Courses

Fall 2025

Four Session Short Courses

• Marge Piercy – Stories and Poems

  Mondays at 10:00am

  Oct. 20, 27; Nov. 3, 10, 17, 24; Dec. 1, 8, 15, 22

  Taught by Rabbi Emily Langowitz

  Marge Piercy is a prolific Jewish author, activist, and feminist. She has published numerous volumes of poetry, novels, and one short story collection. In this semester, we will explore her short story collection, The Cost of Lunch, Etc. interspersed with her beautiful collection of Jewish poetry, The Art of Blessing the Day: Poems with a Jewish Theme. You need not be an expert on short stories or poems to join us and enjoy!

  Each week’s readings are listed below. Readings found in The Cost of Lunch, Etc. will be marked with an S for story and readings found in The Art of Blessing the Day: Poems with a Jewish Theme will be marked with a P for poetry.

  October 20: P – Learning to Read, Meditation Before Reading Torah

  October 27: S – “The Shrine”

  November 3: P- Apple Sauce for Eve, The Book of Ruth and Naomi

  November 10: S – “The Easy Arrangement”

  November 17: P – The Chuppah, The Wine

  November 24: S – “Fog”

  December 1: P – All Lovers Have Secret Names, Black Mountain

  December 8: S – “What Remains”

  December 15: P – A Candle in a Glass, Kaddish

  December 22: P – The Rabbi’s Granddaughter and the Christmas Tree

  This class meets weekly from 10am-11am in person, with zoom options available. Location and zoom link provided upon registration.

  If you would like to pay by check, or have financial needs that require a scholarship, please contact Rabbi Langowitz at rabbilangowitz@womenlearning.org.

  
  Enroll - $250

• The Days of Awe: Values for Women’s Leadership

  Thursdays at noon

  Sep. 11, 18, 25; Oct. 9, 16

  Taught by Rabbi Emily Langowitz

  The themes of the High Holidays are timeless, and each year encourage us to grow personally and spiritually. In this five-session course, we’ll take an hour each week to explore those themes in a new way: through the lens of women’s leadership. Join an inspiring group of women to learn how these holidays and their traditions – both ancient and new – can encourage our group as leaders and as Jewish women.

  As we study Rosh Hashanah we will consider the power of tapping into our creativity. The themes of Yom Kippur will teach us about how to shoulder the burdens of leadership. We will explore the values of vulnerability and impermanence as we study Sukkot, and we’ll conclude our time together drawing inspiration on how to write and re-write our own narratives with Simchat Torah as our guide.

  Looking for a way to pour back into yourself during this season? Join us on zoom during your lunch hour for learning, community, and inspiration. All women are welcome – whether a WLI alum or new to our work!

  Zoom link provided after registration.

  If you would like to pay by check, or have financial needs that require a scholarship, please contact Rabbi Langowitz at rabbilangowitz@womenlearning.org.

  
  Enroll - $99

• Tuesday Morning Talmud: Women in the Talmud

  Tuesdays at 9:00am

  Oct. 21, 28; Nov. 4, 11, 18, 25; Dec. 2, 9, 16, 23

  Taught by Rabbi Emily Langowitz

  The Talmud’s relationship to women is complex: sometimes gratifying, at times maddening, and always fascinating. Women’s lives are discussed in many ways across the tractates of the Talmud, but there are very few women who are actually named. This semester, we will be exploring how women are portrayed in Talmud and what the lives of the six most prominent named women: Yalta, Homa, Marta, Heruta, Beruria, and Ima Shalom, can teach us, as women, about our lives today.

  Join us to see how, even thousands of years later, these ancient texts continue to have meaning in our 21st century lives. And don’t be afraid to bring your own experiences to the table! Each one of us has something to add to this age-old sacred dialogue. You do not need to have any prior experience in Talmud study to join us.

  This class meets weekly from 9am-10am in person, with zoom options available. Location and zoom link provided upon registration.

  If you would like to pay by check, or have financial needs that require a scholarship, please contact Rabbi Langowitz at rabbilangowitz@womenlearning.org.

  
  Enroll - $250