About Us

Who We Are

The Jewish Study Center was founded in 1978 as an independent non-profit institute of adult Jewish education in the Washington, D.C. area. The mission of the Jewish Study Center is to provide classes and programs of Jewish study in the widest breadth of topics as possible; and to accomplish this in an atmosphere where any person, regardless of background or level of current involvement, can feel comfortable to study and to establish a serious relationship with the Jewish tradition.

The Study Center is dedicated to serving Jews and non-Jews in the District and nearby suburbs, with an emphasis on reaching Jews that are unaffiliated with area synagogues or other Jewish organizations. The Jewish Study Center offers a curriculum that includes basics of language and religion; text study in Bible, Mishna, Talmud, and Midrash; courses in Jewish arts and culture, ethics, history, and philosophy; and classes that grapple with the application of Jewish tradition to issues of social action, politics, interpersonal relationships, and work.

The Study Center offers three semesters of courses per year. Each semester comprises 15 to 20 courses, attracting approximately 300 students per semester. The curriculum is designed to present a diverse selection of subjects and formats. Classes and events are held 2-4 nights a week, at different locations in the DC metropolitan area.

Our Philosophy

The Study Center encourages maximum participation of students in the classroom. We strongly believe that people learn most when they are active participants in a learning experience. The Jewish Study Center is committed to a pluralistic egalitarian approach to Jewish study.

Above all, Study Center courses are characterized by two things: they are intellectually serious — speaking to adult Jews as intelligent partners in a rich and meaningful tradition — and they urge a personal involvement in Judaism, whether on a religious, political, or social plane. The Study Center's success grew out of a belief that anyone can teach and most people have something to teach; thus students are teachers and teachers continue to study.