Jewish Learning Fellowships

Book Club @ BBQ!
Join us as we read Dara Horn’s acclaimed book of essays, People Love Dead Jews, and discuss the urgent issues, questions, and themes it inspires for us as living Jews in the 21st century. We’ll read the book in four parts and focus our discussion on: Personal identity and antisemitism, myths that shape our identities, Jewish safety and power, and what living a Jewish life means to us. While we’ll be getting into heavy themes such as intergenerational trauma, diaspora, and the complexities of antisemitism, we’ll be doing it together in a community of curiosity, trust, and care. And we’ll enjoy some delicious Kosher BBQ while we’re at it. More info and sign up here.

The Berkeley Hillel Holiday Learning Circle
Join us for pre-holiday learning this spring, 5:00-6:00pm before the Jewish community BBQ in the Beit Midrash. Mark your calendars for for following times and learning opportunities: 

• Wed, March 20: Make Some Noise! Pre-Purim Learning
• Wed, April 10: Why is this Night Different? Pre-Pesach Learning

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 are proud to present a variety of Jewish learning fellowships in Spring 2024! Our interest form is now closed, but if you’d like to learn in the Unpacking Zionism(s) or Israeli Music Fellowship cohorts, please reach out to Noga at nvilder@berkeleyhillel.org. 

Shorashim: The Jewish Roots Fellowship (10 Sessions, Begins January 30)
This Fellowship is all about rooting into the foundational elements that make up the Jewish people. We’ll be flexing our Jewish learning muscles by exploring what makes up the written and oral Torah, the Jewish calendar, the components of Shabbat, Kashrut and Jewish food, prayer, Israel, and more! This is the place to bring all your unanswered questions about what it means to be a Jew, and of course, what it means for you to be a Jew.

Shorashim will meet Tuesdays 5:00-6:30 pm. Questions? Email Rav Maya at mzinkow@berkeleyhillel.org

Queering Judaism (10 Sessions, Begins February 1)
Judaism has been historically a religion of asking questions and digging deeper into our identities. In that spirit, join Queering Judaism to find a welcoming space for dialogue, questions, and discovery surrounding queerness, Jewish life, and the intersection of both! In this fellowship, we will explore Jewish text, prayer, modern commentary, and life cycle events through a queer lens. Learn how queer people have always been integral to Judaism and how your own story fits into the broader Jewish narrative.

Queering Judaism will meet Thursdays 6:30-8:00 pm. Questions? Email Hannah at hsnyder@berkeleyhillel.org

L’shomra: Jewish Responses to Climate Change (5 Sessions, Begins January 30)
We are told in the creation story that God placed human beings in the Garden of Eden to work it and to guard it: l’ovda ul’shomra. In this fellowship, we will grapple with one of the most pressing issues of our time: climate change. Join as we explore our relationship with this world and our responsibility to protect it as we learn from contemporary sources and Jewish ancestral wisdom.

Starting January 30, L’Shomra will meet every other Tuesday 6:30-8:00 pm. Questions? Email Chance at creiniesch@berkeleyhillel.org  

Unpacking Zionism(s) (6 Sessions, Begins March 4)
This 6-week fellowship will explore the historical and modern context of Zionism, along with the multiple perspectives present in the debates surrounding it. Our learning will explore two core questions:  How do competing visions of Zionism align and differ? Both today and throughout history, what beliefs, values, and challenges have shaped Zionism and its proponents?

Unpacking Zionism(s) will meet March 4, 11, 18, April 1, 8, and 15th 5:00-6:30 pm. Questions? Email Noga at nvilder@berkeleyhillel.org 

Israeli Music Fellowship (8 Sessions, Begins February 13)
Israel is not just about the conflict! (Shocking!) In this fellowship, you’ll have an opportunity to learn about the diversity of Israeli music, and to discover how it has been impacted by significant events in Israel’s history. Each lesson will focus on a different genre. We are going to enjoy a lot of music, discussion, and have a lot of fun.

Starting on February 13, Israeli Music Fellowship will  meet Tuesdays 5:00-6:00 pm. Questions? Email Noga at nvilder@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). Please email Rabbi Adam at adamnk@berkeleyhillel.org to join and for details. 

Currently all our fellowships are full except for Israeli Music. If you would like to register for that, please fill out the form below!