Give Yourself The Gift Of Jewish Learning!
In this fast-paced age of caring for children, working, responding to e-mails, cell-phones and trying to see our spouses once in a while, finding time for oneself seems to frequently appear at the bottom of the list. Many of us work on exercising and eating properly. But, have we also prioritized taking time out for ourselves to enrich our own Jewish learning? Just as we join a health club to work on our bodies, we need to make time for the many educational opportunities in our Jewish community to enrich our neshamot (souls) and strengthen our minds. Broadening our Jewish knowledge gives us helpful tools for everyday living and connects us to our community. In addition, personal study enables us to become more engaged in our children’s Jewish education.
It can be difficult to know what we want out of our Jewish learning until we take the time to see what is available to us; what resonates with our interests and needs. We carefully select our children’s after school activities based on their capabilities, motivation and the ways in which we want them to grow personally. So, too, this kind of thought and care should go into our own selection of how we want to spend our time enriching ourselves, Jewishly. Thankfully, for many of us, there are many opportunities to involve ourselves in this inquiry. We can begin with our synagogues. What adult education classes are being offered? Is there a cooking class for Shabbat and/or the holidays? For others, there could be a Talmud class that sounds appealing. You might discover a class on Jewish history or about the siddur (prayerbook). Talk to your rabbi or synagogue educator to find out more. If you have something specific in mind you would like to study, let them know. If you are interested, chances are, there are others who are in pursuit of the same answers. Challenge yourself to create a new class!
You could also consider forming a havurah (an informal group of adults who come together regularly to study, learn and socialize). You could bring in speakers on the topics that are of interest to you. You could read a book together, designate someone from your group to facilitate the discussion, and spend an hour once a week or once a month dedicating yourself to new ideas. A havurah is a nice way to transform an evening of learning into a friendly social event. Set up a rotation to meet in each other’s homes and have a potluck so everyone pitches in with the preparation.
Another idea: The Florence Melton Adult Mini School. FMAMS defines itself as “An international network of community-based schools for adults to acquire Jewish literacy in an open, trans-denominational learning environment.” Those who enroll in this unique opportunity take classes once a week for approximately two hours. The curriculum includes topics ranging from Jewish history to ethical issues to life cycles, Jewish holidays and beyond. I have been Director of the Melton School in Dallas for five years and I have seen that those who enroll in Melton are transformed by the experience. You can check out Melton’s website for a class near you at www.fmams.org.il.
Jewish learning is not only beneficial to us, but to our children as well. We are serving as very important dugmaot (examples) for them. Jewish inquiry does not cease after Bar or Bat Mitzvah, or a confirmation. Judaism teaches us the importance of life-long learning. As parents, there is no greater way to say this than to show our children by example. It is about what we do with our own time, not just in the way we instruct them to manage theirs.
Ready to begin study? Here are a few ideas to help you:
- Check out your congregation's website for adult education class information.
- For reading and discussing on the topic of Jewish parenting, I recommend, The Blessing of a Skinned Knee by Wendy Mogel
- Talk to your rabbi about a topic of interest you would like to pursue. Would you like to learn more about celebrating Shabbat or keeping kosher? Your rabbi could help you tailor your learning and find a class or discussion group that is just right for you.
- Check out the Florence Melton Adult Mini School Website at www.fmams.org.il
- For parents of pre-school age children, look on the Melton website for a special opportunity called the Parent Education Program.
- Attend a lecture on a Jewish subject by a local rabbi or visiting scholar.
- Watch a movie with Jewish content such as "Ushpizin" or "Life is Beautiful."
- Look at JewishLearning.org
Annie Glickman holds an MA in Jewish Education from The Jewish Theological Seminary and has taught at the Beit Rabban Day School in Manhattan before becoming the Director of the Florence Melton Adult Mini School in Dallas.
