You do not need to be a Talmudic scholar to wonder “what does it mean to be Jewish in 2023?” You just need to have a bit of curiosity and then know where to go to find some answers. One good way to learn more about being Jewish is to take a Melton course.

Melton courses have been around for decades, but through the years have been managed by different organizations, which may have led to some misconceptions.

“One of the challenges of running the Melton Program is that I fear that people think it’s just a Temple Emanuel program,” said Rabbi Janine Schloss of Temple Emanuel. “I remember from when I lived here in the 1990s that it was run through the Central Agency for Jewish Education office.”

Schloss is correct. In 2016, the programs were run through the CAJE. But in 2020 when the Jewish Federation of St. Louis closed CAJE, the Florence Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning found a new partner in Temple Emanuel and Rabbi Elizabeth Hersh. Regardless, the programs always remained open to anyone and everyone.

“That’s the word we want to get out. Melton classes are for anyone looking to learn,” said Schloss.

New class: “Jewish Text”

A new class is coming up soon and could be a perfect gateway class to take for anyone who has never taken a Melton Course before.

“It is an Introduction to Jewish text class, and it only lasts for six weeks, and yes – it is actually taking place on Mondays,” said Schloss.

The class is built around the idea that Jewish texts have informed Jewish thought and practice for over 3,000 years. But then examines how we connect to words written so long ago and what they reveal today.

Schloss will examine the many ways that we bring the words of our texts into our daily lives. She’ll look at the hints and clues in the letters of sacred Jewish texts: the Torah, the Prophets, the Talmud. Participants do not need any previous Hebrew knowledge at all.

The cost is $179 but don’t let the fee stand in your way. Confidential scholarships are available by contacting [email protected].

Register at www.meltonschool.org/st-louis.

A special tuition rate of $50 is available for any full- or part-time professionals working at Jewish organizations, including teachers and staff in St. Louis Jewish preschools, religious schools, day schools, and youth groups, and through the Borow Endowment for Jewish Education, managed by Jewish Federation of St. Louis. Email [email protected] for the coupon code.

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