In this class, Rabbi Herzl Hefter will introduce you to the texts which profoundly impacted upon him and shaped his thinking.

In this class, Sara Jo Ben Zvi will introduce you to texts which profoundly impacted upon her and shaped her thinking.

In this class, Dr. Shmuel Wygoda will introduce you to texts which profoundly impacted upon him and shaped his thinking.

In this class, Batya Hefter will introduce you to texts which profoundly impacted upon her and shaped her thinking.

In this class, Yael Ziegler will introduce you to texts which profoundly impacted upon her and shaped her thinking.

In this class, Shani Taragin will introduce you to texts which profoundly impacted upon her and shaped her thinking.

Who was the first medieval Jewish poetess? What did the Beis Ya’acov movement do with Sarah Schnirer’s plays? Which pioneering Jewish woman spearheaded the suffragette movement in the fight for women’s votes? The answers will deepen our understanding of Judaism’s uniquely radical attitude to women as we meet twenty outstanding Jewish heroines from the first century BCE until today.

Aggadot Hazal help us understand the world around us by providing a window into our relationships: our families, students, teachers, and nation. We will enter the world of our Sages as they open their hearts, extend their hand, and pose existential questions of identity. We will learn from them and try to apply their insights to our contemporary philosophical questions. The course provides a flexible framework for new mothers and for anyone who wishes to study Torah. Babies are welcome.

Each week we’ll review the stories and mitzvot of the Parsha and then focus on one issue. We will learn how the classical commentators understand the pshat and then venture to learn the Rabbinic Midrashic message in the text. Join us for a thought-provoking weekly shiur. Return home with food for the soul.

Explore Biblical and Talmudic personalities who turn to God in prayer. Learn the context of the narratives, their tefillot, and their particular style of petition. ChaZaL often present stories and narratives in the Talmud in a manner that allude to parallel stories in Tanach. We will study these “mirror personalities” to understand different modes prayer – then and now.

This chapter discusses the essence of bracha, the various categories of brachot, the relationship between food production and relevant brachot, and the connection a bracha creates between the realms of the mundane and the sacred. We will follow the progression of the halacha from its Talmudic source to its practical application and examine biblical and rabbinic origins of each topic. We will also attempt to explore the broader outlook on life upon which the various opinions are based, and to try to understand the logic and spirit of Hazal and the message they wished to convey.

Hassidim were interested in the human soul and avodat Hashem. The stories and mitzvoth in the Torah are simultaneously projections of God and of our own inner lives. In the Torah narrative, a story of dynamic self- exploration unfolds. Each class will start with the tangible: the pasuk, the personality, the mitzvah. Then, with the masters as our guides, we will ascend to see these as portals to holy truths. We will draw from the teachings of the Sefat Emet, Mei HaShiloach, and Rabbi Ya’akov Leiner.

Two books hold the Torah together from each end – Bereishit, which contains no laws, and Devarim, known also as Mishneh Torah, which reiterates, interprets, and comments on those laws. Bereishit addresses fundamental questions of G-d and Man, of nationalism and the universe, presenting them in narrative form. Devarim is, in many respects, the beginning of a methodical form of study whose relationship with the previous books of the Bible resembles the relationship between Midrashei Hazal and the Bible itself, where the repetition serves to emphasize the differences. We will delve into both Sefer Bereishit and Sefer Devarim and grapple with the challenges they present for our contemporary world view.

Explore different areas of learning and with these mini-series

Our relationship with Christianity and Islam has determined patterns of Jewish Life for centuries. Without understanding these relationships, we can’t understand our own history or the morning news.

Explore unique personalities of minor Biblical characters and discover how their often unnoticed qualities contribute to the unfolding of Jewish history.

Analyze Midrashim as quoted by Rashi, and in their original Midrashic texts. How are Rashi’s inclusions, omissions, or changes significant?

Create moments of celebration and meaning for your children and families, with a focus on Purim, Pesach, Shabbat and Tefilla.

Study the positive mitzvot of Kiddush, Candlelighting, Oneg Shabbat, & Seudot Shabbat. Explore the concept of Melacha & its framework.

Hassidut translated medieval Kabbalah into an internal experience of God through dvekut. Join us every Friday morning as we explore the early masters who fashioned what is arguably the most successful spiritual movement in Jewish History. Together we will study the works of the Ba’al Shem Tov and his disciples. One session a month will be presented alternatively by Rabbi Zvi Leshem and Dr. Yakov Azriel.

Hassidut translated medieval Kabbalah into an internal experience of God through dvekut. Join us every Friday morning as we explore the early masters who fashioned what is arguably the most successful spiritual movement in Jewish History. Together we will study the works of the Ba’al Shem Tov and his disciples. One session a month will be presented alternatively by Rabbi Zvi Leshem and Dr. Yakov Azriel.

Hassidut translated medieval Kabbalah into an internal experience of God through dvekut. Join us every Friday morning as we explore the early masters who fashioned what is arguably the most successful spiritual movement in Jewish History. Together we will study the works of the Ba’al Shem Tov and his disciples. One session a month will be presented alternatively by Rabbi Zvi Leshem and Dr. Yakov Azriel.

The mother-daughter relationship is an essential part of preparing teenage girls for keeping the mitzvoth and their formative world. We will focus on seven important mitzvoth and learn how they bring us closer to Hashem, to parents, friends and the community at large. Each class consists of three parts –introduction of the topic and raising pertinent questions; source-based mother&daughter chevrutalearning and discussion; creative group discussion and activity (writing, drama, etc.). Topics include: · קידוש החודש: Sanctity of time in religious life, and role of rabbis in determining Halacha. · ונשמרתם מאוד לנפשותיכם: Care of our bodies, the value of maintaining good health, Halachic attitude to piercing, tattoos, etc.. · Our religious responsibilities toward others – respect for our parents, love others as welove ourselves, Kiddush Hashem and Chillul Hashem A good level of Hebrew is required as well as an interest in textual study. Price for the series: NIS 570 per mother-daughter pair. Location: TiferetAvot shul, NetzachYerushalayim St., Efrat Limited space Pre-registration necessary. To register, see online form or email office@wbm.org.il, or call 050-9938125

I have reachedBat Mitzvah –how will I meet the challenges of this new stage in my life? As a young girl reaches the age of Bat Mitzvah, she naturally begins to question and explore her evolving relationship with the mitzvot. What does the fulfillment of mitzvot mean to her? How do the commandments help build her inner self? In this course, we will address questions like these through the study of fundamental Jewish principles, such as the relationship between the individual and God, and the relationship betweenthe individual and community. We will study specific mitzvot relating to the relationships between children and parents; mitzvot pertaining to family members; and mitzvot between friends. The course will involve text study, using sources from Tanakh, Mishnah, Midrash and Hasidut. Sessions will include: • Guided, in-depth mother&daughterchavruta study • One-on-one discussionsapplying our learning to our personal daily lives. • Group discussions • Creative activity through music, writing, art and movement. Price for the series: NIS 570 per mother and daughter pair Location: TiferetAvot shul, NetzachYerushalayim St., Efrat Limited space Pre-registration necessary. To register, see online form or email office@wbm.org.il, or call 050-9938125