Jewish LIFE Learning Is For
Everyone Jewish LIFE Mission Statement: Jewish LIFE, a collaborative Jewish education program created by the JCC, Rabbis, lay leadership and Jewish agencies, strives to expand and enhance the Jewish educational opportunities offered to both affiliated and non-affiliated Jews in Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren Counties.
Jewish LIFE, a Community Adult Education Program, is Supported By: Chabad of Greater Somerset County; Chabad Jewish Center of Southern Somerset County; Chabad of Hunterdon County; Flemington Jewish Community Center; Congregation Kehilat Shalom,Belle Mead; Congregation Knesseth Israel, Bound Brook; Temple Har Shalom, Warren; Jewish Family Service of Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren Counties; Jewish Federation of Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren Counties; Or Chadash, the Reform Temple of Hunterdon County; Shimon and Sara Birnbaum Jewish Community Center, Bridgewater; Jewish Center of Northwest Jersey; Temple Beth- El, Hillsborough; Temple Beth El, Somerset; Temple Sholom, Bridgewater.
Program Guide
2014-15/5775 Â
The Jewish LIFE program is made possible in part by a grant from the Jewish Federation of Somerset, Hunterdon & Warren Counties.
Registration Form Event
Date
Patron*/ Benefactor** Excludes: Melton School, iEngage, Imagine, October 2014 - June 2015
$50 per student
Dr. Nathan Reiss: Jews in the Bronx
Tuesday, September 30
$5/person
The Irma Horowitz Film Series: Falafel and Films - JCC
Thursday, October 23
$12/advance -$15/day of
Trip into NYC Museum of Jewish Heritage Imagine Event : Jewish Federation Cara Tannenbaum: In a Nutshell
The Irma Horowitz Film Series: Falafel and Films - Or Chadash
Dr. Nathan Reiss: Jewish Family Names
Wednesday, November 5
$125/person $8/advance -$12/day of
Wednesday, December 3
$18/advance- $22/day of
Friday, December 5
$12/advance- $15/day of $5/person
Thursday, December 11 $12/advance- $15/day of
Iris Krasnow: Sex After...Women Share How Intimacy Changes as Life Changes
Wednesday, February 4 $18/advance- $22/day of Wednesday, February 11
Tova Friedman: Liberation of Auschwitz 70th Anniversary Rebecca Alexander: Not Fade Away, A Memoir of Senses Lost and Found
Friday, February 20
$5/person $12/advance- $15/day of
Wednesday, February 25
$10/adult Free for Students
Wednesday, March 11
$18/advance- $22/day of
Mordechai Rosenstein: Originals by an Original
Thursday, March 12
Free to Community
Glenn Kurtz: Three Minutes in Poland
Thursday, March 19
$8/advance- $10/day of
A Night to Celebrate Israel
Thursday, March 26
$50/adult- $18/student
No Place on Earth: Film and Discussion
Monday, April 13
$5/person
The Irma Horowitz Film Series: Falafel and Films - JCC
Thursday, April 30
$12/advance- $15/day of
Sunday, June 7
Israel Parade in New York City
Details to Follow
Name: _____________________________________________________________
*Patron: $180 includes 1 Ticket with Reserved Seating for each Event. **Benefactor: $360 includes 2 Tickets w/Reserved Seating for each Event.
Address: _____________________________________________________________ City: ________________________ State:___________ Zip:________________
Phone#: _____________________________________________________________
Patron/Benefactor excludes: Melton School, iEngage, Imagine, Celebrate Israel, JFS Anniversary Event
Please call JCC Executive Director Laura Friedman for details: (908) 725-6994 x213; LFriedman@ssbjcc.org
Email: _____________________________________________________________ I/We wish to pay by credit card:
VISA
M/C
AmEx
Account #: _____________________________________________________ Please Expiration Date: _ ___________________________________CVV Code:_______
Name on Credit Card: _____________________________________________________
$60/person
The Irma Horowitz Film Series: Falafel and Films - JCC
The Irma Horowitz Film Series: Falafel and Films - Or Chadash
Thursday, October 30
Tuesday, December 9
Little White Lie: Film and Discussion
$150/Series
Wednesday, November 19 $18/advance- $22/day of
Allen Salkin: From Scratch: Inside Food Network
Starts Thursday, October 23
Sunday, November 16
Janna Gur: Jewish Soul Food
Total
$725
Starts Sun.,October 26
Writing Your Family History
Qty
$180/Person - $360/Couple
Celebrate Israel, JFS Anniversary Event
Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning Register by calling 973.530.3519 iEngage Engaging Israel: Foundations for a New Relationship
Event Price
Signature: _____________________________________________________
complete and return the registration form with payment to:
Jewish LIFE 775 Talamini Road Bridgewater, NJ 08807
Make checks payable to: Shimon and Sara Birnbaum Jewish Community Center
course registration information If you are interested in registering for any class listed under Course Offerings, please contact the host locations directly, using the below guide. Code Organization
Code
Organization
BES Temple Beth El Somerset 1489 Hamilton Street, Somerset 08873 (732) 873-2325 Fax: ( 732) 873-3892 Denomination: Conservative Rabbi Eli Garfinkel
OCH
Or Chadash 149 Foothill Road Flemington, NJ 08822 (908) 806-2122 Denomination: Reform Rabbi Joseph M. Forman Jewish Center of Northwest Jersey 115 Youmans Avenue, Washington 07882 (908) 689-0762 Denomination: Reform Rabbi Mary Zamore
JCNWJ CKS Congregation Kehilat Shalom 253 Griggstown Road, Belle Mead 08503 (908) 359-0420 Fax: (908) 359-8848 Denomination: Reconstructionist Rabbi Susan Falk CKI Congregation Knesseth Israel 229 Mountain Avenue, Bound Brook, NJ (732) 469-0934 Fax: (732) 356-1325 Denomination: Independent Rabbi Jack Kramer CJC-BR Chabad Jewish Center of Greater Somerset County 3048 Valley Road, Basking Ridge 07920 (908) 604-8844 Fax: (908) 604-0771 Denomination: Independent Rabbi Mendy Herson CJC-H Chabad Jewish Center of Southern Somerset County 26 New Amwell Road, Hillsborough 08844 (908) 874-0444 Fax: (908) 450-3333 Denomination: Independent Rabbi Shmaya Krinsky
JFS
JFED
Jewish Federation of Somerset, Hunterdon & Warren Counties 775 Talamini Road, Bridgewater 08807 (908) 725-6994 Fax: (908) 725-9753 Executive Director: Diane Naar
SSBJCC
Shimon and Sara Birnbaum Jewish Community Center 775 Talamini Road, Bridgewater 08807 (908) 725-6994 Fax: (908) 725-9753 Executive Director: Laura Friedman
TBE
CJC-HC Chabad of Hunterdon County 90 Beaver Avenue, Clinton 08809 (908) 238-9002 Fax: ( 908) 238-9006 Denomination: Independent Rabbi Eli Kornfeld FJCC Flemington Jewish Community Center 5 Sergeantsville Road, Flemington 08822 (908) 782-6410 Fax: (908) 806-7736 Denomination: Conservative Rabbi Evan Jaffe
Jewish Family Service of Somerset, Hunterdon & Warren Counties 150-A West High Street, Somerville 08876 (908) 725-7799 Fax: (908) 725-0284 Executive Director: Jerry Starr
TS
Temple Beth-El, Hillsborough 67 U.S. Hwy. 206, Hillsborough 08844 (908) 722-0674 Fax: (908) 429-1418 Denomination: Reform Rabbi Arnie Gluck Temple Sholom P.O. Box 6007, 594 North Bridge Street Bridgewater 08807 (908) 722-1339 Fax: (908) 253-0878 Denomination: Conservative Rabbi Ron Isaacs
HS Temple Har Shalom 104 Mount Horeb Road, Warren 07059 (732) 356-8777 Fax: (732) 356-0580 Denomination: Reform Rabbi Randi Musnitsky
Jewish LIFE Events and Films
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Jewish LIFE
Connect to.... New Adult Education Program
And we will connect you to your Jewish past, present, and future. The Florence Melton Adult Mini-School is an innovative adult Jewish learning experience. It enables participants to achieve a strong foundation of Jewish knowledge in just two years. Students of varying backgrounds form a community of learners who explore Jewish texts and begin to understand how Judaism developed and what Judaism means to them. The pluralistic approach fosters an atmosphere of warmth, respect, and mutual understanding. Fee: $725/person To register, call Rhonda Lillianthal at JCC MetroWest: (973) 530-3519.
This year’s courses: THE DRAMAS OF JEWISH LIVING THROUGHOUT THE AGES (30 Lessons): What are the lessons and dilemmas of Jewish history, from the earliest wanderings of Abraham to the modern experiment in Jewish statehood? How do the turning points in Jewish history influence our lives today? This course investigates how the Jewish past gives meaning to the Jewish present. THE ETHICS OF JEWISH LIVING (30 Lessons): How do Jewish teachings shed light on contemporary issues such as the environment, inter-personal relationships, end-of-life decisions, and stem-cell research? This course explores the wisdom of ancient in the communal and private spheres.
Register for One: (both courses will be taught)
Monday Evenings: 7:00 – 9:00pm Rabbi Richard Fagan & Rabbi Michael Jay
Tuesday Mornings: 9:30-11:30am Rabbi Richard Fagan & Rabbi Eli Garfinkel
October 20 & 27 November 3, 10, 17, 24 December 1, 8, 15, 22 January 5, 12, 19, 26 February 2, 9, 16, 23 March 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 April 13, 20, 27 May 4, 11, 18 June 1
October 21 & 28 November 4, 11, 18, 25 December 2, 9, 16, 23 January 6, 13, 20, 27 February 3, 10, 24 March 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 April 14, 21, 28 May 5, 12, 19, 26 June 2 & 9
Link for registration forms: http://www.jccmetrowest.org/meltonschool Link for registration forms: http://www.jccmetrowest.org/meltonschool or call Rhonda Lillianthal: 973.530.3519
Jewish LIFE call RhondaWe’ll Lillianthal: 973.530.3519 Give us two hours aorweek.... give you 5775 years!
Give us two hours a week.... We’ll give you 5774 years! Is For Everyone Jewish LIFELearning thanks JCC MetroWest for bringing The Melton School of Adult Learning to our community.
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Jewish LIFE Events and Films
Engaging Israel Foundations for a New Relationship
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A video lecture and discussion series from the Shalom Hartman Institute, Jerusalem Instructor: Rabbi Arnie Gluck Sundays: 4:00-6:00 PM (9 Sessions) Location: Temple Beth-El, Hillsborough Book and materials fee: $50
Engaging Israel focuses on the great questions raised by Jewish statehood. It represents a shift from the often rancorous debate about what Israel does or doesn’t do right, to an engaged dialogue about the challenges, opportunities, and possibilities of Jewish sovereignty and empowerment. Join Rabbi Arnie Gluck on nine Sunday afternoons throughout the year. Each two-hour session will include a video featuring a leading scholar from the Hartman Institute and lively group conversation. Session 1, October 26: From Crisis to Covenant Session 2, November 16: Religion and Peoplehood Session 3, December 14: Sovereignty and Identity Session 4, January 25: Power and Powerlessness Session 5, February 22: War and Occupation Session 6, March 22: Morality on the Battlefield Session 7, April 22: Jewish and Democratic State Session 8, May 17: Religious Pluralism and Human Rights Session 9, June 7: Values Nation
*Please note: Engaging Israel (iEngage 1) is back by popular demand after a successful debut last year. iEngage 2 is planned for next year (2015-2016)
Jewish LIFE Events and Films
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Jewish LIFE September Torah & Coffee
Instructor: Miriam Krinsky Tuesdays: 10:00-11:00 am Dates: Begins September 2 Location: CJC-H Fee: Free, Donations are appreciated
Please join us every Tuesday morning at 10am for a dynamic, thoughtprovoking class in the company of a warm and welcoming group of Jewish women as we explore the how’s, what’s, why’s and when’s of Judaism, and discover its powerful depth and amazing relevance to our modern lives. Coffee & Refreshments will be served. Playroom available for children.
Beginning Hebrew Reading Instructor: Sarah Gluck Sundays 9:00-9:50 AM (18 Sessions) Dates: Begins September 14 Location: TBE
Dates: September 14, 21, 28; October 12, 19; November 2, 16; December 7; January 11, 25; February 8, 22; March 1, 8, 15; April 12, 19, 26 This class will teach the aleph-bet and vowels and get you on your way to reading Hebrew comfortably. Fun learning is guaranteed! Textbook: TBD
Making Prayer Real
Intermediate Biblical Hebrew
Dates: September 14, 21, 28; October 12, 19; November 2, 16; December 7; January 11, 25; February 8, 22; March 1, 8, 15; April 12, 19, 26
Dates: September 14, 28; October 19; November 2, 23; December 21; January 25; February 8; March 1, 15; April 19
Instructor: Sarah Gluck Sundays: 10:00-11:15 AM (18 Sessions) Begins: September 14 Location: TBE
We will explore the challenges of prayer, what it means to pray, and how to develop a personal prayer voice. Sessions will include learning and discussion, video interviews with leading Jewish spiritual voices on the art of prayer, and an exploration of traditional and innovative prayer practices with special focus on the skills and techniques that can make prayer profound, powerful, and transformative. All are welcome to join the conversation! Textbook: Making Prayer Real by Rabbi Mike Comins (Jewish Lights, 2010)
High Holiday Nusach (Musical Themes)
Instructors: Cantor Eddie Roffman and Rabbi Jack Kramer Saturday, September 20 7:30 PM Location: CKI
Instructor: Sarah Gluck Sundays: 11:30 AM-1:00 PM (11 Sessions) Begins: September 14 Location: TBE
Using The First Hebrew Reader, the follow-up volume to The First Hebrew Primer, this class will guide you toward reading, understanding, and translating passages from the Torah through building grammar, vocabulary, and a basic understanding of biblical syntax and style. By the time we complete the book, you will be able to read excerpts from the Tanach (Hebrew Bible) in the original classical language. Textbook: The First Hebrew Reader (EKS Publishing)
Advanced Hebrew
Instructor: Sarah Gluck Sunday, 11:30 AM-1:00 PM (11 Sessions) Dates: Begins September 21 Location: TBE
Dates: September 21; October 12, 26; November 16; December 7; January 11; February 1, 22; March 8, 22; April 26
Students in this class will continue to read and translate passages How do the melodies of the service change to indicate the coming from the Tanach, read and listen to Israeli poetry and prose, watch the of the holidays? Join us for a talk and lessons about the High Holiday occasional video, and use basic Hebrew conversation in the classroom. nusach, which will be followed by our Selichot service at 8:30. Materials provided by the instructor. Refreshments will be served.
HaZamir Jewish High School Choir: Conducted by Cantor Michelle Teplitz
Sundays 4-6pm Open to all 8th-12th Grade Musical Jewish Teens! Sing the finest Jewish Coral Music! Meet other Jewish teens from across the United States and Israel. Rehearsals will be held at the JCC Bridgewater
Winter Regional Intervisitation: January 18-19 22nd Annual HaZamir Festival: March 19-22 • Gala Concert at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center: Sunday, March 22 at 4pm To schedule an audition, please contact: michelleteplitz@yahoo.com; 203.314.9354 • www.ZamirChoralFoundation.org 6
Jewish LIFE Events and Films
Jewish LIFE Is Possible Only With Your Support
Patron: $180 includes 1 Ticket with Reserved Seating for each Event. Benefactor: $360 includes 2 Tickets with Reserved Seating for each Event. Please call JCC Executive Director Laura Friedman for details. (908) 725-6994 x213 • e-mail: LFriedman@ssbjcc.org
September
Growing The Gratitude In Your Life
Instructor: Shari Czar Tuesday, September 30, 7:30-9:00 PM Location: TBE
Did you know that people who feel grateful report having greater life satisfaction, positive emotions, optimism, and lower levels of depression and stress? In this session we’ll explore what it means to have gratitude, how to add gratitude practices into your life, expressing gratitude through prayer, and how to share gratitude with others. The session will include guided exercises, meditation, and group discussion. Home practices to help expand your gratitude practice and explore how it changes your life will be provided.
High Holiday Course Tuesday: 7:30pm Begins Tuesday September 23 (3) sessions Cost: $36 Location: CJC-HC Rosh Hashanah Class Tuesday, September 23
• Why Round Challah? • Understanding the Rosh Hashanah Prayers • Is G-d a King or a Queen • All about Tashlich • Why is G-d so Judgmental * Recalculating
Yom Kippur Class Tuesday, September 30 between Atonement and Forgiveness • The day Before Yom Kippur • How to Keep Your New Year’s Resolution • The Art Forgiveness.
Sukkot and Simchat Torah Class Tuesday, October 7
• Secrets of the Four Species • The Hoshana Ceremony • What do we do in the Sukkah? • What’s the Happiest Day of The Year? • Celebrating Simchat Torah
special events Dr. Nathan Reiss: Jews in the Bronx Tuesday, September 30 12 Noon at the JCC
Nathan Reiss is a resident of Highland Park and has been engaged in the study of genealogy for over 35 years. In 1980, he authored a book on his own family history, and has recently updated it with a new 1,100 page edition.
The Bronx, one of New York City’s “outer” boroughs, was home to a large and vibrant Jewish community between about 1910 and 1960. At its height, the Jewish population there was over 500,000 persons, comprising nearly half of the borough’s population. In his illustrated lecture, Dr. Reiss, who grew up in The Bronx, discusses the rise and the decline of the exceptional Jewish community. Fee: $5 / person includes a program and a Bagel with a “smear”.
October
Pirke Avot: Judaism’s First Self-Help Book
Instructor: Rabbi Ron Isaacs Tuesdays: 9:00am-10:30am Begins: October 7 (5 sessions) Location: TS
Sukkah Supper
Instructor: Rabbi Jack Kramer Sunday, October 12 4:30pm Location: CKI
The Talmudic tractate known as Pirke Avot (Ethics of the Fathers) is a book of wisdom and ethical advice. According to the ancient rabbis, one
Partake in a vegetarian (dairy) potluck dinner in the synagogue’s Sukkah. Join in the mitzvot of shaking the lulav and etrog as Rabbi Kramer instructs us in the proper way to say the blessings. Please contact us at info@ckibbnj.org for our pot-luck food policy.
study and learn to be virtuous. (This is a continuation of last’s year’s class and will begin with chapter 4).
This event will be preceded by a Tot Sukkah Celebration at 4:00pm. Join us with your tots as we share a story, make a craft and share a snack in the Sukkah!
Jewish LIFE Events and Films
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Jewish LIFE October Jewish Film Series Film, Wine & Cheese “Hunting Elephants” Saturday, October 18 7:00pm
Hosted by Temple Beth-El, Hillsborough Run time: 107 minutes
Nominated for 7 Israeli Academy Awards, Sir Patrick Stewart and an impressive cast of Israeli top talent give a bravura comic performance in Hunting Elephants, a bank heist caper and coming-of-age tale from writer-director Reshef Levi. Hunting Elephants centers on a 12-year-old Israeli boy named Jonathan, who is dealt a cruel double-blow by fate. First his father is killed in a freak accident while working at the local bank. Then, not only does the bank deny fault, they also declare they’ll repossess the boy’s home. Pushed to the brink, the boy must find money fast, and so decides to rob the bank that’s offended him. But he needs a team. Unfortunately for Jonathan, the only crew he has access to is three senior citizens, former Zionist freedom fighters now barely existing in a nursing home. Jonathan and the aging misfits hatch a plot to rob the bank that wronged his family. Hunting Elephants is sure to leave you smiling.
special events
Holocaust Survivor Maud Dahme
Thursdays, October2 at 7:00pm Hosted by Or Chadash, Flemington Free to the Community
Maud (age 6) and her sister (age 4) were separated from their parents and went into hiding. After 3 years of hiding, in Oldebroek and 2 families later, Maud was reunited with her parents. She did not want to go home with them because she did not know them. The post-war years were very painful for Maud and her parents as they learned that all of their relatives has perished. Maud and her family came to the United States in 1950 to rebuild their lives. As a victim of the Holocaust she has set out to endure that today’s children have a quality public education, something she was not able to get during the war years. Come hear Maud share her personal story.
Rediscovering Judaism: Adult Bar/Bat Mitzvah Class, Part II Hebrew Instructor: Rabbi Ron Isaacs Sundays: 10am-11am Begins: October 19 Location: TS
This course will discuss the nature of prayer, techniques to help understand the meaning of a prayer and how to use it, the history of the Siddur, and the major themes and ideas of the prayers in the Friday night and Shabbat morning liturgy.
Fall Seminar: Bible Stories You’ve Never Heard Of
Instructor: Rabbi Eli Garfinkel Tuesdays: 8:00-9:00pm Begins: October 21 Location: BES
Tuesday Lunch & Learn Instructor: Rabbi Eli Garfinkel Tuesdays: 12:00 Noon Begins: October 21 Location: BES
Jewish philosophy is a locked vault with treasures inside. Rabbi Eli Garfinkel will teach you how to open the vault of the Jewish philosophy and how to enjoy the wealth of learning contained therein. Although the focus of the class will be on translated primary sources, no Hebrew language ability is required for this class.
Practicing Judaism 101
Instructor: Sarah Gluck Tuesdays: 7:30-9:00pm (5 sessions) Location: TBE October 21; November 18; December 9; January 13; February 10
Each self-contained class will offer background and text from our tradition, together with practical, hands-on activity. Topics proposed are celebrating Shabbat at home; how to support those who are observing lifecycle events from birth to death; what goes into making a Torah scroll and what are the prayers and rituals surrounding it; and more. Bring your curiosity and interests with you to the first session, and together we’ll explore why and how to create a rich and meaningful Jewish life at home and as a community.
An Executive Lunch & Learn Program Torah Studies Instructor: Rabbi Eli Kornfeld Thursday: 12:30 – 1:30 PM Begins: October 23 Location: The Old Egg Auction Building, 84 Park Ave, Flemington
Torah Studies program brings you the tradition of classical Jewish learning in a series of clear and engaging weekly classes. Probing the ideas and issues presented in each week Torah portion, the Torah There are many Bible stories that do not appear in the weekly Torah Studies classes offer timely lessons for living from the most timeless and Haftorah portions. Therefore, many Jews – even those who attend of all texts. Each 10 Week Semester is $80 or $10 per class which a synagogue regularly – do not know these stories. Come learn some of included a catered lunch – classes are ongoing. the best that the Tanakh (Bible) has to offer!
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Jewish LIFE Events and Films
Jewish LIFE Is Possible Only With Your Support
he Jewish LIFE program is made possible in part by a grant from the T Jewish Federation of Somerset, Hunterdon & Warren Counties
October
The Irma Horowitz Film Series
Torah Studies
Presented by Ma’aleh School of Television Film and the Arts in Jerusalem
Instructor: Rabbi Shmaya Krinsky Thursdays: 8:00 PM Begins: October 23 Location: The Renaissance Community in Somerset, NJ Fee: $25
Torah Studies program brings you the tradition of classical Jewish learning in a series of clear and engaging weekly classes. Probing the ideas and issues presented in each week’s Torah portion, the Torah Studies classes offer timely, meaningful lessons for living – from the most timeless of all texts.
Temple Beth El Film Class Instructor: Rabbi Eli Garfinkel Tuesdays: 8:00-9:00pm Last Tuesday of the Month; Begins October 28 Location: BES
The Temple Beth El Film Class is back by overwhelming popular demand! We’ll watch and discuss movies and documentaries that speak to the state of Jewish life in our day. Many of them are award-winning masterpieces. If you are not a member of Temple Beth El and would like to receive the movie schedule when it is available, please send an email to rabbigarfinkel1@mac.com.
B’chol L’vavcha, With All Your Heart Instructor: Rabbi Arnie Gluck Tuesday, 7:30-9:00 PM (6 Sessions) Dates: October 28; November 4,11; December 2; January 6, 20 Location: TBE Book fee: $25
The single best-known Jewish book, the text through which we access our tradition more than any other, is the siddur, the prayerbook. Siddur means “order,” and though the book may be familiar, there is much still to learn. This class will elucidate the history and structure of the liturgy, and the meaning of our prayers. Textbook: B’chol L’vavcha by Rabbi Harvey Fields (URJ Books and Music)
Elementary Hebrew Reading Instructor: Jessica Jentis Sundays: 11AM (Begins Oct. 19) Fridays: 9AM (Begins Oct. 24) Location: TS
The course will teach Hebrew readings for beginners. (Please email Rabbi Ron Isaacs at isaacsri@optonline.net and indicate which day you are interested in attending).
Jewish LIFE Events and Films
Featuring Falafel & Films
Israeli Short Films
Thursday, October 23 at 6:30pm Location: JCC
The Ma’aleh School
Friday, December 5 at 6:30pm Location: Or Chadash, Flemington
Sister of Mine Like all young ultra-orthodox girls, Ruchi, the favorite daughter of a Jerusalem family, dreams of becoming a wife and mother. But the young man who has been chosen for her is not in any sense her equal. Ruchi’s younger sister, who has Down’s syndrome, asks searching and uncomfortable questions about the match, underlining for Ruchi the extreme limitations on her freedom.
Addes The renovations of a 100-year-old Jerusalem synagogue on the occasion of its upcoming centennial celebration ignite a conflict over old and new, identity and obliteration of memory, the living and the dead.
Persian Lullaby Dafna, the 40-year old single mother of a newborn boy, arrives at her parents’ home a few days before her baby’s brit (circumcision). Her father, an elderly Persian Jew, repeatedly snubs Dafna, noting coldly that “a baby needs a father.” In the week leading up to the brit, past conflicts between Dafna and her father are revisited, and new tensions are heightened. Will Dafna’s father agree to be the sandak (godfather) of his first grandson? Falafel Dinner is included. This program is supported in part by the Irma Horowitz Endowment Fund.
special events Writing Your Family History Instructor: Barbara Krasner MFA Thursdays 7:00 – 9:00 pm (5 Sessions) Hosted by the JCC Dates: October 23, 30 November 6, 13, 20
Do you have an ancestor with stories that need to be told? Whether you are an experienced writer or a novice, this class helps you set goals, develop an outline and create a narrative. Topics include: *Set goals and develop a plan of action. *Choose a theme, develop a core story statement ad develop an outline. *Use fictional techniques to create your story. *Provide historical context. *Putting it all together. Five 2-hour sessions; Student should bring an object of Family history (photograph or heirloom) to the first class along with paper and a pen. Fee: $150/ Series Instructor Barbara Krasner, MFA is the author of Discovering your Jewish Ancestors and former contributing editor to Family Chronicles and Heritage Quest. Her award – winning articles about genealogy have also appeared in Family Tree Ancestry, German Life, Russian Life and other magazines.
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Jewish LIFE October Jewish Historical Society
Yoga with a Jewish Twist
Tuesday, October 28 12 Noon at the JCC
The Jewish Historical Society of New Jersey is located at the Alex Aidekman Family Jewish Community Campus in Whippany, New Jersey. The Society has expanded its mission to find and preserve the history of Jewish life in towns in central New Jersey with emphasis on Union and Somerset Counties. Join speaker Deborah Cohn as she discusses what she has discovered.
Instructor: Shari Czar Location: TBE-H For class schedule and times please contact Shari; shari@infiniteheartspace.com or call 908.963.6365.
Fee: $5 / person includes a Speaker and a Bagel with a “smear”.
Trip to NYC to The Museum of Jewish Heritage: a Living Memorial to the Holocaust
“Meeting Hate with Humanity: Life during the Holocaust”. Thursday, October 30 Leave the JCC at 10am and return at approximately 5pm. Cost: $60 per person. No refunds given on purchased tickets.
Examine the impact of World War II and the Nazi genocide on Jewish lives and the communities in Europe. Participants will explore issues of continuity of cultural identity responsibility to community and decision-making. This tour also includes an investigation of the ways in which individuals and nations responded, or failed to respond to the crisis. Discussion of key events in the catastrophic period is preceded by an introduction to Jewish heritage and concludes with a conversation about social justice. Enjoy a 90-minute guided tour plus 60 minutes on your own to explore the museum. Coach Bus and Boxed Lunch Included.
November How Happiness Thinks
Instructor: Rabbi Shmaya Krinsky Tuesdays: 7:30 PM November 4 - December 9 Location: CJC-H Three Locations Fee: $99
Instructor: Rabbi Mendy Herson Tuesdays: 7:30pm November 4 - December 9 Location: CJC-BR
Instructor: Rabbi Eli Kornfeld Tuesdays: 7:30 PM November 4 - December 9 Location: CJC-HC
Since the dawn of time, man has been ever-fascinated by the workings of the human brain. Only recently, scientists have been discovering the underlying dynamics that shape and influence our frame of mind--new ways to cope with anxiety and stress, steps that we can take to crystallize our self-concept, and practical tools we can use to build the resilience and grit to ride through any challenge life throws our way. Surprisingly, Torah and the Talmud have for centuries advocated various approaches to achieving happiness; ideas that are only now being confirmed through scientific observation. How Happiness Thinks offers a Jewish roadmap to happier living. Every lesson contains poignant insights into how our minds operate with practical steps you can take to boost your happiness levels to places unimaginable.
special events
Jewish Federation Women’s Philanthropy Division Presents:
IMAGINE Wednesday, November 5 at 6:30pm
Fiddler’s Elbow Country Club, Bedminster $125/person includes entertainment and dinner buffet.
Featuring Mentalist Sidney Friedman Benefiting Homeless Children and Families Locally and in Israel Men Are Welcome! Visit www.jfedshaw.org/womens-philanthropy for additional details.
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Jewish LIFE Events and Films
Jewish LIFE Is Possible Only With Your Support
Patron: $180 includes 1 Ticket with Reserved Seating for each Event.
Benefactor: $360 includes 2 Tickets with Reserved Seating for each Event. Please call JCC Executive Director Laura Friedman for details. (908) 725-6994 x213 • e-mail: LFriedman@ssbjcc.org
November Biblical Seductions
Instructor: Rabbi Ron Isaacs Tuesdays: 9am-10:30am Begins: November 11 (5 sessions) Locations: TS
Jewish Film Series
The Bible was written for adults, not for children, and some of its stories may well be said to have been written for adults only. Sex, violence, scandal—these are words that we rarely associate with the sacred text. Come study some of the forbidden tales of the Bible to see how these stories teach us lessons of human nature.
Presents: “Bethlehem” Saturday, November 15, 7:00 pm Location: TBE Run time: 99 minutes
Awards: Venice Film Festival, Best Screenplay, Best Director and Best Film. Israeli writer Helmer Adler and Palestinian co-scripter Ali Waked combine forces and their own intimate knowledge of the Arab-Israeli conflict to impressive effect in this tightly wound clock-ticking thriller. Centered around the relationship between an Israeli intelligence officer and his conflicted Palestinian informant, the plot sifts through the moral complexities of the situation in an admirably evenhanded way.
special events - The Cooking Corner Cara Tannenbaum
In a Nutshell: Cooking and Baking with Nuts and Seeds Sunday, November 16 at 10am Hosted by Or Chadash, Flemington Fee: $8/advance or $12/day of event Includes Bagel and a “smear”.
The only cookbook of its kind, In a Nutshell is a complete guide to cooking and baking with nuts and seeds, ranging from soups and sauces to pasta and dessert. Cara Tannenbaum and Andrea Tutunjian deliver the essential cookbook for Mother Nature’s most versatile and nutritious ingredients. Publishers Weekly calls the book, “A smart blend of toothsome and approachable recipes, this volume gives readers plenty of options for all times of the day as well as appetites.” With more than 250 recipes exploring the culinary and cultural history of nuts and seeds in foods from Hazelnut Roulade to Pumpkin Seed Guacamole, In a Nutshell unites the smooth, crunchy, savory, and sweet and proves that nuts are so much more than just a Happy Hour snack. Cara Tannenbaum is an award-winning chef, caterer, and Instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education.
Janna Gur
Jewish Soul Food Wednesday, November 19 at 12pm Program and Luncheon hosted by the JCC Fee: $18/advance or $22/day of event
Jewish Soul Food is a living laboratory of the beloved and endangered Jewish foods that have been cultivated over thousands of years. Jewish Soul Food proceeds from the premise that the only way to preserve traditional cuisine is to cook it. The book offers all cooks the “greatest hits” from a fascinating food culture- a chance to enrich their cooking repertoire and at the same time help to preserve a valuable part of Jewish heritage and its collective soul. Join Janna Gur, founder and chief editor of the leading Israeli food and wine magazine, for a sample and cooking demonstration. Co-Sponsored by Brandeis National Committee, Somerset Chapter and Temple Beth-El, Hillsborough Sisterhood.
Jewish LIFE Events and Films
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Jewish LIFE
The Jewish LIFE program is made possible in part by a grant from the Jewish Federation of Somerset, Hunterdon & Warren Counties
November Rabbi’s Breakfasts
Eilu d’varim she-ein lahem shi’ur Values Beyond Measure
Instructor: Rabbi Arnie Gluck Sundays 9:15-10:45 AM Location: TBE Dates: November 23; December 21; February 1; March 22 The morning service contains a passage from the Talmud highlighting the deeds and values so essential to Jewish life that their performance has no limit. In other words, we can never do too much to: honor our parents, perform acts of kindness, study Torah, welcome guests, visit the sick, rejoice at weddings, console the bereaved, reflect on our prayers, and pursue peace. Rabbi Gluck will explore each of these values in depth, bringing a fresh understanding to what it means to fulfill these mitzvot in our own lives. Grab coffee and a bagel from the TBE café, and join in lively conversation.
Torah on Tap
Instructor: Rabbi Ron Isaacs Date and Time to be determined Location: TS Join Rabbi Ron for a craft beer, a nosh and lively discussions of the Torah portion of the week.
Women’s Rosh Chodesh Society of Hunterdon County: Jewish Secrets to Meaningful Relationships Instructor: Rachel Kornfield Sundays at 7:30pm Location: CJC-HC Begins: November 16 Cost: $15/Class or $80/Series
Romantics of all ages have waxed poetic on the notion of “soulmates,” seeking to grasp what makes love and passion so potent, what drives the inexplicable magnetism between two people, and what makes true love last. Yet millennia of Jewish text and tradition are rich with insights on this very topic, from the mystical and spiritual to the no-nonsense and practical. Whether you are currently married, considering someday tying the knot, or simply seek to better understand the spiritual root of love and marriage, Soulmates is a seven-session course drawing on timeless Jewish wisdom that will forever change how you think about the important relationship in your life, in all its beauty and complexity.
Lesson 1: Sunday, November 16: Two Halves, One Whole The Cosmic Root of Love Lesson 2: Monday, December 29: Behind Closed Doors Judaism’s View of Intimacy Lesson 3: Wednesday, January 21: Beloved Friends Synergizing & Sanctifying Love and Desire Lesson 4: February, 19 :Respecting Your Other Half Navigating Gender Differences Lesson 5: March 24: Becoming a Better Half Jewish Insights into Preserving Marital Harmony Lesson 6: Wednesday, April 22: Reservations for Two Defining Marriage’s Boundaries Lesson 7: Thursday, May 21: Happily Ever After?
Kabbalah and the Aleph Bet
Ask the Rabbi
Join our discussion of the meaning of the Hebrew alphabet and symbols within the context of the Kabbalah. Refreshments will be served.
Years ago the Prophetess Deborah sat under her palm tree and fielded the questions of her people. She offered her advise and wisdom. Using her example, come to this class with your personal questions and ask the Rabbi.
Instructor: Rabbi Jack Kramer Saturday: 7:30pm November 22 and January 10 Location: CKI
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Instructor: Rabbi Ron Isaacs Date and Time to be determined Location: TS
Jewish LIFE Events and Films
December special events
films
Allen Salkin
From Scratch: Inside the Food Network Wednesday, December 3 at 12pm Luncheon and Program hosted by the JCC
Are you addicted to the Food Network? You won’t want to miss Allen Salkin’s look Inside the Food Network. In October 1993, a tiny start-up called the Food Network debuted to little notice. Twenty years later, the channel airs in over 100 million homes, earns over half a billion dollars a year, and features an abundance of talent with major star power. Allen Salkin’s book takes us beyond the conference rooms, studios, and restaurants to give us exclusive interviews and the inside scoop on the Food Network, given by everyone from the stars themselves to the executives and crew members. From Scratch illuminates the people we thought we knew- and the one we never knew about- in this irresistible story of the intersection between business, television, pop culture, food, and the American audience. Allen Salkin has been a journalist for such publications as New York Magazine, The Village Voice, and Details. As a reporter for The New York Times, he wrote hundreds of features about food, culture, and media. Co-Sponsored by Brandeis National Committee, Somerset Chapter; Temple Sholom Sisterhood; and Temple Beth-El, Hillsborough Sisterhood
special events Dr. Nathan Reiss: Jewish Family Names Tuesday, December 9 12 Noon at the JCC
Jewish family names reflect the customs and laws of the countries were they originated, and they frequently are modified by the family migration. This talk examines the rich heritage that is attached to the names that we bear and attempts to distinguish fact from fiction o this often-puzzling topic. Fee: $5 / person (includes program and a bagel with a “smear”.)
Chanukah Candlemaking Family
Thursday, December 11
Jewish Federation Super Sunday Sunday, December 7 9:30 am - 2:30 pm at the JCC VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! The Strength of a People, The Power of a Community
Go to www.jfedshaw.org for more details.
6-8pm at the JCC $10/child
Chanukah Party
Thursday, December 18 6:00pm at the JCC
Come and dip wicks in wax and make your own candles to use for Chanukah! All are Pizza and Latkas. $30/immediate family welcome! RSVP to SHerman@ssbjcc.org $10/child or $5/adult Come celebrate the 3rd night of the festival of lights! Bring your Chanukiah and candles as we say the blessings and Saturday, December 13 light the candles.Arts and Crafts proj7:30pm Location: CKI ects and entertainment for the kids! All are welcome! RSVP to SHerman@ Instuctor: Rabbi Jack Kramer ssbjcc.org Are you curious about the structure of the Talmud, and what the significance is of that structure? Join us as we discuss and review examples of the texts. Refreshments will be served.
Talmudic Structure
Jewish LIFE Events and Films
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Jewish LIFE
Patron: $180 includes 1 Ticket with Reserved Seating for each Event. Benefactor: $360 includes 2 Tickets with Reserved Seating for each Event. Please call JCC Executive Director Laura Friedman for details. (908) 725-6994 x213 • e-mail: LFriedman@ssbjcc.org
December The Irma Horowitz Film Series Featuring Falafel & Films Israeli Short Films
Presented by Ma’aleh School of Television Film and the Arts in Jerusalem
Thursday, December 11 at 6:30pm Hosted by the JCC
Friday, February 20 at 6:30pm Hosted by Or Chadash, Flemington
The Ma’aleh School
Jephtah’s Daughter The year is 1984. A Jewish family is on its way by foot from Ethiopia to Sudan, from where they will board a plane for Israel. The father, whom the family’s life depends on, is seized by brigands. Things change when his eldest daughter comes across the place. The story is typical of what happened to hundreds of Ethiopians on their difficult journey to Israel, in the 1980’s, when they crossed the desert, in order to reach the Promised Land.
Cornerstone In yeshiva when you’re hungry eat. When you’re tired sleep. If you’re not hungry or tired, sit and learn. If you’re not learning, what are you doing here? What happens when you are stuck between success and failure, between faith and doubt? What happens along the edges of the Beit Midrash (Study Hall)?
Mika
*Adult Subject Matter Mika, a penniless illegal immigrant from the FSU, is living with her baby daughter in a bomb shelter near the Machaneh Yehuda market in Jerusalem. She speaks no Hebrew, and cleans stairwells in order to live. For food, she forages among the market leftovers. When the baby gets sick, Mika has no choice but to make contact with others and to solicit help from the men around her. Instead of kindness, Mika encounters only cynical exploitation.
Jewish Film Series Presents: “The Flood” (Mabul) Saturday, December 13 7:00 pm Location: TBE Hillsborough Run time: 101 Minutes Five nominations (Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Film, Best Screenplay and Best Sound) and one win (Best Supporting Actor) at 2010 Israeli Academy Award. Best Film honors at the Haifa and Berlin International Film Festivals and Audience Award at Thessalonki Festival. Featuring powerful performances and lyrical imagery, The Flood is the critically acclaimed Israeli drama about the painful truth and hidden strength that binds a family together. The story is told with humor and irony through the eyes of a gifted but underdeveloped 13-year-old. Bullied by classmates and with his parents on the brink of divorce, Yoni’s Bar Mitzvah looms. His broken home life is further shaken by the unexpected return of an institutionalized autistic older brother and the revelation of long repressed secrets. Acting as the only responsible adult in the family, Yoni is left to cope with his brother’s obsessive behaviors until the two find common ground in the story of the flood and Noah’s Ark, which Yoni is preparing for his Bar Mitzvah.
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January
The Art of Parenting Instructor: Rabbi Shmaya Krinsky Tuesdays: 7:30 PM January 20 - February 24 Location: CJC-H
Instructor: Rabbi Mendy Herson Tuesdays: 7:30pm January 20 - February 24 Location: CJC-BR
Instructor: Rabbi Eli Kornfeld Tuesdays: 7:30 PM January 20 - February 24 Location: CJC-HC Three Locations Fee: $99 As parents, we worry about the well-being of our kids... about their future, and about our role in shaping it. How do we keep them safe, while encouraging their independence? When should we motivate them by incentive, and when by establishing firm consequences? And how do we build their self-esteem to prepare them mentally and emotionally for the long road ahead? In The Art of Parenting, we scale the challenges that face us as parents and explore timeless insights from Jewish wisdom to instill values, foster independence, and ensure the long-term success and emotional well-being of our children that is attached to the names that we bear and attempts to distinguish fact from fiction o this often-puzzling topic.
Fee: $5 / person (includes program and a bagel with a “smear”.)
Jewish LIFE Events and Films
February special events
Iris Krasnow Sex After…
Women Share How Intimacy Changes as Life Changes Wednesday, February 4 at 12pm Luncheon and Program hosted by the JCC
You loved her the first time...Iris Krasnow is back with a new book that you don’t want to miss! Sex After… is filled with advice in the voices of 150 women, from waitresses to CEOs, ages twenty to eighty-eight. Their stories are raw and prescriptive, describing the challenges that can arise in each phase of a woman’s life – from navigating the hooking-up culture in the twenties, to sexuality after pregnancy, midlife malaise, breast cancer, menopause, divorce, widowhood. The interviews with ordinary women are bolstered by expert commentary from sex researchers, gynecologists, oncologists and therapists, coming together in an all-encompassing exploration and explanation of everything about sex you are dealing with, or are curious about that lies ahead. The bestselling author of The Secret Lives of Wives offers an honest, candid and intimate guide to enjoying a long, satisfying sex life. Co-Sponsored by Brandeis National Committee, Somerset Chapter; Temple Sholom Sisterhood ;and Temple Beth-El, Hillsborough Sisterhood
Liberation Of Auschwitz: 70th Anniversary
An Event to Commemorate Those Who Perished and Honor Survivors Featuring Tova Friedman, LCSW Wednesday, February 25 7:00pm Hosted by the JCC
Hear firsthand from a child survivor about her experience in Auschwitz and life after Liberation. Hers is an inspiring story that is not to be missed. Admission is $10/adult and free for students. This special event is open to the entire community. For more information and to register for this program contact JFS at 908-725-7799 or www.JewishFamilySvc.org Sponsored by: Jewish Family Service Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren Counties
Little White Lie
A film about self-discovery Wednesday, February 11, 7pm Locations: JCC
Lacey Schwartz, a 37-year-old Harvard Law School graduate turned filmmaker, moves with ease in circles in which her identity as both black and Jewish seems unremarkable. What makes her biography striking is that Ms. Schwartz, a woman with light brown skin and a cascade of dark curls, grew up believing she was white. Film will be followed by a discussion with Lacey Schwartz the subject of the film.
This program is sponsored by Wendy & Stephen Offen.
From Reverent Awe to Raucous Celebration: A Close Look at Psalm 150
Instructor: Cantor Emily Pincus Tuesday, February 3, 7:30-9:00 PM Location: TBE
Many different settings have been composed for the famous psalm that encourages us to praise God with every kind of instrument. With the help of Kolot El, the Temple Beth-El adult choir, and anyone else who would like to join in, we will examine how these settings can be used to evoke very different feelings from the same piece of liturgy.
Jewish LIFE Events and Films
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Jewish LIFE Is Possible Only With Your Support
Patron: $180 includes 1 Ticket with Reserved Seating for each Event.
Jewish LIFE
Benefactor: $360 includes 2 Tickets with Reserved Seating for each Event. Please call JCC Executive Director Laura Friedman for details. (908) 725-6994 x213 • e-mail: LFriedman@ssbjcc.org
March Israeli Folk Music From 1900 To The Present
Instructor: Cantor Emily Pincus Tuesdays: 7:30-9:00 PM (3 Sessions) Dates: March 3, 10, 17 Location: TBE
Many early Israeli folksongs were re-workings of traditional Yemenite songs. The European-born immigrants of the early 20th century, trained in the Western musical tradition, began to compose differently to evoke the Yemenite sound, thus creating a new Israeli style. Join us to study a variety of texts and composers, and hear (and even sing) some of the greatest songs of the Israeli folk canon.
special events Rebecca Alexander
Not Fade Away A Memoir of Senses Lost and Found Wednesday, March 11 at 12pm Luncheon and Program hosted by the JCC Rebecca Alexander is a psychotherapist, spin instructor, volunteer and an extreme athlete. She also happens to be almost completely blind and deaf. Not Fade Away is her inspiring and moving memoir of a young woman who is slowly losing her sight and hearing and yet continues to live life to its fullest potential. Seen on The Today Show. Co-Sponsored by Jewish Family Service of Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren Counties and Brandeis National Committee, Somerset Chapter.
Originals by an Original:
The Artistic World of Mordechai Rosenstein Presenter: Mordechai Rosenstein, Artist-in-Residence, Temple Sholom Thursday, March 12, 2015 at 7pm at Temple Sholom Artist Reception and Presentation followed by Paint with the Artist At 7:00 p.m. meet the artist and observe him creating a work of art in synagogue lobby. At 7:30 join us for a presentation and discussion by Mordechai of several of his noted pieces of Hebraic calligraphy and artwork. Afterwards, paint with the artist a collaborative piece you can take home. Cost: Program Free to the Entire Community. Sponsored by Temple Sholom.
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Jewish LIFE Events and Films
Jewish LIFE
The Jewish LIFE program is made possible in part by a grant from the Jewish Federation of Somerset, Hunterdon & Warren Counties
March special events
Jewish Film Series
Glenn Kurtz Three Minutes in Poland
Presents: “The Wonders”
Discovering a Lost World in a 1938 Family Film Thursday, March 19 at 7pm Hosted by the JCC
Five years ago, Glenn Kurtz discovered three minutes of color footage film shot by his grandfather on a 1938 trip to the Polish village of Nasielsk. Glenn’s grandfather inadvertently captured a world that ceased to exist just one year later. Of Nasielsk’s approximately 3,000 Jews, fewer than 100 survived the war. When Glenn showed the footage to an archivist at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (UHSMM), he soon realized what a rare find he had made. What he thought was just a family memento turned out to be the only known footage of Nasielsk before its annihilation. Three Minutes in Poland chronicles Kurtz’s search for Nasielsk’s lost history, and for the identities of those captured on film. After many dead ends, a woman watching a video on the UHSMM website identifies her grandfather, then a thirteen year old boy, whose memory helps Glenn unlock the contents of the film in a remarkably vivid and moving way. Glenn Kurtz is the author of Practicing: A Musician’s Return to Music and the host of Conversations on Practice, a series of public conversations about writing held at McNally Jackson Books in New York. Glenn holds a PhD from Stanford University.
Saturday, March 14 7:00 pm Location: TBE Run Time: 112 minutes Avi Nesher’s third collaboration with Adir Miller has produced this rollicking, Beverly Hills Cop style comedy thriller set in Jerusalem’s seamy Mustafa district. One morning on his way to his cannabis connection art school dropout Arnáv discovers that Schmaya, a charismatic rabbi believed to possess the gift of prophecy, is a prisoner in the abandoned apartment upstairs. Cop-turnedprivate eye Gitis introduces Arnav to a client, who pays Arnav to let Gitis stay in Arnav’s apartment and spy on Schmaya and his thug handlers. Together with the rapid fire dialogue, the viewer is taken on a wild ride through Musrara and environs, a working class neighborhood by day but full of cutthroat intrigue after nightfall.
3rd Annual
A Night to Celebrate Israel
Our Community’s Support of Israel and Bond Event
Thursday, March 26
Raritan Valley Country Club Bridgewater, New Jersey Educate, Celebrate & Enjoy Dinner! More details to come!
Register online at www.ssbjcc.org or by calling 908-725-6994 x201. Jewish LIFE Events and Films
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Jewish LIFE April Mishneh Torah: The Masterwork Of Maimonides
Instructor: Rabbi Arnie Gluck Tuesday, 7:30-9:00 PM (4 sessions) Dates: April 7, 14, 21, 28 • Hebrew text study, 7:30-8:00 PM; English text study and discussion, 8:00-9:00 Location: TBE Hillsborough No presentation of Jewish tradition is clearer or more interesting than Maimonides’ code of Jewish law, the Mishneh Torah. Embedded within its lucid presentation is his bold and creative philosophy of Judaism, which has much to offer us in our quest for a compelling modern Judaism.
Jewish Film Series Presents: “No Place on Earth”
followed by a discussion with Chris Nicola, the explorer who found the caves. Monday, April 13 7:00 pm Location: JCC
Run time: 83 minutes October 1942 – Esther Stermer, along with some family members and a group of other families, seek asylum underground to evade being caught by pursuing Nazis. They remain hidden below for nearly a year and a half – the longest Instructor: Rabbi Eli Garfinkel recorded uninterrupted underground survival occurrence. Tuesdays: 8:00-9:00pm Their harrowing story is unearthed by accident when cave Begins: April 14 explorer Chris Nicola, stumbles upon remnants left behind Location: BES by the cave dwellers. Through extensive research and deterSo why do bad things happen to good people? Why do good things mination, Nicola locates a few of the survivors and has them happen to bad people? There are many answers to the question, share their incredible story of strength and perseverance. and more than one can be true depending on the situation. In this class, we’ll tour the spectrum of possible approaches to this eternal This film is “an Inspiring tale of endurance” Philadelphia Inquestion. quirer “An Amazing Chapter on WWII History” Minneapolis Star Tribune. The documentary film screening will be followed by a discussion led by Chris Nicola. The first half hour of each session will be devoted to studying Maimonides’ clear and accessible Hebrew text, followed by study and discussion of the English text.
Spring Seminar: Divine Justice
The Irma Horowitz Film Series Featuring Falafel & Films Israeli Short Films
Presented by Ma’aleh School of Television Film and the Arts in Jerusalem
Thursday, April 30 Hosted by the JCC
The Ma’aleh School
And Thou Shalt Love *Adult Subject Matter
Ohad, who is studying in the special “Hesder” program for orthodox soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces, experiences profound loneliness while he conceals from others that he is gay. After calling a religious hotline for advice, Ohad is convinced that he is “cured”. Then Ohad’s study partner Nir returns from the army. Ohad finds he can no longer evade the difficult questions, both within himself, and between himself and G-d.
Fair Fight
Dog fights, a brother who gambles, debt, and violence threaten the life of a young boy and his dog trying to survive the harshness of working class poverty.
A Woman Laughed
The Biblical Sarah and Michal, both women who laughed, confront their infertility. One bears a child, the other remains barren. Three women directors bring to the screen a powerful and poetic female experience.
Memory Game
A mother and her only child try to cope with the death of the child’s father. While the mother throws out the father’s belongings in order to try and move forward, the child collects them in a secret hideaway to try and store memories. Will this battle over loss and memory tear them apart or enable them to reconstruct their lives together?
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Chris Nicola was born in England in 1951. He and his family immigrated to the US settling ultimately in New York City. In the Mid 70’s Nicola began his life as an explorer by scuba diving in the caves of central Florida. He has participated, organized and/or lead over 40 caving expeditions in the Americas, Oceana, Africa, Caribbean and Europe. Today he spends most of his free time caving, being a public speaker, and further developing a story that he first heard as a rumor in Ukraine 20 years ago; a story of how a group of Jews survived the Holocaust by living in a cave for over a year. To date he has confirmed the story by locating 14 of the original 38 cave dwellers, co-authored a book that led to the making of a documentary about their experiences. Nicola runs the Priest’s Grotto Heritage Project; a genocide awareness project in which the grandchildren of those who lived in Priest’s Grotto Cave during the Holocaust will be working hand-inhand with the grandchildren of those who lived above the cave in building an exhibit to honor what those courageous 38 did so long ago, and hopefully, by keeping this story alive for future generations, prevent such genocides as the Holocaust from ever happening again.
Jewish LIFE Events and Films
Jewish LIFE
The Jewish LIFE program is made possible in part by a grant from the Jewish Federation of Somerset, Hunterdon & Warren Counties
April Jewish Film Series
Presents: “Restoration (Boker Tov Adon Fidelman) Saturday, April 18,7:00 pm Location: TBE Run time: 102 minutes
Aviv Malamud has died, and bequeathed his share in the business not to his longtime partner Yaakov but to Yaakov’s son Noah. The aging Yaakov is a skilled craftsman, who loves his work but has little sense for financial issues, which had always been taken care of by his dead partner. Business is going down, demand for Yaakov’s services is falling off and banks refuse to give loans. Noah is pressing Yaakov to retire and sell off the workshop – which could bring a lucrative profit. Yaakov is on the verge of reluctantly giving in when a mysterious young man named Anton gets a job in the workshop, and becomes Yaakov’s apprentice. Anton comes up with a way of saving the failing business, or at least giving it a breathing spell.
Holocaust Rememberance Day,
Yom Hashoah
Wednesday, April 15
Event details to come.
May Dynamic Wisdom: The Development of Jewish Law and Tradition Through the Ages Instructor: Rabbi Shmaya Krinsky Tuesdays: 7:30 PM May 5, 2015 - June 9, 2015 Location: CJC-H
Instructor: Rabbi Mendy Herson Tuesdays: 7:30 PM May 5, 2015 - June 9, 2015 Location: CJC-BR
Instructor: Eli Kornfeld Tuesdays: 7:30 PM May 5, 2015 - June 9, 2015 Location: CJC-HC
Three locations. Fee: $99 From commandments engraved in stone to microchips in our eyewear and self-driving cars--a lot can change in 3,000 years. Yet the elemental questions about our tradition remain the same. Do we have any evidence that the Bible text is divine and true? Who has the right to interpret the Bible? And how do we adapt its laws to modern times and changing influences? The answers to these questions are addressed in Dynamic Wisdom, the most popular course ever offered by the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute. Renamed and newly revised on the basis of feedback from students like yourself, this interactive course promises to intrigue and inspire as you explore the history and development of Jewish law and tradition. The journey Dynamic Wisdom represents the inner story of our lives and of our people. We invite you to join us for the ride.
Save The Date: Jewish Family Service 35th Anniversary Celebration Thursday, May 7, 2015 at 6:30pm Raritan Valley Country Club
Join us for our 35th Anniversary Celebration! We will be honoring Founders, Distinguished Benefactors and Presidents. Distinguished Benefactors: Susan & Steven Darien, Nancy L. & Arthur E. Lee and Betty & Arthur Roswell
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Patron: $180 includes 1 Ticket with Reserved Seating for each Event.
Benefactor: $360 includes 2 Tickets with Reserved Seating for each Event. Please call JCC Executive Director Laura Friedman for details. (908) 725-6994 x213 • e-mail: LFriedman@ssbjcc.org
June Celebrate Israel Parade Sunday, June 7 Fifth Ave • New York City Details to follow.
Jewish LIFE 775 Talamini Road Bridgewater, NJ 08807