Learning at SVARA is centered around the spiritual practice of Talmud study, and anyone who knows their alef-bet (Hebrew letters) is able to join in. We serve it up the old-fashioned way, hardcore and traditionally radical.
Learning at SVARA is centered around the spiritual practice of Talmud study, and anyone who knows their alef-bet (Hebrew letters) is able to join in. We serve it up the old-fashioned way, hardcore and traditionally radical.
Check out our offerings below. There is something for everyone at SVARA!
Alef-Bet Basics
Each fall, we offer this seven-week journey through the Hebrew alphabet! Together we’ll learn the Hebrew letters and vocalizations in order to get you prepped and ready for future SVARA offerings.
Mishnah Collective
A daily SVARA learning space for folks of all backgrounds. Each session we work our way through a portion of a mishnah, piece by piece, in the SVARA method. No prior Hebrew experience or learning is necessary to participate!
Hot Off the Shtender
Hot Off the Shtender is a weekly blog that explores texts and reflections from the bet midrash. Lovingly referred to as “HOTS,” this is a SVARA resource you won’t want to miss.
The Oral Talmud
A weekly live stream that explores the Talmud through the “traditionally radical” lens pioneered here at SVARA. The series is hosted by our very own founder and Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Benay Lappe as well as Dan Libenson of Judaism Unbound.
Multi-week Learning
Every year there are designated opportunities to enroll in multi-week offerings at SVARA. These resemble “semesters,” and you’ll be able to browse through our catalog for learning spaces that meet your needs and nurture your interests. You’ll be led by our brilliant teachers and paired with a chevruta, or accountable learning partner.
A daily SVARA learning space for folks of all backgrounds. Each session we work our way through a portion of a mishnah, piece by piece, in the SVARA method. No prior Hebrew experience or learning is necessary to participate!
Elul Learning
Get ready for the high holidays with SVARA! As we approach the month of Elul (late summer / early fall), we’ll be serving up a once-a-year offering to help you get grounded in some juicy queer Talmud goodness.
Mishnah Collective
A daily SVARA learning space for folks of all backgrounds. Each session we work our way through a portion of a mishnah, piece by piece, in the SVARA method. No prior Hebrew experience or learning is necessary to participate!
The Oral Talmud
A weekly live stream that explores the Talmud through the “traditionally radical” lens pioneered here at SVARA. The series is hosted by our very own founder and Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Benay Lappe as well as Dan Libenson of Judaism Unbound.
Workshops
These are drop-in spaces for anyone hoping to take their Talmud skills to the next level.
Communal Loss Adaptation Project (CLAP)
CLAP provides a supportive, non-judgmental context with a queer spiritual framing to form empathetic connections among those grieving. This space is led by SVARA Faculty Rabbi Elliot Kukla.
Disability Justice Torah Circle (DJTC)
This is a space for Jews with disabilities to build community around Torah and engage Jewish text through a disability justice lens. The space nurtures and amplifies the voices of Jews with disabilities and produces “Disability Torah” to impact the broader Jewish community. On occasion, there are offerings for allies.
Trans Halakha Project (THP)
The Jewish community has been blessed with the increased visibility of trans, intersex, non-binary, and gender non-conforming folks. The unique lives, bodies, and experiences of this growing subset of our community demands a new halakha (pathways and practices of Jewish expression). The Trans Halakha Project seeks to empower and nourish the trans Jews whose experiences are not yet at the center of halakhic exploration.
Teaching Kollel
This two-year program combines intensive Talmud study with training in pedagogy and facilitation to equip teachers to model public learning in SVARA’s method.
Pedagogy Chabura
A rigorous seven-month learning space for rabbis and educators working in Jewish communities who are seeking to expand their pedagogical toolkits to include SVARA’s traditionally radical, empowering approach to teaching Talmud.
Talmud Pedagogy Project
A year-long fellowship for Hebrew College rabbinical students and rabbinical school alumni to become joyful, empathetic, inclusive, and rigorous teachers of Talmud.
