All Are Welcome to Learn at CBS University!
Jewish learning lasts a lifetime…
At Congregation Beth Shalom we believe that learning is a lifelong journey. Our Adult Education program called CBS Univeristy offers meaningful opportunities for exploration, growth, and connection through Jewish learning. Whether you’re deepening your knowledge of sacred texts, engaging with contemporary issues through a Jewish lens, or simply seeking community and conversation, we invite you to join us in thoughtful, enriching study.
To meet the needs of our constituents we offer classes on a variety of days and times, as well as in person and many via Zoom. While we love being able to “come to you” if you can’t come to us, please remember that there is no substitution for learning in person.
You can scroll below for our upcoming/current classes.
To learn more about CBS University at Congregation Beth Shalom, or about the Adult Education Committee, please contact Audrey Taxer either via e-mail or by calling Congregation Beth Shalom at 847-498-4100 ext. 145.
Dive into the richness of the Hebrew Bible in this engaging and accessible Tanakh class. Together, we will study selections from Torah, Prophets, and Writings, examining the historical context, literary structure, and enduring themes of each text. With commentary from traditional and modern scholars, we will explore how these ancient stories continue to shape Jewish thought, ethics, and identity today. All are welcome—no prior knowledge of Hebrew or Jewish texts required! Rabbi Chapman will be teaching the June classes while Cantor Stoehr will be teaching the July and August classes.
Class will meet in person and via Zoom. Text
| Instructor: | Rabbi David Chapman and Cantor Steven Stoehr |
| Dates: | Mondays 6/1, 6/8, 6/15, 6/22, 7/6, 7/13, 7/20, 7/27, 8/3, 8/10, 8/17, 8/24, 8/31 |
| Time: | 11:30 am – 12:30 pm |
| Fee: | No charge for CBS members, $50 per person per semester for non-member Friends of CBS |
Join us for a discussion of Leopoldstadt after viewing the Performance at Writer’s Theatre. If you are going to attend the theatre
with us or are seeing the production on your own, you are welcome to join the discussion.
If you would like to join us at the theatre on July 19th you can register here.
Class will meet in person and via Zoom. Life and Living
| Instructor: | Rabbi David Chapman |
| Dates: | Tuesdays 7/21 |
| Time: | 9:15 – 10:15 am |
| Fee: | No charge for CBS members, $10 per person for non-member Friends of CBS |
This weekly discussion-based class zooms in on local, national, and global news through a distinctly Jewish lens. We’ll talk about politics, Israel, antisemitism, anti-Zionism, rifts in our Jewish community, local and global Jewish affairs, campus life, and the intersection between these topics and more. Carl Schrag, who was the Editor of the Jerusalem Post, brings a journalist’s probing questions to every topic.
Class will meet in person and via Zoom. Israel
| Instructor: | Carl Schrag |
| Date: | Tuesdays 6/2, 6/9, 6/16, 6/23, 6/30, 7/7, 7/14, 7/28. We will be taking August off and returning in the September. |
| Time: | 10:30 – 11:30 am |
| Fee: | No charge for CBS members; $50 per person per semester for non-member Friends of CBS |
The world could use a little more of Mr. Rogers these days. Join Rabbi Jacki Honig and The Rev. Court Willliams of St. Giles
Episcopal Church to dive deep into the messages underlying Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood. We’ll explore religious texts
that teach us about these messages, find ways to incorporate them into our lives, and spend time creating our own mini
neighborhood here on Walters Ave. through this shared learning.
Class will meet in person and via Zoom. Life and Living
| Instructor: | Rabbi Jacki Honig and Father Court Williams |
| Date: | Tuesdays 6/9, 6/16, 6/30, 7/7, 7/14, 7/21 |
| Time: | 6:30 – 7:30 pm |
| Fee: | No charge for CBS and St. Giles members $50 per person per semester for non-member Friends of CBS or St. Giles |
Exploring Big Jewish Ideas Through Debate, Text & Tradition.
Based on the book by Abigail Porgrebin and Dov Linzer
Class will meet in person. Life and Living
| Instructor: | Carly Wallenstein |
| Date: | Wednesdays 7/1, 7/8, 7/15, 7/22, 7/29 |
| Time: | 9:30 – 10:30 am |
| Fee: | No charge for CBS members; $50 per person per semester for non-member Friends of CBS |
How our lives shape and are shaped by the Jewish Story.
This class will meet in person only. Life and Living
| Instructor: | Carly Wallenstein |
| Date: | Wednesdays 8/5, 8/12, 8/19, 8/26 |
| Time: | 9:30 – 10:30 am |
| Fee: | No charge for CBS members; $40 per person per semester for non-member Friends of CBS |
If you haven’t tried this class yet, and have been looking at it for a while, NOW is the time . . . REGISTER! Through slow movements, improve your health, concentration, digestion, balance, flexibility, and overall health. Our class can be done in a chair or standing. If you are not free on Thursday mornings, no problem! REGISTER and watch the video when you have time.
Class will meet via Zoom only: Life and Living
| Instructor: | Allison Deputy, MoonWillow Tai Chi |
| Date: | Thursdays 6/4, 6/11, 6/18, 6/25, 7/2, 7/9, 7/16, 7/23, 7/30, 8/6, 8/13, 8/20, 8/27 |
| Time: | 9:30 – 10:15 am |
| Fee: | No fee: donation strongly encouraged |
3433 Walters Avenue, Northbrook, IL 60062
(847) 498-4100 |
Monday – Thursday, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Friday, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
