Adult Education

At B’nai Sholom Reform Congregation we believe that Jewish learning is a lifetime project.

Please join us at any one of our course offerings this year. Membership is not required, and many of the classes have a nominal charge, suggested donation, or are free!

Contact us to sign up or with any questions!

Adult Education Programs

Torah Study (Via Zoom) – Saturdays, Open to all

Join our study group at 10 am Saturdays for a continuation of our 20-year tradition of sacred text study. We closely examine the weekly Parashat with the first Shabbat of the month devoted to the Prophets and the Writings. On Saturdays where there is a Shabbat Service at B’nai Sholom, we meet at 9:30 am.

All are welcome to participate and learn, reading sections aloud (if you desire) and discussing the context of the history of the Bible, including the sociology, archaeology, and politics of the land. No prior registration or experience is necessary! Sessions generally last 90 minutes with the Prophets and Writings often taking 2 hours.

These sessions are open to all on a drop-in, occasional, or regular basis. BYOB – Bring your own Bible (Having a variety of translations/interpretations increase the scope of our discussions.) Contact the office to receive the ZOOM link.

Study

Rabbi Weisbrot will be leading a discussion of Pirkei Avot, or Ethics of our Fathers, one of the best known and most cited of Jewish texts. The sessions will be on Thursday nights with the format and dates to be determined

Siblings, Second Temple Judaism and the Development of Early Christianity and Rabbinic Judaism, Part Two – Steve Stark-Riemer

Sept 19 – Oct 24. 10:00 am to 11:45 am. VIRTUAL. $45/$35

Registration Form

Synagogue Scholar

A series of talks by scholars from the congregation and beyond, presented following Friday night worship services.

January 12, 2024 (Friday night)– Annual book talk by Martha Rozett on Marthe Cohen’s Behind Enemy Lines: The True Story of a French Jewish Spy in Nazi Germany.

February 25, 2024 (Sunday morning)–Mary Warrener will deliver a talk entitled “Cut Off: Shylock, Anti-Semitism, Value and Irony in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice.”
May 10, 2024 (Friday night)–Phil Teumim will discuss his father’s role as part of a clandestine network that smuggled arms and arms-producing equipment in the lead up to and during the Israeli war for independence, despite the embargo on such activities.

Details on all the above to follow.

The Movies

Saturday, December 16, 7:30 p.m. – After an almost four year hiatus B’nai Sholom is returning to in-person screenings. Our first showing will be Farewell Mr. Haffman( France 2022) about a Jewish jeweller who fearing the worst, arranges for his family to flee the city and offers his employee the chance to take over his store until the conflict subsides. But his own attempts to escape are thwarted, and Haffmann is forced to seek his assistant’s protection, a risky proposition for both men. The film masterfully guides the viewer through the world of Vichy France, where lives are irrevocably shaped by the twin scourges of war and the black market. Rich in moral complexity and empathy this is grand, big-screen adult entertainment at its finest.

Contact Us

420 Whitehall Road, Albany, NY 12208
518-482-5283|Email Us

Office Hours

Tuesdays-Fridays, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm
Closed Mondays