Chanukah 2011

Getting ready for the post Chanukah "zman".

Slowly but surely we are learning at depth Moshe's discussion with Hashem regarding his awesome mission to save the B'nay Yisrael.

What seems like a simple back and forth, is ever so carefully explored in its details by the various mefarshim.

Stay tuned and looking forward to seeing you Wednesday at 8pm.

Rachel

Hakol holech achar harosh...

Here we are - another year. We recently started Perek 3 of Sefer Shemos and are now grappling with the issue of the Burning Bush. We are as always taking our time and going as deep as the meforshim- Rishonim through contemporaries-allow!
Looking forward to restarting the learning this Wednesday, after this Yomim Tovim month hiatus.

Starting a New Perek

We are Baruch Hashem moving forward. It has been almost 2 and a 1/2 years since we started. Learning one pasuk at a time, with many meforshim in each posuk, makes for a slow, but extremely fascinating process.
We are starting Perek 3 in Shemos. Moshe Rabbenu is getting ready to get his job assignment and there is so much to learn about and from it.

We are back!

Pesach is over and it's time to get back to the board!

As we continue to delve deeply into the psukim of Sefer Shemos, our current topic is: "The making of a leader- Moshe Rabbeinu from birth to redeemer."

Looking forward to seeing you all there

Here is how some of the learners view it...

The Chumash b'Chavrusa class on Wednesday nights at 8pm is exactly what I've been looking for. Our teacher prepares the mefarshim so thoroughly every week that our handout sheets are color coded and come with translations.
We work in chavrusas, reading and translating, and then Dr. Freedland goes over the material, even bringing in other commentaries and sources. We discuss, we ask questions, we review what we've learned-- all this in an hour longclass. There really is a range of skill levels in the class and effort is made to meet everyone's learning needs. I greatly look forward to this class every week.
Cinnamon Shenker

Learning with the Chumash b'Chevrusah group has given me an enhanced knowledge of Parshat Shemot, of course. That is a given, however, I could have done this by simply going to shiurim. By going to Chumash b'Chevrusah I have
1) I increased my ability to read the text ( especially Rashi text)
2) I have increased my ability to translate and understand the text (parsha and mefarshim)
3) I have developed a comfort level working with other women as we encourage one another to read and translate and when we work together we learn from one another
4) Once we have read and translated what we were able to do, learning on the p'shat level, Dr. Freedland fills in our blanks and gives us insight into areas which were not known to us on the p'shat level.
Chana Hidegkuti

Our learning sessions give all of us the opportunity for true in-depth learning, regardless of our individual skill level. Each chavrusah is given the same material: pages of the Mikras Gedolas indicating the passuk and the meforshim to be studied indicated, along with an English translation of the meforshim.
Beginners are never embarrassed; more advanced women can dig right in. The hour starts with a review of the past week's work and a reminder about where today's learning fits in. In each chavusah, members then take turns reading, but—depending on skill level—they make as much or as little use of the translation as they need. My chavrusah and I, who are approximately at an intermediate level (sometimes higher or lower depending on our level of tiredness!) find that we can sometimes dispense with the translation and sometimes must depend on it. But we always try the Hebrew translation ourselves first before looking at the teitch.
Of course, Rachel is available for any questions and willingly explains the literal meaning of a word and where it comes from. Her interest in how and why certain shorashim are used mirrors my own. My chavrusah and I are not satisfied with the (sometimes nonliteral) translations by themselves, so we work hard on the structure of each word and sentence, in addition to understanding the ideas being expressed.
At the end of the hour, Rachel pulls together what we have learned and puts it in a personal framework, relating it to our experiences or to historical events. The class satisfies me intellectually, socially, and spiritually. First, it gives me a true feeling of accomplishment. My chavrusah and I have attacked and mastered the text, insofar as we could. If it is especially difficult for some reason, I don't feel stymied because there is someone on the spot to answer our questions. Second, in the time that I have been in the group, I feel that I am developing a real bond of friendship with my chavrusah. And finally, I leave each class with a thought-provoking idea to take home with me that deepens my appreciation of Yiddishkeit
Miriam Polon

I have very much enjoyed the Chumash beChevrusah class because for me it is a unique opportunity to gain entrance into the world of Torah study and gain a taste of Torah learning l'shma.
With the direction of Dr. Freedland , my chevrusah and I are able on our own to strive to unravel the mysteries of the book of Shemos as explained by the meforshim. Since I do not have a Bais Yaakov or seminary background, this is an opportunity that is difficult for me to find.
I met my chevrusah in the class, and I am very excited to find a friend whose level of knowledge and learning style are synchronized with my level and learning style. During the summer, my daughter, who is a recent seminary graduate, came home for a vacation and attended the shiur. She was very impressed with the goals of the class and had a great experience assisting some of the women with their translation of the texts. This was an invaluable opportunity for her to gain in self-confidence and in appreciation of her Torah education and to learn how she can use her skills and share her knowledge with others.

Judy Fridkis

Having recently relocated from the East Coast, the women's Chumash B'chevrusah program is an integral part of my weekly learning. Rachel is a dynamic teacher - she is warm and caring. Her commitment, enthusiasm and love of Judaism is infectious.
The class is a conduit for meeting new friends, sharing Shabbos meals/invitations, and becoming more involved in the community. The group is cohesive yet simultaneously welcomes new members - at all learning levels/textual skills. The women are truly inspirational as the more advanced readers are always supportive and encouraging of the beginners.
Having not had the good fortune of growing up frum from birth, I was initially intimidated by the idea of the class. I have attended many shirium throughout the years - but I have never had the opportunity to do learning in this manner - it is an active approach with total immersion in the Hebrew (English translations are provided as needed) The class serves as a catalyst for, G-d willing, the student to gain a deeper appreciation and insight when davening, thereby gaining a closer relationship with HaSh-m. The actual Chumash study is invaluable - I enjoyed the Seder this past year, more than ever before - as topics and concepts such as the galus, are discussed in class on an adult, in-depth level.
Shauna Johnson

Addendum

We have Baruch Hash-m been at it for a while and there is one particular question that is of concern to people who might be interested in joining us and hesitate:

Is it OK to join now, even though this has already been going on for a while?
The answer is YES.

We have been learning Sefer Shmos pasuk by pasuk in depth with many mefarshim, and of course there is a continuum as we go along. We do relate it to some of the things we learned in past sessions. HOWEVER each session is a stand alone learning experience, and is INDEPENDENT of previously learned material.

This has been designed to allow for newcomers to join us AT ANY TIME without feeling lost, and also allows for the schedule of some of our participants, who cannot commit to being there each and every week, but still want to be active participants of the group.

WOMEN’S CHUMASH B’CHEVRUSAH LEARNING

Baruch Hash-m we have finished the first section of Parshas Shemos and have just started the second one.
We are excited to announce that we will iy"H continue to meet on WEDNESDAYS at 8 pm at ANSHE EMES, 1490 South Robertson Blvd. in Los Angeles . If you are interested in learning Chumash in depth and sharing it with other women, this program is for you.

We pair up and learn Chumash Shemos pasuk by pasuk with Mefarshim (Commentators). A certain level of textual skills is needed. We are however open to pairing up people of different levels, depending on their wants and needs. Sheets with English translation of the source material is provided.

VISITORS AND LOOK N' SEERS ARE WELCOME! Women only;>)

In order to ensure a successful program we ask for your input!

Please complete a few short questions now and e-mail the response to chumash.bchevrusah@gmail.com

1.Your name:
2.Your contact information (phone number and/or e-mail)
3.Your textual skills level:
4.Can you learn b’chevrusah with someone your own level, or do you need to be paired up with someone of a more advanced level than yourself?
5. Do you already have a chevrusah for this program?
6. Are you interested in learning with someone at a less advanced level than yourself?

Feel free to e-mail any questions to the above address.

Kol Tuv and looking forward to learning with you,
Rachel Freedland