Courses

Spring 2025

Four Session Short Courses

• D. Smart, Short, Sweet: Pirkei Avot

  Tuesdays at 10:00am

  September 13, 20, 27 October 26* (Wed) November 1, 8, 22, 29, December 6, 13

  Taught by Rabbi Elana Kanter

  One of the most beloved Jewish texts of all time. Short teachings to challenge the mind and grow the soul.

  
  Enroll - $225

• 2. Joan’s Class: The Hidden Secrets of the Ten Commandments

  Mondays at 10am

  Jan. 27 Feb. 3, 10, 24 March 2, 16, 23, 30 April 6, 20

  The Hidden Secrets of the Ten Commandments

  Take a deep dive into this famous part of the Torah, and discover new insights.  Learn things about the Ten Commandments that you were never taught in Hebrew School.

  Taught by Rabbi Tracee Rosen.

  
  Enroll - $225

• 1. Joan’s Class: Edith Pearlman, Short Stories

  Mondays at 10:00am

  Sept. 12, 19 Oct. 3, 24, 31 Nov 7, 14, 21, 28 Dec. 5 Make Up Class If Needed, Dec. 12

  Taught by Rabbi Elana Kanter

  Joan’s Class:  Assorted Stories 1989-2017, by Edith Pearlman
  

  We will read and discuss:

  1. Swampmaiden The Iowa Review Vol 19. No. 19 No. 1 (Winter 1989)  pp. 49-54

  2. Sympathizer The Massachusetts Review Vol. 36 No. 1 (Spring 1995) pp.33-37

  3. Prodigal Niece  The Antioch Review, Vol. 62, No. 3, All Fiction Issue: A Dozen Stories (Summer, 2004), pp. 458-465 – JStor

  4.  Elder Jinks, Antioch Review Vol. 65 No. 4 (Fall 2007) pp. 689-698

  5.  Grossie  The Antioch Review, Vol. 70, No. 3, Annual All Fiction Issue (Summer 2012), pp. 409-416

  6.  The Gentle Girl Iron Horse Literary Review, Volume 14.6 (Spring 2012) (pps. 62-67)

  7.  Just So Virginia Quarterly Review Vol. 88 No. 3, (Summer 2012) pps. 126-132 JStor
  

  8. Fishwater  Ploughshares, Vol. 40, No. 2/3 (Fall 2014), pp. 136-144 – JStor

  9.Aunt Telephone, The Antioch Review, Vol. 74-75, pp. 1059-1070 – (Winter 2017) JStor

  10. Jigsaw Table   Details to follow.

  
  Enroll - $250

• 1. Joan’s Class: Frankly Feminist, Short Stories from Lillith Magazine

  Mondays at 10:00am

  Jan. 9, 23 Feb. 6, 13, 20, 27 Mar. 20, 27 April17, 24

  Taught by Rabbi Elana Kanter

  Hot off the press, Frankly Feminist is a collection of short stories that have appeared over the years in Lillith Magazine.  We’ll dive right in.

  

  
  Enroll - $250

• 1. Joan’s Class: Frankly Feminist, Short Stories from Lillith Magazine

  Mondays at 10:00am

  Sept. 11, 18 Oct. 2, 16, 23, 30 Nov. 13, 20, 27 Dec. 4 Make Up Class if needed Dec. 11

  Taught by Rabbi Elana Kanter

  Hot off the press, Frankly Feminist is a collection of short stories that have appeared over the years in Lillith Magazine.  We’ll continue to enjoy this wonderful book.

  Date – Story/Author/Page

  1. 9/11 – Max’s Mom Goes to Camp/J. Zimmer/39.
  2. 9/18 – Her Daughter’s Boyfriends/P. Jackson/46.
  3. 10/2- 1919: At the Connecticut Shore/J. Lazarre/63.
  4. 10/16 – The Curiosa Section/H. Goldman/69.
  5. 10/23 – Wedding Photographers Assistant/I. Stanger-Ross/81.
  6. 10/30 – Road Kill/M. Sivan/99.
  7. 11/13 Probabilities/E.Edelglass/109.
  8. 11/20- Sound Effects/M. Ruby/116.
  9. 11/27 – The A-Train to Scotland/E. Umansky/123.
  10. 12/4 – The Woman Who Lost Her Names/N. Rapoport/300.
  
  Enroll - $250

• 1. Joan’s Class: Frankly Feminist, Short Stories from Lillith Magazine

  Mondays at 10:00am

  Jan. 8, 22 Feb. 5, 12, 26 Mar. 4, 11, 18 April 1, 8 Make-up class if needed, April 15

  Taught by Rabbi Elana Kanter

  Hot off the press, Frankly Feminist is a collection of short stories that have appeared over the years in Lillith Magazine.  We’ll continue to enjoy this wonderful book.

  Date – Story/Author/Page

  1. 1/8 – Lot’s Wife   p.135
  2. 1/22 – Paved with Gold, p.141
  3. 2/5 – Little Hen p. 153
  4. 2/12 – Boundaries, p. 163
  5. 2/26 – Face Me, p. 171
  6. 3/4 – Zhid, p. 179
  7. 3/11 Deep in the Valley, 189
  8. 3/18 – La Poussette, p. 197
  9. 4/1 – The Fronds of Knives, p. 205
  10. 4/8 – Street of the Deported, p. 213
  11. 4/15 – Make-up class, if needed.
  
  Enroll - $250

• 2. Online Version – Joan’s Class: Edith Pearlman, Recent Short Stories

  Mondays at 11:30am MTN (Sept and Oct.) 12:30pm MTN (Nov. and Dec.)

  Sept. 12, 19 Oct. 3, 24, 31 Nov 7, 14, 21, 28 Dec. 5 Make Up Class If Needed, Dec. 12

  Taught by Rabbi Elana Kanter

  Joan’s Class:  Recent Stories by Edith Pearlman
  

  See Description and List of Stories above.

  
  Enroll - $250

• A. Joan’s Class: Jewish Literature and Jewish Life

  Mondays at 10:00am

  Jan. 9, 23, 30 Feb. 6, 27 Mar. 6, 13, 20, 27 April 24 May 1

  Taught by Rabbi Elana Kanter

  Joan Beren, zichrona livracha, was a beloved and regular participant in this class for many years. Each fall, as we inaugurate a new year of study, we begin with a short tribute to Joan, a person who embodied both a love of Jewish texts and a love of Jewish life.   She was an inspiration to those of us who knew her, and her memory continues to be a blessing for us.
  

   

  This spring, we’ll read Joseph Epsteins’s Small Fabulous Jews: Read 1-2 short stories per week and discuss in depth.

  
  Enroll - $225

• A. Joan’s Class: Jewish Literature and Jewish Life

  Mondays at 10:00am

  Sept. 12, 19**, 26 Oct. 31 Nov. 7, 14, 21, 28 Dec. 5**, 12

  Taught by Rabbi Elana Kanter

  Joan Beren, zichrona livracha, was a beloved and regular participant in this class for many years. Each fall, as we inaugurate a new year of study, we begin with a short tribute to Joan, a person who embodied both a love of Jewish texts and a love of Jewish life.   She was an inspiration to those of us who knew her, and her memory continues to be a blessing for us.
  

   

  This fall, we’ll read Edith Pearlman’s Honeydew: Read 1-2 short stories per week and discuss in depth. **Please note that Sept. 19 and Dec. 5 class will begin at 10:30am.

  
  Enroll - $225

• A. Joan’s Class: Jewish Literature and Jewish Life

  Mondays at 10:00am

  Sept. 11, 18 Oct. 9, 16, 23, 30 Nov. 6, 13, 27 Dec. 11

  Taught by Rabbi Elana Kanter

  Joan Beren, zichrona livracha, was a beloved and regular participant in this class for many years. Each fall, as we inaugurate a new year of study, we begin with a short tribute to Joan, a person who embodied both a love of Jewish texts and a love of Jewish life.   She was an inspiration to those of us who knew her, and her memory continues to be a blessing for us.
  

   

  This fall, we’ll read Edith Pearlman’s How To Fall: Read 1 short story per week and discuss in depth.  Please note that Sept. 25 and Oct. 2 class will not meet in preparation for holidays.

  
  Enroll - $225

• B. Joan’s Class: Jewish Literature and Jewish Life

  Mondays at 10:00am

  Oct. 8, 15, 29 Nov. 5, 12, 19, 26 Dec. 3, 10 Make Up Dec. 17 if needed

  Taught by Rabbi Elana Kanter

  Joan Beren, zichrona livracha, was a beloved and regular participant in this class for many years. Each fall, as we inaugurate a new year of study, we begin with a short tribute to Joan, a person who embodied both a love of Jewish texts and a love of Jewish life.   She was an inspiration to those of us who knew her, and her memory continues to be a blessing for us.
  

   

  Join women from a diverse cross-section of the Arizona Jewish Community.  We’ll be reading and completing Dalia Rosenfeld’s “The Worlds We Think We Know”

  
  Enroll - $225

• C. America and I, ed. Joyce Antler.

  Mondays at 10:00am

  Jan. 4, 11, 25 Feb. 1, 8, 15 Mar. 1, 8, 15 22 Make Up April 5 if needed

  Taught by Rabbi Elana Kanter

  Joan’s Class: Short Stories by American Jewish Women Writers.

  We will study stories from Joyce Antler’s anthology, America and I: Short Stories by American Jewish Women Writers.

  Jan. 4:   Seven Candles
  

  Jan. 11: Missis Flinders
  

  Jan. 25: Room in the World
  

  Feb. 1:  Second Blood
  

  Feb. 8: Old Stock

  Feb. 15:  I Stand Here Ironing
  

  Mar. 1:  Zmira

  Mar. 8:  L’Olam and White Shell Woman

  Mar. 15:  Sour or Suntanned
  

  Mar. 22:  The Place
  

  April 5:  Make-up if needed

  
  Enroll - $250