Etz Chayim He (Adult Education Curriculum)

Written by Dr. Lisa Grant in conjunction with the Melton Research Center for Jewish Education of the Jewish Theological Seminary, this two-year curriculum of adult Jewish study is designed for individuals preparing for an adult bat mitzvah, but it is easily adaptable for any adult Jewish studies programs

The complete curriculum is comprised of 40 units, each of which contains goals and directions for the instructor, texts, discussion points, and additional programmatic ideas. The loose-leaf binding allows for easy photocopying of texts for students.

Lessons for Year One

  1. Getting to Know You
  2. Creating a Holy Learning Space
  3. Living in Jewish Time
  4. The Building Blocks of Jewish Prayer
  5. The Structure of Jewish Prayer
  6. An In-Depth Exploration of the Daily Amidah
  7. Introduction to Mitzvot as a System for Jewish Living
  8. Tz’dakah
  9. Keeping Kosher
  10. Birkat HaMazon [click here for a sample lesson]
  11. Parents’ Responsibilities to Children
  12. Shabbat
  13. Building Skills for Shabbat Table Rituals
  14. The Wonders of Creation
  15. Rosh Hodesh – Monthly Renewal
  16. The High Holidays as Life Cycle Events
  17. The Three Pilgrimage Festivals-Symbols & Celebrations
  18. Rounding Out the Holiday Cycle
  19. Siyyum

Lessons for Year Year Two

  1. What Do I Believe?
  2. Finding God in the Everyday
  3. Encountering God Through Text
  4. Encountering God in Prayer
  5. Sukkot: Welcoming Guests, Past and Present
  6. Introduction to Conservative Judaism
  7. Building Blocks of Jewish Law: Rabbinic Views on Women
  8. Tallit and T’fillin: Egalitarianism and Jewish Tradition
  9. Tzitzit Tying Workshop
  10. The Torah Service
  11. Making Midrash: Explicating Biblical Narrative
  12. Israel Connections Through Holidays and T’fillah
  13. Israel Through Literary Representations
  14. American Jews and Israel: Leaps of Faith & Other Journeys
  15. American Jewish Change-Makers
  16. Women in the Synagogue
  17. Religious Pluralism: Finding a Common Language Among Difference
  18. God Talk
  19. Where We Started/Where We’re going
  20. Siyym: Demonstration of Mastery