Learning is lifelong at Congregation Emanu-El of Westchester. From explorations of our ancient texts to speakers on the cutting edge of Jewish thought, our congregants find myriad Jewish prisms through which to view our lives and our times.
Our flagship Beit Midrash meets twice a month to delve deeply into the foundational ideas of Jewish life. Saturday sessions start with Torah study and use primary source texts to discover Judaism’s ancient wisdom. Sunday sessions lean more heavily on history, sociology, demographics and guest speakers to shed light on all that makes Judaism so relevant in our days.
With the spirit of Miriam, we come together to celebrate our holidays and festivals with learning, food, and the warmth of community. Our year reaches its zenith each winter on our Women’s Study Group Retreat. Spending an entire Shabbat together helps us gain perspective on our lives, refresh our friendships, and deepen our understanding of Judaism.
The men of the congregation gather in Rabbi Goldsmith’s office for some study and some Scotch. Whether exploring an ancient biblical text or arguing a point of modern Israeli politics, this group looks at issues with sophistication and depth, balanced by humor and a drink.
Throughout the year we learn from the best, brightest, most creative minds in the Jewish world. Past speakers have included: David Harris of AJC, Rabbi Norman Cohen of Hebrew Union College, author Deborah Feldman of Unorthodox, actor Jesse Eisenberg, author David Grann and more. Check the temple calendar or featured events for upcoming programs and speakers.
Each month our Religious Educator Emerita Marcie Aiuvalasit gathers a group together in our library and a local restaurant for our book groups. Books written by Jewish authors or on Jewish topics make for stimulating discussion on a wide range of issues.
