Thank you for learning with CBST! For more info, view registration details.
Spring Term
Creating Liturgy: A Personal Prayer Workshop - Register Now »
Taught by Rabbinical Student Ariel Tovlev
2 Sessions via Zoom: Sunday, April 9 at 7:00 p.m. and Tuesday, April 11 at 7:30 p.m.
Jewish prayers at their core are poems. Our liturgy is made up of poems that were written with the specific intention to praise God, to thank God, or to ask God for blessings. In addition to using our set liturgy, we can also create our own prayers of the heart. Join this two-part workshop to learn how to write your own prayers inspired by modern poetry. No writing experience necessary. Just bring an open heart and a willingness to explore!
Jewish Star Trek [Registration Closed]
Taught by Rabbi Marisa James & Cantor Sam Rosen
Mondays, 6:00–7:00 p.m., beginning March 13
5 Sessions: 3/13, 3/20, 3/27, 4/3, 4/10
Join Rabbi James and Cantor Rosen as they explore strange new worlds, and seek out new life and new civilizations in five sessions of “Jewish Star Trek.” From Leonard Nimoy’s “Vulcan salute” to breaking barriers of race, gender, and sexual orientation, Star Trek has been on the forefront of envisioning a better future for humanity. Class sessions will include watching excerpts of Star Trek episodes as well as lively discussion. Boldly go with us into themes of gender, social justice, family relations, spirituality, and more, through the lens of Judaism and the Star Trek franchise.
Spiritual Autobiography [Registration Closed]
Taught by Rabbi Yael Werber
Tuesdays, 6:30–7:30 p.m., beginning March 14
5 Sessions: 3/14, 3/21, 3/28, 4/4, 4/11
Required and only open to those enrolled in this year's Adult B*Mitzvah program. Adult B*mitzvah students will reflect on their own spiritual journeys and approach questions of meaning-making and identity as a cohort in order to see this next step on our Jewish journey in a new light. Participants in our Adult B*Mitzvah program have consistently named creating their spiritual autobiography as one of their most profound Jewish experiences in their process.
Queer Jewish Music [Registration Closed]
Taught by Cooperberg-Rittmaster Rabbinical Intern Aliza Schwartz
Wednesdays, 6:30–7:30 p.m., beginning March 15
8 Sessions: 3/15, 3/22, 3/29, [skip 4/5], [skip 4/12], 4/19, 4/26, 5/3, [skip 5/10], 5/17, 5/24
In this class, we will be joined by several artists throughout the Spring and will have the opportunity to learn directly from and with them about their music. We are so grateful to have them! Together, we will take a close look at the music of four contemporary, young, queer Jewish artists: Batya Levine, Aly Halpert, Rena Branson, and Molly Bajgot. For each artist, we will look deeply at a few of their songs, doing "text study" of the lyrics, the melodies, and the performance. The artists (most, and hopefully all) will each be joining us for a session of our class, and we will have the unique opportunity to be in direct conversation with them about their music. This should be a very rich class, one full of meaning, connection, depth, and tefilah (prayer) through song. (Batya, Aly, and Rena all have albums out, and Molly is in the process of releasing an album. These artists can be found on BandCamp, Spotify, SoundCloud, and YouTube. Here is a video recording of one of Batya Levine's songs, which features Aly, Rena, and Molly on the track.)
Intro to Hebrew, Part 2 [Registration Closed]
Taught by Cooperberg-Rittmaster Rabbinical Intern Adam Graubart
Wednesdays, 6:30–7:30 p.m., beginning March 15
8 Sessions: 3/15, 3/22, 3/29, [skip 4/5], [skip 4/12], 4/19, 4/26, 5/3, 5/10, 5/17
This class is a continuation from the first part this past Fall term. Have you always wanted to learn how to read Hebrew and begin to make sense of the prayers and blessings you have come to recognize at services? Join CRRI Adam Graubart on this journey to learn Hebrew from Alef to Tav! Using Aleph Isn't Tough: An Introduction to Hebrew for Adults, Book 1 as our textbook, this 8-week class will give you the fundamental tools to read Hebrew and begin to learn grammar and some basic root structures of this beautiful, ancient language. We will begin the spring semester with Lesson 9. Please contact Adam (agraubart@cbst.org) if you need assistance reviewing the fall material.
Prayerbook Hebrew Continued [Registration Closed]
Taught by CBST Educator Miya Rotstein
Thursdays, 6:30–7:30 p.m., beginning March 16
8 Sessions: 3/16, 3/23, 3/30, [skip 4/6], [skip 4/13], 4/20, 4/27, 5/4, 5/11, 5/18
This class is a continuation from the first part this past Fall term. We will focus on learning Hebrew grammar and build a base for understanding the prayers in our Siddur. Using Prayerbook Hebrew the Easy Way as our primary textbook, this weekly class will also give time for reading practice and root word review. This class is open to all! New students must have completed the Aleph isn't Tough textbook or equivalent beginner level Liturgical Hebrew class. Last semester, the class left off on chapter 13 of Prayerbook Hebrew the Easy Way. If you are new to the class and would like to join, please contact Miya (mrotstein@cbst.org).
Queer Niddah [Registration Closed]
Taught by Cooperberg-Rittmaster Pastoral and Educational Intern Avigayil Halpern
Sundays, 5:30–6:30 p.m., beginning March 19
8 Sessions: [skip 3/12], 3/19, 3/26, 4/2, [skip 4/9], 4/16, 4/23, [skip 4/30], 5/7, 5/14, 5/21
The Jewish laws of niddah, or menstruation and sex, have long been a focus for Jewish feminists interested in understanding Jewish perspectives on sex and our bodies. Some feminists have found meaning in this network of laws, while others have rejected them for their misogyny, and still others find both pieces to celebrate and to reject. LGBT Jews have increasingly been exploring what these laws mean to us. In this class, we’ll deploy ancient and modern texts to explore what a queer approach to the laws of niddah might look like, and niddah might be relevant in our own lives and relationships.
Ongoing Classes
Intro to Mishnah - Register Now »
Monday – Thursday, 9:30-10:15 a.m., January 30 through March 30
Taught by Rabbi Mike Moskowitz
Intro to Mishnah is an opportunity to explore the transmission of the Oral Torah. We will be studying tractate Megillah which focuses on the upcoming holiday of Purim and the reading of the Megillah. This course is open to all.
Allyship & Jewish Text - Register Now »
Tuesdays, 5:30-6:15 p.m., January 31 through March 28
Taught by Rabbi Mike Moskowitz
This exciting new textual series will explore different aspects of allyship within each week’s Torah portion. Studying insights from tradition will help frame and inform our contemporary outlook on allyship as spiritual practice. This course is open to all, including beginners.
Stories from the Talmud - Register Now »
Tuesdays, 6:30-7:15 p.m., January 31 through March 28
Taught by Rabbi Mike Moskowitz
Focused on the story of Kamtza and Bar Kamtza, found in Tractate Gitten, this in-depth and slow study of the narrative of two people who chose not to get along will address ongoing issues of division and marginalization in today’s world. In learning from the wisdom of the commentaries we will find helpful ways of restoring love and humanity in society. This course is open to all, including beginners. Members of Executive Committee and Board are welcome to sessions before the monthly meetings of both.
Close Text study of Sefer Bereshit / Book of Genesis Winter Term - Register Now »
Wednesdays, 12:00-1:15 p.m., February 1 through March 29
Taught by Rabbi Mike Moskowitz
We will start at the beginning of the book and work though line by line in Hebrew and English. No experience necessary. Based on class interest, we will add a preparation chavruta or group study session each week.
Advanced Level Talmud Study
Wednesdays, 4:00-5:00 p.m., February 1 through March 29
Taught by Rabbi Mike Moskowitz
This in-depth study group is for advanced students who have demonstrated a certain level of proficiency.
Feminist Parashat HaShavuah - Register Now »
Fridays, 12:30-1:30 p.m., October 21 through June 2
Taught by Cooperberg-Rittmaster Pastoral and Educational Intern Avigayil Halpern
This weekly text-based class, taught by CRPEI Avigayil Halpern, will examine the Torah portion through a feminist lens. Each class will include sourcesheets and discussion time.
Board Study Session
5:30 - 5:55 p.m. before each CBST Board Meeting
Taught by Rabbi Mike Moskowitz
Rabbi Moskowitz leads a study session for the CBST Board of Directors before each board meeting. This class is offered exclusively to the CBST Board of Directors.
Registration Details
- Many of our classes are offered free of charge to ensure ease of access for all. Please consider a contribution in addition to help support Lehrhaus Adult Education at CBST. Classes that have required tuition fees will be noted as such on their registration pages. Please refer to individual class registration pages for class fees and suggested contribution amounts.
- Classes are conducted online via zoom. Please refer to individual class registration pages for zoom info. Registrants of tuition-based classes will receive zoom info via email the week of the first class.
- The registration deadline for classes with required tuition fees is the Friday of the week the class begins.
- Refunds cannot be processed for class payments after the Friday preceding the class start date.
- Scholarship is available for tuition-based classes for CBST Members experiencing financial hardship. To request a scholarship, please email jkatz@cbst.org by the Friday preceding the class start date.
- Please note our Zoom Instructions & Etiquette.
- All classes require a minimum of 5 total registrants to run. If a class does not meet this requirement, registrants will be notified.
- Class recordings are available for two weeks following the class date and can be found here.
- Auto-captioning is available for some classes.
- For questions or information about any of our CBST classes, please email Miya Rotstein, Coordinator of Adult and Teen Education at mrotstein@cbst.org
CBST Classes on Zoom
Zoom Instructions & Etiquette
- All classes & programs will be locked at their start time. Please arrive 10 minutes early. We appreciate your understanding as we strive to provide the best possible experience for program participants & leaders.
- MUTE your computer microphone, phone or other device until you are invited to speak.
- To protect the sacred nature of our services, classes, & programs, please make sure that when you join us via Zoom, that your “display name” is updated (i.e. not whatever default your device might set like “iPhone6” etc.).
- As in our Sanctuary, no photography is allowed.
