Hadar’s immersive programs are multi-day experiences that are characterized by their holistic nature. They combine learning, prayer, and social interaction as they weave the heart and mind together in an all-encompassing experience. In short, they create a Jewish environment that offer people the rare opportunity to step out of their daily routine into an island of total Jewish content, conversation, and community.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hadar Immersives
What can I expect from Hadar’s Beit Midrash?
Hadar’s Beit Midrash is an egalitarian space where all learners share equally in text-based Jewish learning guided by Hadar faculty and centered around havruta (partnered one-to-one) study. At Hadar, you will encounter Torah that is academically rigorous and religiously relevant; prayer that is authentic and passionate; spiritual growth that is sensitive and personal; and a community of peers working together to build bolder, more ambitious, and more meaningful Jewish lives.
What does it mean to learn in a havruta?
Havruta, or ‘paired, one-on-one’ learning is an approach to studying Jewish texts in which you and your partner engage one another while carefully reading through provided texts. Havruta learning is an opportunity to be both a teacher and a learner, helping your partner learn while also learning yourself. Click here to read some practices of good havruta partnership.
Who will be my havruta?
For Talmud study, we will assign you a havruta based on the information that you shared about your learning background during registration. For other classes, you will be able to select your own havruta.
What skill level do I need to participate in this program?
Hadar welcomes people from a variety of learning backgrounds with a range of facility in text study. When appropriate, courses are divided into tracks based on prior learning experience and exposure to primary Jewish texts. By and large, all materials will contain both original language texts and English translation.
What is prayer like at Hadar? Is it a mandatory part of the program?
Tefillah (prayer) is core to Hadar’s values. Participants are encouraged to attend services as part of Hadar’s immersive experience, but attendance is not required. Services are available two or three times a day (depending on the length of the day) and follow a traditional prayerbook while welcoming all members of our community. Our quorum for a minyan is 10 Jewish adults, there is no mehitzah (partition), and people of all genders participate fully in the service. Please see here for specific information about the type of prayer that happens at Hadar.
Will Hadar help me find housing?
Hadar does not provide housing, but we are happy to offer a list of accommodations that people have used in the past.
Are scholarships available?
Cost should not be an obstacle to attending a Hadar program. Limited need-based scholarships are available for most of our programs. Please see the webpage for the program you are interested in for more information or email [email protected].
Will meals be provided? Will all food served be kosher?
Breakfast and lunch will be served everyday. Dinner will be served as indicated on the schedule. All food served will be kosher and we do our best to accommodate additional dietary needs/sensitivities as requested.