What course teachers do
Teach a course at Summer Institute. Most courses meet for four 90-minute sessions, either in the morning or the afternoon, on Tuesday through Friday.
What course teachers receive
To recognize the work of teaching and to ensure anyone invited to teach is able to attend, NHC reduces the registration costs for teachers. Anyone who did not teach in 2024 or 2025-- 100% off of the registration fee with housing in a double occupancy room Anyone who taught in 2024 or 2025-- 50% discount off of the registration fee with housing in a double occupancy room If you are co-teaching, each teacher will receive half of the discount noted above. As a non-profit, NHC asks teachers to contribute to costs of running Institute when they are able; any amount that teachers pay at registration will be considered a tax-deductible donation. Additionally, teachers must join NHC, which has membership dues of $60 per adult or $120 per family.
Details
We invite you to submit a proposal to teach a course at the 2026 National Havurah Committee Summer Institute! Whether you're a seasoned havuranik or thinking of attending for the first time, we believe everyone is a learner and everyone is a student. Courses are the heart of the Summer Institute, and we welcome proposals on a wide range of topics. This year’s theme is: "Chaverim Kol Yisrael-May All of Israel Be Friends.”
FAQs
Am I eligible to apply to teach a course?
Most likely, yes! We believe and practice that everyone is both a teacher and a student. You don’t need to be a rabbi, or a professor, or have any specific background to teach. Many NHC community members come to Institute for the first time as a teacher. We provide some training after proposals are accepted, but you will need to show strong planning and depth of knowledge in your proposal.
The Course Committee aims to assemble a teaching roster that is diverse in background, approach, and experience with Summer Institute. To support such a mix, those who have taught courses in the last two years are encouraged to take a break from submitting. We are particularly eager to recruit teachers with identities and Jewish experiences that have been under-represented among our teaching roster: Jews of color, Sephardi, Mizrahi [JOCSM], disabled, or otherwise under-represented folks. If you have any questions about equity and inclusion, please contact the Course Committee.
Can I co-teach a course with someone else?
Sure! If you and another person are proposing to co-teach a course, please submit a single online course proposal with the information for both teachers.
What makes a good course proposal?
Propose a course you’re passionate about; make it something unique that you’re unlikely to find anywhere else. We encourage you to propose topics that you have found to be of special interest in your local havurot, minyanim, or other learning contexts. In addition, topics relating to the Torah portion for that week or the theme would be appropriate. This year’s theme is: "Chaverim Kol Yisrael-May All of Israel Be Friends.” You can learn more about the theme here.
Please provide details of what you plan to cover during the sessions, including how the students will be engaged in the course. Tell us about your vision: What are you doing? What are the students doing? We want to know about the structure you will build for shared learning.
For example, here are some successful past course proposals. You may also wish to view previous descriptions of courses offered at a previous Summer Institute.
To talk with a member of the course committee before submitting your application, contact us at courses@havurah.org, with the understanding that we can only comment on whether your ideas are clear and specific enough to produce a strong proposal, not on its chances of acceptance. Until we have a group of proposals to work with, we can’t predict how we will make choices to produce a diverse and balanced roster.
How do participants select their courses?
Teachers should expect a diverse group of students with differing viewpoints, and should be open to lively discussion in an environment that promotes openness and mutual respect. Participants select their courses when they register for the Institute. Teachers will be provided a class roster prior to the start of Institute once registration closes.
Courses may not be restricted by gender, age, religious practice, or ideology. Adult courses are for ages 16 and up. You may require specific background (such as Hebrew reading skills, previous experience studying Jewish texts, or the ability to read music); please describe the expectations clearly in your application.
What is the basic structure for Summer Institute courses?
Most courses meet for four 90-minute sessions, either in the morning or the afternoon, on Tuesday through Friday. Teachers can limit class size if needed, and NHC will work with teachers who need AV resources or accommodations to be able to teach effectively.
What topics are appropriate for a course?
The backbone of the Summer Institute schedule is the courses, which meet daily Tuesday to Friday. As a teacher, you can expect to engage with enthusiastic students interested in exploring the subject or skill that you want to share.
Course proposals can cover any Jewish subjects or themes: religious life, spirituality, contemporary issues, history, literature, art, music, personal growth, or whatever you dream up.
Courses will be selected reflecting a balance of styles as well as topics: text study, crafts, movement, creative writing, and so on.
We also will be looking at courses that fit into this year’s theme (although this is not a requirement).
However, many long-time Institute attendees will tell you that it’s not only the topic that makes a good course—it’s the teacher’s ability to engage the students in the exploration of a topic that the teacher finds compelling and exciting. Proposals for courses largely available in the broader Jewish community, such as teaching specific liturgical skills like reading from the Torah, are not generally accepted as courses.
What level of text study background can I assume for a text-based course?
Text-study courses can be divided into three categories:
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Advanced Text courses usually require experience with traditional text study and ability to read texts in their original language (usually Hebrew or Aramaic), and they may presume familiarity with other source material.
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Intermediate Text courses assume some familiarity with traditional text study but don’t require participants to work independently in Hebrew/Aramaic. These courses generally provide texts in translation but may also refer to the original languages.
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Text for Everyone courses provide all sources in translation and do not assume any previous experience with text study.