SEATTLE - Spring 2010 Class - Now open for enrollment!
Temple De Hirsch Sinai
1511 East Pike Seattle, WA 98122 Thursdays, 7:00-9:00 PM February 18 - June 17, 2010 (download syllabus) Instructor: Rabbis Daniel A. Septimus, Daniel A. Weiner, Alan Cook, Jessica Marshall, Elizabeth Wood
Temple De Hirsch Sinai
1511 East Pike Seattle, WA 98122 Thursdays, 7:00-9:00 PM November 12, 2009 - April 1, 2010 (download syllabus) Instructor: Rabbis Daniel A. Septimus, Daniel A. Weiner, Alan Cook, Paul Sidlofsky
The Union for Reform Judaism sponsors this Introduction to Judaism course in the greater Seattle region. The Intro course offers a basic foundation in Judaism in 18 sessions. The course is designed for persons considering conversion to Judaism, but it is very helpful to Jews-by-birth who seek a refresher course in the principles and practices of Judaism, as well as interfaith couples.
General Information about this Introduction to Judaism Course is available below. To enroll in an Intro Course, please print out Registration Form I and mail it to the Union for Reform Judaism along with your payment. If you do not see any courses starting soon, click on "I don't see any classes starting soon" for suggestions.
Tuition for the 18-week course is $240. A non-refundable $50 registration fee is included. The tuition fee allows for either one or two people to attend, and we encourage couples to attend together or singles to invite an interested friend. If you are yourself a member of a URJ-affiliated Reform congregation, the tuition is $170. You will also have to purchase the required textbooks for the class (appr. $150).
To enroll in an Intro Course, download and print out this form and send to the Union for Reform Judaism (see address on the form) along with your payment.
If the URJ Introduction to Judaism locations are inaccessible to you, please check with your local synagogue which might offer its own Introduction course. Visit the listing of URJ synagogues to find one near you.
For some things in life, it is never too late. Somehow, when you were younger, maybe you didn't learn what you'd like to know about the culture and religion of the Jewish people. Perhaps, you weren't quite ready to appreciate the Jewish education you were offered. Perhaps your parents didn't think you needed a Jewish education. Perhaps you now seek a way to live a fuller and richer Jewish family life. Perhaps you now want to narrow the cultural gaps between you and your children. Perhaps you are seeking conversion to Judaism. Whatever the reason, URJ Introduction to Judaism offers you a time and place to broaden your Jewish awareness.
Intro is designed to be a meaningful, educational experience for any person interested in knowing and understanding Judaism and Jewish life. The course is organized around the major themes of Judaism, and around the holidays and events in the Jewish life cycle.
Included in the URJ Introduction to Judaism course are the following concepts:
Belief in God
Birth
Conversion to Judaism
Death and Mourning
Israel and Zionism
Jewish Culture
Jewish History
Jewish Holidays
Marriage and Family
Personal Responsibility
Repentance and the Path of Righteousness
Worship and Spirituality
Course Requirements
Students who complete all the requirements of the URJ Introduction to Judaism will receive a Certificate of Completion. To earn a Certificate of Completion for the course, you must fulfill the following requirements:
Attend all eighteen class sessions. To make up an absence, you may attend a class on the same topic at any URJ Introduction to Judaism course location. Sometimes your instructor will offer an alternative make-up assignment.
Attend a Shabbaton.
Attend at least three Shabbat services and submit a report to your instructor about your experiences, reactions and impressions about each of these.
Complete all homework assignments and journal entries the instructor assigns.
Complete the take-home Summary Review. This is an open-book Final Exam and you are encouraged to use all the materials you receive in class to write this paper. You will obtain the Summary Review Questions from your instructor at the 14th class session. When you complete the Summary Review, you should submit it directly to your instructor who will review it and may ask you to revise some sections.
Sponsoring Rabbi
We strongly encourage you to meet with a rabbi prior to taking the course, and during the time you are enrolled in the classes. If you know a rabbi, make an appointment with him or her to discuss why URJ Introduction to Judaism could be right for you. Or call our office and we'll help you find a rabbi.
Instructors
Instructors are usually rabbis ordained by the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, the seminary for Reform Judaism. These liberal rabbis encourage students to raise questions and enter into spirited discussions on all topics. URJ Introduction to Judaism reflects the approach of Reform Judaism. This two-hundred-year-old Jewish movement includes the largest number of religious Jews in America. It has forged a dynamic synthesis of tradition and modernity that allows for an encompassing yet flexible Jewish consciousness.
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