First Semester Sunday Classes
Registration for each of these classes is on a first-come, first-served basis. Classes close at around 15 students, so please send in your registration form as soon as possible. Second semester choices will be announced in December.
10-12th GRADE COURSES
First hour: (9:30-10:20)
VISIONS, DREAMS AND TALES FROM THE TANACH: Oil Painting
Bunny Pearlman
You asked for it. Here it is. Using good quality oil paint and canvas, we will learn basic painting techniques while immersing ourselves in the dreams and stories spun out by the Biblical prophets.
PATH O' THE JUST
Greg Newmark
In 1740, an Italian rabbi, Moshe Chaim Luzzatto (the Ramchal), wrote the ultimate self-help book, Path of the Just. This class will break it down into concrete steps for living the good life and improving your actions in the world.
BROADWAY MUSICALS AND JEWSICALS
Day Schildkret
Direct from NYC, join off-Broadway director, Day Schildkret, as he ushers in the past 100 years of Jewish narrative and neuroticism told through the Broadway musical. From George Gershwin to Stephen Sondheim and from Cabaret to Fiddler - we will listen to the soundtracks, watch the movies and act, sing and dance our way through Jewish history told through the composers, lyricists and playwrights of the Great White Way.
KESHER
(Note, you MUST also be signed up for a Kesher class in order to attend Kesher retreats. There are Kesher class options in 2nd and 3rd hour as well.)
10th Grade - Kesher Aleph - Roni Alperin
Study Israeli history, culture, politics and current events.
11th – 12th Grade Kesher Bet – Devra C. Aarons
Study the American Jewish Experience.
Break: (10:20- 10:40)
Second hour: (10:45-11:35)
WARRIORS, PROPHETS AND HARLOTS IN JEWISH ANTIQUITY
Devra C. Aarons
Characters in the Bible are complex, inspiring and sometimes even un-named. Using art history, drama, writing and our own midrash we’ll explore the wild side of these people and discover the stories you didn’t discuss in Hebrew school. (Anyone up for a beheading?)
ABRAHAM’S VISION – UNITY PROGRAM: INTER-GROUP MUSLIM AND JEWISH CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION PROGRAM
Staff from Abraham’s Vision
The class includes teacher-led discussions on issues related to Islam, Judaism, and Muslim - Jewish relations; Jewish and Muslim guest speakers; inter-school meetings with students from our Islamic partner school; and field trips. To download the separate application for this class go to www.abrahamsvision.org. This class is a full year commitment and you must take it in both 2nd and 3rd hour. This class will meet from 10:45-12:45.
KESHER BET 11th – 12th Grade
Day Schildret
(Note, you MUST also be signed up for a Kesher class in order to attend Kesher retreats. There is a Kesher Bet option in 1st hour as well.)
Study the American Jewish Experience.
BEGINNING CONVERSATIONAL HEBREW
Maia Wolins
After all those years of studying prayerbook Hebrew, would you like to learn to actually SAY something? This course is for those at beginning conversational Hebrew levels.
ADVANCED CONVERSATIONAL HEBREW
Greg Newmark
You’ve put a lot of effort into learning Hebrew, so don’t let it slip away now. Come practice those hard-won skills. This course is for those at intermediate and advanced conversational Hebrew levels.
DRAWING MEDITATION
Bunny Pearlman
With the use of a variety of approaches drawn from the Kabbalah and other mystical traditions, we will engage in a series of visualization and drawing practices that connect us with the meditative quiet and stillness within.
SPARK: HEARTACTION: Connecting with Our Elders (A Hands-On Community Service Course)
Erica Crowell Altobelli
Do you want to do something that may change your life? Do you have a caring, warm soul? Do you want to connect with a part of our community that is often overlooked? This is a course in Jewish service learning; connecting teens and the elderly. Interspersed with visits to the Jewish Home in San Francisco we will have classes focusing on: building trust, learning to be a good listener, leadership and team building skills, understanding the experience of seniors, death and loss, social issues facing seniors, and making tikkun olam (healing the world through service and action) a part of your life.
Third Hour (11:40- 12:30)
WHAT’S BOTHERING RASHI?
Greg Newmark
Almost a thousand years ago, Rashi, a medieval French rabbi, began scribbling notes about the Torah. Something was bothering him about the book of Bereishit (Genesis). Let’s take a look at his notes and together we’ll try to figure out what it was from the clues he left us.
MOSAICS OF OUR LIVES
Bunny Pearlman
Using the time-honored medium of mosaic, from traditional tiles and glass to broken bits of crockery, we will craft visions of our Jewish life.
TALMUD
Muni Schweig
This is a class in which the intellectually active can come alive as we reconnect to the Talmud, one of the classical texts of Judaism, from the perspective of who we are today.
JEWISH WOMEN’S VOICES
Anna Martin
History has traditionally focused on the writings and accomplishments of males, leaving out most women. This course will examine female voices from Talmudic times to today’s Third Wave feminists, and will use their writings and histories as a lens to glimpse the world and ideas which surrounded them. We will read a variety of primary texts including autobiography, poetry, commentary, liturgy, critical theory and fiction. The class is open to and encourages the participation of both men and women.
ABRAHAM’S VISION – UNITY PROGRAM: INTER-GROUP MUSLIM AND JEWISH CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION PROGRAM
Staff from Abraham’s Vision
The class includes teacher-led discussions on issues related to Islam, Judaism, and Muslim - Jewish relations; Jewish and Muslim guest speakers; inter-school meetings with students from our Islamic partner school; and field trips. To download the separate application for this class go to www.abrahamsvision.org. This class is a full year commitment and you must take it in both 2nd and 3rd hour. This class will meet from 10:45-12:45.
SHMIRAT HA-GUF: PROTECTING THE BODY
Devra C. Aarons
Spend Sunday morning learning to see your body in a new way. We’ll use yoga, Torah and discussion to stretch into a new inner truth about tattoos, piercing, body image, plastic surgery and more.
KESHER
(Note, you MUST also be signed up for a Kesher class in order to attend Kesher retreats. There is a Kesher Aleph option in 1st hour as well.
10th Grade - Kesher Aleph – Roni Alperin
Study Israeli history, culture, politics and current events.
8-9th GRADE COURSES
First Hour: (9:30-10:20)
Gesharim (8th grade Core): Sacha J. Kopin and Maia Wolins
8th Graders! Start your Midrasha experience with an exciting chance to meet Jewish teens from around the Bay Area as you grapple with modern ethical issues and take action to address homelessness, discrimination and injustice. Doing good never felt this right.
Etgar (9th grade Core): Noemi Hollander and Anna Martin
Who am I? What do I believe? Why are other Jews different than I am? How are they the same? Explore issues of Jewish identity and come up with surprising answers. The class includes participation in three amazing weekend retreats.
Break: (10:20-10:40)
Second Hour (10:45-11:35)
BIBLIODRAMA–TORAH THROUGH IMPROV AND THEATER GAMES
Roni Alperin
What was it like for Abraham to be told to kill his most loved son? Did Moses feel confident as a prophet? Why didn't Queen Esther just go ahead and tell the king to stop Haman? We will explore these ideas and more by stepping into the world of Bibliodrama, an interactive, improvisational class where we will create our own midrash about the inner thoughts of biblical characters (and scenery!) and what the text isn't telling us.
COMPARATIVE RELIGION
Sacha J. Kopin
We will examine our own Jewish beliefs on such issues as God, Messiah, life cycle, worship and the afterlife in relation to the beliefs and practices of our neighbors who practice Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism. Through this study we will further understand our own Judaism.
CHANTING DOWN BABYLON... WITH THE SHEMA?
Noemi Hollander
There is a deeply spiritual bond between Jews and Rastafarians which has manifested itself in music. We will look at the roots of the Rastafarian musical tradition and listen to some reggae artists that are using ancient psalms to give voice to current topics.
NOT JUST BAGEL EATERS: JEWS AROUND THE WORLD
Anna Martin
This course will survey worldwide Jewish communities and Jewish influences from North Africa, India, China, Argentina, and beyond. We will try to become aware of Jewish diversity by cooking, listening to music, viewing art, and examining differences of belief and practice within the least familiar corners of the Jewish world.
BEGINNING CONVERSATIONAL HEBREW
Maia Wolins
After all those years of studying prayerbook Hebrew, would you like to learn to actually SAY something? This course is for those at beginning conversational Hebrew levels.
ADVANCED CONVERSATIONAL HEBREW
Greg Newmark
You’ve put a lot of effort into learning Hebrew, so don’t let it slip away now. Come practice those hard-won skills. This course is for those at intermediate and advanced conversational Hebrew levels.
DRAWING MEDITATION
Bunny Pearlman
With the use of a variety of approaches drawn from the Kabbalah and other mystical traditions, we will engage in a series of visualization and drawing practices that connect us with the meditative quiet and stillness within.
SPARK: HEARTACTION: Connecting with Our Elders (A Hands-On Community Service Course)
Erica Crowell Altobelli
Do you want to do something that may change your life? Do you have a caring, warm soul? Do you want to connect with a part of our community that is often overlooked? This is a course in Jewish service learning; connecting teens and the elderly. Interspersed with visits to the Jewish Home in San Francisco we will have classes focusing on: building trust, learning to be a good listener, leadership and team building skills, understanding the experience of seniors, death and loss, social issues facing seniors, and making tikkun olam (healing the world through service and action) a part of your life.
Third Hour : (11:40-12:30)
THE ETHICS OF WIZARDRY
Sacha J. Kopin
Are you kidding? Harry Potter has something to do with being Jewish? We’ll find out what McGonagall, Dumbledore, Hermione, and the Weasleys would be teaching at Midrasha if they worked here.
JEWISH JEDI TRAINING AND MEDITATION
Day Schildkret
In the past, understanding and practicing what it was like to be a warrior took an entire lifetime. These days it’s possible to happen right now. We will learn new skills and ancient secrets to unlock the mysteries of psychic powers, mind tricks and transcendental meditation . . . but first, we MUST battle our Jewish Minds. By aligning with the force (God) and uncovering our own hidden powers and source, we will really understand what Yoda meant when he said, “Strong the Force Is.”
STORIES BY STEIG AND SENDAK, OY VEY!
Noemi Hollander
This semester’s edition of PB & J (Picture Books and Judaism) will feature Jewish authors of old favorite kids’ books with Jewish values buried inside. Open to both new students and those who took the class before.
ETHICS AND THE HOLOCAUST
Maia Wolins
Did Jewish ethical laws still apply during the Holocaust? Where was God? Do the Jews deserve revenge? Who are we, after the Holocaust, and how do these dilemmas connect to your own life? We will discuss these questions and more as we try to understand religion, reason, revenge, and righteousness in the context of the Holocaust.
WHAT’S BOTHERING RASHI?
Greg Newmark
Almost a thousand years ago, Rashi, a medieval French rabbi, began scribbling notes about the Torah. Something was bothering him about the book of Bereishit (Genesis). Let’s take a look at his notes and together we’ll try to figure out what it was from the clues he left us.
MOSAICS OF OUR LIVES
Bunny Pearlman
Using the time-honored medium of mosaic, from traditional tiles and glass to broken bits of crockery, we will craft visions of our Jewish life.
TALMUD
Muni Schweig
This is a class in which the intellectually active can come alive as we reconnect to the Talmud, one of the classical texts of Judaism, from the perspective of who we are today.
