Ever wanted to explore the many synagogues in the area but have not, for whatever reason? Let us be your guide and friend to sit with during services! Join us as we visit five area synagogues of different denominations for Shabbat services on either Friday night or Saturday morning. Following services, we will meet as a group with a leader from the synagogue to discuss our experience. Each location is within reasonable walking distance from the Metro. Our first visit will be to Magen David Sephardic Congregation, a Modern Orthodox shul in Rockville. The other four locations will be Reconstructionist, Reform, Conservative, and Lubuvitch/Chabad. Advance registration is required so we know to wait for you!

CPR may not strike you as a religious obligation or something inherently Jewish, but saving a life, pikuach nefesh, is one of the highest values of Judaism. Join us for a one-day hands-on class where you will learn how to recognize and respond to life-threatening emergencies. We will learn the classic warning signs of choking, cardiac arrest, heart attack, and stroke for adults and children. Participants will be certified in adult and pediatric CPR and choke saving, and will receive a CPR text and certificate. This class has limited space and requires advance registration.

What it was like to live and worship as a Jew between 1850 and 1950 in the historic Seventh St. neighborhood now known as Chinatown? We will learn about the Jewish community that formed along the major commercial strip in Washington and visit the sites of four former synagogues, including the newly renovated Sixth & I Historic Synagogue. This course is co-sponsored with the Jewish Historical Society of Greater Washington. Please send in your RSVP early for this course–spaces fill up quickly!

The National Museum of American Jewish Military History houses more than 10,000 objects and preserves the contributions of Jewish Americans to the peace and freedom of the United States. This guided, after-hours tour will include the Museum's premier galleries—Women in the Military: A Jewish Perspective, Rescue & Renewal: GIs and Displaced Persons, and the Hall of Heroes: Jewish-American Recipients of the Medal of Honor. After the tour, participants will have special access to some of the thousands of artifacts not currently on display, including items like a Civil War field surgeon's trepanning kit and the Vietnam War memorabilia of a Jewish fighter pilot. The evening will conclude with light refreshments.

The Jewish sage Hillel explained the essence of Judaism while standing on one foot. We, however, will take five sessions to introduce the core practices and beliefs of Judaism, exploring the Jewish calendar, life cycle and denominational differences of our purposeful, passionate, creative and ornery people. This course is designed for everybody: Jew, non-Jew, religious or secular.

Avot is the most widely-known Rabbinic text, partly because its subject matter seems to be folksy adages rather than legal details. We'll explore chapters 1 and 2 as parts of a serious work of Rabbinic theology/philosophy. The class will be of value both to people who have never studied Avot before and to those familiar with it. Basic knowledge of Hebrew is invaluable but not required. Students should acquire a text of Pirkei Avot before the class. An out-of-print Herford edition is recommended, but any version with Hebrew and English will do.

Living abroad presents challenges for Americans, and Israel is no exception. Though it is a frequent vacation spot, actually living in the country brings up very different issues. In this 4-session class, we will avoid the hype and discuss the practical details that go into making a new home in Israel. The focus will be on personal economic success, health and quality of life when transitioning from America to Israel. We will discuss the diverse social and community dynamics that make up Israeli culture and what they mean to an immigrant. We will address many pertinent issues from importing personal goods to dealing with language, legal, transportation and business challenges. We will consider private and public services and how Israeli standards, expectations and priorities may affect your plans. We will cover the many resources set up in the country for newcomers and ways to network and take advantage of them. This class will be interesting for those considering an extended stay in Israel as well as those who are not.

This class will cover conversational everyday Hebrew, such as grocery food shopping, eating at a restaurant, and talking on a phone. Knowledge of the aleph-bet is helpful, but not necessary. Students should bring a pen, paper, and energy to learn! This class will be suited for those who attended the class "Beginning Conversational Hebrew" in the winter session, as well as for those who did not.

By looking at original sources in translation and through small group discussion, we will become familiar with the history and basic concepts of Kabbalah. Our study will include G-d's Emanations (the Sphirot), the Shechina (G-d's feminine side), the breaking of the vessels (the Kabbalistic creation story), Hasidic influences, and contemporary Kabbalah. Madonna will probably not join us.

The farmers' markets in D.C. are a terrific source of fresh, locally grown food. Join us for a two-night cooking class in which we will use recipes based on what you can find at your local farmers' market. All dishes will be dairy or vegetarian. Students will receive recipe booklets and food to take home.

Jewish influences on popular culture (films, TV, comic books and radio) are abundant. We will discuss the foundations of the radio industry, the Jews in front of the microphones, and the people who helped create a universe constructed entirely of words.

How does the health care system work in Israel, and what can we, as Americans, learn from it? Join us for two special lectures in which we will explore these issues. The first lecture will take place at the Embassy of Israel, where Dr. Dana Schwartz-Ilan will speak on "Universal Health Care in Israel: How Well Does it Work?" The second lecture will be at St. Margaret's Episcopal Church in Dupont Circle, where Dr. Warren Greenberg will speak about lessons the U.S. can learn from Israel's health care system. This course is co-sponsored with the Washington Institute for Israel Health Policy Research, an organization formed 15 years ago that acts as a bridge between Israel and the U.S. for health policy research.

The first Jews arrived in India more than 2000 years ago and were followed by several waves of Jewish immigration, all with distinct origins. Join us for a special look into the Indian-Jewish communities of India, Israel, Canada, and in the U.S. We will begin by watching the movie Salaam Shalom: The Jews of India. Next, we will study the Indian-Jewish culture with help from local members of the Indian-Jewish community. The class will conclude with a small reception and presentations by an Indian diplomat and Aaron Jacob, a former Israeli Ambassador of Indian-Jewish origin and the current Associate Director of International Affairs at the American Jewish Committee. Vegetarian and dairy Indian food will be served.

Enter the world of a Jewish artist in this special 3-session class with artist Joyce Ellen Weinstein. Using multi-media presentations, we will examine her influences in creating art with Jewish themes. We will explore how her travels in Israel, Prague, and Lithuania influenced her art, how she has used Holocaust-based themes, and how she has integrated images of old, wooden synagogues in Lithuania.

Judaism extends beyond the synagogue and home to everyday aspects of our lives. One portion of Jewish literature in which this is seen is the Responsa or she'eilot u'tshuvot. Responsa, a type of Jewish legal ruling, represent the ongoing developments of Jewish law, pulling together the Bible, Talmudic literature, the Codes of Jewish law, Minhagim (customs), and applications to local circumstances. This class will discuss Responsa literature from the 20th and 21st centuries and then examine specific rulings through textual analysis. Topics covered will include: yoga, palm-reading, bullfighting, vegetarianism, visiting wax museums, traffic rules, shul decorations, and even delivering shalach manot via gorilla.

This course will focus primarily on the events of the 20th century as they bear on current events. We will begin with an examination of the Dreyfus scandal, and then turn to the collapse of the French Republic and the emergence of the Vichy regime. The course will consider the "Vichy Syndrome," how France came to terms with its capitulation to the Nazis. Next, we will consider the transformation of France from a majority Ashkenazic to a majority Sephardic Jewish culture. The course will conclude with an examination of current trends in inter-communal conflict.

Elijah the prophet, in the Biblical account, ascends to the heavens in a chariot of fire. Never having died, he is available for three thousand years of visits here below. Elijah is a very popular figure in Jewish folklore. He disguises himself as a beggar, visits the Seder, helps the poor, punishes the cruel, teaches mystics and rabbis, and is a guest at every bris (circumcision). He brings peace, turns the hearts of parents and children towards each other and announces the coming of the messiah. (May he arrive quickly in our time.) This class will read texts and tell stories about Elijah from the Bible, folklore, rabbinic and hassidic literature and some Christian and Islamic sources.

Join us for a 5-part series that looks at Jewish life in communities around the world.

May 16: The Jewish Experience in China

June 6: The Jewish Experience in Burma

June 13: The Telugu-speaking Jews of Andhra Pradesh, India

June 20: The Jewish Communities of Nigeria
June 27: The Jews of Tunisia

The Chofetz Chaim was considered one of the most illustrious rabbis of the 19th and 20th centuries, and his works on lashon hara (gossip), love of kindness, and Jewish law are studied on a daily basis today. We will read and reflect on the messages of his writings, translated from the original Yiddish, taken from the 100 stories and parables in the book Messages of the Chofetz Chaim by Rabbi Marvin Bash.

This hands-on course will help participants create a video memoir to document family history or other events in the Jewish community or elsewhere. Topics will include pre-production research, incorporating photographs, scrapbooks and family memorabilia into the video, interviewing techniques, location shooting tips, elements of composition and equipment needs. These techniques can be applied to filming any gathering or celebration. Participants will need access to a video camera for the duration of the class. Access to a bubbe, zayde or a loving mishpacha is recommended, but not required.

Looking for that unique greeting card? Tired of mass-produced invitations that say nothing about your special occasion? Can't find a good selection of artistic notes with a Judaic bend? Here's an opportunity to let the long history of Jewish art and calligraphy and your own inclinations inspire you to fill that void. (Remember, the High Holidays are around the corner.) You'll never be at a loss again for a great card. Bring your own favorite drawing or painting media, any special paper, and most of all, your talents and ideas. We will provide basic calligraphy supplies and drawing materials, such as nice paper, pens, and colored pencils.

How do maps affect our view of the world? In this class, we will analyze how maps themselves have changed over the past two hundred years and how mapmakers have influenced our worldview, specifically regarding the Middle East and the Jewish world. We will briefly study the process of mapmaking and its effect on Christian (and Jewish) religious philosophy. Finally, we will look at the evolution of the map of the present day Middle East and how the maps influence current conflicts.