I am thrilled to share news of two exciting cooperative efforts in the Conservative
Movement of Metropolitan Detroit.
Tuesday, September 16 will mark the opening of the 5764 Conversion Institute, under the auspices of the Conservative Rabbis of Michigan. I join my colleagues in offering a twenty four week, two hour per week, intensive introduction to Judaism and Hebrew language, designed for prospective converts and other interested adult students.
The Conversion Institute will consist of six 4-week mini-series, each focusing on a particular subject area, and taught by one of the local Conservative Rabbis. I will be teaching the Prayer curriculum, October 14, 21, 28 and November 4. The other topics include: Jewish Texts, Shabbat and Holy Days, Theology and the Conservative Movement, Jewish History, and Kashrut and Life Cycle.
Each session of the twenty four weeks will be begin at 7:00 p.m. with a Hebrew class, taught by L.I.F.E. instructor Nurit Sallen, followed at 8:00 p.m. with the Judaic subject taught by one of the rabbis.
The Conversion Institute begins Tuesday, September 16, with the topic Jewish Texts taught by Rabbi Joseph Krakoff. Mini-Series 1-3 will all be held on Tuesday evenings, through December 9. The program will shift to Thursday evenings, beginning January 8, 2004. The final session for this academic year will be Thursday, April 15, 2004.
All sessions of the 5764 Conversion Institute will be held at Congregation Beth Ahm. The tuition for each four week module is $50 per person, or $75 per couple. The tuition does not include the cost of books. Some scholarship funds are available on a need basis.
Please contact me with any questions regarding the Conversion Institute of the Conservative Rabbis. This program is intended for non-Jews and Jews wishing to gain a thorough understanding of Judaism.
We are grateful to Rabbi Max Weine, of blessed memory, and Rabbi David and Alicia Nelson, who have led the way in instructing and guiding conversion students over the past 20 years.
I am also excited to share with you our plans for Tisha B'av for 5763 and 5764. We will join together with Congregation Beth Ahm to commemorate the Ninth of Av, the day which recalls the destruction of the Temples of Jerusalem, and other tragic events in Jewish history.
On Wednesday, August 6 we will meet at Beth Ahm at 8:30 p.m. for Mincha, Maariv and the reading of Megillat Eikha (the Biblical book of Lamentations). The services on Thursday, August 7 will be at B'nai Moshe, at 7:00 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. Beth Ahm members will join us for the Thursday evening service. In addition to fasting on this day, it is also unusual that tallit and tefillin are worn at Mincha, but not at Shacharit.
Next year we will reverse the order, beginning the commemoration of Tisha B'av at B'nai Moshe, and concluding the day at Beth Ahm.
I hope you will join us for these meaningful services.