Torah Study & Learning Opportunities

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Scroll down for: Torah Tuesdays Learnings, TorahTXT, Raizy's Women's Learning, Bet Medrash Nights, Over Lunch, One on One, Past Learning Topics, and additional learning opportunities with Hillel and Judaic Studies.
 
Torah Tuesdays

FALL 2011
Torah Tuesday Schedule (5:45 or 8:30pm)

8/30: Kosher Hypocrisy
Can hypocrisy be Kosher? Something to think about when beginning a year of college life.

9/6: Jewish Standard Time
A closer look at time, exploring the day and calendar from a Halachic and mystical perspective.

9/13: The Beekeeping Rabbi
by Rabbi Avraham Laber of Troy NY who makes his own honey for Rosh Hashanah.
Find out more about bees, hives and honey - and Judaism!

9/20: Sounds of the Shofar
Background to the Shofar in classic Jewish text and contemporary relevance.
We may have a post-wedding Sheva Brachos for an alumnae during the first Torah-Tuesday session.

10/4: The Amidah
In time for Yom-Kippur, get a better understanding of the centerpiece of our daily, Sabbath & holiday prayers.

10/25: Kabbalah of the Alef-Bet
by Rabbi Yossi Rubin (Clifton Park Chabad). Discover how the letters of the Hebrew alphabet are the building blocks of Creation and the world around us.

11/1: Emotional Space
Respecting and valuing personal space, based on Torah teachings, as reflected in relationships.

11/8: Harry Potter's Jewish Sparks
Jewish parables, messages and insights from the 7 Books and (fictional) wizarding world of JK Rowling.

11/14: Talmud on the Ugly Man
Part II of this semester's "Tic-Tac-Toe" series: TACkling a tough Talmud story (Taanis 20) about Rabbi Eliezer and the Ugly Man.

11/29: Jacob's Ladder
Exploring commentaries' perspectives on the famous Biblical story of Jacob's Dream in the weekly Torah portion of Vayeitze.

12/6: Business Law and the Talmud
Compare and contrast Talmud texts with a sampling from the (BLAW 220) textbook "Business Law and the Legal Environment".

You can get all this on a handy reminder bookmark, too!

ALUMNI: These classes are now available to alumni in PDF format.
If you'd like to receive them by email, send us an email to let us know.

 
Parsha and a Prayer
Weekly Women's Study with Raizy
Shabbos Mornings with Raizy at Shabbos House.
TorahTXT
 Choose Your Own Jewish Learning Adventure
2+ students find a weekly time slot to study with Rabbi Mendel or Raizy for a 5-week period.

 Contact Shabbos House 438-4227 / mail@shabboshouse.com for more info.
One-on-One
Interested in reading learning Gemorah, Talmud stories, want to try and learn some Rashi, need help with a report on the old biblical wicked King Ahab, or understanding the mystical "10 Sefirot"?

Rabbi Mendel and Raizy try to be as available as possible to get together, once or ongoing to read, shmooze, learn and discuss anything related to Judaism, Torah or your own stuff. We have ongoing regular and irregular study-times with students on a wide variety of topics. Let's get together and make your own - and see if we can work out a good time...
Contact Shabbos House 438-4227 / mail@shabboshouse.com for more info.
 
Hands-on Learning at (Sunday) BLT's
New for 2011, we're adding a hands-on Jewish learning component to select "Minyan Bagel Brunches" or Kosher BLT's (Bagels, Lox and Tefillin) usually Sunday mornings at Shabbos House:
9/5 - (Labor Day Monday) Mezuzah and the Mezuzah-Bank
10/30 - Tzitzit-Making Workshop Part I
11/6 - Tzitzit-Making Workshop Part II
Womens Talmud Study
Several students asked for a womens Talmud class, so new for 2011, we're trying to set one up (schedules are always challenging) with Mrs. Rochel Rubin (Mendel's mother, principal at the Maimonides School in Albany, and a regular Talmud student) at a time/day that works for her and most interested participants.
 
Over Lunch...
While serving as Dutch Quad Kosher supervisor - Rabbi Mendel had quite a few mini-learning sessions with students over lunch for five minutes or ten here and there... we aren't there as often nowadays, but we look forward to coming over to see the good folks...

or try www.Jnet.org
to arrange telephone classes at the convenience and privacy of your dorm, home or office.

Additional Jewish Learning Opportunities
are available with UAlbany Hillel:

and see the UAlbany's Judaic Studies Department
for many classes of SUNY UAlbany accredited courses.

Even if you've had an excellent Jewish education
- don't stop learning... Learning Never Ends!
 and it's never too late to start!

 

Past (and future*) Classes
with Rabbi Mendel at Shabbos House include:
 (see our Torah Tuesdays Archives Page)
  • Tea & Tehillim, background to "Saying Psalms"
  • People Count - Jewish census-taking
  • The Rice Blessing - Talmudic & Halachic argument
  • Distilled Faith - Habakuk's 3 words sparked multiple movements
  • Behind the Mask of the Megillah and ourselves
  • Hamantalogy - Jewish Take on 3
  • Say No to Chametz - Talmudic Text in practical observance
  • Sinai To SUNY: Jewish Historical Panorama
  • Temptations - the Jewish Take
  • understanding Steve Jobs
  • Secrets of Jewish Intimacy
  • Spiritual DNA (visual learning of the 10 Sefirot)
  • Inside Prayer - Jacob's Ladder
  • Tackling a Tough Piece of Talmud (BM 2b-3a - Sumchos on "Money in Doubt")
  • Shabbos: Law and Custom
  • The Anatomy of a Blessing
  • Passover Notes - Laws and Customs in a Nutshell
  • Joy in Judaism
  • The Struggle in Significant
  • Lights and Letters (commentary on a video-cartoon)
  • Machzor Notes - overcoming the Prayerbook Blues on Yom Kippur
  •  "Tzedakah - a prospectus" - classic texts on Tzedakah in financial format
  • "Torah on Self-Esteem" -
  •  "Jewish Wedding Ceremony and Rituals"
  • A Jewish Birthday
  • The Number "4" in Judaism
  • 4 Seasonal Torah Readings
  • Vessels of the Holy Temple
  • The Mystical Meaning of Meatballs and Spaghetti
  • POM is Wonderful - Pomegranates in Jewish History and Custom
  • L'hadlik Ner, Shabbat Candle-Lighting
  • Say No to Chametz, from Talmud to Halacha
  • Jewish Memory
  • Israel's Holy Sites (powerpoint)
  • Crown Heights - a Virtual Tour
  • "Roll Your Own"
  • Love, Legacy and Lasagna
  • Jewish Dorm Essentials
  • "We Need To Talk"
  • Yiddish-Fun - Yiddish Version of Apples to Apples
  • “Visiting History” by Zohar Kastner ('07)
  • “Seinfeld’s Jewish Messages” by Laura Novello ('07)
  •  “Kosher Symbols”
  • “Tallit Workshop” with Tagar
  • “4 Sons Remixed”
  • Why Shofar? Background of Rosh Hashana’s Shofar
  • "Jewish Standard Time" Timelessness of Jewish time & calendar
  •  "Jews Sing the Darndest Things" Profound themes behind traditional synagogue songs
  • "Matisyahu’s Lyrics I & II": Chassidic texts behind his reggae
  •  "Hillel the Psychologist" in-depth reading of a Talmudic story
  • "Vicarious Relationships" Empathy in Jewish thought & living
  • Jacob’s Ladder: exploring commentary on weekly Parsha
  • Alternative Energy Quantifying and qualifying the Menorah miracle
     

* We redo some of these classes in new cycles, every 3-4 years, as students graduate.

 


 

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