The Aquarian Minyan Yeshiva
CURRENT & UPCOMING CLASSES*
*All classes are offered virtually via Zoom, unless stated otherwise. Class times listed are for Pacific Standard Time
NEW FOR FALL 2024!
The Divine Feminine and Rebbe Nachman of Breslov with Rabbi Shlomo Barya Schachter
12pm Pacific Time
Nov. 4, 11*, 18, 25 and December 2 (Rabbi Jonathan Seidel subs for Rabbi Schachter on Nov.11)
To Register Click HERE
*There is a suggested minimum donation of $72 for all five sessions of this class. Class recordings will be provided to all who register
The kabbalistic tradition has long embraced and articulated the idea of the Shekhina as the indwelling Feminine presence of the Divine. Personified as the Shabbat Queen, She is also the beloved bride, the mourning widow and the long-suffering mother. Rebbe Nachman has extensive teachings regarding the Feminine Face of God. In particular, his epic stories give a vision of the Shekhina as proactive, powerful and wise. Join Rabbi Barya Shlomo Barya Schacter as we delve into a five week discussion of Rebbe Nachman's portrayal of the Divine Feminine and examine his teachings on how we can best interact with Her.
About Rabbi Barya Schachter
Rabbi Barya Schachter, grew up in the Jewish Renewal movement as it coalesced around his father, Reb Zalman and received Orthodox Semicha from Rabbi Riskin of Efrat after spending nine years studying in Israel. A modern Breslever Chassid, he strives to draw on the experiential piety of Hasidut in order to face the challenges of the contemporary world. He sees halacha more as instructions for shamanic rights rather than a system of law, and as such particularly enjoys DIY mitzvah projects like doing his own Shechita, making homemade Matzah and tying Tzitzit. Striving to integrate his experiences with martial arts, football and alternative medicine, he approaches Torah and prayer with an eye towards embodiment practice as an emerging modality in serving Hashem. He can be reached at:
Exploring the Talmud: God, Self, and Family
with Rabbi Jonathan Freirich
Tuesdays at 12pm Pacific
October 15, 22, 29 and November 12
To Register Click HERE
*There is a suggested minimum donation of $60 for all four weeks of this class. Recordings will be provided to all who register
Join us for an exciting discussion guided by Rabbi Jonathan Freirich who draws his inspiration from Rabbi Amy Scheinerman’s fascinating conversations about Talmud. Over the four weeks of this class, we will explore the following topics in her text and the original sources from the Talmud, Mishnah, and Midrash:
* Why Jews have both Written and Oral Traditions, Torah and Talmud
* Prayer and Worship - Ideas and Reflections from Rabbinic Sources
* Honoring Our Parents - Obligations and Exceptions Between Generations
* Balancing Family and Study - Ancient and Contemporary Work-Life Balance
About Rabbi Jonathan Freirich
Rabbi Jonathan Freirich, a Reconstructionist and Reform rabbi who learned at the Conservative Yeshiva and Hebrew University in Jerusalem, also has training in public policy and community organizing. Originally from New York City, Rabbi Jonathan now coalition-builds, facilitates, listens, learns, and writes, in Buffalo, New York. Dedicated to compassion and cooperation, thoughtfulness and thinking, and effective collaborative actions, Jonathan aims to contribute to a better connected, more peaceful, and more sustainable world. He is an experienced and compassionate teacher dedicated to making Jewish texts accessible to beginners and beyond.
Who Is A Jew? How Persons of Multiple Judaisms Connect to God and the Jewish People with Yoreshet D’vorah Grenn, Ph.D
Wednesdays at 12pm Pacific/3pm Eastern
Nov. 6/13/20 and Dec. 4th (no class November 27)
12pm Pacific/3pm Eastern
To Register Click HERE
*There is a suggested minimum donation of $72 for all four sessions of this class. Recordings will be provided to all who register
How do people of multiple Judaisms connect with God and the Jewish people? There are cultural Jews, secular Jews, religious Jews, Jews by birth, Jews of color, Jews by choice, political Jews, Goddess Jews, “Jewitches”, Jewish pagans, and those who describe themselves as Jews who may not affiliate with any religious organization or who identify with any categories. In addition, this class taught by author Yoreshet D'vorah Grenn we will explore multiple and intersecting theologies: the ways we imagine, construct and connect with God? What are the limits of self-definition as “Jewish”? Come explore the exciting contemporary challenges of Jewish identity with an outstanding educator who brings a brilliant and inclusive perspective to the topic.
About Yoreshet D’vorah Grenn
Yoreshet D’vorah Grenn, Ph.D (she/her) is an educator, writer, Mashpi’ah Ruchanit / Spiritual Guide and Yoreshet. She founded The Lilith Institute, A Center for Feminist Spirituality in 1997, Co-Directed the Women’s Spirituality MA Program at ITP/Sofia University for eight years, and was a founding theorist of the Kohenet movement. She has taught Jewish Magic and Folklore, and The Sacred Feminine in Judaism for Hebrew College and Ner Shalom/Cotati, and Humanities and Philosophy classes at Napa Valley College. D’vorah also just completed a Women’s Sacred Conversations with G’d class for Hebrew College as well.
The Texture of Time: The Hasidic Masters on the Temporal Journey with Rabbi Or Rose
Thursdays at 12pm Pacific/3pm Eastern
Nov 7/14/21 and December 5 (there will be no class Nov 28 in observance of Thanksgiving Day)
To Register Click HERE
*There is a suggested minimum donation of $72 for all four sessions of this class. Recordings will be sent to all who register
Join Rabbi and author Or Rose as we explore the teachings of the Hasidic masters on the temporal journey, including insights on daily life, Shabbat, Rosh Hodesh, and the festivals (major and minor). Through close readings of Hasidic homilies, stories, and spiritual practices we will gain greater understanding of how these mystical leaders sought to enact their ideals as embodied practitioners. As we make this textual journey together, we will ask ourselves how these teachings might enrich our lives as contemporary Jewish seekers.
About Rabbi Or Rose
Rabbi Or Rose is the founding director of the Miller Center for Interreligious Learning & Leadership of Hebrew College. He is the author or editor of several academic and popular works, including Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi: Essential Teachings and With the Best of Intentions: Interreligious Missteps & Mistakes (both co-edited, Orbis Books). He is a highly respected and devoted educator and his classes at the recent ALEPH Kallah were very well received. Rabbi Or brings a very personal perspective to his study of Reb Zalman that is unique to the Aquarian Minyan.