Jewish Renaissance Center - A Renaissance in Women's Learning

CANCELLED!!!!

Cancelled: Sun., Mar. 22

Pesach: The National and Personal Journey to Freedom

The first of the three Festivals, the holiday of Passover marks the birth of the Jewish Nation, and celebrates freedom from 210 years of enslavement to the Egyptians. But what relevance does this story have to us today? Why are we commanded to re-experience it every year? And what is it about this holiday that touches almost every Jew so much so that even the most unaffiliated will have some semblance of a seder? In this day of learning, we’ll deepen our understanding and discover how we can turn our rigorous preparations and observances into a journey towards personal freedom that will continue to affect us throughout the year.

MP3s of

Feb. 16

Day of Learning

(see below)

are online now

Please click here

Sun., Feb. 16

My Mission in Life

Most of us are aware of some of the reasons we are here: connecting to G-d, doing good for others, and improving ourselves. Yet each one of us is unique and, in addition, has her own special mission in life. In times of prophecy, we were made fully aware of what our distinctive role was. How can we identify today what our mission is and what we should focus on in our life in order to accomplish it?

10:45 - 11:45

What Makes my Mission Unique? (Mrs. Leah Kohn)

11:55 - 12:55

Finding Our Mission Within Ourselves (Rabbi Eliyahu Bergstein)

1:30- 2:30

Identifying my Mission(s) by Identifying my Role(s) (Textual Study - Tehillim 23)

(Mrs. Ivy Kalazan)

MP3s of

Dec. 25

Day of Learning

(see below)

are online now

Please click here

Wed., Dec. 25

"Anti-Semitism on the Rise Again"

The statistics are alarming. "The Jewish community in the United States experienced near-historic levels of anti-Semitism last year, with attacks against Jews and Jewish institutions doubling in number." (ADL, 2019). Yet again. Decades after individuals, such as Ford, Lindbergh and Coughlin whose virulent anti-Semitism was considered acceptable to many Americans, we are again being singled out and targeted as the cause of all ills in the world. Throughout our history, from our forefathers until today, we have been plagued by hatred and persecution; some times more obviously than others, but even in those "quiet" times, there seems to be a resentment bubbling at the surface, ready to fester into something much more frightening. Why? And how is it possible to explain that even in countries such as Japan where most people have never even met a Jewish person, scores of books condemning Jews rapidly become best-sellers. Does any of this make sense? How can it be that a nation that introduced the concept of the inherent value of life, that has contributed so much to society in terms of ethics, medicine, the sciences is so readily reviled? Today's classes will explore the true source and history of anti-Semitism, the correct response to it, and whether we can minimize or perhaps even eliminate this phenomenon.

10:45 - 11:45

A Study of the Ongoing Conflict between Amalek and the Jewish Nation (Mrs. Leah Kohn)

11:55 - 12:55

Understanding the Essence of and the Reasons for Anti-Semitism (Rabbi Yinon Kalazan)

1:30- 2:30

The Biblical Beginnings of Anti-Semitism (Rabbi Eliyahu Bergstein)

MP3s of

Nov. 24

Day of Learning

(see below)

are online now

Please click here

Sunday, Nov. 24

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions…

As children, we make decisions typically based only on our own wants, and our immediate situation. As we grow older, more and more factors influence our decision-making… our self-development, natural inclinations, character traits, environment - past and present, our experience and a host of others. How do we decide? How do we know how to use these countless facets of our beings in order to make the best decision and what is in fact the best decision? What if we make the wrong decision and it affects others? Today's Day of Learning will help us gain a better understanding of the complexity involved in our decision-making, and how and when different factors should come into play in order to make the best decision we can.

10:45 - 11:45

The Good and Bad Inclination and their interaction in our decision-making. (Mrs. Leah Kohn)

11:55 - 12:55

The Difficulty in Owning Up to Having Made the Wrong Decision: Lessons to be learned from various individuals in Tanach (Mrs. Marcy Stern)

1:30 - 2:30

The Three Mindsets that Dictate all our Decisions (Mrs. Esther Wein)

MP3s of

Sept. 8

Pre-Holiday Day of Learning

(see below)

are online now

Please click here

Sunday, September 8

Pre-Holiday Day of Learning

This time of the year - and especially when the Jewish nation is facing difficult challenges including growing anti-Semitism and continuous physical barrages on our country brings about introspection, and a re-examining and deepening of commitment to our mission both as individuals and as a nation. Join us for this day of learning where we can show our intensifying commitment by uniting and investing spiritually through learning and reaffirming our dedication to growth and a stronger connection with Hashem.

10:45 - 11:45

A Day of Judgment Unlike any Other (Mrs. Leah Kohn)

11:55 - 12:55

The Month of Elul : The Bridge Between The Three Weeks and the High Holidays (Mrs. Marcy Stern)

1:30 - 2:30

Rosh Hashanah: A Day of Kindness (Rabbi Yisroel Teichman)

MP3s of

June 23

Day of Learning

The Ladder of Life

(see below)

are online now

Please click here

Sun., June 23

The Ladder of Life

There are three major stages of life - Youth, middle age, and old age; each possesses its own physical and spiritual capabilities and challenges. In this Day of Learning, we'll explore them and discover ways to actualize the special uniqueness of each stage, and make our entire life an accumulation of our achievements

10:45 - 11:45

Living Life to the Fullest Every Day with a Focus on the Power of Youth (Ms. Chani Gotlieb)

11:55 - 12:55

Mishlei: The Book that King Solomon wrote in Middle Age and its message for all of us at any stage of life (Mrs. Leah Kohn)

12:55 - 1:30 Lunch

1:30- 2:30

Koheles - What Shlomo HaMelech's Most Advanced Wisdom can Teach us about Maximizing our Spiritual Accomplishments in Old Age (Rabbi Eliyahu Bergstein)

MP3s of

Pre-Shavuot

Day of Learning

(see below)

are online now

Please click here

Sun., May 12

Pre-Shavuot Day of Learning

Shavuot and Torah

There is a most unique bond between G-d, the Jewish People and the Torah. Throughout our history, we have looked to the Torah as the focal point of our life, as our guide and source of strength. Join us for an inspiring day of deepening our connection to Torah, of an exploration of the wisdom, truth and relevance of Torah to every Jew at all times, and savoring the sweetness that comes from revealing some of the myriad layers of the Torah.

10:45 - 11:45

Orpa left, Ruth stayed; the nations rejected Torah, the Jewish people said: “na'aseh v'nishma”... Exploring the secret of those who say: “Hineini!” (Mrs. Leah Kohn)

11:55 - 12:55

Living a Fear-Free Life (Mrs. Esther Wein)

1:30 - 2:30

Shavuos: Not Just a Day of Receiving the Torah - A Day of Empowerment of the Jewish Nation (Rabbi Yisroel Teichman)

MP3s of

Pre-Pesach

Day of Learning

(see below)

are online now

Please click here

Sun., Mar. 31

Pre-Pesach Day of Learning

Pesach: The Ever-Enduring Jewish Holiday

Every year, we celebrate Pesach by telling the story about the exodus from Egypt (sometimes for many hours) that we've all heard already, that many of us even know by heart. Still - every year, we gather together and we do it again. How is this event that happened 3300 years ago so relevant to our lives today? Why do we have to ask the same four questions that we already heard the answers to many times before? Why have we celebrated this "festival of freedom" even at times of oppression? In this Day of Learning, we'll learn the answers to these questions and others, and understand the mystery behind the timelessness of Pesach.

10:45 - 12:00

The Exodus: The Foundation of Faith (Mrs. Mina Glick)

12:10 - 1:10

Passover: The Beginning of the Journey Towards our Final Redemption (Mrs. Leah Kohn)

1:45 - 2:45

The Plague of the First-Born: What really happened in the middle of the night? (Rabbi Yinon Kalazan)

MP3s of

Eternal Guides

Day of Learning

(see below)

are online now

Please click here

Tues., Feb. 24

Eternal Guides

There are many luminaries in the past few hundred years whose names arise frequently as people who confronted the challenges of their generation head-on and in so doing guided people in how to overcome them . While these leaders were responding to the tests of their own generation, we'll find that their teachings are as relevant in our own time as well. We'll study some of these individuals and what they contributed to Jewish thought and tradition and gain practical advice on how to triumph in the trials we face today.

10:45 - 11:45

HaRav Hirsch: Responding to the Struggle of German Jewry during the Enlightenment two centuries ago, and still speaking to us today (Mrs. Leah Kohn)

11:55 - 12:55

The Baal Shem Tov: Bringing out the Spiritual Power within each Jew (Rabbi Eliyahu Bergstein)

1:30 - 2:30

Rav Yisroel Salanter: The Father of the Musar Movement (Ms. Chani Gotlieb)

MP3s of

Maintaning our Individuality while

Being Part of a Greater Entity

Day of Learning

(see below)

are online now

Please click here

Tues., Jan. 27

Maintaing our Individuality while

Being Part of a Greater Entity

Our forefathers served Hashem in three unique ways and each expressed it in his establishment of one of the prayers we say daily. These three prayers - Shacharis,

Mincha, Maariv (the morning, afternoon, and evening prayers respectively) - give us

the ability to transform an ordinary day. As we will discover today, each addresses

different opportunities and challenges, and together enable us to connect to G-d at

all times and all situations.

10:45 - 11:45

Finding our Potential as Individuals and as part of the Jewish Nation (Mrs. Leah Kohn)

11:55 - 12:55

Yissacher the Scholar and Zevulun the Businessman. Two seeming opposites who working together fulfill their own maximum ability, and what we can discover about ourselves and others from their relationship (Rabbi Yisroel Teichman)

1:30 - 2:30

Shimon and Levi: Using Potential on a Positive Manner (Mrs. Marcy Stern)

MP3s of

Why Three Prayers

Day of Learning

(see below)

are online now

Please click here

Tues., Dec. 25

Why Three Daily Prayers?

Our forefathers served Hashem in three unique ways and each expressed it in his establishment of one of the prayers we say daily. These three prayers - Shacharis,

Mincha, Maariv (the morning, afternoon, and evening prayers respectively) - give us

the ability to transform an ordinary day. As we will discover today, each addresses

different opportunities and challenges, and together enable us to connect to G-d at

all times and all situations.

10:45 - 11:45

Shacharis: Setting the Tone
Rabbi Yinon Kalazan

11:55 - 12:55

Mincha: A Calm Oasis
Rabbi Eliyahu Bergstein

1:30 - 2:30

Maariv: When Darkness Falls
Mrs. Leah Kohn

MP3s of

Becoming a Person of Simcha (Happiness)

Day of Learning

(see below)

are online now

Please click here

Sun., Nov., 25

Becoming a Person of Simcha (Happiness)

As Americans, we are all equally entitled to the pursuit of happiness. But as Jews, we

are not simply entitled to its pursuit, we are told - even commanded - to experience happiness.. to BE happy. Serve G-d with joy. It is a great mitzvah to be happy all the

time. You shall rejoice on your festival. But how exactly does one become a person of simcha? How can we overcome the challenges we all face? On a positive note, we

would never be commanded to do something which we are not capable of accomplishing. Join us for this day of learning as we explore ways which will help us achieve this

elusive goal.

Happiness: Why does it always seem so elusive?
Rabbi Yisroel Teichman

King David's Guide to Happiness
Mrs. Leah Kohn

From Pesach through Simchat Torah: A Journey Towards Happiness
Ms. Chani Gotlieb

MP3s of

Crucial Instructions

Day of Learning

(see below)

are online now

Please click here

Sun., Oct. 21

Crucial Istructions

In a world that denied the existence of a G-d and threw believers into fire , in countries immersed in pure wickedness, at times of famine and of prosperity, in their youth and in old age, Avraham and Sarah lived in total dedication to the truth, unaffected by their environment and life circumstances. In this day of learning, we’ll follow their life journey, and learn how to remain true to our beliefs and way of life despite an unprecedented exposure to values, life styles and ways of thinking that oppose them.

Trust Me! Why was Avrohom's faith tested over and over and how can we follow his example when our own faith is being tested (Ms. Chani Gotlieb)

Avrohom and Sorah - Role Models for our Thoughts and Actions (Rabbi Eliyahu Bergstein)

TBA. (Rabbi Jonathan Shippel)

MP3s of

Tishrei: The Month of Growth

Day of Learning

(see below)

are online now

Please click here

Sun., Sept. 16

Tishrei: The Month of Growth

From Rosh Hashanah, the day Man was created, through Yom Kippur, the day of forgiveness, then to Succoth, the time of happiness, culminating in Simchat Torah when we dance and are one with the Torah, the month of Tishrei leads us through a stepladder of growth. It bestows upon us Heavenly gifts that guide us and help us on our path. We will explore some of these gifts in this Day of Learning, so that we can recognize and appreciate them and reach our full potential.

10:45 - 11:45

Embracing the High Holidays while feeling undeserving of a good judgment - a personal, national and global perspective. (Mrs. Leah Kohn)

12:00 - 1:00

Making new year’s resolutions work when inspiration fades (Mrs. Esther Wein)

1:30- 2:30

The hidden theme of love on Yom Kippur: A deeper appreciation of the book of Yonah

(Rabbi Yitzchak Gettinger)

MP3s of

Women in Tanach

Day of Learning

(see below)

are online now

Please click here

Sunday, June 24

Women in Tanach

There are many names that come to mind when we think of great female role models in Tanach. We feel we know them well, and try to emulate them. But there are many lesser known aspects to their greatness.. There are also many less studied great women in Tanach who strongly exhibit character traits such as strength, wisdom, love, that we strive to develop in our own lives. This Day of Learning will examine the lives of some of these women to explore what makes them our role models. and how we can follow in their footsteps.

10:45 - 11:45

Yocheved and Miriam: The Different Roles they Represent and Teach us in the Building of Klal Yisroel (Ms. Aviva Yodaiken)

11:55 - 12:55

Chulda: A Message of Hope (Mrs. Leah Kohn)

12:55 - 1:30 Lunch

1:30- 2:30 Toras Emecha: The Unique Legacy of the Jewish Mother (Ms. Chani Gotlieb)

MP3s of

Pre-Shavuot

Day of Learning

(see below)

are online now

Please click here

SUNDAY, MAY 13

Shavuot
Almost every Jew, no matter their affiliation, is aware that Passover commemorates our liberation from Egypt, and celebrates it in some way or another. But many Jews don't even know about the existence of the holiday of Shavuot. Yet, this un-famous holiday, the holiday with no mitzvahs associated with it, not only represents the zenith of Pesach, it is actually the point for which the world was created and the climax of 2,248 years of Mankind's history. Join us for this day of learning which will explore the essence of the holiday, and help us prepare to receive the Torah and experience true freedom.

10:45 - 11:45

Re-experiencing the Receiving of the Torah (Mrs. Leah Kohn)

11:55 - 12:55

Shavuos - A Day of Happiness in Heaven and on Earth (Rabbi Eliyahu Bergstein)

12:55 - 1:30 Lunch

1:30- 2:30

The Mysterious Calendar Date of Shavuos (Rabbi Yitzchak Gettinger

MP3s of

Pre-Pesach

Day of Learning

(see below)

are online now

Please click here

SUNDAY, MARCH 4

Pesach
Pesach is the first holiday Jews as a nation celebrated, and it is a unique in many
other ways: It is the holiday that requires more preparation than any other one;
The majority of Jews have some form of a Seder regardless of their level of
knowledge or affiliation; and more commentary was written about the story
behind it than about any other event in our history. These classes will help us
discover some of the reasons for this ongoing centrality, and illuminate the
relevance of this holiday to every day of our life.

10:30 - 12:00

The Peak of the Exodus: Kriyas Yam Suf (Mrs. Mina Glick)

12:10 - 1:10

Preparing for Pesach as a Guide for the Preparation for the Ultimate Redemption

(Mrs. Leah Kohn)

1:10 - 1:45 Lunch

1:45 - 2:45

Experiencing the Splitting of the Red Sea in Every Generation

(Rabbi Eliyahu Bergstein)

MP3s of

Tu'Bshvat

Days of Learning

(see below)

are online now

Please click here

Sun., Jan. 28

Tu B'Shvat
Tu B'Shvat is a day of halachic significance for fruits that grow in the Land of
Israel; it is called the Rosh Hashanah for the trees. But it's not just about them -
Man is compared to a tree in the Torah. In this day of learning we’ll explore
parallels between trees and Man, and the essence of Tu B'Shvat as a guide for
Man’s process of growth.

10:45 - 11:45

Because Man is the Tree of the Field (Ms. Aviva Yodaiken): NOT RECORDED

11:55 - 12:55

Tu B'Shvat and the Resurrection of the Dead (Mrs. Leah Kohn)

12:55 - 1:30 Lunch

1:30- 2:30

"Trees and their Fruit": Philosophic Conflicts between Ideals and Pragmatics

(Rabbi Yitzchak Gettinger)

MP3s of

Remembrance and Forgetting

Days of Learning

(see below)

are online now

Please click here

Sun., Dec. 24

Mon., Dec. 25

Remembrance and Forgetting

The co-existence of both the ability to remember and to forget is one of the wonders in the creation of Man. We are commanded to remember certain things, and others we are advised to forget. Interestingly, these imperatives actually provide us with a roadmap for spiritual growth , In these two days of learning, by examining what we are supposed to remember and what to forget, we'll reveal the path to becoming our best selves.

Sunday, December 24

10:45 - 11:45

The Bais Mikdash - Remembering the Building, Remembering the Destruction (Rebbetzin Peshie Neuburger)

11:55 - 12:55

Remembering for the Sake of the Future (Rabbi Eliyahu Bergstein)

12:55 - 1:30 Lunch

1:30- 2:30

"We are What We Remember" The Collective Memory of the Jewish People

(Ms. Chani Gotlieb)

Monday, December 25

10:45 - 11:45

Intertextual Memory: The Garden of Eden Recreated in the Vineyard of Noah (Mr. Daniel Feinberg)

11:55 - 12:55

Remember the Sabbath to Sanctify It (Mrs. Debbie Greenblatt)

12:55 - 1:30 Lunch

1:30- 2:30

The Six Remembrances : A Roadmap to Spiritual Growth (Mrs. Leah Kohn)

MP3s of

Humility, Self-Esteem, and Arrogance:

Finding the Right Balance

Day of Learning

(see below)

are online now

Please click here

Day of Learning

Sun., Nov. 12

Humility, Self-Esteem, and Arrogance: Finding the Right Balance

Chazal advise us: Keep in one pocket a note: "For me alone the world was created."

And, in the other: "I am but dust and ashes." In other words - one should have great

self-appreciation, and at the same time be completely humble.

But balancing the two is easier said than done, especially in our time. We are bombarded: Ads that tout beauty, or wealth, or success as what we must aspire to, and without which our lives are lacking. Social media that allow and encourage us to crow about our latest vacation to Italy. Driven co-workers who believe and act as if humility is weakness. How do we obtain equilibrium? Our classes today will explore how to develop a healthy self-esteem, while maintaining humility, and not succumbing to arrogance.

10:45 - 11:45

Making Life Worth Living (Mrs. Esther Wein)

11:55 - 12:55

Finding the Balance Between Arrogance and Humility (Rabbi Eliyahu Bergstein)

12:55 - 1:30 Lunch

1:30- 2:30

Creating the Utmost Image of Self (Mrs. Chani Juravel)

MP3s of

Rosh Hashanah:

A Day of Prayer

Day of Learning

(see below)

are online now

Please click here

Sunday, September 10

Rosh Hashanah: A Day of Prayer

Among the many ways we can understand the spiritual essence of a holiday is through its prayers and Torah reading. In this Day of Learning, we will explore Rosh Hashanah by studying some of the prayers we say, as well as the Torah reading. We will reveal different dimensions of the holiday that will help us connect to its essence and materialize its inherent potential.

10:45 - 11:45

Opening the Gates of Prayer (Mrs. Leah Kohn)

11:55 - 12:55

Faith and Prayer: The lesson taught by the Women in the Torah Reading on Rosh Hashanah (Ms. Chani Gotlieb)

12:55 - 1:30 Lunch

1:30- 2:30

Tashlich: How Deep are the Waters? (Rabbi Eliyahu Bergstein)

MP3s of

HASHGACHA

DIVINE PROVIDENCE

Day of Learning

(see below)

are online now

Please click here

Day of Learning

Sunday, July 9

Hashgacha - Divine Providence

One of the basic tenets of Judaism is that not only did G-d create the universe, He is actively involved in it every single moment. Whatever term we are accustomed to using - hashgacha or Divine Providence, most of us don't really understand its complexity. In what way is G-d involved? Is it constant? If not, what is it based on? In this Day of Learning, we'll explore the extent to which G-d is involved in the life of every individual and creation, and discover how we can affect the level to which G-d is involved in our life.

10:45 - 11:45

When G-d Hides His Face (Ms. Chani Gotlieb)

11:55 - 12:55

The Basis of G-d's Involvement in Our World (Mrs. Ivy Kalazan)

12:55 - 1:30

Lunch

1:30- 2:30

How do I Attain Hashem's Personal Involvement in my Life? (Rabbi Yisroel Teichman)

MP3s of our

SUNDAY, MAY 21

Day of Learning

(see below)