April 27: Israel at 60, Part IV – Israel and the Dilemma of American Jews. How does language influence American Jews’ attempts to come to grips with the complex reality of the Middle East? What is the difference between being “critical of Israeli policy,” “anti-Israel,” “anti-Semitic,” and “a self-hating Jew”? How are such labels used to shape – or limit – discussion of the options that may be open both to American Jews and to Israel itself? What effect do they have on how we interpret information and positions articulated by the U.S. Jewish leadership, U.S. academics, and the U.S. media? Noted author and Middle East expert Milton Viorst will explore this pivotal topic against the background of U.S. reaction to The Israel Lobby and Foreign Policy, a controversial study of the making of American Middle East policy by John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt. The latest of Mr. Viorst’s numerous books, Storm from the East: The Struggle Between the Arab World and the Christian West, will be offered for sale and signing at the session.
April 20: No Adult Education (Passover). Joint Seder with RRUUC.
April 13: Israel at 60, Part III – Rethinking Israel’s History. In the past two decades, many Israelis have come to see crucial chapters of their nation’s history in a new light. This owes partly to historical writings based on archival material that has become available only since the mid-1980s, and partly to a process of societal maturation that has enabled Israelis to take a more critical view of themselves and their past. National myths and long-held beliefs are now portrayed with more nuance in school curricula and textbooks, in the media, and in political and popular discourse. Dr. Adina Friedman, a native Israeli currently teaching at George Washington University, will guide us through Israel’s painful and difficult process of re-examination. She will talk about what it has entailed on both a collective and an individual level, and about its ramifications for the Israeli-Palestinian/Arab-Israeli conflict.
April 6: Israel at 60, Part II – New Visions of the State and the Holy Land. It has become clear to many in Israel that an entirely new vision of the Palestinian and Israeli-Jewish relationship to the Holy Land will be necessary if both communities are to survive and flourish in the future. Dr. Marc Gopin, a rabbi who is professor of World Religions, Diplomacy, and Conflict Resolution at George Mason University, will speak about his work with an unusual group of spiritual peacemakers who have had a vital but little-known impact on those future visions – and are among the very few who are deeply engaged with each other even in the midst of violence. His talk will present implications this work has for what Diaspora Jews should – and should not – be doing right now when it comes to their own relationship to Israel.
March 23, 30: Spring break! No program.
March 16: Purim Special: Jewish Ideas of Misconduct. Secular American Jews are likely to have assimilated taboos surrounding such things as cursing, scatology, and sexuality that are current in the majority (Christian) culture. But where does Jewish tradition, influenced by the unique vision and priorities of Jewish law, place the limits of acceptable behavior? And how have these limits changed with the times? In our abbreviated Purim session of Adult Ed (11:15 – noon), Rabbi Art Blecher will lead a discussion of these questions, topping it off with some examples of latter-day risqué Jewish humor from Heeb magazine, www.Jewcy.com, and other sources. In the holiday’s spirit of misbehavior, this session will be ADULTS ONLY.
March 9: Taking Stock of Israel at 60 – Part I. In a series of programs honoring the 60th anniversary of Israel’s statehood, we will look at some aspects of its history and culture that tend to be obscured by the headlines – but that may well help put the headlines into sharper focus. The first of these sessions, which are to run through April, will be led by Israeli anthropologist Naomi Gale, this year’s Schusterman visiting professor at American University’s Center for Israeli Studies. Among the topics to be considered during the series are: the recent reappraisal of Israel’s early history and its impact on the current political debate; the evolution of the definition of diversity in the Israeli context and of Israelis’ attitudes toward the Jewish “other”; and the history of American Jews’ bonds with, attitudes toward, and support for Israel. For a description of the topic that Dr. Gale will help us explore on March 9, please consult the Beth Chai Weekly Email.
Sunday, February 24:
The Torah, Then and Now – Part II, Implications for Today.
Following up on Part I’s examination of the Torah’s moral vision in its original context, Rabbi Blecher will guide us in exploring the question of how later Judaism has translated that vision for a different and non-priestly spiritual grounding. We will also look at that vision’s implications for our lives today and address the ways in which scripture is used – and misused – by contemporary preachers.
Sunday, February 10:
The Torah, Then and Now – Part I, Channeling Our Ancestors.
The moral vision of our Jewish forebears as codified in the laws of the Torah was based on a system of ritual purity that is no longer part of Judaism. The laws, therefore, can only be appreciated by understanding the original context and the unique world view in which they were created. In the first of two sessions on the Torah, Rabbi Blecher will explain how the priestly system pervades its laws and present concrete examples of the range of legal statements it contains.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Heschel’s Views on Education and the “Segregation of Youth.”
Abraham Joshua Heschel, one of the great Jewish thinkers of the 20th century, was dogged by a concern about "the separation of young and old" that so often characterizes contemporary education. Heschel’s words — accurate, chilling, and profound — prompt us to look squarely at the way we educate, at our views about Judaism, and at our society. In this session, Beth Chai Education Director Rain Zohav will guide us in exploring the many challenges that Heschel frames regarding the education of children, youth, and adults alike.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Reclaiming Jewish Identity Across Centuries, Continents, and Civilizations
As a girl of nine, Carolivia Herron learned from the mouth of her 103-year-old great-grandmother of their Sephardic ancestor: Kidnapped from Italy by Barbary pirates and rescued by Libyan Jews, Sarah Shulamit ultimately escaped with the help of U.S. Marines to Georgia’s Sea Islands, where she settled among the Gullah-speaking Geechees. This story is one thread on the award-winning African American Jewish author’s path to Judaism that was to weave in later years through Jewish responses to her controversial 1997 book Nappy Hair. Carolivia will recount her remarkable family history, the subject of her newly published children’s book Always an Olivia, and lead a discussion on such themes as identity, multiculturalism, and race. Copies of Always an Olivia and her other books will be available for sale and signing.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Martin Luther King Day Program
Beth Chai’s annual Martin Luther King Day program presents Daryl Davis, author, teacher, and lecturer. Daryl’s unique perspective on civil rights and discrimination is exemplified in his book, Klan-Destine Relationships, which recounts the amazing story of how Daryl, an African-American, succeeded in getting hard-core Ku Klux Klan members to renounce their views, through intense personal dialogue. Daryl’s approach, which has been characterized as classically Christian, or New Testament, in nature, relies on a “love-thy-neighbor” philosophy, in which prejudices are confronted, and ultimately overcome, through one-on-one relationships.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Modernizing Jewish Ritual Practices – Adaptation, Reform, or Cheating? (Part I)
There are observant Jews who pin their handkerchiefs to their sleeves – ostensibly turning the handkerchiefs into “apparel” that they “wear” – in order to get around the Shabbat prohibition on carrying objects outside the home. In a similar vein, some who keep kosher kitchens will eat in non-kosher restaurants, although they may leave pork and shellfish aside. Whereas our recent discussions have focused on whether Beth Chai members’ individually chosen paths have implications for our identity as Jews, we haven’t looked at our own actions and beliefs along a continuum spanning the wider Jewish world. In this multi-part series, Rabbi Art Blecher will situate our discussion within the broader context of Jewish history and practice, raising questions that include: Do all branches of Judaism modify tradition in some way? Deviations in practice vs. deviations in belief: which trump which? How do communities and individuals validate their systems of belief and practice? Is there a tipping point where authenticity is compromised?
Sunday, December 16, 2007
The Messianic Tradition in Judaism – Part II/III
After we round out the discussion begun on December 9 of the journey of the Messianic ideal through the latter Rabbinic period, Rabbi Blecher will press on to Part III of the series. Looking at modern Judaism’s understanding of Messianism, will explore ways that Judaism and Christianity can find a common ground as prophetic voices within contemporary society.
Sunday, December 9, 2007
The Messianic Tradition in Judaism – Part II
Rabbi Art Blecher will pick up the historical narrative of this somewhat neglected subject – which, however, serves as the foundation for the utopian aspirations expressed in the oft-invoked concept of tikkun olam – in the later phases of Judaism’s Rabbinic period. He will focus on changes in earlier Jewish notions of the Messiah and on how the Jewish and Christian concepts of Messianism diverged over time. (The session will take place from 10-11am only, as Beth Chai’s Chanukah party will follow from 11am-1pm).
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Judaism in Beth Chai Homes – Theory Meets Practice
From time to time, we’ve heard ideas from both Rabbi Art Blecher and Education Director Rain Zohav for borrowing from or adapting traditional Jewish practices for use in humanistic observance. This session will provide Beth Chai members a chance to compare notes on what we actually do, and what it means to us. What is the variety of Shabbat practice in Beth Chai homes? How do the traditional and the modern, even the original, mix in our Passover Seders? How do we address the meaning of Chanukah? The lively discussion we’re expecting is also likely to touch on the roles played by various influences in shaping our choices and our feelings: family background; individual searching; Beth Chai; and mainstream Jewish denominations’ claims that only they represent “authentic” Judaism.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
The Messianic Tradition in Judaism – Part I
The subject of the Messiah represents the historical critical nexus of Judaism and Christianity. Our different understandings of the meaning of the Messiah simultaneously connect and divide the two communities. In this session, the first in a three-part series on Messianism within Judaism, Rabbi Art Blecher will introduce the basic terminology and Biblical origins of the Jewish concept of the Messiah. He will discuss the historical and political background to Messianism, emphasizing the Biblical period and the birth of Christianity. Sessions two and three are scheduled for December.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Jewish Identitiy: Beth Chai Members’ Personal Definitions
The Adult Ed discussion of this past Sunday (Oct 28th) brought to the fore a question that often haunts non-conforming Jews: Is there a sine qua non of being Jewish? Striking while the iron is hot, we’ll devote this session to talking about what each of us views as the essence of her or his own Jewish identity. In the process, we may also acquire a perspective on the external standards against which, knowingly or not, many of us measure the legitimacy of our claim to Jewishness.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Intermarriage Through the Ages – Part III, Non-Jews’ Needs and Contributions
Our third session on intermarriage will be devoted to exploring the everyday dynamics of intermarriage households. Rabbi Blecher will lead a discussion of the specific needs and concerns of the Gentile members of Beth Chai. Finally the group will formulate ways that the Gentile members of Jewish households can make important contributions to the American Jewish community.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Jewish Genetic Diseases – One Family’s Story
In 1995 the first son of Laurie Strongin, sister of Beth Chai President Andrew Strongin, was born with a fatal Jewish genetic disease. The story of Laurie’s son, Henry Strongin Goldberg, and her family is one in which science, love, genes, reproductive rights, ethics, and politics colllide. Laurie, founder and co-president of the Hope for Henry Foundation, will tell this rich and affecting story while also providing information about the genetic diseases that primarily affect Jews.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Intermarriage Through the Ages – Part II, Modern Institutions and Attitudes
This second part of our series on intermarriage will focus on contemporary American Jewish institutions. Rabbi Blecher will discuss the similarities and differences among the major denominations and the independent communities. The session will cover changes in the community’s outlook toward Jews who intermarry, comparing current attitudes with both earlier generations of American Jews and Old World Jewish Judaism.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Introduction in Parable and Practice, plus a Sukkot Celebration
Judaism’s rich mystical tradition contains a parable about the founder of the Kabbalah, Rabbi Yisrael ben Eliezer, known as the Baal Shem Tov. According to the story, when Rabbi Yisrael introduced himself to Rabbi David, he removed the “mask” that he was wearing to reveal his true identity and thereby establish Rabbi David as his colleague. The lesson for all of us today is that it is possible to establish meaningful relationships through even the briefest of introductions – if we are willing to reveal what we ordinarily hide. Rabbi Blecher will provide a brief analysis of this psychological insight from the Kabbalah as we get the new year off to a good start by introducing ourselves to one another. New acquaintanceships can then progress outside during the building of the congregation’s sukkah and/or the enjoyment of a picnic lunch therein.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Intermarriage Through the Ages – Part I, Biblical & Rabbinic Times Gentiles have married into the Jewish community since its earliest days, but the community’s attitudes toward intermarriage have differed from era to era. Initially, intermarriage occasioned little notice, although positions both for and against received expression in the Torah and in the books of Ruth, Ezra, and Nehemiah. In this first part of a two-part series, Rabbi Art Blecher will show us how intermarriage was portrayed in the Bible and how the community’s attitudes toward it were affected by the early rabbis’ decision to base Jewishness on the mother’s bloodline. The second part, scheduled for October, will examine current views of intermarriage and the important things that non-Jewish members of Jewish households have to contribute to the Jewish community.
Sunday, September 9, 2007
From Africa to Zion and Back – DNA & Human Migration
How humans spread around the globe and how we became such a variety of peoples present an enormous puzzle – especially since, according to our DNA, we are all descended from a common ancestor who lived as recently as 60,000 years ago. To map this genetic journey through the ages, the National Geographic Society is spearheading an unprecedented study, the five-year Genographic Project. Beth Chai member Mark Bauman, National Geographic’s vice president for Media, will outline this effort and bring us up to date on its findings – which include interesting clues to Ashkenazic-Jewish identity and to the terrestrial and genetic dispersion of the priestly caste, the Kohanim.
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Jewish Demographics in the DC area
How has the Jewish population of our area evolved in recent times, and what is its composition now? A representative of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington who has been heavily involved in the most recent local demographic study will talk about such attributes of area Jews as origin, age, education, and wealth, as well as discussing their implications for the types of services local Jewish institutions offer.
Sunday, May 6, 2007
The Other Sons – Rejection, Disinheritance, and Chosenness in Jewish Tradition
In the first two generations descended from Abraham, it was the second son rather than the first-born son who became the heritor of the Covenant. Rabbi Art Blecher will discuss what Genesis says about two pairs of brothers – Ishmael and Isaac, Esau and Jacob – with a focus on the stories’ implications for Jewish identity and for Jewish-Gentile relations today.
Preparation is not indispensable, but those who wish to get a head start might look at the following passages, all from Genesis: Birth of Ishmail, 16:1-16; Isaac and Ishmail, 21:1-3, 9-21; Ishmail, 25:12-18; Jacob and Esau, 25:19-28; Jacob Takes Birthright from Esau, 25:29-34; Esau Marries, 26:34-35; Jacob Takes the Blessing, 27:1-46; Jacob Meets Esau, 32:4-21; Jacob and Esau Reconcile, 33:1-16.
April 28-29, 2007
Retreat at Shepard Springs Retreat Center
The first ever Beth Chai Retreat is a chance to get to know each other in an informal setting with activities for all ages, including a Humanist Havdalah, a sing along with guest artist Lisa Baydush, games, crafts, and adult ed.: Israel through the Window of Literature.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Background to Islam – The Construction to Identity
Following on the two-part exploration of the Islamic and Jewish traditions led by Beth Chai member Karim Chaibi and Rabbi Art Blecher, Karim will elaborate upon some of the beliefs, attitudes, and practices that help make Muslims who they are. Among the subjects considered will be: the religious and practical rights and duties of men and women; the connection between sexuality, in its various forms, and sin; concepts of faith and apostasy, including the limits and consequences of irreverence; and the organization and power of religious authority.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Community Work Day: Baskets for NIH & JSSA at Burning Tree or Sligo Creek Cleanup
Burning Tree: For those who choose to come to Burning Tree, we will be making items for the NIH Children’s Inn to bring a little bit of springtime cheer to children who are seriously ill and we will be bringing baskets of fruit and other goodies to the elderly, in co-operation with the Jewish Social Service Agency.
Sligo Creek: Alternatively, those wishing to help clean up Sligo Creek in Silver Spring should meet at 10am at the corner of Wayne Ave and Sligo Creek Parkway to do our part to fight global schmutzing.
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Archaeology and Politics in Israel and Palestine
Archaeology in the Holy Land began as a political venture and continues to have political overtones and implications to this very day, Jerusalem-based archaeologist David Ilan will argue in a follow-up to his enthusiastically received January talk on Archaeology and the Bible. He will relate how archaeology in the region began in the 19th century with a political agenda, how Zionism and then Palestinian nationalism have used archaeology to further their agendas, and how archaeology is embroiled in the modern conflict – as illustrated by recent headlines devoted to the Temple Mount, or Haram es Sharif. He will also discuss how archaeology can do its own small part in healing the social and psychological wounds of conflict in the Middle East.
Dr. Ilan directs the Nelson Glueck School of Biblical Archaeology at Jerusalem’s Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Judaism Meets Islam, Part II – Prophecy and Statecraft
In the second of a multi-part exploration of the two traditions, Rabbi Art Blecher and Beth Chai member Karim Chaibi will look at the meaning of Moses’ and Muhammad’s contrasting fates: the latter founded and ruled a state, while the former was kept from even entering the Promised Land. Each speaker will talk about the connection between religious authority and the exercise of temporal power in his own tradition, as well as the consequences of this link for both religious and political life. General discussion will follow.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Judaism Meets Islam, Part I – People of the Book
Beth Chai Rabbi Art Blecher and member Karim Chaibi, who holds a degree in Islamic theology, will embark on a multi-part exploration of similarities and differences between the two traditions as belief systems and guides for living.
In this first session, they will talk about the parallel relationship of the two religions to a founding text that is attributed to a divine author and was transmitted through a single prophet. The implications of this relationship for the character of each religion and culture will be addressed, with special attention given to the role of textual interpretation. Each speaker will make a separate presentation on his own tradition, with general discussion to follow.
Sunday, February 4, 2007
The Rabbi in America, Part III
In the finale of a three-part series on the evolving role of the American rabbi, Beth Chai’s own rabbi, Art Blecher, will talk about the challenges faced by rabbis in the current era of innovation and diversity that began with the 1970s revival of Jewish interest.
Amonth the topics addressed will be: how well formal training prepares rabbis to serve the congregations that employ them; the attitudes of rabbis of the various denominations toward sharing the Jewish knowledge they have acquired; and the public postures assumed by rabbis in dealing with their congregants, their colleagues, and the wider world.
Sunday, January 28, 2007
East European Jewry’s Passage into Modern Times
Rabbi Max Ticktin, the associate director of George Washington University’s Jewish Studies Program, will return to lead us in a discussion of the Jews’ confrontation with modernity as depicted in works of the great Yiddish writer Sholem Aleichem.
Copies of the three stories we will consider – On Account of a Hat, The Yom Kippur Scandal, and If I Were a Rothschild – will be available at Adult Ed on Jan 7th, 14th, and 21st. Those attending on Jan 28th are asked to make every effort to read these brief works in advance of the session.
Sunday, January 21, 2007
The Bible & Archaeology – Where They Meet, Where They Don’t, and Why
Until two decades ago, archaeologists working in Israel, the Occupied Territories, and Jordan regarded the Bible as an historical text in the modern sense, a view that prejudiced their interpretations of the archaeological data. Today’s researchers take a far more circumspect attitude when relating to Biblical texts.
Dr. David Ilan, who directs the Nelson Glueck School of Biblical Archaeology at Jerusalem’s Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, will explain the shift in outlook that has taken place, in the process evaluating the historical and theological implications of several Biblical stories against the background of archaeological data.
Sunday, January 14, 2007
MLK Day Presentation: The Long Road to Justice in the South
We are very fortunate to welcome Juanita Evangeline Moore, whose parents were killed in a Ku Klux Klan bombing in Mims, Florida in 1951. Harry Moore was the state NAACP president, extremely active in early voter registration and school desegregation efforts. When he and his wife Harriette were killed on Christmas Day (also their 25th wedding anniversary), they became the first martyrs of the Civil Rights movement.
Ms. Moore will recount her 55-year struggle to identify her parents’ killers, which finally culminated in official findings this summer. Ms. Moore has previously spoken at the Holocaust Memorial Center in Maitland, FL – her parents’ murders were part of a statewide Klan bombing campaign which also targeted synagogues. She will also discuss and take questions and comments on the current state of the movement for equality for all Americans.
Sunday, January 7, 2007
The Rabbi in America – Part II
In the second of a three-part series on the evolving role of the American rabbi, Beth Chai’s own rabbi, Art Blecher, will offer reminiscences of his years studying at the Jewish Theological Seminary, an institution of the Conservative Movement. He will focus on tensions surrounding the issues of belief and observance and of sexuality that confronted rabbinical students in the 1970s, a decade of reawakening of Jewish interest, while also commenting on Conservative Judaism’s December actions regarding the ordination of gays and same-sex commitment ceremonies. In the final meeting of this series, to take place in February, Rabbi Blecher will outline the current challenges for rabbis that stem from innovations ushered in during the ‘70s.
Sunday, December 17, 2007
The Rabbi in America – Part I
In the first of a three-part series on the evolving role of the American rabbi, Beth Chai’s own rabbi, Art Blecher, will lead a discussion of how rabbis are trained by the various Jewish movements in this country today and of how their training is thought to prepare them for the job they are expected to do. To put the present into perspective, he will describe rabbis’ traditional training and functions in the Old World, as well as the abrupt changes that took place in both as Jews began arriving en masse in America. In Part II, scheduled for January 7th, Rabbi Blecher will offer reminiscences of his years at the Jewish Theological Seminary, focusing on tensions around the issues of belief and observance and of sexualilty confronted by rabbinical students in the 1970s, a decade of reawakening of Jewish interest. He will outline in Part III the current challenges for rabbis arising from innovations ushered in during the ‘70s.
Sunday, December 10, 2007
The Changing Image of the Arab in Modern Hebrew Literature
Returning as a guest lecturer will be Rabbi Max Ticktin, the associate director of George Washington University’s Program in Judaic Studies, whose talks in 2003 and 2004 are warmly remembered by Adult Ed veterans. Rabbi Ticktin will discuss how Hebrew-language writers have portrayed the Arab - other - from the 1890s to the present. Spotlighted will be the quarter-century following Israeli independence in 1948, when Jews exercised temporal power for the first time in nearly two millennia, and the current period, beginning with the 1973 October War and marked by Israel’s continuing occupation of Arab territories. Works by Amos Oz, A.B. Yehoshua, and David Grossman will be among those considered in exploring how the Israeli artist/intellectual has confronted the treatment of minorities by the Jewish state.
Sunday, December 3, 2007
Jewish Culture Day at Rockville JCC
Thanks to a special “cluster grant” from the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, we will do another joint program with the Bethesda Chevy Chase Community Group. This year’s program focuses on the various ways that Jewish culture has been influenced by the surrounding cultures where Jews have lived. It will feature a performance by Yesodot, a wonderful High School Israeli Dance Troupe. During the second hour, there will be workshops that teach about both Chinese and Sephardic Jewish culture.
Sunday, November 12, 2007
Judaism and Islam: Confluences and Conflicts
Two new Beth Chai members, Karim Chaibi and Lora Berg, will guide us through the complex relationship between two great traditions based on experiences they have had individually and as a Jewish-Muslim couple.
Karim, drawing on his years as a student of Islamic theology and an Islamist, will talk about how Judaism is perceived through an Islamic lens and about how secularism has affected his view of the dialogue between Jews and Muslims.
Lora will elucidate the perspective of a Jewish woman who worked, married, gave birth, adopted, and raised children in the Muslim world over more than a decade, then experienced life for three years in a land that was deeply scarred by World War II and the Holocaust. As she examines how her worldview changed during that time, Lora is seeking effective ways to promote tolerance in future generations, a project in which she is joined by Karim and for which she is receiving support from and through her employer, the U.S. Foreign Service.
Sunday, October 29, 2007
Mitzvah Day – Looking at Disability Through a Jewish Lens
Adult Ed will feature a presentation by Lenore Layman, the Special Needs Chair of the Partnership for Jewish Life and Learning. For the first hour, she will lead study and discussion of Jewish texts dealing with disabilities issues. The second hour will be given over to a discussion of what Jewish congregations have been doing to insure they are welcoming and inclusive, with some suggestions for what Beth Chai might do in this regard. During the final ten minutes of the morning, Beth Chai members will have a chance to take part in the annual Mini-Walk for the Homeless.
Sunday, October 22, 2007
Humanism and Judaism – When Parallel Lines Meet
Inherent in much of what we do at Beth Chai is the idea that Humanism and Judaism are compatible, even complementary – that Judaism can contribute to our lives as individuals, that humanism can throw light on the Jewish tradition. Rabbi Blecher will lead a discussion of the following questions: What is Humanism? How do it and Judaism relate? Where do the two overlap, where not? Can we locate Jewish roots in Humanism? Can we integrate Humanism into Judaism? What do they impart, alone and together, to our identities, our values, our aspirations – to the way we live?
Sunday, October 15, 2007
A Humanistic View of Simchat Torah - Plus a Potluck Brunch
Traditionally, Simchat Torah is the joyous holiday accompanying the completion, and resumption, of the annual cycle of Torah reading. What significance can it hold for Humanistic Jews? Beth Chai Education Director Rain Zohav will talk about the history of Simchat Torah and the practices that have been associated with it, while at the same time putting forward a Humanist perspective on the holiday. To get the ball rolling, we’ll adapt one custom – that of calling all children, from babes in arms to pre-Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, to recite a blessing from the Torah – to the reality of Beth Chai today. A potluck brunch will follow honoring the new babies and their parents. The discussion will be from 10 to 10:45am, with the brunch immediately following and lasting until noon. All families except those with new babies are asked to bring an item for the brunch.
Sunday, October 1, 2007
Debate in Israel As Seen Through Its Press
At times, events in the Middle East have produced a rigid unanimity in the U.S. Jewish community that has sharply contrasted with a multi-sided – and impassioned – debate in Israel. Is this one of those times? To help us find out, we’ll hear a number of brief reports from Beth Chai members, each of whom has followed an Israeli publication over the Internet in the preceding weeks. Then, of course, we’ll discuss what we’ve heard.
Sunday, September 10, 2007
One hour will be reserved for a meeting of family-school parents. The other hour will feature our Social Action agenda. Social Action chair, Howard Feinstein, will lead a discussion of continuing programs and new projects. All members are most welcome to contribute ideas, and to volunteer for all initiatives.
