Jewish Learning Fellowships

Jewish Learning Fellowships create small cohort-based Jewish learning spaces within our broader Hillel community. In Fellowships, students engage deeply in a variety of Jewish learning topics, build relationships with peers in a more intimate setting, and explore their identities through a Jewish lens.

We offer several learning topics, each offering unique specializations and a stipend for your time and presence. This spring, we are offering the following Fellowships. Our Fellowship sign-up is closed, but we encourage you to consider learning this May in the Beit Midrash Summer Immersive!

Foundations of Judaism
This class will offer an opportunity to root into your Jewish life, fill in the gaps of your Jewish education, or offer a place for you to ask all those questions about “doing Jewish” you’ve always wanted to ask. We’ll meet once a week to learn about a different aspect of Jewish life and practice. Topics include Books of the Bible, The Jewish Library, the Jewish Calendar, Shabbat, the Siddur and Prayer, along with many others.

Foundations of Judaism will meet Mondays 5:00-6:30pm, starting January 30.
Questions? Contact Rav Maya at mzinkow@berkeleyhillel.org

Foundations of Jewish Prayer
This fellowship will give you the tools and building blocks to develop a prayer practice. It’s also for you if you are curious about the origins and fundamentals of Jewish prayer. We’ll be exploring the history of Jewish prayer, the structure of the daily prayer service, and some how-to’s: How do Jews pray? How do you choose a siddur (prayer book)? What’s with the choreography of certain prayers? How do I make these prayers my own? We’ll explore these questions and more in this new fellowship!

Foundations of Jewish Prayer will meet Thursdays 5:00-6:30pm, starting February 2. 
Questions? Contact Rav Maya at mzinkow@berkeleyhillel.org

Judaism, Spirituality, and Social Justice
This fellowship is a 6-week cohort experience where we will learn from speakers and experts on how their Judaism intersects with justice work. We will cover lots of different topics ranging from housing justice, environmental organizing and interfaith civic engagement with a specific focus on how we as Jews can show up in the landscape of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Judaism, Spirituality , and Social Justice will meet six times this semester. Spring dates: 2/1, 2/15, 3/1, 3/15, 3/22, 4/19, 7:00-8:30pm.
Questions? Contact Avital at araff@berkeleyhillel.org

Kol Yisrael: Ethnic Minorities
This is a 6-week educational opportunity for students to explore the multitude of cultures that make up Israeli society, and learn about different community groups, cultures, ethnicities, and minorities that make Israel such a unique place. Students in the fellowship will have the opportunity to deepen their understanding of meaningful past and current events, develop a personal connection to Israel, and learn about the complicity and beauty of the Israeli society.

Kol Yisrael will meet on Thursdays 5:00-6:30pm in the Classroom,  starting February 23 (2/23, 3/2, 3/9, 3/16, 3/23, 3/30) 
Questions? Contact Shaked at sbustnay@berkeleyhillel.org

Crafting Consent
Crafting Consent is a year-long fellowship for women that explores Jewish womanhood. Throughout the year, fellows will engage with topics such as matriarchy, body, sexuality, consent, and power. Together, we’ll explore how Jewish text and tradition can help us understand our identities as women and how we move through the world as leaders, sexual beings, and emerging adults. We’ll engage in discussion and creative expression to form this learning community of Jewish women.

Crafting Consent is closed for the spring, but if you’re interested in joining next year, let Rav Maya or Olivia Yanover know at craftingconsent@berkeleyhillel.org

Senior Booze & Schmooze
Seniors come together to schmooze, have a beer, and learn with Rabbi Adam in this year-long fellowship. Each meeting, the group will learn Jewish texts and have great conversations to start processing the transition into life-after-college. This fellowship is only open for seniors (or those graduating early).

Senior Booze & Schmooze will meet five times each semester. Spring dates: 1/30, 2/6, 2/13 ,3/13, 4/17, 
8:30-10:00pm.

Want to join? Contact Rabbi Adam at adamnk@berkeleyhillel.org

Spring 2023 Jewish Learning Fellowship Interest Form

This is the Berkeley Hillel Spring 2023 Jewish Learning Fellowship Interest Form

Name*
First Last
Pronouns
Cal Email*
Phone*
Cal SID*
Year of Graduation*
For Kol Yisrael
The Kol Yisrael learning cohort is a 6-week educational opportunity for students to explore the multitude of cultures that make up Israeli society, and learn about different community groups, cultures, ethnicities, and minorities that make Israel such a unique place.
What comes to mind when you think about Israel as a whole? What comes to mind when you think about Israeli society and its diverse and different components?
For all Fellowships
For all Fellowships: We'd love to know you a little better! Please tell us a bit about your Jewish story.*
As a fellow, you will be expected to attend weekly or regular 90-minute meetings. You'll receive a stipend upon the completion of the semester. Are you excited to make that commitment?*
- Sounds good to me!
- I'd like to talk to someone about the time commitment
Anything else you want to tell us that will help us support you in your learning?
Phone
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Spring 2023 Jewish Learning Fellowship Interest Form

For Kol Yisrael

For all Fellowships