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ITJ Pittsburgh, a program of the Greater Pittsburgh Jewish Clergy Association, offers three courses annually: Intro to Judaism, Beginning Hebrew, and Intermediate Hebrew.
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Intro to Judaism
24 sessionsCourse takes place over 28 weeks with holiday breaks
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19 teachersCantors, Rabbis, Professionals from across Western Pennsylvania
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Since 2019Over 300 students have been enlightened and educated in our flagship program course
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Current Course Offerings: 2026-2027
Summer 2026: Hebrew
Aleph for Adults - Beginning Hebrew w/ R' Amy Bardack
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6:00-7:00 pm, May 26-June 25
Learn to read Hebrew! This class is meant for those who do not yet know the letters and vowels of the Alef Bet. We will practice reading using common words from Jewish ritual, holidays, and prayers. Every class will also feature brief exercises in oral language to provide further context for language development. By the end of 10 sessions, students will be able to name, pronounce, and write all the letters and vowels and decode multisyllabic words, as well as speak and understand a few phrases.
This class will meet for 10 sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays, May 26-June 25, from 6:00-7:00 PM.
Fee: $140 includes the text book, L’Shon Ha-Kodesh Adult Hebrew Primer.
Financial assistance is available by contacting Rabbi Mark Goodman at [email protected].
In-person at Congregation Beth Shalom, 5915 Beacon Street, Squirrel Hill, PGH 15217.
Fall 2026: Intro to Judaism
Intro to Judaism - In-person
Sundays, 2:00-4:00 pm, Unit 1 begins October 11, 2026
Learn about Judaism – its religion, practices, history, and culture – from cantors and rabbis from across Pittsburgh. In this 24 week course, we'll cover the Bible, Jewish Holidays, Israel, Keeping Kosher, Love and Marriage, Jewish History, Commandments, and God. Instructors represent rabbis from every major movement of Judaism: Conservative, Reconstructionist, Jewish Renewal, Orthodox and Reform. Each class is two hours long.
This course is split into three units, Fall, Winter, and Spring, taught on a continuous basis. A student that begins by taking Unit 2 in the Winter will continue to take Unit 3 and then Unit 1. Course fee includes all three units and a book, Michael Strassfeld's A Book of Life.
ITJ follows a handcrafted curriculum built by an expert team of cantors and rabbis from Western PA, each of whom is an adept scholar in their particular subject. This course is often a requirement for conversion to Judaism: consult your rabbi/cantor for further guidance.
Each unit takes place at a different Jewish community organization located in Pittsburgh, PA. Unit 1 will be at Congregation Beth Shalom. Unit 2 will be at Beit Kulanu (formerly Rodef Shalom). Unit 3 will be at Shoresh.
For individuals the course is $480; for couples it is $600. If it might be hard for a participant to pay $480 or $600 all at once, we offer the option of paying in three installments. Your first installment would be $160 for an individual or $200 for a couple.
Financial aid is available. For more information about aid or to answer any other questions, email Rabbi Mark Asher Goodman, ITJ Director, at [email protected].
Registration for Unit 1 is now open!
Registration for Unit 1 closes on October 10, 2026.
Intro to Judaism - Online
Tuesdays, 7:00-9:00 pm, Unit 1 begins October 13, 2026
Learn about Judaism – its religion, practices, history, and culture – from cantors and rabbis from across Pittsburgh. In this 24 week course, we'll cover the Bible, Jewish Holidays, Israel, Keeping Kosher, Love and Marriage, Jewish History, Commandments, and God. Instructors represent rabbis from every major movement of Judaism: Conservative, Reconstructionist, Jewish Renewal, Orthodox and Reform. Each class is two hours long.
This course is split into three units, Fall, Winter, and Spring, taught on a continuous basis. A student that begins by taking Unit 2 in the Winter will continue to take Unit 3 and then Unit 1. Course fee includes all three units and a book, Michael Strassfeld's A Book of Life.
ITJ follows a handcrafted curriculum built by an expert team of cantors and rabbis from Western PA, each of whom is an adept scholar in their particular subject. This course is often a requirement for conversion to Judaism: consult your rabbi/cantor for further guidance.
Each unit takes place at a different Jewish community organization located in Pittsburgh, PA. Unit 1 will be at Congregation Beth Shalom. Unit 2 will be at Beit Kulanu (formerly Rodef Shalom. Unit 3 will be at Shoresh.
For individuals the course is $480; for couples it is $600. If it might be hard for a participant to pay $480 or $600 all at once, we offer the option of paying in three installments. Your first installment would be $160 for an individual or $200 for a couple.
Financial aid is available. For more information about aid or to answer any other questions, email Rabbi Mark Asher Goodman, ITJ Director, at [email protected].
Registration for Unit 1 is now open!
Registration for Unit 1 closes on October 12, 2026.
Donate to ITJ
Donation to ITJ
The Hebrew word for donations is tzedakah, meaning 'justice.'
Intro to Judaism is a project of the GPJCA, a non-profit religious organization serving the community in Pittsburgh PA. A significant number of folks taking our classes are on financial aid.
In order to offset our costs for making ITJ and Hebrew classes available to everyone regardless of ability to pay, consider making a donation.