Interfaith relationships are a fact of contemporary Jewish life. Interfaith couples are often bombarded with questions from anxious relatives and inquisitive friends and colleagues: How will the children be raised? Will the boys be circumcised? And perhaps: “How could you do this to us?!!” This class is a judgment-free space to explore the issues and address the anxieties and questions raised when a Jewish person enters a committed relationship with a non-Jewish partner. We will read and discuss scholarship on and resources for interfaith couples and their families, attempting to understand interfaith relationships as both an issue in Jewish life and an opportunity for personal and spiritual growth.

In their new book, Creating Sacred Communities, Dr. Ron Wolfson and Rabbi Brett Kopin present conversations with 15 leading practitioners who are shaping engaging and growing congregations in North America. In this session, Ron and Brett will share some of the best principles and practices from leaders like Rabbis Angela Buchdahl, Sharon Brous, Ed Feinstein, Mike Uram, Dan Moskovitz, Nicole Auerbach, Lydia Medwin and special master class contributor, Pastor Rick Warren.

In a post-pandemic world, does community still matter? How can it be sustained when our norms are shifting and the world feels more polarized than ever? As Limmud North America's Director of Communities, Ben Greenberg is immersed in understanding and growing communities. Using Jewish texts and exploring Jewish history, Ben will address these questions and more.

Namaste and Shalom: A Virtual Tour of Jewish India Take a trip to Jewish India! India's Jewish heritage is a rich cultural and historical saga that stretches from biblical times until today. Explore each of India's Jewish communities as we visit sites and synagogues in Bombay, Calcutta and Cochin. Led by Rahel Musleah, who was born in Calcutta, the seventh-generation of a Calcutta Jewish family that traces its roots to 17th-century Baghdad. Today, Rahel is a New York-based award-winning journalist, author, singer, speaker and educator. She is looking forward to travel opening up so she can resume taking visitors on Jewish heritage tours of India. In the meantime, she is bringing India to you!

What makes a community? What are the building blocks through which we find our spiritual home? Join us as we look to a new Jewish community built on the pillars of our ancient wisdom, meditation, Mussar, and psychology.

How much does a community need to share in order to be unified? At what cost does a community build a shared identity? In this session, we will explore the creation of "the New Jew" and the establishment of a Jewish national identity. As we explore the notions of belonging and inclusion, we will look to the poetry and art of prominent Mizrachi artists to explore ideas of power, belonging, and inclusion in the Israeli landscape.

There are many moments that we show up to celebrate and offer support for members of our communities. The end of life transition offers the most concentrated and profound moments for community members to support one another. In this workshop we will review these moments and use texts to guide where these traditions stem from with a focus on end of life rituals and practices. 

Learn from Queer Rabbinical Student of Color Kelly Whitehead on how the Jewish communities can make our spaces more accessible for members with marginalized identities, based on Jewish values.