Adult Education; a Commitment to Learning About Ourselves and our Faith
At Mt. Sinai Congregation, we seek to better ourselves. An important component to this a deep commitment to the Maimonidean principle is that knowledge increases our understanding of God, Torah, and our world.
Presently, we offer the following opportunities in adult learning:
Judaism: A Fresh Look at Old Stuff
In this series, we explore the unfolding of sacred texts that are the basis for Modern Judaism. We began with understanding both traditional concepts and historical approaches of how the Torah came to be the central text that defines Judaism. We continue our studies with a reading of the Introduction to Maimonides’s Mishnah Torah (1176) which explains how classical rabbinic texts such as Mishnah, Midrash, and Talmud came into existence and their extraordinary influence that has further deepened our faith from the time of the beginning of the Diaspora to today. Currently we are reading selections of Maimonides’s Guide of the Perplexed – a work that is studied to this day in both college philosophy and religion classes. We will soon move into the modern era of Jewish literature to study a faith that remains ever-evolving yet anchored in tradition.
This class meets each Monday at 12:00 pm and 6:30 pm (to accommodate those who cannot attend the day-time session). One can join the class at any time.
This class is also available by “Zoom” invitation by simply requesting to enter the class by emailing Rabbi at rabbiboraz@gmail.com.
Prayer Book Fluency: Kevah and Kavanah
Kevah is Hebrew for fixed, referring to standard prayers that can be found in any Siddur (Jewish prayer book), whether it be Reform or Traditional. Knowledge of our prayers allows us to pray as a community in any synagogue in the world and to join in worship services. Kavanah refers to our deepest intention; the heartfelt connection that we experience at times when either engaged in prayer on our own or in a communal setting.
In this course, we work on both our comfort level reciting and chanting (sometimes with guitar accompaniment) such prayers as the Mah Tovu, Hatzi Kaddish, Shema, the Avot V’Imahot, as well as understanding the sources of these prayers. We then engage in a reflective session about how we personally relate to the concepts such as loving God, teaching our children, and fully embracing the divine nature of our own being.
Class meets each Tuesday at 12:00 pm and then again at 6:30 pm and is also available by “Zoom” invitation by simply requesting to enter the class by emailing Rabbi at rabbiboraz@gmail.com.
Lunch Bunch
This gathering takes place on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at 12:00 pm at the synagogue. Attendees bring their own lunch and together we engage in learning. Currently, we are looking at the history of Israel, from the time of Herzl to the present. We are reading Theodore Herzl’s “The Jewish State” in which he sets-forth the basic ideas of why such a state is necessary, what it would mean for both the Jewish people and the world, and how this is to be accomplished. We also look at contemporary issues that concern American Jewish life and of course, Israel.
For further information on these classes or if you are interested in meeting Rabbi for a personal course of study, feel free to contact him at 715-675-2560 or his cell 603-448-8533 or by email rabbiboraz@gmail.com.