upcoming Adult Education Classes

We're excited to launch Adult Education registrations in ShulCloud this year! This system gives us immediate, accurate class registration and tuition tracking, which will offer everyone better transparency and efficiency. Questions? Email office@shirtikvahmn.org

Complete Class Descriptions

Practice Circles

Practice Circles are a once monthly space for folks to come together, explore, and deepen their Jewish practice related to Shabbat, holidays, prayer, food, and more. Beginning on Wednesday December 18th from 7:00 - 8:30 PM and meeting every third Wednesday of the month for twelve months, Practice Circles will fuse space for group reflection and connection with learning. In between meetings participants will have prompts to develop their own practices to reflect on in the following month. We are launching two circles, one meeting in-person at Shir Tikvah facilitated by Jake Porter and one meeting on Zoom facilitated by Jo Hjelle. You can register online here.

These circles are aimed at folks who have already spent some time building and exploring their Jewish practice. If you have any questions about whether or not this space would be a good fit for you please do not hesitate to reach out to Jayce Koester at jayce@shirtikvahmn.org.

Coping with Celebrations and Holidays When in Grief

With Rabbi Sharon Stiefel, MSW and Ruth Markowitz, MALP

December 15th, 2:00-5:00pm, Shir Tikvah Library and on Zoom

Hanukkah, Christmas and New Years are portrayed in our society as sources of joy. Yet, when someone has experienced a loss of a loved one there is often additional stress and the holidays are anticipated with trepidation. This workshop will offer ways to cope during the holidays while honoring your grief. Learn valuable tools and connect with others who also are experiencing a loss. (This workshop will not address pet loss.) Please RSVP and reach out with any questions. 

A Shir Tikvah Book Group

Through Other Eyes: Israeli and Palestinian Stories; Sign up here

The Caring Committee, Makom Minyan, and Israel/Palestine Committee are excited to invite you to join a new book group designed to deepen connections and foster community. Together, we’ll explore novels and other works that highlight diverse perspectives on Israeli and Palestinian lives, histories, and relationships. Through these readings, we’ll delve into themes of displacement, identity, resilience, and coexistence.

We will begin with two compelling, shorter works:

• Khirbet Khizeh by S. Yizhar (approximately 120 pages, audiobook available) – January 2025 (Date TBD, via Zoom)

• Return to Haifa by Ghassan Kanafani (approximately 60 pages, video available) – February 2025 (Date TBD, via Zoom)

If you’re interested in joining, please complete the interest form here.

For any questions, feel free to email Harry Adler.

We look forward to reading, learning, and building community together.

Hilkhot Tefilah - Digging into the Practice of Prayer and How, Where, and Why Jews Pray

Sundays, January 5-April 3, 10-11:30am in person and on Zoom (no class 2/2 or 3/23); Tuition: $108; Register Here

Join Rabbi Arielle in a text-based exploration of the halakha of prayer. Focusing on texts about prayer from Rambam's Mishneh Torah, this class is an opportunity to learn about our tradition's takes on prayer. We will ask each other big questions about why we do what we do and what kind of prayer life we dream of - for ourselves and our community. No Hebrew skills necessary...but an interest in prayer, prayer leadership and soulful exploration of the meaning of prayer in 5785 a must!

From Zion to Zionism: Unpacking Jewish Relationship to Land through the Ages with Elianna Boswell

January 6, 13, 20, 27, February 3, 10, 7-8:30pm; Tuition: $108; Register Here

In this course, we will trace the history of ideas that have shaped contemporary Jewish relationships to land, specifically the land some call Israel and some call Palestine. With particular focus on the evolution of Zionist, Diasporist, and Anti-Zionist movements in the modern era through present day, we will unpack narratives about land in both secular and religious Jewish tradition. Starting with biblical and ancient archeological records and moving chronologically through time to the development of Israeli and Palestinian nationalisms in the 20th century, we will investigate how these ideas about land have shaped Jewish consciousness and identity worldwide and affected other peoples in the land.

Reading Hebrew for Beginners: Aleph Isn't Tough (Zoom)

Tuition: $216 Teacher: Steve Greenberg; October 14 - January 13 @ 6:00pm

If you would like to learn to decode (read) Hebrew, the class and textbook “Alef Isn’t Tough” offers extensive opportunities to learn and practice reading with a fun, loving instructor!  Hebrew reading provides a deeper path into Jewish texts and prayer.  This skills also prepares learners to enter our adult B. Mitzvah program. You may order your copy of “Aleph Isn’t Tough” from Behrman House Publishers here, Amazon here, or any other source you may find.

Lechu Neranena | Come and Sing! A series for (aspiring) prayer leaders (In Person and on Zoom)

Tuition: free, Teacher: Rabbi Arielle;  October 27 - December 1 @ 10:30am

Study the structure, prayers and melodies of kabbalat shabbat, with an eye towards supporting your participation in and leadership of shabbat services. Develop your understanding of how the shabbat liturgy differs from our weekday liturgy. Receive support both in learning prayers and in developing confidence and fluency as a shaliach tzibbur (leader of prayer). 

“Our legs uttered songs:” the conflicted history of American Jewish Protest (Zoom)

Tuition: $54, Teacher: Rabbi Joey; Thursdays, Oct. 31, Nov. 7th, Nov. 14th 12:00-1:00pm

Inspired by figures like Abraham Joshua Heschel and Emma Goldman, American Jewish communities often frame their involvement in mass protests as a courageous stand on "the right side of history." In this course, we’ll consider the texture that has always existed underneath Jewish engagement with civil disobedience. What arguments have Jewish communities made for and against participation in protest? What sacrifices have Jewish leaders been willing or unwilling to make in the name of justice? How have Jewish activists and young people challenged Jewish institutions? In the lead up to and in the wake of November’s election, we’ll engage with these questions as we evaluate risk, safety and our moral responsibility within today's movements for justice.

Mussar: Everyday Holiness (In Person)

Tuition: $300, Teacher: Laurel Riedel; 10:00am - 12:00pm 11/8; 11/22; 12/6; 12/20; 1/10; 1/24; 2/7; 2/21; 3/7; 3/22; 4/4; 4/18

Draw closer to yourself, others and God through Mussar learning and practice. Skillfully facilitated to promote the personal application of Jewish wisdom for developing character and living a life with greater joy, meaning, freedom and connection.

Soulful Jewish Living (Zoom)

Tuition: $216 Teacher: Jayce Koester; November 12 - February 11@ 6:30pm

Soulful Jewish Living (SJL) is Shir Tikvah’s introduction to Judaism course focused on the foundations of building and living a Jewish life. Together we’ll explore Jewish time and look at Jewish holidays, liturgy, practices, and life cycle moments. While required for Shir Tikvah’s conversion program, this class is open to everyone. If you're new to or curious about Judaism, this class is for you. If you've been around Jewish community for a long time and want to deepen your knowledge and practice, this class is for you. 

The Pride Va'ad (In Person)

Tuition: $300, Teacher: Emma Stout; November 12 - April 15 @ 6:30pm

A welcoming group led by and for members of the LGBTQ+ community seeking to integrate Jewish wisdom into everyday life. Together, we will study, practice and learn together about a variety of middot (soul traits) that help us bring forth the best in ourselves. This Pride Va'ad will begin in November 2024 and is composed of 10-14 participants and 1 trained facilitator, meeting regularly to learn together. The days in between the 12 bi-monthly group sessions are intended for personal home practice, including journaling and meeting with a chevruta (study/practice partner). While we intend this experience to guide participants in increasing personal awareness and growth, a va'ad is an active learning community, not a support or therapy group. We uphold intentional group guidelines to provide a safe, joyful, compassionate space for each person to learn, grow, and express themself.  While meeting at Shir Tikvah, this class will be held directly through Twin Cities Mussar - you can register here.  

Free, Ongoing Offerings

Ongoing Torah Study: Our People's Journey

2nd & 4th Fridays of the month with Gayle Zoffer

12:15pm-1:30pm (Zoom)

Scholars believe that the Psalms were written by different people over several centuries; these prayer-poems express a range of feelings and motivations–including awe, gratitude, hope, a desire for comfort, grief, and despair. The group will consider different translations of the text as well as associated commentaries; this phase of study will also give us the chance to dip into musical settings of certain verses or entire psalms. We’ll also have a chance to think about the various metaphors for the Divine that are found in the text and see what resonates most for each of us. To be added to the email reminder list contact Gayle Zoffer. All are welcome to participate.

Torah for Tough Times – Nourishing our Souls

Monthly Torah Study with Rabbi Sharon Stiefel, MSW

6/26, 7/24, 8/28 at 12:00pm (Zoom)

Join me for a monthly Torah study group that provides support for individuals facing challenging ongoing hardship, grief and illness.(your own or someone you are caregiving for.) By coming together to look at the weekly Torah portion, we will nurture seeds of hope and resilience from our tradition as well as create space for support from our community.

Scholarship

Shir Tikvah is committed to finances never being a barrier to your ability to access our classes, events, or services. If you have interest in a scholarship, please use this form and we will follow up shortly. Thank you!