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Jewish Journeys: Delve into Prayer

Adult Jewish Education—JEWISH JOURNEYS for  5782

There are three major facets of the recurring Jewish Journeys/Adult Education at Temple Har Zion for 5782, plus some special events, including an amazing group of classes in spring 2022.

Click on the subjects to learn more:

— Delve  into the World of Jewish Prayer

— Thursday Morning with The Solomon Family Temple Har Zion Rabbinic Chair Rabbi Glick

— Monday Evening Learning with David Schwartz, The Temple Har Zion Director of Education

—Special Learning Events

Upcoming classes; click on the subjects to learn more:

All Events
  • Thursday ,
    JunJune  30 , 2022
     
     
    From Sinai to the Promised Land
    Thursday, Jun 30th 10:00a to 11:00a
    Virtual only; Zoom ID# 990 415 095 with the usual Har Zion Zoom password. From Sinai to the Promised Land, studying in depth the narratives of the Israelites' travels in the Torah and their spiritual significance, with commentary, becoming familiar with the great commentators from medieval times to today.

    MORE INFO

  • Sunday ,
    JulJuly  10 , 2022
     
     
    Shmita — Debt and the Shmita Year
    Sunday, Jul 10th 10:30a to 12:00p
    The current year 5782 is a year of remission (שְׁמִטָּֽה, shmita in Hebrew). Scripture - Exodus 21,23; Leviticus 25; Deuteronomy 15,31 - tells us that every seventh year we should let the land lie fallow; extinguish debts; free bondservants. and study religious texts. Wow! Have you been doing that? Are they even doing that in Israel? On July 10 at 10:30am on ZOOM, former WSTHZ member Jesse Abraham is offering a presentation that explores the historical context of the practice of seven-year debt release (shmita): when it was adopted, how it was used and how it became un-adopted. It proposes a criterium for what a ‘shmita consciousness’ around household debt might mean today. Two specific modifications to existing US government policies are presented that would move society closer to achieving those objectives. More foundational changes to the US economic system are also discussed. Dr. Jesse Abraham, son of Dr. Bernard and Annabel Abraham, was a Bar Mitzvah at WSTHZ a long time ago. Researching debt and shmita is one of the things he’s been doing since his retirement from Wells Fargo as a business economist. He lives in Washington DC (hence the ZOOM).
    Register Now

    MORE INFO

  • Sunday ,
    JulJuly  31 , 2022
     
     
    Tour of Jewish India with Rahel Musleah
    Sunday, Jul 31st 5:00p to 6:00p
    A Tour of Jewish India event with Rahel Musleah, with Indian takeout dinners cooked by the temple caterer Wes Kung. The speaker will also share with us a few of her family recipes.

    MORE INFO

 

— Delve  into the World of Jewish Prayer

Come Delve Into the World of Jewish Prayer 

✡︎ Connect to the traditional Jewish prayer service.
✡︎ Find inspiration from prayer.
✡︎ Connect to the whole Jewish people through the generations.
✡︎ Discover peace within yourself.

The traditional Jewish service offers many challenges but also great opportunities. Temple Har Zion's World of Jewish Prayer collection of classes will help you:

✡︎ Learn to understand the powerful liturgy of our services and lifecycle events.
✡︎ Analyze and study the Hebrew in key Jewish prayers.
✡︎ Acquire the tools to have a meaningful and vibrant Jewish prayer life.

Temple Har Zion in Chicago invites you to join us for a year-long dive into the experience of living prayer.

Baring quirks and mistakes, these classes are all being recorded and are/will be on the Temple Har Zion YouTube channel.

Four Doorways into Prayer

Prayer can add meaning to your life; it can connect you to God, others, and yourself. Yet at the same time, prayer can be confusing. At Temple Har Zion we want to demystify prayer. To begin to do this, our major Jewish Journeys program for 5782 (October 2021–June 2022), "Delve into Prayer," offers four doorways into prayer—four program series on Prayer in Judaism, each meeting once or twice a month.

These four courses are being taught by Temple Har Zion's Rabbi Glick, Cantor Figa, Education Director David Schwartz,  and Hebrew educator and member, Courtenay Harris-Black.

The four areas of study are the following (all use the standard Har Zion Zoom password; contact the office–during their open hours–if you need it): 

✡︎ The Big Ideas of Jewish Prayer, with Rabbi Glick, The Solomon Family Rabbinic Chair

One Sunday morning a month, 11 AM–12 Noon AM,
 Zoom ID# 823 6482 1008

✡︎ Experiencing Prayer Through Music, with Cantor Figa, The Goldstine Family Cantorial Chair

One Sunday afternoon a month, 3:30 PM,
Virtual only, Zoom ID# 823 6482 1008

✡︎ Understanding the Words in Prayer, with Courtenay Harris-Black

Two Sunday mornings a month, 11:00 AM–12 Noon,
Youth Lounge and Zoom ID# 823 6482 1008

The prerequisite for this program is the ability to read Hebrew–no understanding of what the words mean is required–and we ask that you to commit to attending all of the remaining classes. Also please buy the book: Prayerbook Hebrew the Easy Way by Joseph Anderson.

✡︎ Personally Connecting with Prayers, with David Schwartz, The (Anonymous Donor Family) Temple Har Zion Director of Education

One Monday evening a month, 8–9 PM,
Virtual only, Zoom ID# 9245 552 6669

Baring quirks and mistakes, these classes are all being recorded and are/will be on the Temple Har Zion YouTube channel.

Dates, times, order, and subjects of these courses may change over the course of the year. Please check this website or regularly attend classes to stay abreast of adjustments.

Big Ideas of Jewish Prayer     / Rabbi Glick 

One Sunday each month, 11 AM - Noon, Zoom ID# 823 6482 1008 (with the usual Har Zion Zoom password) 

October 24: Challenges and Opportunities of a Traditional Jewish Service. Recorded and on YouTube; click here.

November 14: Inspiration vs. Structure: The Dynamics of Jewish Prayer. On YouTube; click here.

December 12: Finding Your Own Prayer Voice

January 23: Radical Amazement, Contemplation, and the Spiritual Emotions Behind our Services

February 13: Finding Your Own Chanting Rhythm

March 20: Alone and in the Group: Balancing Individuality and Commonality

April 10: Transmuting Prayers that We Struggle to Connect to

May 15: A Spiritual Interpretation of Shema and Amidah

June 26: Owning the Traditional Service

See above for the current schedule.

Hebrew 2.0: Understanding Prayerbook Hebrew /      Courtenay Harris-Black

Two Sundays each month, 11 AM - Noon, Youth Lounge and  Zoom ID# 823 6482 1008 (with the usual Har Zion Zoom password) 

We ask that you commit to attending regularly and that you buy the book: Prayerbook Hebrew the Easy Way by Joseph Anderson

Session 1, October 3: Not recorded.

Session 2, October 17: Recorded and on YouTube; click here.

Session 3, November 7: Recorded and on YouTube; click here.

Session 4, November 21: Recorded and on YouTube; click here.

Session 5, December 5: Recorded and on YouTube; click here.  

(December 19 canceled, and will be rescheduled)

Session 6, January 9: Recorded and on YouTube; click here.  

Session 7, January 30: 

February 6 and 20

March 6 and 27

April 3 and 24

May 1 and 22

June 19 and 26

See above for the current schedule.

Personally Connecting with Prayers / David Schwartz

One Monday evening a month, 8-9 PM, with David Schwartz Virtual only, Zoom ID# 9245 552 6669(with the usual Har Zion Zoom password)

October 25: Ashrei: Not recorded, but the Source sheet for the session is here.

November 22: Birkat HaMazon
Source sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/360261

December 6: Havdalah
Source sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/366246

January 10 and January 17: Shabbat Amidah Pt 1, Amidah Pt 2
Source sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/369711

February 7: Adon Olam

March 7: Friday Evening Rituals

April 4: Aleinu

May 2: Ahavat Olam and Ahava Rabba

June 20: Shema

See above for the current schedule.

Experiencing Prayer Through Music / Cantor Figa

One Sunday each month, 3:30-3:30 PM,  Zoom ID# 823 6482 1008 (with the usual Har Zion Zoom password) 

November 21: Torah Service

December 5: Shabbat Morning

January 30: Shabbat Evening

February 27: Weekday Services

March 13: Weddings

April 24: Brit Milah/Baby Naming and Funerals

May 22: Shiva

To be rescheduled/ June 26: High Holy Days

See above for the current schedule.

—Thursday Morning with Rabbi Glick:

Thursdays, 10 AM; Zoom ID# 990 415 095
(Usual Har Zion Zoom Password)

All are welcome. 

Thursdays, 10 AM; Zoom ID# 990 415 095
(Usual Har Zion Zoom Password)

See above for the current schedule.

—Monday Evening Learning with Temple Har Zion Director of Education David Schwartz

Monday Evening Learning with David Schwartz
Monday, 8–9 PM; Zoom ID# 9245 552 6669
(Usual Har Zion Zoom Password)

The current Monday Evening Learning topics include a rotation of Pirkei Avot, Holidays, Stories, and Prayers. (The last being once a month, as part of the Temple Har Zion Delve into Prayers series.)

All are welcome. 

See above for the current schedule.

Recent Special Learning Events

A plethora of Riches!

Get your thinking caps on during May and June; we have many fascinating colloquia on tap for the next two months.

Learn How You Can Take Action for Climate Change

Pamela Tate, a Climate Reality Leader trained and certified by Al Gore and his Climate Reality Project, who will talk about the climate crisis and what individuals can do in their homes, communities, and at the federal and state level, while we still have a chance to stop the worst effects of global warming.

For more information or register, click here.

Select Chapters in the History of Anti-Semitism with Dr. Arie Zmora

Three Consecutive Sunday Afternoons, Starting on May 1, 1:30-3:30 PM


Dr. Arie Zmora has stimulated our community for years, adding to our understanding of complex issues and expanding our knowledge. 

  • The Black Death of 1348-1351– the most lethal plague in history was blamed on the Jews
  • The Rise of Racial and Political Anti-Semitism in 19th Century Europe–a prelude to Fascism, Nazism, and White Supremacy
  • An Unholy Alliance, Islam and Nazi Germany – how Islamic leaders became enthusiastic supporters of Nazi ideology

For more information or to register, click here. Zoom only.

Chicago Scholars Series

Five consecutive Thursdays, 7:30-9  PM, on Zoom. 
 

Five accomplished local scholars speaking on illuninating topics on which they are expert.
 

  •  May 12, 7:30 PM: FORMS OF ZIONISM AND THEIR RELEVANCE TODAY,  Dr. Sara Yael Hirschhorn; click here to register. 
  • May 19, 7:30 PM: HISTORY OF THE JEWS OF SURINAME, Dr. Eli Rosenblatt
  • May 26, 7:30 PM: WHAT JEWS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT CHRISTIANITY,  Dr. Devorah Schoenfeld
  • June 2, , 7:30 PM: HISTORY OF THE TALMUD, Dr. Barry S. Wimpfheimer
  • June 9, , 7:30 PM: JEWISH MEDICAL ETHICS, Prof. Ranana Dine

Details and registration to come shortly. Save the Date!

Mon, June 27 2022 28 Sivan 5782