Chai Learning is all-new this year with a special “master class” every Monday night! Dinner starts at 6:30 pm followed by a one-hour learning session from 7:00-8:00 pm. Chai Learning is open to students in grades 7-12.
For more information on Chai Learning, please contact Cantor Kathy Sebo at (216) 831-3233 x127 or ksebo@ttti.org.
2023-24 Schedule
September 11 – In Our Own Backyard
Let’s spend time discovering the gems of the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage. Cantor Sebo and Regina Krieger will lead our learners on a special, hands-on journey through our Jewish history.
September 18 – How Our Jewish Community and LGBTQ Community Intersect
Special guest and Temple member Gregg Levine will lead us in a discussion regarding the support, strength, and challenges of Judaism and our LGBTQ community.
October 2 – USA & Israel: The Olympics
Cantor Sebo will begin this session as the David Berger Memorial at our JCC. We will return to The Temple to explore the triumphs and tragedies: Mark Spitz, Ally Reisman, Israel’s Gold Medals, and the 1972 Munich Olympic massacre of Israeli athletes including the loss of Cleveland’s David Berger.
October 9 – We are Family: Exploring Traditions of Sephardi and Mizrachi Jews
Jewish people come from diverse backgrounds. They originate and reside all over the world; Europe, North Africa, Middle East, North and South America! Rabbi Dadoun will share her Sephardi and Mizrachi roots along with her favorite customs!
October 16 – Medical Ethics in Judaism
Special guest and Temple member Dr. Dan Silver will discuss with us how Judaism has had an influence on his medical career and practice. Topics of discussion will range from organ donation to stem cell research. How does Torah guide us along this important path of life?
October 23 – The Israeli Art Scene
Special guest Dina Goldstein is an Israeli artist known for her extraordinary collage and large-scale productions. Her work is highly conceptual and entails complex social commentary.
October 30 – Jewish Customs Outside the Home
Tonight, we will visit two important landmarks of our Cleveland Jewish Community: Berkowitz-Kumin Bookatz Funeral Home and The Charlotte Goldberg Mikveh. Our dinner will take place in Cleveland Heights, near our field trip destinations. Special guest and Temple member Bart Bookatz will lead us through our time at the funeral home and Cantor Sebo will discuss the mikveh and its importance to the Jewish people including when, why, and how it is used.
November 6 – Jewish Athletes and Their Contributions to American Sports
Rabbi Klein will take us on a journey from Sandy Koufax and Hank Greenberg to why basketball and boxing were originally believed to be “Jewish” sports.
November 13 – Israel Needs YOU
Rabbi Dadoun will share the greatest experiment in Jewish history – the miracle of this small and mighty nation. Israel is diverse, complex, and has contributed to the world in important ways. Together, we’ll explore what Israel means to us today and where we fit in that narrative.
November 20 – The History of Pogroms Throughout Europe
This week marks the 85th anniversary of Kristallnacht. Rabbi Klein will explain the history of pogroms and when European Jews made their way to America, Israel, and other destinations to flee religious persecution. Students will be asked to bring a non-perishable food item for the Cleveland Food Bank.
December 4 – Mental Health, Judaism, and You
Special guest Pam Schuller is a nationally recognized comedian who has Tourette Syndrome. Using her life’s experiences and her comedy, she will engage with our learners on various mental health issues. Pam was also a featured guest on the Netflix series, “Jewish Matchmaker.”
January 8-March 18 – The Teen Collaboration: Mission Possible
Nine weeks of learning, together with Temple Emanu El, Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple, Suburban Temple Kol-Ami, and Congregation B’nai Jeshurun! During these sessions you will have the opportunity to choose from an array of classes taught by clergy and educators from each congregation. This year our focus will be on self-care, mental health, and positive outcomes. What does Judaism teach us about mental health? What is our responsibility to ourselves and others around us? How do we change our mindset to create the best outcomes in our lives? Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to join us on Monday nights this winter at the Collab!
April 8 – Jewish Themes in American Musical Theater
Special guest Temple Staff Member and Artistic Director of Cain Park, Joanna Cullinan will share the best of Broadway through a Jewish lens from songwriters like Irving Berlin and Jerry Herman to cultural touchstones including “Fiddler On The Roof” and “Parade.”
April 15 – The Life of a Scribe
Special guest Rabbi Bec Richman is a mama, soferet (scribe), Hebrew calligrapher, and potter who resides in Cleveland Heights. She is one of the only female scribes in the United States (and the world)! Join us as we learn from and engage with a true trailblazer of our people.
May 6 – Bread and Mitzvot
Special guest and Temple member Joanna Wyner is the Founder and President of BreadLove. As a master baker she has found her way to combine her love of baking with her passion to drive positive social change in our community. We will learn more about BreadLove and also have an opportunity to bake with Joanna.
May 13 – History of Jewish Humor
Sarah Livingston, special guest and Adjunct Professor of Jewish Studies at Ohio University, will shed light and laughter on the history of Jewish humor in America. Why are so many of the greatest American comedians and comic writers of the past 100 years Jewish? Let’s find out together.