Exploring Jewish Living     Adult B'nai Mitzvah

2025-2026 Language Classes     Jewish Text Classes     Winter Ceramics 2025

Additional Learning Opportunities

Exploring Jewish Living with Colin Coltrera

The Exploring Jewish Living class at Congregation Beth Shalom provides an opportunity to experience and learn about the Jewish calendar and holidays, examine Jewish life cycle rituals and meanings, and learn about numerous other aspects of Jewish life. The class provides space for the exploration of the meaning and wisdom behind this ancient tradition.  You will explore Jewish living in a program designed with opportunities for you to connect with others on a journey of discovery.  The class is for current members of the Beth Shalom community, those who aspire to be part of the Jewish community and anyone who is curious about Judaism and wants to learn more. More information about the class can be found on our Conversion page.

This class is at capacity for this year. If you are interested in next year's cohort, please contact Ellis Engbar (EllisEngbar@bethshalomseattle.org).

Adult B'nai Mitzvah

A Two-Year Journey of Jewish Learning, Community, and Celebration
Want to deepen your Jewish knowledge? Be part of a warm and thoughtful cohort? Improve your Hebrew, learn Torah trope, write a dvar Torah or simply indulge your love of Jewish learning? The Adult B'nai Mitzvah cohort offers one of our three levels of Hebrew classes, study of the Siddur in the fall and the Tanakh in the winter/spring. Courses are led by Beth Huppin, Rabbi Borodin, Rabbi Rose, and special guests. Participants will also take part in cohort gatherings, shared learning, and opportunities for social action. The cohort is open to Beth Shalom members only. More information and registration here.

2025-2026 Language Classes:

[FULL] Hebrew 1 (Aleph Bet) Year-long Course with Ellis Engbar

Eliminate angst and build confidence while learning the Hebrew alphabet and gaining Hebrew reading competence. Come prepared for energized, spirited practice guaranteed to lay the foundation for your love of Hebrew. This is a beginning level course; no prior knowledge needed. 

[FULL] Hebrew II – Prayerbook Hebrew the Easy Way (1st semester) with Colin Coltrera and Gilah Barker

Improve your Siddur Hebrew and Tefillot reading fluency.  Do you know your alef-bet, but you’re ready to feel more comfortable in services? Can you sound out your prayers, but you want to know what they mean? In either case, this is the Hebrew class for you. We’ll be using Prayerbook Hebrew the Easy Way as our primary text.

Hebrew III (2nd Semester) with Solomon Zisser

Hebrew III continues the study of Biblical Hebrew begun in Beyond the Alpeh-Bet. The course will focus on building proficiency in Biblical Hebrew, reading, grammar, and understanding. The text book will be The First Hebrew Primer, 3rd edition. 

Format: In-person

Time: Wednesdays, 7-7:55 PM

Dates: Feb. 4- May 13, 2026 (no class on 2/18, 4/1, 4/8) (12 classes).

More information and registration.

Intermediate Yiddish (2nd Semester) with Marianne Tatom

This class will help you develop intermediate Yiddish skills, including reading comprehension, conversation, and translation. We will be starting in chapter 8 of Motl Peyse dem Khazns Yiddish Edition (Motl the Cantor's Son by Sholem Aleichem, annotated with exercises by Sheva Zucker). Prerequisite: open to students who have previously taken Intermediate Yiddish at Beth Shalom OR to others with prior instructor approval.
More information and registration.

Jewish Text Classes:

These classes are part of the Beth Shalom B'nai Mitzvah program curriculum, and are open to all who wish to participate.

Deep Dive into Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) with Beth Huppin, Rabbi Borodin & Rabbi Rose

This course offers both an overview and close study of important sections of Tanakh. We will examine classic stories, wrestle with challenging texts, and explore rabbinic and modern approaches to studying the Hebrew Bible. The course also includes special sessions on biblical readings relevant to Purim, Pesach, and Shavuot. More information and registration. The course will begin in the spring.

Havdalah Deep Dive and Make Your Own Ceramic Havdalah Set 

Have you wanted to learn more about havdalah?  What’s behind those rituals and blessings?  We’re used to blessing candles and wine, but why would we bless spice?  And why so much ritual to say goodbye? Come to a one-week class learning the theology and history and practice behind havdalah with Rabbi Borodin. More information.

Ceramics Studio Opportunity: a chance to make your own ceramics havdalah set at a local ceramic artists studio in the neighborhood with ceramics teacher Jacquie Hill and Rabbi Borodin.  The studio portion of the class is four weeks, with two weeks sculpting the clay and two weeks of glazing.  More information and registration.