An exploration of Judaism for those stepping in for the first time or re-connecting with Jewish roots. Open to all.
Gan means "garden," and it will be the starting place from which Jewish knowledge can grow. This is a class for the basics, where no question is too simple and every starting place is enough.
WHAT IS GAN?
Last spring, a member of West End Synagogue lamented to her rabbi that, despite being raised Jewish, she didn't feel she knew enough of the Jewish basics. Gan was initially envisioned as a class to fill in the gaps of Jewish education. It became a judgment-free opportunity to delve into learning for Jews, Jew-adjacent folk, potential converts, and the Jew-curious around the world.
Following the success of last spring's pilot class, 5782/2021's rendition of Gan consists of 4 modules diving into 4 deep topics in Jewish life. Sign up for 1, 2, 3, or all 4! Classes are held from 7:30-9PM on Tuesday evenings via Zoom.
Dates for all 4 modules are:
Torah (Story): 10/12, 10/19, 10/26
Tefilah (Prayer): 11/23, 11/30, 12/7
To Do/Not to Do (Practice): 1/11, 1/18, 1/25
Theology (God Stuff): 2/15, 2/22, 3/1
HOW DO I SIGN UP?
Step 1: Fill out the registration form!
Step 2: If you are not a member of West End Synagogue, pay for class to access the Zoom link here. (Rates are sliding scale, with details on the website!)
WHO'S TEACHING?
Rabbi Emily Cohen is the spiritual leader of West End Synagogue in NYC, a graduate of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, the host and producer of the "Jew Too?" podcast (currently on hiatus!), and a long-time artist and educator. You can find her in Brooklyn with her cat Pico or on Twitter @ThatRabbiCohen.
HOW WILL THIS CLASS WORK?
Classes will begin with Zoom for all for our first module and continue online throughout, with a possibility of a hybrid option for those in the NYC area for later modules. All classes will be on Tuesday evenings from 7:30-9PM ET, with recordings made available the following day. Should there be sufficient interest from those who cannot attend class in real time, there will be an alternative session time following each module.
In order to make this class accessible to all, rates are sliding scale beginning at $0. West End Synagogue members are invited to attend at no charge.