The Rabbinic Council of Boulder, Haver, will be offering a year long course in Jewish Literacy beginning Feb 6, 2013.

The course will be taught on Wednesday nights from 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm at Congregation Har HaShem for 30 weeks (with a summer break) and replaces Derech Chayim, the conversion/re-introduction to Judaism course previously offered by Haver.

The curriculum for this course is being provided by the Florence Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning, which has graduated more than 60,000 students worldwide.

The first year’s topics will include: Rhythms of Jewish Living, exploring the Jewish life cycle and key observance; and Purposes of Jewish Living examining Jewish values and cores belief including community, leadership and theology.

The optional second year will feature courses on Jewish history and Jewish ethics.

We’re thrilled to offer this curriculum in Boulder,” explains Rabbi Jamie Korngold. “It will enable us to teach both students new to Jewish thought and those deeply engaged Jewishly in the same classroom, as well as to meet the needs of certain rabbis’ conversion programs.”

Continued Rabbi Gavriel Goldfeder:

The learning is text based so students and teachers will be directly interacting with the texts and each other. The classroom becomes a forum for dialogue as we interact with ideas that have informed how Jews live, choose, and mark time.”

Our classroom in unique,” explains Rabbi Korngold, “in that teachers and students are Orthodox, Reform, Conservative, Renewal and post-denominational. The curriculum offers a neutral place for us to engage each other.”

The class is being underwritten by 18 Pomegranates to keep the cost low. At $450 a person for the entire year (discounts for couples), it’s a bargain. If the class goes well, 18 Pomegranates will fund the second year level of classes next year.

For more information or to register, contact Sue Gerson: spgerson@caje-co.org