Melton | temple-emanuel

Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning

Temple Emanuel is honored to host the Florence Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning™ for the greater St. Louis community. The Melton program engages adult learners in a life-enhancing study of Jewish texts and ideas that nurtures and deepens Jewish community worldwide. Through classes (both in-person and online) and travel seminars, Melton learners find Jewish texts and ideas accessible and relevant to their lives. They become part of a worldwide movement of committed learners who are empowered to enrich Jewish life. Melton is the largest pluralistic adult Jewish education network in the world, with 50 Melton communities throughout the United States, Canada, Australia and South Africa. More than 50,000 learners have experienced Melton’s professionally developed curriculum and lively interactive classes.

Upcoming Course

Understanding Zionism: The Return to the Jewish Homeland

with Senior Rabbi Elizabeth Hersh

Thursdays from 7:00 – 8:30 pm

Hybrid - in person at Temple Emanuel or on Zoom

6 sessions: August 7, 14, 28, September 4, 11, 18 (no class August 21)

classes are recorded so if you miss one, you can always watch it later

The story of Zionism is remarkable and without parallel. It is a story of a people exiled from their homeland, a people that despite having suffered from prejudice and oppression for 2,000 years, maintained a strong identity, never losing faith with the dream of an eventual return home. This course examines how these ancient dreams took on new religious, cultural, national, and political dimensions that actualized into the Zionist Enterprise – culminating in the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948. The story continues with questions around the meaning of Zionism today, its relationship with the Jewish people in the Diaspora, and some of the contemporary challenges it faces – most notably, the intense criticism of Zionism and the State of Israel, particularly in the aftermath of October 7, 2023 – inviting a deeper reflection on the values, resilience, and relevance of Zionism in the modern era.

With the current pervasive misrepresentation of Zionism seen today, this course presents a nuanced multi-faceted perspective based on primary sources, firsthand accounts, and official documents. Join us to deepen your understanding of how and why the State of Israel came into being, and its significance for you personally and for the Jewish people as a whole.

Cost: $179. Register here: www.meltonschool.org/st-louis

Confidential scholarships are available. In addition, a special tuition rate of $50 is available for any full- or part-time professionals working at Jewish organizations, including teachers and staff in St. Louis Jewish preschools, religious schools, day schools, and youth groups. All scholarships and special tuition rates are thanks to the Borow Endowment for Jewish Education and the Libby Needle Memorial Fund, managed by Jewish Federation of St. Louis. Email andrew@testl.org for the coupon codes.

Questions about Melton? Contact Andrew Goldfeder,

andrew@testl.org or 314-432-5877.