Adult Education

Adult education at Oak Park Temple happens all the time! One-off programs, regular series, and special speakers occur throughout the year. Check out our calendar for more information.

Torah Study: Weekly Torah Portion with Rabbi Weiss
Fridays, 9:00-10:00 am -
In person or you may join on Zoom

This weekly learning group brings traditional topics and texts into conversation with today’s questions and concerns. Open to learners of all backgrounds; join us once, join us every week!

The Book of the Righteous with Rabbi Weiss
Saturdays, 8:30-9:30 am at OPT and on Zoom*

Our Saturday morning torah study group will be shifting focus from talmud for a little while to explore the world of Sefer Hasidim, The Book of the Righteous. This wide-ranging medieval jewish text explores topics from righteousness to simple ideas of everyday living. We will read it together with an eye toward understanding its impact in our own lives. It is a foundational work for understanding Ashkenazi jewish thought. 

The nature of the work is that it is written in self-contained parts so it is easy to join at any time.

Torah Study: Verse by Verse
Sundays, 9:30-10:30 am

Add your voice to this dynamic group of motivated learners as we continue our journey through the Hebrew Bible.  We take each chapter in turn, careful not to skip a line or verse, to familiarize ourselves with the foundational texts of our tradition. 
 
Questions: email Lauren at slevr@aol.com to sign up and get zoom link.

OPT's Great Books Discussion Group
Sundays at 4:30 pm on Zoom

Come join us for a lively discussion of Karl Popper’s The Open Society and Its Enemies.

Written in political exile during the Second World War and first published in two volumes in 1945, Karl Popper’s The Open Society and Its Enemies is one of the most influential books of all time.

Our group meets weekly on Sundays at 4:30 pm on the Temple Zoom. Newcomers can jump in at any time. We hope to see you!
If you have any questions, please reach out to Lee Kantz.

Monday Night Adult Education Opportunities Including Anshe Mitzvah
Mondays at 7:00 pm in person preferred or on zoom

Have you ever felt like something was missing from your Jewish education or life experiences?  Have your children experienced bar/bat mitzvah but you missed out? Are you seeking a way to connect with other Jewish adults?
Come join our Anshe Mitzvah program. Together we will learn about Jewish life from an adult perspective together with other members of the congregation. The program will include regular Monday night educational opportunities and culminate with a service in the late spring of 2025. 

The classes are open to everyone in the community regardless of your desire to participate in the service. The program is designed so that a person can some to any short series that they like without committing to participate in the entire curriculum. 

Classes will begin at 7:00pm and are designed for in-person learning though a zoom camera will be set up to allow participation from those unable to attend. 

The Life of the Spirit: Jewish Beliefs in God - September 
The Life of the Spirit: Nurturing our Own Spiritual Beliefs - November 
Jewish Holidays: Finding Meaning in Jewish Living – December and January
Jewish Prayer: Why, What, How – February and March
Preparing for the Service (for Anshe Mitzvah Students only) – April and May 

Thinking about God: Jewish Views with Rabbi Gerson
Sundays at 7:00 pm on zoom
Rabbi Gerson leads us as we consider the central questions and dilemmas of Jewish theology. Specifically, this course entails a close reading of Thinking about God: Jewish Views, edited and with commentary by Rabbi Kari H. Tuling and recently published by The Jewish Publication Society. Unlike many books on Jewish theology which are organized by respective thinkers over time, this book is organized topically. The book has been described as follows:
"Who—or what—is God? Is God like a person? Does God have a gender? Does God have a special relationship with the Jewish people? Does God intervene in our lives? Is God good—and, if yes, why does evil persist in the world? In investigating how Jewish thinkers have approached these and other questions, Rabbi Kari H. Tuling elucidates many compelling—and contrasting—ways of thinking about God in Jewish tradition.
A highly accessible resource for introductory students, Thinking about God also makes important yet challenging theological texts understandable. By breaking down each selected text into its core components, Tuling helps the reader absorb it both on its own terms and in the context of essential theological questions of the ages. Readers of all backgrounds will discover new ways to contemplate God. "
All sessions via Zoom on Sunday evenings from 7-8:30 pm
Sept 22, Oct 27, Nov 24, Dec 22, Jan 12, Feb 16, Mar 16, Apr 6, and May 4

STAR
Thursdays at 1:00 pm, in person or on Zoom

Suburban Thursday Afternoon Retirees, better known as STAR, meets every Thursday from 1-3 pm, except on Jewish and national holidays.  This vibrant group includes attendees from West Suburban Temple and Oak Park Temple, as well as the broader community. We are planning for August meetings to be available both in person at West Suburban Temple Har Zion and via zoom. Please join us in person if you can!