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Kol Ami, The Northern Virginia Reconstructionist Community
 P.O. BOX 1801
ANNANDALE, VA  22003
(571) 271-8387

KOL AMI - THE VOICE OF MY PEOPLE

Programs for Adults

Seminar Series & Workshops
Adult Hebrew Class
Adult Education Workshops
Lashon Hara Study
Tanach Study
Book Group

Kol Ami offers a variety of educational programs and social opportunities for adults. Two committees support these programs. The Adult Jewish Education Committee, plans and implements Jewish religious and cultural education programs. Social programs and other non-ritual events are covered by the Programs Committee. This page lists our ongoing and upcoming programs and offers information about programs we've held in the past. If you'd like to suggest a program for either committee, please contact the appropriate chairperson.

Seminar Series & Workshops

Ongoing Programs

Adult Hebrew Class

Adult Hebrew School will continue this year at the teacher’s home in Arlington, VA.  New students with limited Hebrew education can attend our regular Tuesday evening classes on September 12th,  19th and 26th to be become familiar with our teaching style and the alphabet and vowels.  New students will be mentored by advanced students until they are ready to join the rest of the class.  Regular classes will resume on a weekly basis beginning Tuesday October 10th.  Classes will be held from 7:30-9:00pm, but the mentors and their students are welcome to come at 7:00pm for review. 

Classes will be taught by David Perlmutter. "Prayerbook Hebrew the Easy Way" by Joseph Anderson et al will serve as the textbook for the class. The book is available through the NVRC Bookstore.

If you are interested in joining the adult Hebrew class, please contact kolamiadult@yahoogroups.com.

Adult Education Workshops

Rabbi Leila is offering a series of workshops to be held throughout the year.  The purpose of these workshops is to deepen our understanding of the Jewish (Reconstructionist) viewpoint and philosophy on a variety of topics.  If you are interested in participating in these classes, please send an email to kolamiadult@yahoogroups.com.  Seating is limited, so please get your reservations in early for each session!

There is no cost to attend these workshops.

Unless stated otherwise, workshops will be held on Sundays, 7:00 PM, in Rm. 13/15 at the UUCA

OCTOBER 28, 2007:: Social Responsibility – are there ethically mandatory ways to behave for the good of society? When must one act? When is action discretionary? How do we decide between the individual and the communal good? And more!

NOVEMBER 11, 2007: The Ethics of Speech - what are we actually allowed to say? Repercussions of speech?   
Significance of speech? And more. This will be a great place for those who have been participating in the lashon ha-ra discussions that Steve Barlas has led to teach us what they have learned and to have a lively and speech-conscious discussion!

FEBRUARY 3, 2008 - 5:00 PM: Decision Making at the End of Life – treatment or non-treatment? Cost assessments and quality and length of  life, individual desire vs. family desire/need? And more!

MAY 10, 2008 - 5:30 PM, right before Havdalah Service:  The Complexities of Tzedakah – affordability, selection of which tzedakah, how to offer tzedakah, And more!

HIGH HOLY DAY WORKSHOP
PREPARING OUR HEARTS AND SOULS FOR THE HIGH HOLY DAYS: LEARNING TOGETHER ABOUT THE DEEP MEANING AND SYMBOLS OF THE HIGH HOLY DAYS, ALSO KNOWN AS THE DAYS OF AWE
 
On Mch 2, we begin an exciting new series of opportunities for learning - Four workshops taught by Rabbi Leila about the major prayers, song, blessings, and kavannot - spiritual intentions - of the High Holy Days,  also known as the Yamim Nora’im, the Days of Awe.  It’s only March! Why do we begin so early?! The answer lies in the depth of these holy days, in the complexity of the emotional and spiritual processes that they might stir in us, and, the oppportunity to enhance people's knowledge of the rich meanings of the prayers and symbols of these awesome days.
 
All workshops are free, and will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington, 4444 Arlington Blvd, Arlington, VA  22204
MARCH 2 - 5:00 PM
APRIL 13 - 5:00 PM
May 17 - 1:00 PM
June 7  - 1:00 PM
 
The first three workshops will cover the following:
Why is Rosh Ha-Shana called “The Birthday of the World?” and “Yom Ha-Din — “The Day of Judgment?”
Why do we blow the shofar (ram’s horn) anyway?
What can be the deeper meaning behind the wail of the shofar?
What does the Kol Nidre mean anyway?
Why all those confessionals? Are we just meant to feel guilty, or is there something more to it — and something more positive to it?
Why are all the confessionals in the plural?
Why is one of the confessionals in alphabetical order? What is all that about?
What’s the real reason we fast?
Who is not allowed to fast?
What does it mean to be “like clay in the hands of the [divine] Potter?” Whatever happened to free will?

We will explore these questions and much, much more AND we will learn MELODIES and TUNES!

In the last of the four workshops,  Rabbi Leila will help teach those who are interested to LEAD PARTS OF THE HIGH HOLY DAY SERVICES.


 
 

Kol Ami: NVRC Lashon Hara Study

Lashon Hara, loosely translated, means "the laws of evil speak." The guidelines of Lashon Hara were developed by Rabbi Israel Meir HaCohen Kagan, a 19th century rabbi. Called the Chofetz Chaim, Kagan took the prescriptions and sayings found in the Torah, Talmud, Book of Prophets and other Jewish texts and worked them into his code, which instructs Jews on how to avoid speaking ill of someone.

As we have done in our monthly Torah parsha sessions, we will look at portions of Lashon Hara and attempt to sift them for guidance on how we as Jews should be living our lives today.

Our Lashon Hara study sessions will be led and hosted by Kol Ami member Stephen Barlas. There is no fee for participation. Sessions will usually be held one Saturday a month from 10:30 AM to 12:00 noon.  Please see our Events page for upcoming sessions and to RSVP, or leave a message on the NVRC's voice mail at 571-271-8387.  After you RSVP, you will receive directions to the study session. You will receive an e-mail with information about the topic of study and directions to the session.

Tanach Study

Tanach is the Hebrew acronym for the three section of the Bible: Torah (the Five Books of Moses), Nevi’im (Prophets) and Ketuvim (Writings).  In 2007 the group studied the Early Prophets, comprising the Books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings.  We proceeded rather quickly as these biblical books are historical in nature.  We begin 2008, with the book of Isaiah and proceed at a slower pace, covering about five chapters a session.  The group meets on the first Sunday of the month, 10:30am-12, at the home of Kol Ami member Marcel Infeld.  Bring your bible.  Knowledge of Hebrew is not required. If you have any questions, please contact our Adult Education committee

Kol Ami Book Group

The Kol Ami  Book Group, led by Toby Greenwald, meets monthly at area restaurants to "read and feed." Discussions of books such as The Red Tent, Postville: A Clash of Cultures, Bee Season, and Sabbathday River have been lively. 

For up-to-the-minute information on upcoming Book Group meetings, watch the website events page and announcements on KANVRC_News. (To subscribe to KANVRC_News, just send a blank e-mail to KANVRC_News-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.) If you'd like to suggest a book or offer to host a future meeting, please contact Toby at kolamibook@yahoogroups.com.

Book Group selections are usually available in the NVRC Bookstore. Buying books through the NVRC Bookstore helps raise needed funds to support our growing community.

Past Events

NVRC's past adult education events include the following:

  • Torah Workshop with Rabbi Leila Gal Berner, PhD
  • Sacred Texts. This exploration of the sacred texts of Judaism beyond the Torah was led by Rabbi Leila Gal Berner, PhD.
  • Reconstructionism and NVRC: What it is and Who we are presented by Mike Leavitt.

  • Choosing Life and Facing Death: A Jewish Look at the End of Life led by Richard Ruth

  • Elul Workshop: Preparing One's Heart and Soul for the Days of Awe, with Rabbi Leila Gall Berner, PhD
  • Two Reconstructionists Teach Kabbalah: An Introduction to Jewish Mysticism, a series presented by Herb Cooper-Levy and Mike Leavitt
  • Midrash: Spiritual Engagement with the Biblical Text, a three-part series by Rabbi Leila Gal Berner, PhD
  • Seminar Series: Introduction to Reconstructionist Judaism by Mike Leavitt
  • Seminar: Ethically Responsible Investing by Darrin Kafka
  • Shavuot Study Session
  • Pre-Pesach Workshop by Rabbi Leila Gal Berner, PhD
  • Prayer (Davenning) Workshop led by Dr. Richard Ruth
  • Kaddish Workshop led by Harriet Epstein
  • Operation Understanding DC
  • Talmud Study led by Stephen Barlas

Home | Rabbi's Corner | About Reconstructionist Judaism | Events | Shabbat  | Holidays
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Page URL: http://kolaminvrc.org/adulted.htm
last updated: 05/07/2008
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