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Home > Learning at Westminster > Or Chadash

Or Chadash

          

Or Chadash (meaning "new light"), is our course for those who wish to explore conversion to Judaism or wish for confirmation of Jewish status. Sessions are held on Wednesdays from 6:00-8:00PM.

  • Core Class: Wednesdays, 6:45–8:00pm, Our Jewish Studies course covers the Jewish lifecycle, the yearly festival cycle, Jewish history, and of course, a familiarising and appreciation of our prayer book and Torah. It is a vibrant and inclusive group and is warm and welcoming to new members with sessions taught by Rabbi Kamila, and our Director of Community and Adult Education, Yael Roberts,  as well as interim Rabbi Zahavit Shalev.  We have a great lineup of guest teachers as well. 

  • Weekly Hebrew in person: Wednesdays, 6:00–6:45pm – in person only and taught by Daniela Rotbande, Head of Youth Education

  • Weekly Hebrew online: Tuesdays, 8:00pm - online only and taught by Daniela

  • Intensives: Twice per year we gather to learn together in a more intensive way with the broader adult educaiton community. Intensives for 2025-26 will take place on 13 September and 21 March.  Sign up links to follow. These are a required part of the course. 

Hebrew is required for one term as part of the process if you are planning to convert or affirm. Many students at Or Chadash are seeking to convert to Judaism, others are looking to affirm Jewish status, to learn about Judaism or to deepen the understanding that they already have. Whichever is the case, the first step in this process is to come and try out one of our Or Chadash classes. To try out a class, please register here. We will follow up with a request for payment after you attend three sessions. Please find more information about the fees below. 

After three sessions, you’ll be invited to a 45-minute intake meeting with one of the Rabbis or Yael to map your learning journey.  Most candidates meet with us 3–4 times across a typical 18–24 month journey, including regular check-ins every 6 months. We accompany candidates to the Beit Din (rabbinic court) and Mikveh, and we lead admission ceremonies as students formally join the Jewish people and our community. .

We also do expect anyone attending for more than three sessions, to complete friendship and join the community, taking an active part in community life. If you are interested, Julieta Kunik, our PA to the Rabbis, will be happy to help.

Information about Or Chadash 5786 (2025-2026)

Click here for dates and topics (to follow soon for 2025-26) As you will see, they follow the annual calendar of festivals, with other pertinent topics fitting in around them. Whether you wish to attend a one-off session to learn more about a particular topic, or are looking to complete the course, we look forward to welcoming you to classes!

Course Entry Points: September,  January,  April

  • Begin with a Chavurah Shabbat dinner at the start of your cohort.  Join us for the Friday night service followed by a special Or Chadash dinner. This is a chance to meet other members from the class and celebrate shabbat together. 

  • For September entry, our Chavurah dinner will take place on 26 September. Further chavurot for January and April entry will be on 16 January and 24 April. 

  • End with a Reflection Evening and short personal presentation. For the September cohort, this will take place on 8 July. 

Click here for a Reading List  The page contains a recommended list of core texts for those wishing to learn about Judaism. The team will recommend particular books depending on the interests of an individual, but the core text for the course is 'The Honey and the Sting', which offers a wonderfully comprehensive and warmly written overview of Judaism from a Reform perspective.

Click here for our Or Chadash Source Library  Once you've started the Or Chadash classes, you'll be invited to join this members-only area. On this page you'll find past source sheets used in classes, questions to think about, Hebrew learning and more. 

Getting involved in Synagogue Life Members contribute to every aspect of Synagogue life. Many have helped out on a regular basis or as often as their schedules permit. It is fair to say that without members' support, the community would function in a very limited way. Or Chadash students have always been integral in building Synagogue life and we hope that you will be able to continue this tradition. There are many opportunities to get involved and to find out more, don't hesitate to get in touch with Jon Zecharia.

Fees for 2025

Programme Fee Year One: Foundation Year £390

Candidates may attend up to 3 sessions free before deciding. From the fourth class, Friendship and programme fees apply. All Jewish partners must be synagogue Members. 

Programme Fee: Year Two: Continuation £390

Includes continued class access (selected sessions). Optional: pay per Chavurah or Intensive in Year Two

Fee concessions are available on request.

Sat, 30 August 2025 6 Elul 5785