Jewish Text
Appeal – A Seminar with the Rabbi
Rabbi A. Charles Shalman
This academically challenging course is designed for
students looking for in-depth study. The curriculum was
prepared by incorporating the preferences from the
students and parents who responded to a survey.
Anti-Semitism
and the Holocaust
Cantor Susan Wehle
With anti-Semitism in the news and on our minds, this
timely course will address current issues and concerns.
In addition, we will use speakers, multi-media and class
discussions to study the historical period leading up to
and including 1933 to 1945. The question of why the
Holocaust happened will be explored to understand why it
must never happen again.
back to the future: a historical view of current events
Marta Braiterman
Get acquainted with current events with a Jewish eye.
At the same time, you will learn to understand that
while daily news is relevant to your present life, it
also requires historical content. Thought-provoking
discussions will cover topics such as Israel, American
Jewish Life, and Jews in Entertainment, Culture,
Education and the Arts.
pre-confirmation class — g-d wrestling
Susan Goldberg Pardo
Teens wrestle with questions concerning G-d. Whether it
is the image of G-d that they have been taught or
believed since they were children, or a new G-d image
they are beginning to develop as they learn more about
the world around their religion and their own personal
beliefs.
Confirmation
Class – Bringing our G-d Awareness to Life:
Torah, Mitzvot, Tefillah
Rabbi Larry Moldo
Through a little study, a little action, a little
talking to G-d, we will learn about putting life-long
Conservative Judaism into play.
What is
Conservative Judaism?
Rabbi A. Charles Shalman
This course will provide an overview of the challenges
faced and options available to Jews within the framework
of the Conservative Movement. It will clarify
misunderstandings and witness the changes in this
rapidly growing movement.
Confirmation
Class — G-d Philosophy: Modern Theologians Speak
Rabbi Irwin Tanenbaum
Confirmation
Class – Bringing our G-d Awareness to Life:
Torah, Mitzvot, Tefillah
Rabbi Larry Moldo
Through a little study, a little action, a little
talking to G-d, we will learn about putting life-long
Conservative Judaism into play.
What is
Conservative Judaism?
Rabbi A. Charles Shalman
This course will provide an overview of the challenges
faced and options available to Jews within the framework
of the Conservative Movement. It will clarify
misunderstandings and witness the changes in this
rapidly growing movement.
david project
Rivke Berkowitz
This is a new time for the Jewish people. Israel is
being falsely singled out as the primary cause of
conflict in the Middle East and the world. This course
will enable students to understand the complexities of
the Arab-Israeli conflict in ways that promote critical
thinking, inquiry, discussion, historical accuracy,
moral decision-making and activism.
the 13
principles of faith
Sharon Jacobs
Faith is not a free gift, something that is given to
us. It must be constantly nurtured. It is a slow,
rigorous process that requires self-discipline. Most of
us would like to be able to state what we believe, as
well as to articulate the basic principles of Judaism in
a few sentences, especially when we are asked by
others. It just isn’t that easy. No matter what you
believe, even if you have taken the time to think about
it, it may be difficult to talk to others about that
belief. This course will explore the 13 principles and
help you get comfortable talking about it all.
Ivrit Mugberet
Orna McNamara
This course is open to students who have attained a
proficiency in Hebrew and want to maintain and improve
conversational skills and general Modern Hebrew
literacy. This course will include conversations,
newspapers, music, and language skills — all in the
context of contemporary Israeli culture. This is a
wonderful opportunity to prepare for college Hebrew.
Packing For
College
David Gordon
Lech l’cha
One of the most exciting and anxiety-producing times in
a family’s life cycle is when a teen prepares to
transition from life as a high school student to life on
a college campus. You are told lech l’cha — go off and
find yourself and you are only too eager to go forth.
But, have you been given the necessary tools for the
trip ahead? Join David Gordon to discover these
necessary tools; we help you make the transition time
from high school to college a part of your Jewish life
cycle.
Embrace Diversity
As you move on to the next step of your life, you will
be meeting, socializing, learning and ‘dorming’ with
students whose culture is entirely different from
yours. This semester you will have the opportunity to
meet special guest speakers from different ethnic and
cultural groups within the Buffalo community. Get a
head start on learning about diversity as you go
forward.
Conversational Hebrew
Orna McNamara
Start preparing for your trip to Israel! Learn to speak
with Israelis in the same language, thousands of years
old, that Abraham and Sarah spoke. This class will
immerse you in Hebrew-related activities. It will
improve your reading comprehension, basic everyday
vocabulary and conversational skills. So come and learn
Hebrew beyond the prayer book! We can accommodate your
Hebrew level. Don’t be afraid to try!
adopt-a-survivor
(grades
9-12 only)
Bonnie Levine
When the survivors of the Shoah are gone, who will tell
their story and preserve their legacy? As the third
generation, you are the last ones to have direct
physical contact with the Holocaust survivors. Today
and for generations to come, you will absorb what is
within the soul of your adopted survivor and tell his or
her story.
Students will participate
in the Adopt-a-Survivor Program by being paired with a
Holocaust survivor from our community. Through
meetings, interviews, and listening to the survivor’s
testimony, you will learn directly about their
childhood, their lives and the triumph of the human
spirit. Plans are underway for participants in this
program from around the country to meet in the year 2045
(the 100th anniversary of the Shoah) in
Washington, D.C., to tell the story of the survivor they
adopted. In essence, YOU will become their voice.
MTV Challenge
Rivke Berkowitz
We – all of us – are bombarded by TV and other media
images of violence, misogyny, drug abuse, promiscuity,
cynicism, hatred. Music videos, sitcoms and dramas, TV
commercials and Internet sites often are what shape our
views of relationships, honesty, love and language. The
images can be troubling and vulgar as well as humorous
and entertaining.
Taking
the MTV Challenge provides a tool that enables people of
all ages to view the media through Jewish eyes.
Participants learn to deconstruct media images and
compare those messages with a Jewish alternative.
Jewish Civics
Initiative (grades 11 and 12 only)
David Gordon and Evie Weinstein
The curriculum of this course is based on the Tikkun
Olam/World Repair Manual that helps students learn how
to be more active citizens of the Jewish people. The
curriculum offers perspectives on public policy and
Jewish values and includes one trip to Washington, D.C.
A special application is required for this course, along
with extra fees for seminar and traveling. Call Evie
Weinstein at 923-0020.
jewish
teen stress machine (grades 8-10 only)
Cantor Susan Wehle
It isn’t easy being a teenager. You’ve got tons of
homework, practice for the school play, household
responsibilities, ‘Hebrew High,’ and you’d like to have
a social life too. There’s the in crowd, the out crowd,
the fashion crowd and the rebel crowd. Help! Discuss
your concerns in an open and supportive forum and learn
some strategies to organize your life, and most
importantly, to help you make the right choices with a
Jewish point of view.
nine questions
people ask about judaism
Rabbi Larry Moldo
Based upon the well-known book of the same name, this
course explores some of the basic philosophic concepts
of Judaism. Can one be a good Jew and doubt G-d’s
existence? Why do we need organized religion? What is
the Jewish role in the world? Is there a difference
between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism? In addition,
students will be encouraged to develop their own set of
questions regarding Jewish beliefs.
the week that
will be: insights to the weekly torah portion
Rabbi Irwin Tanenbaum
What can be so interesting about stories we read every
year? Who are the Biblical characters we read about in
the Torah portion of the week and what can they teach us
thousands of years later? Learn to become familiar with
your past and see how to use it to help you understand
daily life today. See what life lessons can be learned
and applied in the 21st Century.
not by bread
alone (Deuteronomy
8.3)
Nurit
Fischer
By combining food in the modern world with Jewish
tradition, we will discover and examine nutrition and
wise choices and how they make an impact on our health.
We will cook and eat different foods and discuss the
symbolism attached to the food. We will gain an
understanding of the way the ingredients we use affect
our body.
kindertransport —
Jewish Repertory Theatre
Sharon
Jacobs
Diane Samuels’ fascinating 1993 play, Kindertransport,
tells three stories simultaneously about the evacuation
of 10,000 Jewish children under the age of 17 from
Germany to England between 1938 and 1939. Through the
story of nine-year-old Eva Schlesinger who was separated
from her parents, you will learn about the impact that
Nazi Germany had on this very special group of children
and the people who saved them.
eco-judaism
Rabbi Jerry Seidler
Judaism is grounded in deep respect for the earth. Many
of our prayers are directly about the natural world
around us. In this course, we will explore the
spiritual significance of Judaism and ecology and learn
that preserving the environment is not just the right
thing to do — it’s the Jewish thing to do!
how jews
encounter evil - part 1
Rabbi Ilana Schwartzman
The question of theodicy, why bad things happen, has
always been problematic to Judaism. We will look at the
demons, golem and witches — more magical approaches to
the question of evil.
six steps to becoming a jewish role model
(grades
9, 10, 11, 12 ONLY)
Susan Goldberg Pardo
Prepare to become both effective teachers in your
synagogue school and appropriate role models for younger
students. Learn to lead by example, help teachers
manage the classroom and learn how to treat each child
with respect and compassion. You will discuss real-life
case studies for actual classroom situations, learn how
to develop lesson plans and understand how to help
children learn.
Imponderables:
fascinating topics and polemics in the eyes of the Torah
Rabbi
Moshe Taub
The age of the universe,
dinosaurs, death penalty — where does the Torah talk
about them and how does our religion deal with changing
and expanding science and thought.
tough choices:
jewish perspectives of social justice
Susan Goldberg Pardo
Do Jews still have passion for social justice? What
types of dilemmas are Jewish people still compelled to
deal with? Can Jews fight hate speech without impairing
the First Amendment? This interactive course will
discuss dimensions of social justice and tough moral
choices of our time.
Creative
Midrash – Lore of the Rabbis
Rabbi Irwin Tanenbaum
One of the enduring features of Judaism is the midrashim,
or stories, told by the Rabbis as they interpreted
biblical tales for a new generation. Join Rabbi
Tanenbaum as he explores these amazing interpretations
of the Bible. You will have the chance to write your
own versions of Midrash as the year progresses.
science
fiction prophets
Rabbi Larry Moldo
You are entering the Hashkafah Zone . . .
Do not be concerned — there is nothing wrong with your
catalogue. This paragraph has been taken over to bring
you to the place where you can clearly see what is going
on in the world. Welcome to the space beyond limits,
above imagination, where reality is all there and where
nothing real can be described. Follow us as we explore
further and deeper into the realization of hope.
ask the rabbi
Rabbi
Jerry Seidler
Finally, a class when you get to decide what to learn!
Join us for this exciting and spontaneous course in
which you will determine the topics and questions
discussed in class. Subjects will range from G-d,
practices, history, sexuality, Jewish mysticism and much
more. What you always wanted to know about Judaism but
were afraid to ask!
golda’s balcony —
Jewish Repertory Theatre
Sharon
Jacobs
When studying this play, students will inevitably draw
parallels between the current situation in the
Middle-East and Golda Meir’s Israel of 1973, when she
agonized over the decision of whether to employ Israel’s
nuclear arsenal during the Yom Kippur War.
Thirty years later, as the Middle-East teeters on the
brink of war, Golda’s Balcony may be one of the few
plays that tackles head on the subject of the
Arab-Israeli conflict.
You will find, in Golda’s unflinchingly pro-Israel
stance, an articulate point of view from one side of the
conflict.
Class will attend the Sunday, June 8, 2008, afternoon
performance.
how jews
encounter evil - part 2
Rabbi
Ilana Schwartzman
We will explore evil in the modern world; where we think
it originates; who we blame and how our ideas align with
the Jews of the past.
Agaddot: Legends of the Talmud
Rabbi
Moshe Taub
From Elijah the Prophet to the descriptions of heaven,
these astounding stories, thousands of years old and
canonized in our sacred writings, will amaze, and with
proper study, illuminate.
