Curriculum
Judaism teaches us how to live, not just what to believe. Therefore, Yesod transcends academic knowledge to show how Judaism is alive and celebrated in the modern world. All classes will be taught by nationally and internationally recognized rabbis, educators, cantors, storytellers, chefs and artists who represent the full range of Jewish diversity.
Classes will take place on
Tuesdays, 6:30 – 8:00 PM
at Temple Emanu-El | One East Sixty-Fifth Street, NYC
and online
Yesod: Year One
Our Story
October 10, 2023
The Early Arc of Peoplehood: Covenants and Wandering, Patriarchs and Matriarchs
With Rabbi David Wolpe, followed by breakout sessions with prominent educators
Special timing: 6:30-9:30 PM
Breakout Sessions with:
Dr. Erica Brown, Vice Provost for Values and Leadership, Director, Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks-Herenstein Center, Yeshiva University
Rabba Yaffa Epstein, Senior Scholar and Educator in Residence, The Jewish Education Project
Rabbi David Gelfand, Senior Rabbi, Temple Israel of the City of New York
Rabbi Isaama Goldstein-Stoll, Senior Jewish Educator, Joseph Slifka Center for Jewish Life, Yale University
Rabbi David Ingber, Founding Rabbi, Romemu, and Senior Director of Jewish Life, 92NY
Dr. David C. Kraemer, author Joseph J. And Dora Abbell Librarian and Professor of Talmud and Rabbinics, The Jewish Theological Seminary
Rabbi Shira Koch Epstein, Executive Director, ATRA (formerly the Center for Rabbinic Innovation)
Professor Joy Ladin, Poet, formerly the David and Ruth Gottesman Chair in English at Stern College for Women at Yeshiva University
Rabbi Jason Rubenstein, Howard M. Holtzmann Jewish Chaplain, Joseph Slifka Center for Jewish Life, Yale University
Shannon Sarna, bestselling-cookbook author and author of The Nosher
Professor Peninnah Schram, Award-winning author, recipient of the Covenant Award for Outstanding Jewish Educator and Professor Emerita of Speech and Drama, Yeshiva University
Rabbi Jeffrey Sirkman, Senior Rabbi, Larchmont Temple
Rabbi Felicia Sol, Senior Rabbi, B’nai Jeshurun
Rabbi Joshua Stanton, Rabbi and Spiritual Co-Leader, East End Temple
October 17, 2023
The Rise and Fall of the Jewish Kingdoms, with Dr. Elana Stein Hain, Rosh Beit Midrash and Senior Fellow, Shalom Hartman Institute of North America
October 24, 2023
Postbiblical History: Exile and Diaspora, with Rabbi Burton Visotzky, Emeritus Professor of Midrash and Interreligious Studies, The Jewish Theology Seminary
October 31, 2023
Postbiblical History: The Shape of Modern Judaism, with Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson, Dean, Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies, and Vice President, American Jewish University
Our Beliefs
November 7, 2023
The Fundamentals of Jewish Belief—and What It Means to Be Human, with Rabbi David Wolpe
November 14, 2023
God and the Challenges of Belief, with Rabbi Larry Hoffman
November 21, 2023
Living Jewishly: Weaving Mitzvot and Shabbat into Daily Life, with Rabbi Dov Linzer, President and Rosh HaYeshiva, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, and Rabbanit Devorah Zlochower, Mashgichah Ruchanit and Senior Scholar, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah
November 28, 2023
Jews in America, with Dr. Laura Shaw Frank, Director of William Petschek Contemporary Jewish Life, American Jewish Committee
Our Worship
January 9, 2024
The Evolution of Worship, with Rabbi David Wolpe and Rabbi Sharon Brous, Senior and Founding Rabbi, IKAR
January 16, 2024
Finding God and Yourself in Synagogue and Prayer, with Rabba Sara Hurwitz, Co-Founder and President, Yeshivat Maharat, and Rabbi Sara Y. Sapadin, Associate Rabbi, Temple Emanu-El
January 23, 2024
Central Prayers and Their Place in The Landscape of Liturgy, with Rabbi Elie Kaunfer, President and CEO, Hadar Institute
January 30, 2024
Individual Hopes, Individual Prayer, with Rabbi Rachel Timoner, Senior Rabbi, Congregation Beth Elohim
Our Homes
February 6, 2024
The Home As the Spiritual Heart of Judaism, with Rabbi David Wolpe
February 13, 2024
Raising Jewish Children, with Dr. Richard M. Joel, President Emeritus, Yeshiva University
February 20, 2024
Wrestling Identities: Being a Minority within a Minority, with Rabbi Angela W. Buchdahl, Senior Rabbi, Central Synagogue, and Rabbi Kendell Pinkney, Founding Artistic Director, The Workshop, and Rabbinical Educator, Reboot
February 27, 2024
Foods for Thought: Tradition and Jewish Cuisine, with Joan Nathan, TV Producer and Host, James Beard Award-winning cookbook author, and Jake Cohen, chef and bestselling-cookbook author
Our Cycle of Life
March 5, 2024
From Birth to Death: The Jewish Life Cycle, with Rabbi David Wolpe
March 12, 2024
Coming of Age and Becoming a Jew: B’nei Mitzvot and Conversion, with Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, award-winning author and former Spiritual Leader, Los Angeles Synagogue of the Performing Arts
March 19, 2024
Aging, the End of Life and … Beyond? Belief and Ritual Around Illness, Death and Mourning, with Rabbi Mychal B. Springer, Manager of Clinical Pastoral Education, New York-Presbyterian Hospital and Founder of The Center for Pastoral Education, The Jewish Theological Seminary
March 26, 2024
Modern Dilemmas: From Money to Sexuality, with Rabbi Rachel Ain, Sutton Place Synagogue, and Dr. Rivka Press Schwartz, Fellow, Kogod Research Center, Shalom Hartman Institute of North America
Our Culture
April 2, 2024
The Media in Jewish Messaging with Rabbi David Wolpe
April 9, 2024
Sounds of Jewish History: A concert featuring Elana Arian, composer, multi-instrumentalist and prayer leader, and Noah Aronson, musician and Artist in Residence at Temple Beth Elohim
April 16, 2024
Our Music As Tradition, with:
Rachel Brook, Senior Cantor, Anshe Emet Synagogue;
Mo Glazman, Senior Cantor, Temple Emanu-El;
Daniel Mutlu, Senior Cantor, Central Synagogue; and
Azi Schwartz, Senior Cantor, Park Avenue Synagogue
April 30, 2024
The Jewish Story in Comedy and Literature, with Dr. Dara Horn, award-winning author and professor of literature, and Alex Edelman, comedian and Edinburgh Comedy Award winner
Antisemitism and a Homeland Free of Fear
May 7, 2024
Jew-Hating through the Ages, with Rabbi David Wolpe
May 14, 2024
The Holocaust, with Abraham Foxman, National Director Emeritus, Anti-Defamation League, and Dr. Michael Berenbaum, Director, Sigi Ziering Institute, American Jewish University
May 21, 2024
Early Zionism and the Struggle for a Jewish State, with Dr. Yehuda Kurtzer, President, Shalom Hartman Institute of North America
May 28, 2024
Israel’s Achievements and Challenges, with Dr. Tal Becker, Senior Fellow, Kogod Research Center at Shalom Hartman Institute of Jerusalem
Modern Dives into Ancient Texts
A week-long exploration of biblical writings and their modern implication by world-famous Torah scholar and author Dr. Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg, followed by conversations moderated by Abigail Pogrebin with:
June 3, 2024
Becoming Abraham, Dr. Zornberg
Commentators:
Rabbi Joshua M. Davidson, Senior Rabbi, Temple Emanu-El, and Rabbi Chaim Steinmetz, Senior Rabbi, Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun
June 4, 2024
Isaac – Blindness and Blessing, Dr. Zornberg
Commentators:
Rabbi Shai Held, President, Dean, and Chair in Jewish Thought, Hadar Institute, and Idit Klein, President/CEO, Keshet
June 5, 2024
Jacob – Letter from an Unknown Woman, Dr. Zornberg
Commentators:
Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch, Senior Rabbi of Stephen Wise Free Synagogue, and Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, D.D., Senior Rabbi, Congregation Beit Simchat Torah
June 6, 2024
Joseph and His Brothers – The Pit and the Rope, Dr. Zornberg
Commentators:
Rabbi Ben Spratt, Senior Rabbi, Congregation Rodeph Sholom, and Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove, PhD, Park Avenue Synagogue
June 7
A Shabbat Dinner Celebration of Year One Completion
Yesod: Year Two
Chagim: Holidays
Throughout Yesod Year Two, our unique exploration of Jewish holidays – and their relevance to today’s world – will help bring what you’ve learned to life.
In-person participants will celebrate Jewish holidays around New York City with rabbis and congregations of various denominations and styles. All nine experiences will be led by Abigail Pogrebin, author of My Jewish Year: 18 Holidays, One Wondering Jew. (For those joining Yesod virtually, an online class about each holiday will be offered.)
Experiences will include a Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur Accounting of the Soul Project, an outdoor Sukkot tour with a different food course in every sukkah, a Torah Hora on Simchat Torah, the seder you’ve never sampled on Tu B’Shevat, a raucous Purim carnival, useful (and eye-opening) Passover-prep, a powerful Yom HaShoah memorial program, an Israel Independence Day celebration, and Shavuot all-night study – the ancient tradition that’s a lot more fun than it sounds, especially when you factor in the requisite cheesecake.
By the end of the second year, you will not only be able to explain Shemini Atzeret and the Fast of Esther, but you will hopefully feel more equipped to decide whether there are holidays you want to adopt into your Jewish routine.
Additional programs are offered both in-person and virtually for those interested in adult B’nei Mitzvah and those committed to conversion.
