The Gertrude Lederman Family Continuing Education courses at North Suburban Synagogue Beth El offer a wonderful chance to deepen your understanding of Jewish thought, culture, and identity. This program is made possible through the generous gift of the estate of Gertrude Lederman. The value she placed on Jewish education became the cornerstone of her legacy of lifelong learning in our congregation.
The fee for Continuing Education tuition courses is $60 per quarter for NSS Beth El members and $125 per quarter for guests. Payment for one course includes any additional classes during the same quarter at no additional charge unless otherwise noted. Note that many of our courses are offered for free.
Contact Rachel Kamin, Director of Lifelong Learning, for more information about adult education and Marcie Eskin, Education Coordinator, for registration and other class-related information. Note: Because the cost of tuition should never be a barrier to participation in our NSS Beth El classes, we do offer financial assistance. Please contact Marcie Eskin for scholarship information.
Register for Winter Quarter 2026 Classes
Israeli Politics 101 with Mike Hollander
Thursdays, 11:15 am – 12:15 pm, January 8 and January 22, 2026
Mike Hollander, an experienced Jewish educator and licensed tour guide in Israel, will provide a fool-proof explanation of how the fragile and complicated Israeli political system works. Mike will join us on Zoom from Israel for this two-session series. Students can login together at Beth El (after HAZAK Fitness) or from the comfort of their own home. FREE
Grief Support Group
Thursday, 1:00 – 2:30 pm, January 15 & 29; February 5 & 19; and March 5 & 26, 2026
Combining the comfort of human connection with the spiritual support of Jewish tradition, this in person group, hosted by Beth El and facilitated by JCFS professionals Daniel Bahner and Leah Shefsky, is for adults who have experienced the death of a loved-one within the past two years. Group will meet in person. FREE
The Fours of the Passover Seder with Rabbi Freedman
Thursdays, 11:15 am – 12:15 pm, February 12 & 26 and March 12 & 19, 2026
Prepare spiritually for the Passover Seders by delving into the sets of four found in the Haggadah: cups, questions, children, and mothers, exploring different windows into the story of the Exodus and its significance for us. This learning, using Hadar’s Project Zug curriculum, will guide you in a conversation with ancient sages and modern Jewish thinkers, looking at Talmudic texts, Hasidic commentaries as well as poetry and art. Class will meet on Zoom and in person (after the HAZAK Fitness class). FREE
Sisterhood Torah Fund Book Club facilitated by Rachel Kamin
My Childhood in Pieces by Edward Hirsch
Saturday, February 7, 12:30 pm
A darkly comic and sharp-edged portrait of a poet’s coming-of-age in a tough, witty, middle-class Jewish family, told through punchy microchapters that capture the humor, struggles and lessons shaping his journey from childhood to independence.
Meet the author on Zoom on Monday, January 26 at 8:00 pm.
Rules for Ghosting by Shelly Jay Shore
Saturday, March 14, 12:30 pm
While trying to save his family’s funeral home from financial ruin, Ezra, who can see ghosts, is haunted by his crush Jonathan’s gone-too-soon husband. The Association of Jewish Libraries 2025 Jewish Fiction Honor Award Winner.
The Book Club will continue on May 9, 2026– stay tuned for more details. New participants are always welcome!
Family Book Club
Don’t Feed the Lion by Bianna Golodryga & Yonit Levi
Sunday, January 25, 12:00 pm
Follows three Chicago middle school students who confront bullying and bigotry after a swastika appears on a locker and a professional athlete posts an anti-Semitic message online. For 3rd-6th graders and adult readers of all ages.
Sisterhood Torah Fund Open Play: Mahjong & Canasta
Monday, 10:00 am -12:00 pm, January 12, February 9, March 9 and April 20, 2026
Spend the morning playing with your Beth El friends. Continues monthly through April 2026. Open play, in person only.
Participants in the Book Club and Open Play Mahjong & Canasta are encouraged to make a minimum annual donation of $54 to the Torah Fund Campaign. Questions? Contact Maria Ponsillo, Torah Fund VP, at [email protected].
Open Conversational Hebrew (ongoing)
Sundays, 9:30-11:00 am
Practice Hebrew conversation informally with other participants. Class will meet on Zoom. FREE
Writer’s Beit Midrash
Wednesdays, 9:30 am, January 14 & 28; February 11 & 25; and March 11 & 25, 2026
All fiction, non-fiction, poetry, memoir, and essay writers (published or not yet published) are welcome for discussions, exercises, camaraderie, and critique every other Wednesday morning. Class will meet in person. FREE
Talmud: Tractate B’rachot with Rabbi Michael Schwab
Tuesdays, 8:30 – 9:30 am, January 6 – March 17, 2026 (no class January 20 & 27 and March 3)
Rabbi Schwab takes students on a journey through the mainstay of the Jewish oral tradition, its rich history, structure, and famous personalities. Class will meet in person and on Zoom. Winter Quarter Fee
Breaking Jewish News & Views with Carl Schrag
Wednesdays, 9:45 – 11:00 am, January 14 – March 18, 2026
This class zooms in on local, national, and global news through a distinctly Jewish lens. We’ll navigate the ever-evolving post-October 7 reality as we talk about politics, Israel, anti-Semitism, anti-Zionism, rifts in our Jewish community, and more. Carl Schrag, former editor of The Jerusalem Post, brings a journalist’s probing questions to every topic. Class will meet on Zoom. Winter Quarter Fee
Hebrew Classes
Introduction to Conversational Hebrew II with Pnina Arsers
Wednesdays, 6:15-7:30 pm, January 14 – March 18, 2026
Continuing from last year with the Brandeis Modern Hebrew textbook, this course will focus on Hebrew language skills through listening, reading, speaking, and vocabulary Class will meet in person. Winter Quarter Fee
Café Ivrit: Intermediate Conversational Hebrew with Pnina Arsers
Tuesdays, 6:15 – 7:30 pm, January 13 – March 17, 2026
Using the Brandeis Modern Hebrew textbook, we will continue to improve our listening, reading, and speaking skills and explore aspects of Israeli culture through language, literature and current events. Class will meet in person. Winter Quarter Fee
Sicha B’Ivrit: Advanced Conversational Hebrew with Shlomit Hoch
Thursdays, 5:30 – 7:00 pm, January 15 – March 19, 2026
Using the textbook, Kriat Beynaim from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, we will explore an array of enriching materials including news articles, songs, literature, and much more. We will also have fun with online games and engaging warm-up activities to enhance our learning experience. Class will meet on Zoom. Winter Quarter Fee
Field Family Lecture: Shuly Rubin Schwartz, Chancellor of the Jewish Theological Seminary and the Irving Lehrman Research Professor of American Jewish History
Thursday, February 12, 7:00 pm
The eighth Chancellor, Shuly Rubin Schwartz is the first woman to serve in this role since JTS was founded in 1886. She was also one of the first women on the faculty and played an instrumental role in introducing Jewish gender studies into the curriculum. As part of the JTS Scholar Weekend, Chancellor Schwartz will deliver a D’var Torah on Friday, February 13, during Kabbalat Shabbat Services, and the sermon on Shabbat morning, February 14. A post-Kiddush conversation will also follow.
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