We invite you to be part of our award-winning adult education program – a centerpiece of congregational life at Temple Israel We refer to our adult education program as Joys of Jewish Learning, because we believe that learning—at any age—should spark pleasure.
We enthusiastically invite you to join us for one (or more!) of our many diverse programs, speakers, field trips, or classes. Together, we explore Jewish tradition and observance, discuss current trends in Long Beach and in our wider community, and deepen our connection to Torah. Our congregation is proud to frequently host world-renowned scholars, artists, and authors.
Torah Study
One of our most popular, ongoing, weekly learning opportunities is Torah Study. Each time we study Torah, we find something new in its verses…and in ourselves. Join us for our engaging Torah Study, held every Saturday morning. Participants explore the parashat hashavuah (weekly Torah portion) and discuss its meaning and relevance through the use of traditional commentaries, personal reflection, and lively debate. Torah Study is for everyone—no background knowledge of Judaism or Hebrew is required.
For more information about any of our adult learning opportunities contact our Educator, Sharon Amster Brown at sab@tilb.org.
Rabbi’s Reading Corner
Theology
The Book of Miracles, Lawrence Kushner
The Way of Man, Martin Buber
The Sabbath, Abraham Joshua Heschel
Misc
Let Your Life Speak, Parker Palmer
Manhood for Amateurs, Michael Chabon
Maps and Legends, Michael Chabon
History
American Judaism, Jonathan Sarna
Stories and Folklore
Rachel the Clever and Other Jewish Folktales, Joseph Sherman
Tevye the Dairyman and the Railroad Stories, Sholem Aleichem
Fiction
The Fixer, Bernard Malamud
The Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, Michael Chabon
The Yiddish Policeman’s Union, Michael chabon
Moonglow, Michael Chabon
The Bus Driver Who Wanted to Be God, Etgar Keret
The Chosen, Chaim Potok
Goodbye, Columbus, Philip Roth
The Jewish Gauchos of the Pampas, Alexander Gerchunoff
A Stranger on the Planet, Adam Schwartz
Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret, Judy Blume
Beware of God, Shalom Auslander
The Collected Stories of Isaac Babel
Dissident Gardens, Jonathan Lethem
The Fortress of Solitude, Jonathan Lethem
The Shawl, Cynthia Ozick
Gimpel the Fool, Isaac Bashevis Singer
Graphic Novels
The Sculptor, Scott McCloud
The Rabbi’s Cat (1 and 2), Joan Sfarr
Maus (1 and 2), Art Spiegel
Poetry
Devotions, Mary Oliver
Begin Again, Grace Paley
Fidelity, Grace Paley
Sailing Alone Around the Room, Billy Collins
I Explain a Few Things, Pablo Neruda
Open Closed Open, Yehuda Amichai