The Charlotte Jewish News- August 2026- Page 23
When the Door Closes, Learning Continues
By Mara Cobe
August has a way of turning our attention forward. Calendars begin to fill. Congregations prepare for a new program year. And quietly, just around the corner, the month of Elul invites us toward reflection, repair, and renewal. It is a fitting season to ask: How will we learn this year?
For many people in our community, attending Jewish learning in person is not always possible. Some are homebound or recovering from illness. Some are caregivers, working parents, students, or professionals with unpredictable schedules. Some live far from a synagogue or Jewish institution. Others may
feel unsure whether they know“ enough” to walk into a class.
Online Jewish education does not replace the beauty of gathering in person. But it does open doors. It reminds us that access is a Jewish value, and that learning can meet people where they are. Jewish learning has always found
a way. It has lived in sanctuaries and classrooms, around Shabbat tables and summer campfires, in batei midrash and living rooms, in whispered questions between generations and lively debates that stretch far beyond the page.
Today, that sacred conversation is also happening online – through classes, livestreams, podcasts, digital magazines, newsletters, and even a single thoughtful email arriving at just the right moment.
In Pirkei Avot, we are taught,“ Do not say: When I have leisure, I will study, for perhaps you will not have leisure.” The wisdom feels especially relevant as a new Jewish year approaches. Waiting for the perfect time, the perfect class, or the perfect level of confidence may mean waiting too long.
Virtual learning offers another path. A person who cannot drive at night can still study Torah. A parent can join a class after bedtime. A senior who feels isolated can connect with a teacher and fellow learners. Someone exploring Judaism for the first time can begin privately and gently. A lifelong learner can study Hebrew, history, holidays, ethics, spirituality, Israel, Jewish texts, Ladino, prayer, or culture with teachers from Charlotte and around the world.
As the 2026-27 program year begins, there are more options than ever for those seeking Jewish learning:
• My Jewish Learning offers online courses, articles, videos, holiday resources, and beginner-friendly explanations of Jewish ritual, history, food, prayer, and practice. Its newsletters and weekly events emails can also bring Shabbat reflections, seasonal resources, and online classes directly to readers.
• Hey Alma offers articles, newsletters, and virtual learning opportunities with a warm, accessible voice, especially for people who may not see themselves reflected in more traditional Jewish education spaces.
• Hadassah Magazine offers print, digital, audio, and newsletter content on Jewish culture, travel, books, Israel, food, faith, and women’ s stories. As Elul approaches, Jewels of Elul offers“ Jewel-A-Day” emails with short reflections for the season leading to the High Holidays.
• For more structured study, the Union for Reform Judaism offers online Introduction to Judaism courses.
• Hadar and Pardes provide online opportunities for Torah,
Courage for the First Day
Talmud, Jewish law, prayer, and Jewish thought.
• Tikvah Online Academy offers live Zoom seminars for students, and Tikvah also provides self-paced video courses for adult learners.
• Melton, the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute, and American Jewish University’ s Miller Introduction to Judaism program offer additional pathways for adult learners.
• For those interested in Sephardic history, language, and culture, Ladino learning is also experiencing a meaningful revival online. The American Ladino League offers virtual programs and community resources, including its weekly Ladino Lounge. The Sephardic Jewish Brotherhood of America has also offered beginner Ladino courses that introduce grammar, vocabulary, conversation, stories, music, and culture.
Here in the Charlotte region, our local congregations and Jewish organizations continue to provide meaningful learning opportunities, such as classes, livestreams, adult education, holiday learning, book clubs, and many other ways to stay connected. For many learners, the best first step is still local: call a synagogue or organization, email an educator, ask a rabbi, or visit the Charlotte Jewish community calendar.
There is no single doorway into Jewish learning. Some enter through Torah. Others through music, food, languages, genealogy, Israel, social justice, parenting, spirituality, magazines, newsletters, or the holidays. Some are returning after years away. Some are beginning for the first time. All of these are sacred beginnings.
As August gives way to Elul and the High Holidays come into view, this is an invitation to begin again. Choose one class. Subscribe to one newsletter. Watch one lecture. Read one article. Join one Torah study. Ask one question. Learn one blessing. Learn a new Hebrew, Ladino or Yiddish word or phrase. Reach out to one local Jewish educator or congregation.
And for our institutions, this is also a call to action: Continue making Jewish learning accessible. Offer hybrid options when possible. Record classes. Share links clearly. Provide beginner-friendly entry points. Recommend newsletters and online magazines. Welcome questions. Remember those who cannot be in the room.
The doorway may look different. But the invitation remains the same: come and learn.
Temple Solel is a small, inclusive Reform congregation in Fort Mill, SC. For more information, visit templesolelsc. org, email info @ templesolelsc. org, or call( 803) 610-1707.
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By Jonathan Shaw
Summer is drawing to a close, and another school year is about to begin. For many children, the excitement of seeing friends again is quickly replaced by a flood of questions: Will my teacher be nice? What will I wear? Do I have the right supplies? Will my friends be in my class? What if I have to make new friends?
For children, these aren’ t small concerns, they’ re very real. Those questions can quickly become anxiety. As parents, all we want is for our children to feel confident, have a wonderful year and love learning. Our instinct is often to reassure them with encouragement:“ It’ ll be okay,”“ You look great” and“ Remember, you did just fine last year.”
While those words come from a place of love, they don’ t always quiet the fears racing through a child’ s mind. If you’ ve ever watched your child on the first morning of school, you know that look. They may be thinking:“ You should be the one going to school today. Then you’ d understand.”
Judaism never asks us to pretend that fear doesn’ t exist.
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One of the most repeated commands in the Torah is“ Do not be afraid.” God does not say this because people should never experience fear. On the contrary, the Torah recognizes that fear is part of being human. The command is an invitation to keep moving forward despite it.
We see this clearly at the beginning of the book of Joshua. Moses has died, and Joshua is suddenly responsible for leading an entire nation into an uncertain future. If anyone had reason to feel anxious, it was Joshua. Yet God tells him:“ Be strong and courageous... I will not leave you nor forsake you.”( Joshua 1:5-9).
Notice that God does not promise Joshua the journey will be easy. He doesn’ t remove every obstacle or guarantee that nothing difficult will happen. Instead, God promises something far more important, His presence. And that is a powerful lesson for our children.
When they walk into a classroom for the first time, they don’ t need to know exactly how the year will unfold. They simply need to know they are capable, loved, and never alone. They can trust in the strength God has
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placed within them and in God’ s guidance as they face new challenges.
Faith does not eliminate anxiety. It does, however, give us the courage to face it. Children don’ t need to solve every problem they will encounter this school year. They only need to take the next faithful step: introducing themselves to a classmate, raising a hand to ask a question, standing proudly as a Jew, choosing kindness when others do not and trying again after a difficult day.
As parents, we can help nurture that courage. If you don’ t already have one, consider beginning a simple family tradition before your child leaves for school each morning. Recite the Shema together, offer a short prayer for strength and wisdom, or create a family blessing that reminds your children they are loved, supported, and never alone. Those few moments can become an anchor that stays with them throughout the day.
At Temple Kol Ami, we are blessed to have students from preschool through college. As we begin another school year, we will gather for a special blessing of the students, asking
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God to watch over them, grant them wisdom and remind them that wherever they go, they never walk alone.
As parents, teachers, and members of a community of faith, may we give our children more than school supplies and new backpacks. May we give them the confidence to take that first step, the courage to face the unknown and the faith to know that God walks beside them every step of the way.
Temple Kol Ami is a Reform Jewish congregation formed in the spring of 2010 to answer the
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needs of a growing and diverse Jewish community in the greater York County area. We are a warm, caring and egalitarian community, cherishing tradition while yearning for expression in modernity.
To learn more, email yorksynagogue @ gmail. com or visit templekolamisc. org.
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