Introduction to the Jewish Experience
Introduction to the Jewish Experience is a three-term course taught by Rabbi Ruth Adar. The series is for anyone who wants to acquire a basic Jewish education, or who wishes to learn about Judaism from an adult point of view.
Each term consists of eight weekly classes. The terms may be taken in any order. Participants can take one, two, or three terms.
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Tuition is $200 a term, with a “Pay What You Can” option. No one will be turned away for lack of funds. Rabbi Ruth does not know who pays full tuition or who pays less.
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No Hebrew is required, no previous knowledge is assumed, and all are welcome, Jewish or not.
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Jewish Time and Life - Fall Term. We will explore the Jewish calendar and holidays and Jewish lifecycle events. Meets Sunday afternoons at 3:30 pm PT for 90 minutes per class. October 15 - December 10, 2023.
Jewish History Through Texts - Winter Term. We will explore Jewish history through Jewish texts, from the Bible through modern texts. We will also do some Jewish text study. Meets Sunday afternoons at 3:30 pm PT for 90 minutes per class. January 7 - March 3, 2024.
Jewish Unity and Diversity - Spring Term. We will explore things that Jews have in common across the globe, such as prayer services, the prayer book, and kashrut ( keeping kosher), and ways we are distinct, such as Ashkenazi, Sephardic, Mizrahi; movements, such as Reform, Orthodox, etc.; geography; foodways; and culture. Meets Sunday afternoons at 3:30 pm PT for 90 minutes per class. April 7 - June 2, 2024.
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If you have questions, please contact contact Rabbi Adar.
Rabbi Ruth Adar has taught students from the Reform, Conservative, and Reconstructing Judaism traditions, as well as students who identify as Just Curious.
She welcomes students from many backgrounds: curious about Judaism, converting to Judaism, wanting to understand Jewish relatives better, and/or working in a Jewish environment. She particularly invites students from marginalized Jewish backgrounds: persons of color, LGBTQI+ persons, and students with disabilities.
Rabbi Adar herself is a lesbian with disabilities, and she became a Jew as an adult.
She is a member in good standing of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, the Women’s Rabbinic Network, and the Northern California Board of Rabbis.