
Time: 5:45 PM - 7:15 PM, beginning with Minyan
Instructor: Deb Herman, Ph.D., clinical psychologist, & Ed Shea, professional theater artist and current Harvard Master of Divinity student
Cost: $250 per person for all classes and is subsidized by the Innovation Fund.
Registration: Register now!

Aging with Intention is a 6-session group program designed to explore the experience of aging. Guided by Deb Herman, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist, and Ed Shea, a professional theatre artist and current Harvard Master of Divinity student, each 90-min session will provide content and an opportunity for group discussion around different aspects of the experience of aging. The course is targeted to individuals on the cusp of making a later-stage career or life change.

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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

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TEimPROV - No Experience Necessary!
Day: Tuesdays, beginning February 4, 2025
Time: 7:00 PM
Registration: RSVP Now!

Discover the joy of improvisation in this fun and supportive class designed for everyone, regardless of experience! Over the course of the class, Corey Finkle and Jonathan Pearlman will guide us through exciting improv games and exercises that build confidence, creativity, and teamwork. The class will culminate in a thrilling one-hour improv show!

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Wednesday Morning Minyan, Breakfast, and Learning
Day: Wednesdays (ongoing)
Time: 7:30 AM
Instructor: Rabbi Michael Fel
Location: In-person and Zoom options

Following 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 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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Hug Ivri
Day: Thursdays (ongoing)
Time: 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
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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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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Re/Intro To Judaism
If you are interested in learning more please reach out to Rabbi Fel.

Cost: Highly subsidized tuition is $350 for an individual, $550 for a couple. If you don’t have enough for tuition right now, don’t panic. Through the generosity of our supporters, we make sure that no one is ever turned away.

Do you want to know more about Jewish ideas, practices, and traditions?
Are you interested in learning more about Judaism?
Are you exploring conversion to Judaism?

Join Rabbi Fel, Cantor Mayer, as well as other teachers in the community, to learn more about the Jewish culture! This course is designed to be an introduction to Judaism so that converts or Jewish people who are unfamiliar will be able to learn more.

View the trailer!