SEPTEMBER 2 • 2021 | 23
PHOTO CREDIT
“The Hartman Institute
hopes classes developed from
this curriculum will invite
those in interfaith marriages,
the unaffiliated and those feel-
ing marginalized in the Jewish
community to come in and
join the conversation and not
stay on the sidelines.
”
JLearn, a project of the
Jewish Community Center of
Metro Detroit, is the first in
the community to spearhead
efforts to offer Thoughtful
Judaism classes beginning in
October with two 12-week
semesters either Monday eve-
nings or Wednesday mornings
over Zoom for 75 minutes. All
classes for the fall semester will
be on Zoom only.
JLearn will determine if the
second semester, beginning
in January, will be offered in a
hybrid format. The cost of the
coursework is $175 per semes-
ter or $300 for the entire year,
and scholarships are available.
For detailed information, call
(248) 205-2557 or go to jlearn.
online.
“We are so fortunate that
Rebecca Starr is steering the
ship on bringing Thoughtful
Judaism to
Detroit as she has
taught classes for
JLearn for many
years,
” said JLearn
Senior Director
Shelley Wish
Chaness. “We are
making classes
accessible for time-crunched
people because we understand,
these days, time is a commod-
ity. Because of the flexibility
of the curriculum, instructors
can take a broad overview
approach or a deeper dive into
each of the concepts.
”
FOUR THEMES
Thoughtful Judaism revolves
around four themes:
Peoplehood: The meaning
and definition and purpose of
Jewish community, how it can
be diverse and hold shared
values and a shared history
and an exploration of the
main centers of Jewish life:
Israel and North America.
Faith: An exploration of
questions relating to one’s
relationship with God and
what a life of faith entails,
models in Judaism that exem-
plify the complexities of hav-
ing a relationship with God as
well as viewpoints on where
Jews who do not believe in
God fit in.
Practice: What is the mean-
ing of the system of mitzvot
and what does it accomplish?
In an age that encourages
independent and self-minded
thinking, how can one find
relevance in rituals and how
the sanctification of time,
space and body can lead to
holiness.
Ethics: In what ways is the
individual obligated to the
widest and innermost circles
of community according to
Jewish tradition? How to
maintain relationships even
when one party wrongs
another, and the obligations
parents and children have to
one another.
To add to the multimedia
aspect of the curriculum,
each volume is accompanied
by a series of podcasts and
10-minute videos.
“The beautiful part about
the Hartman curriculum is
that is not as heavy as other
learning programs we have
taught in the past,” Chaness
said. “The lessons have a
basic format built on Jewish
texts, but they allow for news
articles, videos or even songs
— anything that allows more
current relevance to the sub-
ject matter.”
Shelly Wish
Chaness
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GI Surgery Geriatrics Gynecology
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& Endocrinology Gastroenterology &
GI Surgery Geriatrics Gynecology
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& Endocrinology Gastroenterology &
GI Surgery Geriatrics Gynecology
Orthopedics Pulmonology Urology
Cancer Neurology & Neurosurgery
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