Cohort-Based Learning Opportunities with Jewish Life at Duke
Jewish Life at Duke offers a number of non-credit, cohort-based learning seminars during the fall and spring semesters. These cohorts are open to all students, regardless of background.
These various conversational, cohort-based seminars are for those looking to deepen their understanding and connection to Judaism on their own terms. No prior Jewish knowledge is required! When you participate you’ll have the opportunity to ask the big questions – Who am I? What communities am I part of? What is worth committing myself to, and why?
We make no claims about the “right” way to practice or not practice Judaism. Our job is to help you explore the tradition and find your own place, on your terms, in some of Judaism’s great conversations. We want to nourish you (meals are a part of the experience) and value your time (after completion of JLF programs you are eligible to receive a stipend).
Each semester, there are different cohorts, taught by various members of the Jewish Life at Duke staff. Students who participate come from diverse backgrounds and have a broad range of experience with Jewish learning. These cohorts are about meeting you where you are, bringing all of our knowledge, curiosity, and learning together.
2025-2026 Cohort and Educational Opportunities
The following cohort-based learning seminars will take place in the during the 2025-2026 fall & spring semesters:
Jewish Learning Fellowship (JLF): Life's Big Questions
Facilitated by: Rabbi Elana Friedman and Springboard Fellow Dani Faulhaber
Open to: first-year through senior undergrads
This 10-week experiential, conversational seminar takes place one day per week in the evenings. Dates and times vary by semester.
Location: Sessions will be held at the Freeman Center for Jewish Life.
Spring 2026 Dates: Mondays from 5:30-7:00pm on February 2, 9, 23, March 2, 16, 23, 30, April 6, 13.
This class is all about the BIG questions in life. We may not have the answers, but we'll create space to ask the big questions of our lives through a Jewish lens. You'll meet weekly with a cohort of fellow students, share a (free, kosher) meal and meaningful conversations, and are eligible for a $250 stipend on the conclusion of the program.
Jewish Learning Fellowship (JLF) 2.0: Life's BIGGER Questions
Facilitated by: Rabbi Elana Friedman
Open to: first-year through senior undergrads who have completed JLF Life's Big Questions as a prerequisite
This 5-week experiential, conversational seminar takes place one day per week in the afternoons over lunch, provided by Blue Devil Bagels (the Freeman Center Cafe's Bagel Deli Pop-Up). Dates and times vary by semester.
Location: Sessions will be held on West Campus in the Brodhead Center or Bryan Center.
Spring 2026 Dates: Wednesdays at lunchtime on February 4, 11, 18, 25, and March 4. Exact start time will be determined based on registrant availability (see application question).
In this class, we will continue to wrestle with BIG questions like: What is the role of gratitude in our lives? When living in a world that is increasingly more secular, what is the role of religion and spirituality? Is forgiveness important? How do we decide what our calling should be? Who are we, as Jews, responsible to care for?
This class is only open to alumni of JLF Life's Big Questions (students who have completed JLF Life's Big Questions in a prior semester).
Jewish Learning Fellowship (JLF): KOL YISRAEL: ZIONISM(S)
Facilitated by: Heyman Winter Israel Fellow Orel Peretz
Open to: first-year through senior undergrads
This 6-week program takes place one day per week in the evenings. Dates and times vary by semester.
Location: Sessions will be held at the Freeman Center for Jewish Life.
Spring 2026 Dates: Mondays from 6:30-8:00pm on February 2, 9, 23, March 16, 23, and 30.
Kol Yisrael is a 6-week cohort learning experience to explore questions animating the contemporary Israeli discourse. This Kol Yisrael class is called "Zionism(s)." We will explore the historical and modern contexts of Zionism, as well as the multiple perspectives present in debates surrounding it. Our learning will focus on three core questions: How do competing visions of Zionism align and differ? Historically and today, what beliefs, values, and challenges have shaped Zionism and its proponents? How are different forms of Zionism manifested in Israel and in the Diaspora today?
You'll meet weekly with a cohort of fellow students, share a (free, kosher) meal and meaningful conversations, and are eligible for a $175 stipend on the conclusion of the program.
SENIOR SEMINAR
Facilitated by: Rabbi Elana Friedman
Open to: Class of 2026 graduating senior undergrads
This 5-week program takes place one day per week in the evenings. Dates and times vary by year.
Location: Sessions will be held at the Freeman Center for Jewish Life. Final closing session will take place at Rabbi Elana's house.
Spring 2026 Dates: Wednesdays from 6:30-8:00pm on February 11, 18, March 4, 18, and 25. Final closing session (March 25) will take place at Rabbi Elana's house.
Your time has come! Jewish Life at Duke's Senior Seminar is an opportunity for graduating seniors to reflect on the past four years and contemplate the years ahead. We are looking back, looking inward, and looking forward -- all through a Jewish lens and with our peers. Free, kosher dinner is included. The fifth and final session will be a closing session/siyum at Rabbi Elana's house.
JLD's Senior Seminar is open to all Duke graduating seniors and does not require previous Jewish background or knowledge, but does require a sincere interest in conversations around your Jewish journey, identity, and your future.
THE SUPPER CLUB: Jewish Life at Duke x Mary Lou Williams Center for Black Culture
Facilitated by: the Mary Lou Williams Center for Black Culture and Jewish Life at Duke
Open to: first-year through senior undergrads
Location: Mary Lou Williams Center & Freeman Center for Jewish Life
Spring 2026 Dates: This 3-session program takes place once per month on Mondays from 6:00-7:30pm on the following dates:
- Monday, February 2, 2026 at the Mary Lou Williams Center
- Monday, March 16, 2026 at the Mary Lou Williams Center
- Monday, April 6, 2026 at the Freeman Center
The Supper Club, hosted by the Mary Lou Williams Center for Black Culture and Jewish Life at Duke, is a space where participants engage in critical cultural conversations. Limited to 20 participants, undergraduate students will have the opportunity to share a meal with one another, engage in real conversations, and develop relationships.
Our goal: for the Supper Club to be a model of how a community can have conversations with curiosity and care.
Each session will feature dinner, an interactive activity, and thoughtful conversation. No prior preparation or homework is required.
DIALOGUE ACROSS DIFFERENCE
Facilitated by: Rabbi Elana Friedman, Campus Rabbi and Jewish Chaplain
This 1-session program will take place on [Spring 2026 Date TBD]
Have you every felt like you don't understand the "other side" of the Jewish community? Do you feel like your friends all have the same views as you? Join your fellow students in a facilitated, small-group conversation about our differences in the Jewish community, with free lunch or dinner included. This conversation uses the model of Resetting the Table (RTT): Dialogue Across Difference. RTT's program style is not to eliminate differences, but to help people transform their differences into a source of connection, learning, and problem-solving. This is not about convincing anyone of your views, but rather a chance to have productive conversation where we speak, listen, challenge each other, and deliberate with honesty, mutual recognition, and respect.
Apply Today
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until the deadlines listed above. Once your online application is received, you will be contacted by email to schedule a brief, in-person interview with a member of the Jewish Life at Duke staff, after which you will be notified if your application to join the cohort has been accepted.
Applicants should be thirsty to learn but require no previous Jewish education background. Jewish Life at Duke is an egalitarian, non-denominational organization. We do not believe there is “one right way to be Jewish.” These cohorts are open to all students, regardless of identity or background.
Use the buttons above to apply for a cohort-based learning seminar today!
Past Participant Testimonials
- "JLF has made me feel like I belong on Duke's campus. As an incoming freshman, I initially applied to JLF just to be a part of something, of some group, that I could call myself a part of. However, I am leaving JLF with so much more... I would take a JLF course all 8 of my semesters at Duke if I could for the people, the conversations, and family (and the incredible Freeman food!)"
- "Everyone came to class each week ready to learn (and teach)! I'll be taking away from JLF a deep appreciation for Jewish thought and a newfound comfort that my ancestors faced and handled the same situations we experience today. JLF was a great experience and I would definitely recommend it to a friend!"
"JLF: Israel completely changed the way that I thought about not only my relationship with Israel but also my relationship with Judaism. I came in expecting to just learn factual knowledge about Israel, the conflict, etc., which I did, but my biggest takeaways came from reflecting both on what Israel means to me and how we as Jews are all actually connected. JLF is one of the few times in my life where I've been able to learn purely for the sake of knowledge, and especially in discussing a topic as controversial and sometimes as uncomfortable as Israel, I'm especially grateful for a setting where I feel secure in asking questions and voicing my opinions."