Program
- Education Series
- Streaming
Introduction to Judaism Beyond Nationalism
Whether you’re new to Judaism, seeking conversion, or reimagining your Jewish life, this course is for you! This 16-class, two-module series offers a fresh and rigorous exploration of Jewish identity, history, and practice grounded in justice, diaspora, and spiritual autonomy.
Course Description: This is an overview course in broad strokes about Jewish life, culture, belief, non-belief, and thought. This course will give the participants a general background in the ideas, practices, and expressions of Jewish life from ancient times to the present. The course is split into two modules, with a third advanced module available upon completion of the second.
Module 1: History and Ideas
Tuesdays, 6:00–7:30pm EDT | 3:00 - 4:30pm PCT
June 3 - August 5, 2025 {Skipping weeks of Tuesday, June 17 and July 8}
This module traces the historical development of Judaism from biblical times to postmodernity, with a focus on philosophy, diaspora, the advent of Zionism, and responses to it.
Module 2: Practices and Lifecycle
Tuesdays, 6:00–7:30pm EDT | 3:00 - 4:30pm PCT
August 12 - October 7, 2025 {Skipping week of Tuesday, September 23}
This module dives into the practices and lifecycles of Jewish life—Shabbat, prayer, festivals, and ritual objects—centering tradition as lived experience rather than nationalist ideology.
We encourage regular attendance although we understand that it may be impossible for participants to attend every session. We will record and make the classes available to watch afterwards. The class is paired with the books Judaisms by Aaron Hahn Tapper, or Jewish History: A Very Short Introduction by David Meyer.
Course Pricing Structure:
- Module One: $300
- Module Two: $300
- Modules One & Two: $550
- Scholarship allocation available through application
Course Outline:
MODULE ONE: History & Ideas
Week 1: Introduction & What is a Jew? {June 3, 2025}
Week 2: The Jewish Timeline: History of the World Pt. 1 {June 10, 2025}
Week 3: The Jewish Timeline: Locating ourselves in the Jewish story Pt. II {June 24, 2025}
Week 4: Torah: From the Bible to the Talmud (a journey through the year) {July 1, 2025}
Week 5: Jewish Belief: One God or Less {July 15, 2025}
Week 6: What is Zionism {July 22, 2025}
Week 7: Antisemitism {July 29, 2025}
Week 8: The Jews in America (Streams & Secularism) {August 5, 2025}
MODULE TWO: Practices & Lifestyle
Week 1: Introduction to Shabbat {August 12, 2025}
Week 2: The Jewish lifecycle: Divorce, Death, the Afterlife, Birth, Bar Mitzvah, and Marriage {August 19, 2025}
Week 3: Prayer: An Introduction to Services {August 26, 2025}
Week 4: Fall Festivals: Elul, Slichot, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur {September 2, 2025}
Week 5: Sukkot and Shavuot: Harvest Festivals {September 9, 2025}
Week 6: Purim and Chanukah {September 16, 2025}
Week 7: Jewish Symbols and Ritual Objects: Their Meaning and Use {September 30, 2025}
Week 8: Siyyum {October 7, 2025}
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