Midrasha in Berkeley Course Choices, Spring 2012
FIRST HOUR 10th – 12th GRADE
_____ PAINTING, DRAWING AND PASTEL AND THE TANACH - Erica Fink
This class will take a look at various stories in the Tanach as well as the work of Jewish artists, both historical and modern, and create 2D work using ideas we learn from each artist. We will learn various traditional painting and drawing techniques as well as create our own experimental projects having the background of influential Jewish artists as our basis for this work.
_____ KESHER ALEPH - Ilan Persing
10th grade: Israeli history, culture, politics and current events. You must take a Kesher class if you are signed up for Kesher retreats. Kesher Aleph is only offered first hour this semester
_____ KESHER BET - Beth Midanik-Blum
11th-12th grade: The Jewish Experience in America. You must take a Kesher class 1st or 2nd hour if you are signed up for Kesher retreats.
______ THE REVOLUTION IS LOVE: IN THE TANACH AND IN THIS WORLD TODAY - Day Schildkret
The revolution is ON but toward what? Join the ranks of this class and discuss the greatest revolution happening since before Biblical Times: Love! This revolution has made and destroyed kingdoms and is what's needed right now to change the broken world we are living in. Let’s inspire ourselves from our ancestors’ love stories in the Tanach and choose to create a new beautiful world, a sacred world our hearts tell us is possible. A world that works for everybody. A world that's healing. A world of love.
SECOND HOUR 10th - 12th GRADE
_____THE JEWISH BODY - Noemi Hollander
Jews are very much a people of the body. Our religious traditions abound with frank guidance for the caring and treatment of our bodies. Knowing this can help us form our self-image and a respectful relationship with our physical and sexual selves. Among other things, we will discuss clothing, sexuality and the prohibition against tattoos. We will also compare the way the body is regarded in the Tanach with the way it's regarded today.
_____ BEGINNING CONVERSATIONAL HEBREW - Lara Walklet
After all those years of studying in Religious School, would you like to learn to actually SPEAK in Hebrew? Meet a Jew anywhere in the world and chances are they’ll know what at least “Shalom” means. Let’s go beyond “Shalom” and learn to communicate. OPEN TO THOSE WHO TOOK THE CLASS LAST SEMESTER AS WELL AS NEW STUDENTS.
_____ SONGWRITING – JEWISH STYLE - Ilan Persing
This class will begin to teach you a concrete step-by-step system for writing songs: how to infuse your emotions into your music; connecting Jewish themes into your writing both overtly and subtly; how to overcome "writers block"; how to get inspired and then organize your thoughts and writing; how to work alone, and/or collaborate with other musicians and songwriters; but most of all how to tap into your own and each others' inspiration to create amazing music.
______ SHABBAT AND HOLIDAY OBJECTS - Erica Fink
In this class we will learn about traditional and modern objects associated with Shabbat and upcoming Jewish holidays and then make our own sacred objects! We will paint silk challah covers, craft wax candles and invent our own decorations to make our Jewish holiday experiences more festive!
______TOP (JEWISH) CHEF - Anna Martin
Do you like to cook? Do you like eating new, Jewish foods? Do you like competitions? If you said yes to any or all of these questions, this might be the class for you. In this class, we will learn about a variety of cooking techniques, ingredients, and dishes from around the Jewish world. For each topic, we will then have Quickfire Challenges, where teams of chefs will compete to create new dishes that will be judged by our guest judges. Get ready to pack your knives. (open to 8-12 but priority will be given to 8th and 9th graders)
_____PROJECT RUNWAY: JEW-EDITION - Day Schildkret
Design, create and compete in wild challenges. Using text, stories and fashionista tidbits from the Torah, Jewish history or holidays, you will have a limited amount of time to create your fashion-forward pieces. OPEN TO BOTH NEW AND CONTINUING STUDENTS.
_____ KESHER BET - Beth Midanik-Blum
11th-12th grade: The Jewish Experience in America. You must take a Kesher class 1st or 2nd hour if you are signed up for Kesher retreats.
_____ABRAHAM’S VISION (11th -12th grade) Oren Kroll-Zeldin and Wafaa Sabil
Open only to students in the class first semester.
THIRD HOUR 10th – 12th grade
_____ ADVANCED CONVERSATIONAL HEBREW - Lara Walklet
Open to both new students and continuing students from last semester.
_____ HOW TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE THROUGH JEWISH IMPROV - Ilan Persing
I know: You're thinking: "I'm not a drama person" "I don't like to 'put myself out there.'" Look, there are no 'drama people' and if there were, you would be one of them, because every single person knows how to improvise. In this class we're going to start where you are, while tapping into the amazing skills you already have as a person and build upon them through games, music, conversation, general tomfoolery and much more.
_____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 make this 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.”
_____ 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. OPEN TO BOTH NEW AND CONTINUING STUDENTS.
_____ DANCE: ISRAELI STYLE! - Sacha Kopin
Tired of just sitting in class? Come join us for Israeli dancing. Folk dancing is one of the most beautiful and fun aspects of Israeli culture. We’ll dance old favorites and learn some new ones. This course is for people who really like to dance so don’t expect to “take a break!” Open to 8th -12th graders.
______ CLAY IN PAST AND PRESENT - Erica Fink
This class will use both the meditative and functional qualities of clay to explore tactile facets of Judaism, from sculpting heads of important Jewish leaders to making a set of Shabbat dinnerware. This class will have a lot of fun making messes and beautiful things!
_____RELATIONSHIPS - Beth Midanik-Blum
We all relate to others. How well, how intensely, and with what degree of integrity do we manage our relationships? See what Judaism says about such topics as dating, marriage, interfaith relationships, abortion and AIDS. We’ll examine the facts and ethics of relationships, both sexual and not, with classmates and guest speakers. OPEN TO THOSE WHO HAVE TAKEN THIS CLASS BEFORE AS WELL AS NEW STUDENTS.
_____ JEWS IN THE LABOR MOVEMENT Anna Martin
Midrasha in Berkeley has been asked to pilot this exciting new curriculum from the Jewish Women's Archive. Come be part of this wonderful class.
_____ABRAHAM’S VISION (11th-12th grade) - Oren Kroll-Zeldin,
Open only to students in the class first semester.
_____BETH EL CONFIRMATION: IDEAS, VALUES, QUESTIONS AND MUFFINS - Rabbi Yoel Kahn
Open to Beth El 10th and 11th graders who are planning to participate in the Confirmation service.
FIRST HOUR 8TH AND 9TH GRADE
8TH Grade: Gesharim – Ethics in Action
9th Grade: Etgar – Jewish Identity
SECOND HOUR 8th and 9th GRADE
_____THEOLOGY THROUGH FILM - Sacha J. Kopin
We will analyze feature films to see how they relate to Jewish culture, values, and our views of God. Questions we will discuss include whether we have free will, whether God is all-knowing, all good and all powerful, and the purpose of prophecy. And we'll do this all by watching Hollywood films. DOGMA anyone?
_____THE JEWISH BODY - Noemi Hollander
Jews are very much a people of the body. Our religious traditions abound with frank guidance for the caring and treatment of our bodies. Knowing this can help us form our self-image and a respectful relationship with our physical and sexual selves. Among other things, we will discuss clothing, sexuality and the prohibition against tattoos. We will also compare the way the body is regarded in the Tanach with the way it's regarded today.
_____ BEGINNING CONVERSATIONAL HEBREW - Lara Walklet
After all those years of studying in Religious School, would you like to learn to actually SPEAK in Hebrew? Meet a Jew anywhere in the world and chances are they’ll know what at least “Shalom” means. Let’s go beyond “Shalom” and learn to communicate. OPEN TO THOSE WHO TOOK THE CLASS LAST SEMESTER AS WELL AS NEW STUDENTS.
_____ SONGWRITING – JEWISH STYLE - Ilan Persing
This class will begin to teach you a concrete step-by-step system for writing songs: how to infuse your emotions into your music; connecting Jewish themes into your writing both overtly and subtly; how to overcome "writers block"; how to get inspired and then organize your thoughts and writing; how to work alone, and/or collaborate with other musicians and songwriters; but most of all how to tap into your own and each others' inspiration to create amazing music.
______ SHABBAT AND HOLIDAY OBJECTS - Erica Fink
In this class we will learn about traditional and modern objects associated with Shabbat and upcoming Jewish holidays and then make our own sacred objects! We will paint silk challah covers, craft wax candles and invent our own decorations to make our Jewish holiday experiences more festive!
______TOP (JEWISH) CHEF - Anna Martin
Do you like to cook? Do you like eating new, Jewish foods? Do you like competitions? If you said yes to any or all of these questions, this might be the class for you. In this class, we will learn about a variety of cooking techniques, ingredients, and dishes from around the Jewish world. For each topic, we will then have Quickfire Challenges, where teams of chefs will compete to create new dishes that will be judged by our guest judges. Get ready to pack your knives! (open to 8-12 but priority will be given to 8th and 9th graders)
_____PROJECT RUNWAY: JEW-EDITION - Day Schildkret
Design, create and compete in wild challenges. Using text, stories and fashionista tidbits from the Torah, Jewish history or holidays, you will have a limited amount of time to create your fashion-forward pieces. OPEN TO BOTH NEW AND CONTINUING STUDENTS.
THIRD HOUR 8th and 9th grade
_____ ADVANCED CONVERSATIONAL HEBREW - Lara Walklet
Open to both new students and continuing students from last semester.
_____ HOW TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE THROUGH JEWISH IMPROV - Ilan Persing
I know: You're thinking: "I'm not a drama person" "I don't like to 'put myself out there.'" Look, there are no 'drama people' and if there were, you would be one of them, because every single person knows how to improvise. In this class we're going to start where you are, while tapping into the amazing skills you already have as a person and build upon them through games, music, conversation, general tomfoolery and much more.
_____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 make this 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.”
_____ 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. OPEN TO BOTH NEW AND CONTINUING STUDENTS.
_____ DANCE: ISRAELI STYLE! -Sacha Kopin
Tired of just sitting in class? Come join us for Israeli dancing. Folk dancing is one of the most beautiful and fun aspects of Israeli culture. We’ll dance old favorites and learn some new ones. This course is for people who really like to dance so don’t expect to “take a break!” Open to 8th -12th graders.
______ CLAY IN PAST AND PRESENT - Erica Fink
This class will use both the meditative and functional qualities of clay to explore tactile facets of Judaism, from sculpting heads of important Jewish leaders to making a set of Shabbat dinnerware. This class will have a lot of fun making messes and beautiful things!
_____ JEWS IN THE LABOR MOVEMENT Anna Martin
Midrasha in Berkeley has been asked to pilot this exciting new curriculum from the Jewish Women's Archive. Come be part of this wonderful class.
