Introduction to Judaism:

Join Rabbis Sasha Perry, Brant Rosen and other guest speakers for a 17-week exploration into the foundations of Judaism and Jewish life. We will engage with diverse histories, examine texts, theologies and philosophies, and learn about ritual and prayer as dynamic aspects of Jewishness with powerful potential for our lives and times.

Key questions will include:

• How have Jews organized ourselves over time and related to other peoples?

• How do we relate to land, place, and power?

• How do we understand and relate to aspects of Jewish tradition that replicate oppressive systems?

• How can we bring our liberatory values to Judaism?

• How can we create Jewish lives that nourish and sustain ourselves and our communities and feed our work for justice?

Foundational to this class is the understanding that Jews are and always have been a multiracial, multiethnic, multicultural group. We will bring feminist, diasporist, and anti-Zionist lenses to our learning, and will work to create a welcoming and accessible learning space for participants.This class is open to people with all ranges of Jewish experience. In particular, we are eager to support Jews and Jewishly-journeying leftists who are looking to deepen knowledge and connection with Jewishness, who may feel marginalized in Zionist Jewish spaces. This class may be taken toward the fulfillment of the requirements for formal conversion to Judaism. Please check out Tzedek Chicago’s core values for more on the political/spiritual context of this class and our community.