Adult Ed

We offer many opportunities for learning and engagement, including a Torah study and discussion of the weekly portion at every Saturday morning service, special events and guest lectures, and regular Adult Education classes.

Past guest speakers have included leaders from HIAS, Free the Slaves, Breaking the Chain Through Education, First Friends of New York and New Jersey, and local hospitals, as well as Christian and Muslim communities. Each summer and occasionally during the year, CBI members offer a  sermon, mini-lesson or discussion during services. We enjoy a tradition of members sharing about their family history, Jewish journey, or Torah insights from the pulpit.

Rabbi Debra Orenstein generally leads the Torah study and discussion on Shabbat mornings and designs the Adult Education classes, which usually take place on Sunday mornings or weekday evenings. The classes are always participatory, and she often invites members with expertise or a special interest in a given topic to co-lead. About four times a year, the Rabbi offers a Learning Service for adults and teens.  

 Past offerings in Adult Education have included a wide range of topics, including: 

• Spiritual Conversations on themes such as burnout, forgiveness, joy, and raising the next generation of mensches
• Hebrew Reading Crash Courses and Hebrew Refresher Courses (with the help of congregants who are fluent)
• Mishnah Text Study
• Series on Jewish Holidays
• Series on Jewish Lifecycle (with input from an estate lawyer and funeral director)
• Series on Mussar, character strengths and Jewish ethics 
• Positivity During the Pandemic (with Rabbi Debra and six members of the congregation who are psychologists, health coaches, and social workers)

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