Our Affiliation
We are affiliated with the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, the association of Conservative congregations in North America.
Adult Education, Open to the Public
Adult Education
Program & Schedule
5772
2011/2012
Neil Kurshan, Rabbi
Israel Gordan, Cantor
Mitch Pashkin, President
Introduction
The Huntington Jewish Center will offer a wide variety of adult education programs during the coming year. Courses will range from Adult Bat Mitzvah to a Jewish Public Affairs Forum. We will also show three fascinating films about the afterlife. The adult education faculty will include Rabbi Neil Kurshan, our new Cantor, Israel Gordan, and Ken Bob. All courses are open to our membership and their guests. No prior experience or background is necessary for our offerings. To register, click on the email link in the course description, and send your name, address and phone number as well as the course title. Alternatively, call the office, (631) 427-1089 extension 10, to register. We hope these courses will enable you to connect with Jewish tradition and with our synagogue community. All programs are open to the general community.
COURSES
1. JEWISH PUBLIC AFFAIRS FORUM Instructor: Ken Bob
December 5 Israeli Social Justice Protests: Causes and Outcomes;
April 23 TBA
We will look at some of the main topics on the American Jewish and Israeli public agenda by reading circulated articles in advance and then delving into the issues in depth at each session. Our firstsession will look at the implications of the protests by 450,000 Israelis this past summer around issues of social justice. The presentations will be followed by discussion with those attending. To register, send an email to Debbie in the HJC office: debbier@hjcny.org
Ken Bob is a member of HJC who serves in a variety of Jewish organizational capacities. He is the current president of Ameinu, the national Zionist organization, and serves as a member of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations
2. SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES: THE AFTERLIFE Instructor: Rabbi Neil Kurshan
Saturday evenings, Dec. 10, Jan. 7, and Feb. 11, 7:30 pm in the Family Life Center
Dec. 10 Departures
Jan. 7 Defending Your Life
Feb. 11 After Life
We will watch three critically acclaimed films about the afterlife, a topic often ignored in Jewish studies. Each film will be followed by a discussion led by Rabbi Kurshan that will highlight Jewish understandings of Olom HaBa – The World to Come. ”Departures” is a beautiful film that won the 2008 Academy Award for best foreign language film. Although it tells a story of how souls are guided from this world to the next in Japanese culture, it reveals a practice and worldview remarkably similar to Judaism. ”Defending Your Life” is a popular and commercially successful film starring Albert Brooks and Meryl Streep, depicting the journey of two individuals who fall In love while being judged for admission to the world to come. ”After Life”, perhaps the best “heaven” movie, depicts those who have recently died trying to select one favorite memory to take with them to eternity. Refreshments will be served, and there will be a parallel children’s movie shown in the gym with babysitting. BYOB i.e. Children: Bring Your Own Blanket; Adults: Bring Your Own Bottle. To register, send an email to Debbie in the HJC office: debbier@hjcny.org
3. WALKING WITH LIFE: FROM WOMB TO TOMB THROUGH JEWISH TEXTS Instructor: Rabbi Neil Kurshan
Monday evenings, February 6, 13, March 12, 19, 26 at 8:00 PM, in theFamilyLifeCenter
We will examine the Jewish life cycle beginning with conception and birth and continuing through childhood, adolescence, identity formation, singlehood, marriage, parenting, aging, health/ infirmity and death. Each class session will consist of a presentation by Rabbi Kurshan, a study of classical Jewish texts with the class, and time for personal reflection. The class will allow participants to delve into Jewish tradition and also to understand the relevance of Jewish texts and traditions for the unfolding of their own lives. The first semester will be taught this year and the second semester in the fall of next year. To register, send an email to Debbie in the HJC office: debbier@hjcny.org
4. HOW TO CHANT THE HAFTARAH Instructor: Cantor Israel Gordan
Class hours to be worked out around schedules of participants.
Do you want to be more involved in services? Have you always wanted to lead something, but did not know how to do it or who to ask for help? This is your chance to learn a great skill that is not too difficult, but is still a great honor. Join with Cantor Gordan as we learn the Haftarah trop system and how to apply it, so you can chant any Haftarah at any service and get that great Yasher Koach you’ve always wanted. To register for this course, contact Cantor Gordon directly at CantorGordan@hjcny.org
5. ADULT BAT MITZVAH Instructor: Rabbi Nell Kurshan
The first and third Tuesday morning of every month beginning 10:30-11:45AM
Resuming November 1
The second year of this two year course will be a comprehensive overview of Judaism including topics such as life cycle, Jewish texts, history, Israel, and contemporary American Judaism. The course will culminate in an optional Adult Bat Mitzvah ceremony on Shabbat morning, June 16. For further details, please contact Rabbi Kurshan at hjcrabbi@optoniine.net. The course is co-sponsored by Sisterhood and is open to all members of the congregation.
