Central Agency for Jewish Education will offer three new adult education classes in February at the Jewish Federation Kopolow Building, 12 Millstone Campus Drive in Creve Coeur:
• “Reading the Gospel Through a Jewish Lens”: This course is designed to provide an understanding of the historical basis of anti-Semitism, the enmity between Christians and Jews, and the efforts in the 20th century to reconcile and resolve these differences. This 12-week course, taught by Sheldon Enger, will be divided into two six-week units. Participants may enroll in one or both sessions. The first session runs from 9:15 to 11 a.m. Monday, Feb. 6 at CAJE. The cost of each six-week session is $150; participants signing up for both sessions will pay only $275 for the full 12 weeks.
• “Genesis Like You’ve Never Read it Before”: Participants will explore midrashic interpretations of the Genesis texts that predate the rabbis. Topics include: The children of Angels and humans, insights from the Dead Sea Scrolls regarding Abraham and Sarah, Joseph and Aseneth, the Book of Jubilees and the Book of Tobit. This five-week course, taught by Naomi Jacobs, begins from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, February 9. Tuition for this course is $100. Texts will be provided.
• “The Five Scrolls-Hamesh M’gilot”: The five M’gilot or scrolls – Songs of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes and Esther – are read on the Jewish holidays. Study of these books as a unit will offer an opportunity to develop new insights and enriched understanding of these fascinating texts. Rabbi Lane Steinger will begin teaching this six-week course from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 2. Tuition for this course is $120.
All three courses will be offered at CAJE. To register or for additional information, contact Cyndee Levy at clevy@cajestl.org or 314-442-3754.