Who is eligible?

• Members, staff and friends of The Sholem Community, SoCal Arbeter Ring (Workmen’s Circle), as well as others, including graduates of the Jeremiah Project, willing to commit to an intensive two-year course of study. Applicants will be asked to submit a brief description of past education and/or activities in Jewish and general cultural/educational/social movements.

• Maximum enrollment: 15 individuals.

• Apply no later than Jan. 21, 2012 to hershl@sholem.org

What is the commitment?

• Two Sunday evening sessions per month, each 2-1/2 hours (60 class hours total)

• Significant advance reading/research

• Readiness to participate in seminar-style discussions, led by participants as
well as instructors

• Purchase of books and publications recommended by instructors

• Nominal fees, dependent upon offsetting grants from outside sources
What will be covered?

Approximately six sessions (15 hrs.) will be devoted to each topic:

• History and Basic Ideas of Secular Jewishness

• Critical examination of Tanakh (Hebrew bible); post-biblical literature

• Jewish calendar and holidays

• World Jewish history

• Eastern European Jewish history

• American Jewish history (incl. Rediscovering Our Radical Roots)

• Yiddish literature in translation

• Jewish American literature

* Certification as Secular Jewish vegvayzer/Leaders:
an An additional year of study (February - December 2015) covering:

• Developing Secular Jewish life-cycle and holiday ceremonies in community and home settings

• Reviewing/Developing curricula for Secular Jewish schools

Instructors:

• Hershl Hartman, Certified Secular Jewish vegvayzer; faculty,
International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism; Ed. Dir., The Sholem
Community; District Committee, SoCal Arbeter Ring (Workmen’s Circle)

• Other Certified vegvayzer in Southern California

• Noted scholars in L.A. area Secular Jewish movements/institutions

• Invited guest lecturers from L.A. area higher learning faculties