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 Spring Quarter 2026 Classes
Sapir Salon: The University with Randy Iden
Wednesdays, March 18 & April 29, 8:00-9:00 pm
Sapir is a journal exploring the future of the American Jewish community and its intersection with cultural, social, and political issues. Randy Iden, an Assistant Professor of Instruction at the Northwestern University School of Communication, will facilitate two discussions this spring focusing on essays featured in the journal: “Encouraging Debate, Not Settling It” by Daniel Diermeier and “Arguments for the Sake of Collegiate Heaven” by Brent Goldfarb and David A. Kirsch. Join a like-minded community of different-minded thinkers, in person at Beth El, for these thought-provoking and meaningful conversations. FREE.
Who Has Not Forsaken His Kindness: Exploring Chesed in Megillat Ruth with Rabbi Miriam Lichtenberg
Tuesdays, April 28, May 12, & May 19, 2026, 6:15 – 7:30 pm
The Rabbis prominently paired the Book of Ruth with the holiday of Shavuot. But what drove this decision? More specifically, what does the story of a Moabite woman have to do with the giving and receiving of Torah? What is this book really about? Join Miriam Lichtenberg, Rabbi at Rochelle Zell Jewish High School, for three sessions between Pesach and Shavuot to explore these questions. FREE.
Thursdays @ Beth El
Register for the following FREE Spring Thursdays @ Beth El Classes (after HAZAK Fitness), 11:15 am – 12:15 pm
Catching up with the Kurtzes
April 16, 2026
Check in with Rabbi Vernon and Bryna Kurtz in Israel for a special Zoom conversation. Join us at Beth El (after the HAZAK Fitness class) or log in from home.
Remembering a Family’s Jewish History in Germany with Judy Farby & Jack Bierig
April 23, 2026
Beth El member Judy Farby and her brother Jack Bierig recently returned from Germany, where they retraced their parents’ roots in Flehingen and Cologne and reflected on their family’s escape from Nazi Germany. They will share stories from their trip, their parents’ remarkable survival, and how they succeeded in laying Stolpersteine to honor their family. Refreshments will be served. In person and on Zoom.
To Life: Jews Exploring Nature with Joel Greenberg
April 30, 2026
Naturalist Joel Greenberg will highlight eight impactful Jewish scientists – four with strong Chicago connection – who not only made major contributions to the study of the natural world but also led rich and colorful lives. In person and on Zoom.
Polarized: Why American Jews Are Divided and What to Do About It with Bobbi Kwall and Rabbi Kurtz
May 28, 2026
Beth El member and DePaul University College of Law Professor Bobbi Kwall has written what promises to be one of the most important Jewish-themed books of the year. In advance of its publication in October, she will be in conversation with Rabbi Kurtz to discuss some of the book’s highlights and themes. Bobbi will join us in person at Beth El; Rabbi Kurtz will Zoom in from Israel. Refreshments will be served! In person and on Zoom.
Sisterhood Torah Fund Book Club facilitated by Rachel Kamin
This is Not About Us by Allegra Goodman
Saturday, May 9, 12:30 pm
When their beloved younger sister dies, Sylvia and Helen are left adrift. A misunderstanding over apple cake spirals into decades of silence. Meanwhile, their children—busy with divorces, careers, college apps, bat mitzvahs, and ballet recitals—avoid taking sides.
New participants are always welcome!
Sisterhood Torah Fund Open Play: Mahjong & Canasta
Monday, 10:00 am -12:00 pm, 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, March 25; April 15 & 29; May 13 & 27; and June 10 & 24, 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, April 14 – May 19, 2026
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. Spring Quarter Fee
Breaking Jewish News & Views with Carl Schrag
Wednesdays, 9:45 – 11:00 am, April 15 – May 27, 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. Spring Quarter Fee
Hebrew Classes
Introduction to Conversational Hebrew II with Pnina Arsers
Wednesdays, 6:15-7:30 pm, April 15 – May 27, 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. Spring Quarter Fee
Café Ivrit: Intermediate Conversational Hebrew with Pnina Arsers
Tuesdays, 6:15 – 7:30 pm, April 14 – June 2, 2026 (no class April 21 & May 5)
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. Spring Quarter Fee
Sicha B’Ivrit: Advanced Conversational Hebrew with Shlomit Hoch
Thursdays, 5:30 – 7:00 pm, April 16 – May 28, 2026 (no class May 7 or May 21)
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. Spring Quarter Fee
The Hidden Story of Nuremberg: A Daughter’s Discovery with Laurie Pasler
Tuesday, April 14, 2026, 1:00 pm
What if your father left you the keys to one of history’s most defining moments? That’s the question Laurie Pasler confronted after inheriting her dad’s hidden World War II memorabilia from his service at the Nuremberg war crimes trials. An award-winning creative director and producer based in Chicago, Laurie spent a decade piecing together the story through original artifacts, documents, and archival research. This journey of inquiry led to Courtroom 600, a pioneering curriculum that teaches WWII through the lens of Nuremberg’s irrefutable evidence—and offers a different angle for confronting antisemitism and hate in today’s classrooms. Laurie is also the founder of Descendants Media Group, a Chicago based 501(c)(3) nonprofit carrying forward this mission at a pivotal moment: the 80th anniversary of the Nuremberg Trials. In person. FREE.
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