Lifelong Learning

As a “home for wondering Jews,” Eitz Chayim offers and curates Jewish learning opportunities for all ages to supplement the work of our school. Our goal is to have every adult enmeshed in some way on an ongoing basis in the rich cultural and religious fabric of Judaism. To  that end, we offer topic-focussed thematic programming which includes classes, lectures, films, and hands-on experiences (which will become real rather than virtual when the pandemic subsides), as well as ongoing Torah study and book discussions. We also partner with other organizations such as Me’ah. We hope you will join us!

Cambridge Collaborative Me'ah Select Spring course: Understanding the Ethiopian Jewish Israeli Community Through Stories, Arts, and People, with Dr. Shula Mola

This course meets for five consecutive Wednesday evenings between March 1st & March 29th from 7-9pm, on Zoom.

The Ethiopian Jewish community has lived in Israel for four decades. Many are familiar with the story of the community through two major events signed into memory as rescue of people needing salvation and heroism of the State of Israel. In this class, we will look at the story of the Beta Israel community from different perspectives. First, we will get to know the story of the community through the stories of the Beta Israel people. We will look closely at the social, religious, and cultural processes that rendered the Ethiopian Jews as a "black" community within a "white" dominant society of Jews. Second, we will discuss the challenges of race and racialization, at local and global levels. We will explore different approaches of the Beta Israel community to address racism. The class will use first-person research narratives, texts, artwork, films, and guest voices as our class text.
Cost: The fee per student would be $190 plus the processing charge. Please know that generous financial assistance is always available. No one should be deterred from taking a course because of any need large or small. Contact Terri Swartz Russell for assistance.

Please click here to register.

Dr Shula Mola was named one of Israel’s 50 most influential women in 2022, is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the Schusterman Center for Israel Studies at Brandeis. She received her doctorate from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, with a dissertation focusing on the impact of technology on activist immigrants. Dr. Mola's research interests include social stratification, oppression, and structural racism. Dr. Mola continues to work in the field, using her practical experience to examine the impact of unconscious bias on marginalized populations.  Her current focus is on the preservation of the Ethiopian-Israeli community's history and heritage in a quest to gain recognition of its contribution to Israeli society. 

Dr. Mola's frequent presence on social, printed, and digital media, in movies, and on television gives voice to challenges facing the Ethiopian-Israeli community and their connection to injustice in Israeli society. Mola has been a leader of the Association for Ethiopian Jews (AEJ) for over 20 years, rising to the positions of Executive Director and eventually Chair. 

Dr. Mola is a founding member and key activist of Mothers on Guard – a group of mothers who protest police brutality against youth of Ethiopian origin. She also serves on the boards and councils of the Ministry of Justice's National Anti-Racism Coordinator's Office, the New Israel Fund, Gesher Multicultural Film Fund, and Jerusalem Culture Unlimited.

Kulanu - World Jewry

Jewish Boston - Local events

Ofek - Connecting Israeli language and culture

Global Jews

http://www.kaleidoscopejews.org

Many lifelong learning opportunities at Eitz Chayim are planned and curated by the all-volunteer Eitz Chayim Lifelong Learning team. We welcome your feedback on events and suggestions for future activities. We also welcome new members to the team.  On either item, contact Lifelong Learning Team Coordinator Armond Cohen at armondcohen1@me.com