In the November issue of the newsletter, I wrote about plans to launch SHABBAT JEW.L.L.S – a new Jewish Life-Long Learning School for children and adults.  Well, we now have lift-off:  The children will meet for their first Shabbat morning on January 5^th and the adult study programme will begin the following week, on the 12^th.

The adult programme will take place in the refurbished library from 10-10.45am  - followed by a fifteen-minute break for refreshments before the service.  It will consist of four strands, in a monthly cycle – approached from a Progressive perspective:

First Shabbat of the month:               Avodat Halev (Service of the Heart)

This class will focus on everything there is to know about Shabbat and festival services, including the purpose of the various rituals and the texts we use - the Prayer Books, the Chumash, Sefer Torah (Scroll) & Tanach (Bible).

Second Shabbat of the month:           Divrei Torah (Words of Torah)

This class will be very much like the previous monthly shiur:  An opportunity to explore particular themes by studying texts from key Jewish sources, such as the Torah, Bible, and Rabbinic Literature.  Please let me know your suggestions for topics

Third Shabbat of the month:  Mah La’asot (What To Do)

Coinciding with the monthly family service, this class will give participants an opportunity to learn how to do Jewishly in the home and in the synagogue, and will include, for example, lighting candles and making kiddush, preparing for and conducting a seder, putting up a mezuzah, wearing a tallit, and lifting a scroll.

Fourth Shabbat of the month:            Ruach (Spirit)

This will be a space more than a class:  An opportunity for nourishing and expressing our spiritual needs through silence, meditation and song.

In a five-week month, there will be a second Divrei Torah session.

So, starting on January 12^th (the Second Shabbat of the month), the schedule - including the first Shabbat of February - will be as follows:

12^th Jan            Divrei Torah               The Exodus:  A model for violent revolution?

19^th Jan            Mah La’asot              Making Shabbat at home

26^th Jan            Ruach                         Silence, meditation and song

2^nd Feb             Avodat HaLev            Finding your way around the Siddur

We will review the programme after Pesach, so please let me know your comments.

Happy Studying!           

© Rabbi Elizabeth Tikvah Sarah
January 2002