The Melton School
The Florence Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning is a global network of 60 community-based schools that offer adults an opportunity to gain Jewish literacy in a non-denominational, intellectually-stimulating learning environment.
The curriculum, created by scholars at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, explores the texts of Jewish tradition, both ancient and contemporary. Join us for spirited dialogue, meaningful study, and the opportunity to gain a profound understanding of what it means to be Jewish.
Gesher Program
The Gesher Program is a dynamic, engaging, and life-changing Jewish learning opportunity at the J! Gesher courses that are developed by the Dallas area Rabbis and Educators for JCC Dallas.
Upcoming Classes
OMG, Can you Believe?!
In this six-week exploratory course, we’ll seek answers to the BIG questions around God and God’s relationship to Humankind. Take for yourself a Divine moment to uncover and consider many different understandings of God expressed by Jewish thinkers, past and present.
This course will give you the tools to continue asking deep questions, probing your own beliefs, and rethinking the “God- questions” that confront us throughout our lives
Dates: Jan. 13 – Feb. 17
Time: 9:15 am to 10:45 am
Location: Zoom classroom
School: Melton program
Instructor: Laura Seymour
Tuition: $179 includes the textbook
The Story of the First Jewish Family
This course follows the development of the first Jewish family, from “The Birth of Two Nations” and “Stolen Blessings” to “Reunion in Egypt” and “Blessing the Grandchildren.” These stories of sibling rivalry, wrestling with an angel, palace seduction, rape, and reconciliation provide some of the most dramatic and iconic images that reverberate across the millennia.
Dates: Jan 14 – March 18
Time: 11:00 am to 12:30 pm
Location: Zoom classroom
School: Melton program
Instructor: Gerri Patterson
Tuition: $295 includes the textbook
Jewish Denominations: Addressing the Challenges of Modernity
This course examines Jewish identity and religious expression against the backdrop of dramatic political and social change. Students gain extensive insights into the historical and ideological developments of the major movements and explore the impact of gender, assimilation, Israel, and post-denominationalism on the movements and the Jewish people.
Dates: Feb. 4 – April 15*
Time: 9:15 am to 10:45 am
Location: Zoom classroom
School: Melton program
Instructor: Laura Seymour
Tuition: $295 includes the textbook
*No Class April 1
A letter in the scroll: Examining Judaism through the writings of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks z”l
Jews have often defined themselves in light of the bad things that have happened to them. And it is true that, many times in the course of history, we have been nearly decimated: when the First and Second Temples were destroyed, when the Jews were expelled from Spain, when Hitler proposed his Final Solution. Astoundingly, the Jewish people have survived
a catastrophe after catastrophe and remained a thriving and vibrant community.
In his book, A letter in the Scroll, Rabbi Jonathan Sacks z”l asks, quite simply: How? How, in the face of such adversity, has Judaism remained and flourished, making a mark on human history out of all proportion to its numbers? In this six-lesson course, Rabbi Peretz Shapiro uses the writing of Rabbi Sacks to help us to unpack this question and find a greater understanding of our Jewish Identity and the legacy of the world’s oldest religion.
Dates: Feb. 8 – March 15
Time: 9:30 am to 10:30 am
Location: Zoom classroom
School: Melton program
Instructor: Rabbi Perretz Shapiro
Tuition: J Member $100 | $125 non members
Pioneer Jews: Texas as a Gateway for Jews to the West
This course will take a look at the more adventurous Jews who followed other hardy Americans and non-Jewish immigrants to seek their fortunes in the wide-open lands in the time of the Manifest Destiny. Course will cover a deep dive into Texas Jewish history, bridging the gap between Texas and California, Jewish involvement in the gold rush and the Comstock lode. Westward Ho!
Dates: Tuesdays, Feb. 23 – March 23
Time: 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm
Location: Zoom classroom
School: Melton program
Instructor: Beri Schwitzer
Tuition: J Member $125 | $156 non members
Soul’s Cycles: A Ride Through the Chapters of Life
Let’s learn about life’s celebrations in tandem with Jewish meaning. Six weeks of putting the pedal to the metal will be sure to fuel your sense of adventure. In this course, we’ll say “L’Chaim!” to Jewish markers of time, rites of passage, and celebratory rituals. En route to the finish line, this course will navigate the winding roads of childhood and adulthood rituals, all while living as Jews in a modern world. Our time together is certain to bring the soul to life’s big moments.
Dates: March 3- April 14*
Time: 9:15 am to 10:45 am
Location: Zoom classroom
School: Melton program
Instructor: Laura Seymour
Tuition: $179 includes the textbook
*No Class March 31
For questions or more information, contact Rachelle Weiss Crane at rweisscrane@jccdallas.org.