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
2016-17/5777
The Jewish LIFE program is made possible in part by a grant from the Jewish Federation of Somerset, Hunterdon & Warren Counties.
Registration Form $180/Person $360/Couple
Patron*/ Benefactor** Excludes: Melton School, iEngage, Imagine, Celebrate Israel & Rachel Reuben
Events (List reflects programs w/fees)
Date
Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning
Event Price
November 2016 - May 2017
Melton Graduate School of Adult Jewish Learning
November 2016 - May 2017
iEngage 3: Jewish Values & the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
973.530.3519 Call for Pricing
973.530.3519 $50/person
Short Order Dad Robert Rosenthal
September 18
$10/person
Feasting on the Seven Species... Rachel Reuben
September 20
$55/person
A Personal History of the Jews of Ethiopia Israela Tedala
September 21
Free
The New Mediterranean Jewish Table Joyce Goldstein
September 22
$5/person
JOFEE: Sukkah Design
September 25
$5/person
The Borscht Belt Marisa Scheinfeld
October 6
$5/person
Parenting Workshop Carla Naumburg
October 9
$10/person
October 13
$12/advance-$15/day of
Arthur Miller: The Moral Jewish Playwright Diane Steinbrink
October 27
$5/person
JOFEE: Sustainability from the Bottom Up Swiped: How to protect yourself in a world full of Scammers... Adam Levin The Jews of the Ottoman Empire Peter Stavrianidis
October 30
$5/person
November 3
$5/person
November 9
Free
Irma Horowitz Film Series: Falafel & Films
November 17
$12/advance-$15/day of
Being a Good Person in a Morally Complicated World: Joseph Telushkin
November 20
$18/person
Lloyd Handwerker
Israel Bridging the Gap Rabbi Marisa James Life Begins at 60 Frieda Birnbaum
December 4
$12
December 15
$5/person
Israel’s Edge Jason Gewirtz
January 12
$5/person
L’Chaim Eliezer Sobel
February 9
$5/person
The Gratitude Diaries Janice Kaplan
February 16
$5/person
90 Lessons for Living Large in 90 Square Feet Felice Cohen
March 2
$5/person
50th Anniversary of Six Day War- Part 1 Yossi Klein Halevi
March 16
$10/person
Starts March 16
$50/person
March 16
$5/person
March 26
$5/person
iEngage 1: Political Issues & State of Israel The Estrogen Window Mache M. Seibel JOFEE: Pickling Workshop with a Spirituality Twist Irma Horowitz Film Series: Falafel & Films
April 6
$12/advance-$15/day of
Mother Can You Not Kim Friedman & Kate Siegel
April 19
$5/person
50th Anniversary of Six Day War- Part 2 Dr. Yehuda Kurtzer
April 20
$10/person
Club Gelbe Stern: Berlin’s Last Starlit Night
April 22
$25/person
Orchestra of Exiles: Josh Aronson
April 27
$5/person
White Walls, A Memoir about Motherhood... Judy Batalion Name: _____________________________________________________________
April 30
$5/person
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Total
Call for Pricing
October 2016 - June 2017
Irma Horowitz Film Series: Famous Nathan
Qty
*Patron: $180 includes 1 Ticket with Reserved Seating for each Event. **Benefactor: $360 includes 2 Tickets w/Reserved Seating for each Event. Patron/Benefactor excludes: Melton School, iEngage, Imagine, Celebrate Israel & Rachel Reuben
Please call JCC Executive Director Laura Friedman for details: (908) 725-6994 x213; LFriedman@ssbjcc.org Please complete and return the registration form with payment to: Jewish LIFE 775 Talamini Road Bridgewater, NJ 08807 Checks payable to: Shimon and Sara Birnbaum Jewish Community Center
Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses
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 08822 (908) 806-2122 Denomination: Reform Rabbi Joseph M. Forman
CKS Congregation Kehilat Shalom 253 Griggstown Road, Belle Mead 08503 (908) 359-0420 Fax: (908) 359-8848 Denomination: Reconstructionist Rabbi Susan Falk
JCNWJ
Jewish Center of Northwest Jersey 115 Youmans Avenue, Washington 07882 (908) 689-0762 Denomination: Reform Rabbi Mary Zamore
CKI Congregation Knesseth Israel 229 Mountain Avenue, Bound Brook, NJ (732) 469-0934 Fax: (732) 356-1325 Denomination: Independent Rabbi Jack Kramer
JFS
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
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
JFED
Jewish Federation of Somerset, Hunterdon & Warren Counties 775 Talamini Road, Bridgewater 08807 (908) 725-6994 Fax: (908) 725-9753 Executive Director: Robin Wishnie
SSBJCC
Shimon and Sara Birnbaum Jewish Community Center 775 Talamini Road, Bridgewater 08807 (908) 725-6994 Fax: (908) 725-9753 Executive Director: Laura Friedman
CJC-H Chabad Jewish Center of Southern Somerset County 26 New Amwell Road, Hillsborough 08844 (908) 874-0444 Fax: (908) 450-3333 Denomination: Independent Miriam Krinsky
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 Interim Rabbi Jacob Malki HS Temple Har Shalom 104 Mount Horeb Road, Warren 07059 (732) 356-8777 Fax: (732) 356-0580 Denomination: Reform Rabbi Randi Musnitsky
TS
Participating Agencies and Synagogues Jewish LIFE Year Long Learning
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 Dan Selsberg
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Jewish LIFE
eventConnect prices to...
We will connect you to your Jewish past, present and future.
The Florence Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning is an inspiring and empowering adult 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.
Core Class Curriculum:
Fall/Spring 2016 Semester: Ethics of Jewish Living
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 and modern rabbis, scholars and thinkers, offering multiple Jewish approaches to conducting our lives in the communal and private spheres.
Crossroads of Jewish Living
This course merges the concepts of history and memory in order to better understand how each has shaped Judaism today. With an emphasis on reclaiming the richness of Jewish history, the chronological exploration investigates significant crossroads where Jews took major decisions that shaped our shared identity and destiny.
Tuesdays 10:00-12:00pm Fall Semester: November 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 December 6, 13, 20 January 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 Spring Semester: February 7, 14, 21, 28 March 7, 14, 21, 28 April 4, 25 May 2, 9, 16, 23 June 6, 13
Instructors: Rabbi Dan Selsberg (Ethics) Rabbi Richard Fagan (Crossroads) Location: SSBJCC Give us two hours a week‌ we’ll give you 5777 years!
Melton Graduate School:
Class open to all -Core Melton classes not required to have been completed. Instructor: Rabbi Richard Fagan Location: SSBJCC
Fall/Spring 2016- 2017 Semester:
Beyond the Borders: History of the Arab/Israeli Conflict
This course provides students with a strong, text-based historical overview from the late nineteenth century through today. The complexity of the conflict forces students to grapple with issues of religion, culture, history, politics, economics, identity and survival. Texts include primary sources such as newspaper articles, poetry, songs, government documents, speeches, photographs and memoirs.
Tuesdays 9:15-10:45am
Fall Semester: November 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 December 6, 13, 20 January 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 Spring Semester: February 7, 14, 21, 28 March 7, 14, 21, 28 April 4, 25 May 2, 9, 16, 23 June 6, 13
Link for registration forms: http://www.jccmetrowest.org/meltonschool or call Rhonda Lillianthal: 973.530.3519 Jewish LIFE thanks JCC MetroWest for bringing The Melton School of Adult Learning to our community. 4
Jewish LIFE Year Long Learning
iEngage 3 Jewish Values and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Instructor: Rabbi Arnie Gluck Sunday, October 30, November 20, December 18, January 29, February 26, March 26, April 23, May 21, June 11 4:00-6:00 pm Location: TBE-H Fee: $50/person includes book and materials iEngage 3- Jewish Values and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict explores one of the most divisive issues affecting the Jewish people today. Through the study of Jewish narratives about Israel and the unpacking of the complex meanings of peace in Jewish tradition, participants are invited to explore the ideas and values that animate different attitudes toward the conflict and how these values shape their own political understandings. Though a shared political platform may not be attainable, this course strives to achieve a shared respect for our differences. Together we will engage in a new values-based discourse about Israel, including topics such as Living with Difference, the Israel We Imagine, Jewish Narratives of Peace, Attitudes Towards the Land, Justice, Self-Preservation, Compromise, and the Idea of Jewish Exceptionalism. Each session includes text study and discussion led by Rabbi Gluck, and video lecture and interviews with leading Hartman scholars. A video lecture and discussion series from the Shalom Hartman Institute, Jerusalem
iEngage I Instructor: Rabbi Dan Selsberg Thursdays, 9 sessions beginning March 16 7:00-9:00 pm Location: TS Fee: $50/person includes book and materials Going deeper than the political issues of the day, Engaging Israel re-frames the discussion about the enduring significance of the State of Israel for contemporary Jews worldwide. Advocacy programs alone – based on dire facts and figures about the precariousness of Jewish survival – often fail to engender a substantive connection for an increasing number of Jews, who see Israel’s impressive military and economic vitality and are unconvinced that it is a weak country that desperately needs help from world Jewry. At the same time, the political, economic, and cultural success of North American Jewry has diminished the compelling nature of the post-Holocaust survival narrative. The Engaging Israel course elevates the North American conversation about Israel by rooting it in Jewish values and ideas rather than in a response to crisis. We will explore questions such as: What are the benefits of Jewish sovereignty? How should a Jewish state exercise military power ethically? How do we create and maintain a Jewish democracy? Why should American Jews care about Israel? What values should a Jewish state embody? What can Israel offer the world? In this way, Engaging Israel will equip participants with a quintessentially Jewish values-based vocabulary to define and articulate why Israel and Zionism can and should be fundamental to our Jewish identity. A video lecture and discussion series from the Shalom Hartman Institute, Jerusalem
Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses
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New Exciting Learning Experience JOFEE Breakfast Series Jewish Outdoor, Food, Farming & Environmental Education...
Experiences connect people to Judaism, community and the natural world. JOFEE programs engage participants of many different ages, Jewish backgrounds, and religious approaches. Tens of thousands of people engage in JOFEE activities every year, from learning about Jewish harvest rituals to starting a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) project. Combining methods from existing secular models with Jewish learning, wisdom and traditions, JOFEE programs create entry points to Jewish life and social action. JOFEE Fellow Eli Goldstein is happy to bring to the JCC this great series.
Sukkah Design Workshop Yoshi Silverstein
Sunday, September 25: 9:30 am Location: SSBJCC $5/person includes bagel “and” During Passover, we re-tell the stories of our ancestors. During Sukkot, we re-live them -- building temporary shelters and living as much of our lives as possible in this fully three dimensional space. But what makes a sukkah “kosher”? Within the constraints dictated by Jewish tradition, how can the sukkah be a vessel for creative architectural expression? And how might you go about designing and building a unique and personal sukkah to enjoy with your friends and loved ones? Join our hands-on design workshop to learn about the holiday of Sukkot and the laws and origins of the sukkah; see examples of distinctive sukkahs both ancient and contemporary; and design your own sukkah that you could build this year yourself! Yoshi Silverstein is Director of the JOFEE Fellowship at Hazon and Founder of Mitsui Design, which seeks to strengthen Jewish connections to nature through landscape design and community engagement. He completed his Master’s Degree in Landscape Architecture at the University of Maryland, focused on landscape experience and outdoor learning environments. His sukkah design, “Tension|Release,” was a finalist in the Leichtag Foundation’s 2014 Sukkot at the Ranch design competition.
Sustainability from the Bottom Up Shawn Safer
Sunday, October 30: 9:30 am Location: SSBJCC $5/person includes bagel “and” Since Adam was created from the adamah (earth), Jewish people have been intimately linked to the earth. How can Torah, brachot and mindful practice help us stay connected from farm to flush, and dust to dust? Join The POOP Project’s Shawn Shafner for this fascinating, hilarious and totally timely conversation, and find out why Time Out NY says, “Shafner wants a global movement and, given his natural charm and bottomless capacity for scatological puns, he might just get one.”
Pickling Workshop with a Spirituality Twist Jessica Berlin
Date: Sunday, March 26 9:30 am Location: SSBJCC Fee: $5 / person includes bagel “and” Jess is thrilled to be the JOFEE Fellow where she can share her excitement for Judaism, earthbased spirituality and farming as an educator, curriculum developer and retreat manager. Jess grew up with a deep sense of wonder for the earth, spending much of her time hiking, camping and climbing trees. She has a lifelong passion for Jewish text and spirituality, having spent four years studying and teaching in Israel. After graduating from Queens College with a degree in Urban Planning, she served as a key administrator at American Jewish World Service and AVODAH. Jess learned to utilize the power of nature, in the form of a farm or forest, as powerful tools for transformation and self-expression.
JOFEE Adult Learning Series is Sponsored by the Bella Foundation. 6
Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses
Jewish LIFE September The Sabbath: Why We Need it Now More Than Ever
Instructor: Rabbi Susan Falk Location: CKS Contact Congregation Kehilat Shalom, www.ksnj.org, for dates/times Suggested donation for non-members: $5/per session. For centuries, the Sabbath has been the centerpiece of Jewish life. This class will be a multi-session book discussion of Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel’s masterpiece, “The Sabbath”. As we read and discuss sections of the book, together we will learn about the history and development of this remarkable concept, and discuss the value of rest and the sacredness of time in our lives. In our final session, we will incorporate our new perspectives into a Sabbath experience.
High Holiday Workshop Series
Israeli Dancing
Location: TBE-H Thursdays: 7:30 pm Sept. 8, 15, 22, 29; Oct. 6, 13, 20, 27; Nov. 3, 10, 17; Dec.1, 8, 15, 22, 29; Jan. 5, 12, 19, 26; Feb.2, 9, 16, 23; March 2, 9, 16, 23, 30; April 6, 13, 20, 27; May 4, 11, 18, 25; June 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 Love to dance...come join us!
The Spiritual You Series
Instructor: Rabbi Debra Smith Location: JFS Wednesdays: 7:30pm September 7,14, 21, 28 Fee: $60/series Highly interacitve discussion with care and nurture of the soul.
Instuctor: Rabbi Eli Kornfeld Location: CJC-HC Tuesdays: 7:30pm September 13, Shofar Factory September 20, Shofar Factory September 27 - Lulav & Etrog Fee: $36 per course In preparation for the High Holidays, we invite you to join us for a series of workshops that probe the depths of contemporary insights into the upcoming High Holidays. Each of the three workshops offers meaningful and timely lessons, and fascinating discussion.
Hebrew Class
Instructor: Rinat Turel Location: SSBJCC 10 Sessions Mondays beginning September 19 7:00 pm Fee: $150 Everyday Hebrew conversation and holiday celebrations!
Temple Beth-El Jewish Film Series
The Green Dumpster Mystery Saturday, September 10 7:00 pm Location: TBE-H Suggested donation of $5
Traveling on his scooter through Tel Aviv, filmmaker Tal Haim Yoffe finds a discarded box of old photographs in a green dumpster. In the wake of this find, he sets out on a quest to find the people in the photos. Gradually, as in a very good thriller, in which secrets are revealed with increasing dramatic and emotional force, the director sets the stage for an Israeli family saga, which could be fodder for ten heroic genre Hollywood motion pictures, or, alternatively ten Greek tragedies. This tightly-paced story vividly evokes the lives of an anonymous-but typical-Israeli family. Recipient of the Yad Vashem award in the category of the Jewish Experience at the Jerusalem Film Festival (2008). The Cultural Arts Committee and Cantor Emily present the award-winning documentary/fiction film “The Green Dumpster Mystery” on the themes of history, memory and the Holocaust. The subject matter of the film is particularly relevant to Elul, the month of introspection preceding the High Holy Days. Following the film, a discussion will be led by Cantor Pincus. Wine and Cheese Served.
Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses
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September Minions Minyan Family Shabbat Dinner
Meditation and Chanting
Instructor: Rabbi Susan Falk Tuesdays - September 13, November 15, December 13, February 7, March 7, April 4 7:15 pm Location: CKS Free Is “mindfulness” Jewish? Is there such a thing as “Jewish meditation”? Absolutely! Through sitting, walking, and chant, learn how to practice mindfulness meditation and discover Judaism’s rich history with this ancient practice.
Beit Midrash with Rabbi Gluck: Great Texts of the Holy Days
Friday, September 16: 5:00- 7:00 pm Location: CJC-HC Adults: $15 in advance or $18 at the door; children are $8 in advance or $10 at the door Chabad of Hunterdon County is calling all Minions to join us for sing along services and a despicably delicious family Shabbat dinner. Look out, the Minions may even show up! Hosted By: Jewish Federation of Somerset, Hunterdon & Warren Counties
CTeen and Grade8ers Events
Sunday, September 18 Location: CJC-BR Grade 8ers: 12:00 pm Instructor: Rabbi Arnie Gluck Ride into Jewish Brooklyn with Rabbi Mendel ShemTuesday, September 13 & 20 7:00-8:30 p.m. tov and see how a shofar is made amongst many other Location: TBE-H things. Enjoy a Kosher pizza and ice cream lunch. Free to the community; materials included The classic setting for Jewish learning is the Beit Mi- CTeens : 4:30 pm drash. In English it means “house of learning,” but it is Do a special mitzvah before Rosh Hashanah! Bake cakes much more than that. “Midrash” means to interpret, to with the residents of The Matheny School and bring a seek, to draw forth meaning from our sacred texts. It is smile to their faces. the inner sanctum where the Jewish tradition has lived for the last 2,000 years, and it is recreated wherever Sunday School: Jews join in serious study of Torah. In these two sessions Adult Ed for Today’s Families we will explore classic texts related to the themes of the Instructor: Karen Selsberg High Holy Days that will help us prepare our hearts and Sundays, beginning September 20: 10:00 am minds to experience greater depth and meaning during Location: TS this sacred season. Free • Family Life: we’ll study and discuss ideas from the bestselling book The Blessing of a Skinned Knee, by Dr. WenOn One Foot: Basic Judaism, Part 1 dy Mogel. Instructor: Rabbi Susan Falk • What do we teach kids when we teach Torah? A look Friday, September 16 9:15 am at the unique ways Jews traditionally read sacred texts, Location: CKS using Dr. Shai Cherry’s book Torah through Time. Members free. Suggested donation for non-members: • Time: As the year progresses, we’ll look at the unique $10 including bagel and coffee. times and holidays on the Jewish (and general) calendar, Feel lost at High Holidays? Don’t know your Torah from and how to make such time meaningful and relevant in your Talmud? Whether you’ve had a Jewish education or our lives not, or just feel like you want to “brush up”, this class This class, meeting according the Temple Sholom’s will provide a basic overview of Jewish history, holidays, Religious School calendar, will work in modules. and sacred texts. In this session, we will provide an overMelton: Foundations for view of major Jewish concepts, values, and themes with a focus on the upcoming holidays in the fall. We will dis- Jewish Living cuss what to expect in the services, recurring themes, Instructor: Karen Selsberg 3rd Tuesday of the Month and prayers. Starts Sept. 20 7:30-9:00 pm Location: TS Fee: $180 Foundational Jewish Values, as they relate to modern family life. Designed for parents with kids at home.
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Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses
Hebrew for the Holy Days
Instructor: Sarah Gluck Sunday, September 18 & 25 9:00-11:00 a.m. Location: TBE-H
Free to the community; materials provided by the instructor. These two stand-alone sessions will get you back in the swing of seeing, hearing, and pronouncing Hebrew and connect you more deeply to familiar prayers from the Holy Day liturgy. Whether you learned to read Hebrew in the distant past or more recently, this close look at key passages will sharpen your Hebrew skills and help bring you closer to your worship experience on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
Holidays In-Depth
Instructor: Rabbi Mendel Shemtov Wednesday, September 28 7:30 pm Location: CJC-BR Exploring a new dimension to Rosh Hashanah.
Tot Shabbat
Fridays: 6 pm Sept. 23, Nov. 11, Jan.27, March 31, May 12 Location: CKS Free A friendly, musical service with song and story for toddlers through kindergarten age children, their families and friends. Note: Children must be accompanied by an adult.
September Special Events Robert Rosenthal
Short Order Dad
One Guy’s Guide to Making Food Fun and Hassle-Free Sunday, September 18 12:00 pm Location: FJCC Fee: $10/person
39% of men are now the primary chefs in their households. Millions struggle with how to please the whole family. Whether you’re clueless in the kitchen, pan-fry phobic or already a skilled cook. Short Order Dad is here to help. Robert Rosenthal, a trained chef, standup comedian and real-life dad, understands guys: he’s been one his whole life! He teachers basic techniques and presents a playbook of simple recipes that achieve the most taste with the fewest ingredients and the least effort. Men and women alike are sure to get a kick out of this former comedian’s humourous style-as well as a fabulous meal!
A Personal History of the Jews of Ethiopia
Join Hundreds of Women & Girls across Somerset & Hunterdon Counties
featuring Israela Tadela
Wednesday, September 21 7:00 pm Location: SSBJCC FREE & open to the community Continuing the series of lectures about the history of Jews around the world, Israela Tadela will tell her personal history of the Jews of Ethiopia and her experience as a first generation Israeli. Sponsored by JFEDSHAW.
Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses
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September Special Events Chef Rachel Reuben
Feasting on the Seven Species, A Late Summer Harvest
Return Engagement!
Tuesday, September 20 6:00pm Location: SSBJCC Fee: $55/person (appropriate for ages 13+)
Includes samples of the food prepared and recipes. Eat Well, Cook Well, Live Well with Rachel Reuben, Chopped Champion! We are so excited to host another Cooking Class with Chopped Champion Chef Rachel Reuben. The theme for the evening is Feasting on the Seven Species, A Late Summer Harvest. The menu pays homage to the biblical “seven species” that were the lifeblood and backbone of the ancient Judaic diet. Olives, pomegranate, wheat/barley, grapes, figs and dates along with other seasonal ingredients. Participants will have a hands-on-experience, prepping, cooking and eating a bountiful and gorgeous 4-course meal with Chef Rachel guiding and entertaining all the way.
Rachel Reuben is the author and creator of the popular food blog, Food Fix Kitchen (foodfixkitchen.com). She has appeared on Good Morning America and is a food writer/contributor to abcnews.com, huffingtonpost.com and NJ Monthly magazine.
Joyce Goldstein
The New Mediterranean Jewish Table Old World Recipes for the Modern Home Thursday, September 22 12:30pm Location: SSBJCC Fee: $5/person includes bagel “and”
The New Mediterranean Jewish Table is an authoritative guide to Jewish home cooking from North Africa, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Spain, Portugal, and the Middle East. It is the story of how Jewish cooks successfully brought the local ingredients, techniques, and traditions of their new homelands into their kitchens. With this varied selection of Jewish and Mediterranean Jewish recipes, Joyce Goldstein inspires a new generation of Jewish and nonJewish home cooks alike. Joyce Goldstein was chef and owner of the Mediterranean restaurant Square One in San Francisco. Today she works as a cooking teacher, consultant, and cookbook author.
Primordial Israel
Instructor: Rabbi Dan Selsberg Thursdays, beginning September 22: 11:00 am Location: TS Free Sometimes inspiring, sometimes troubling stories from our unforgotten past. Many of us don’t know the foundational stories of our all-too-human ancestors all that well. This popular class discusses the not-taught-to-children stories of the pious, the rebellious, the rejected and the chosen. We willl cover the Books of Samuel: beautiful as literature, influential in our history, and an often spiritually challenging window into Jewish life.
Tot Shabbat at the J- PJ Library Program
Instructor: Shalom Stacey Last Friday of the month Starts September 30: 10:30 am Location: SSBJCC Free to Members, $5/per day/family This is a great opportunity to socialize and meet other J families in the community. 10
Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses
October Jewish LIFE Special Events Marisa Scheinfeld
The Borscht Belt
Revisiting the Remains of America’s Jewish Vacationland Thursday, October 6 12:30 pm Location: SSBJCC Fee: $5/person includes bagel “and”
From the 1920s through the 1960s, the Catskill Mountains of New York were a popular vacation destination for millions of Americans. Known as The Borscht Belt, the region combined recreational activities with nighttime entertainment. Photographer Marisa Scheinfield has been documenting the dramatic decline of some of the most famous Borscht Belt hotels and colonies. The images reveal ghostly remnants of the glory years of the era, as well as natures claim on the resorts and new uses to which the spaces have been put in recent years. Marisa Scheinfeld received a BA from the SUNY Albany and an MFA from San Diego State University. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally.
The Women’s Philanthropy Division of the Jewish Federation Presents...Imagine Sunday, October 16: 9:00 am- 12 Noon
Location: The Grand Colonial, Hampton, NJ Couvert: $95/person
October is Domestic Violence Mouth and the Women’s Philanthropy Group is raising funds in support of Domestic Abuse Aid. Join us for brunch to honor three great agencies: Eli Israel Association for Child Protection; Domestic Abuse & Sexual Assault Crisis Center of Warren County; and Safe+Sound of Somerset County. Come ready for vendor shopping, silent auctions, Pandora’s Box, live entertainment featuring Nina Paolicelli and speakers from our honored organizations. Hosted By: Jewish Federation of Somerset, Hunterdon & Warren Counties (www.jfedshaw.org/imagine2016)
Diane Steinbrink
Arthur Miller: The Moral Jewish Playwright? Thursday, October 27 at 12:30 pm Location: SSBJCC Fee: $5 includes bagel “and”
Join us as we focus on the life and works of Arthur Miller, the most prominent American Jewish playwright. We will discuss how his Jewish background, family, and life experiences influenced his work. During our time together, we will look at monologues of some of his most important characters from some of his most significant plays, Death Of A Salesman, All My Sons, A View From The BRIDGE, and The Ride Down Mt Morgan. Excerpts from his autobiography ,Time Bends, will be included in this presentation.
Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses
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October Special Events Parenting Workshop with Carla Naumburg
Ready, Set, Breathe
Practicing Mindfulness with Your Children for Fewer Meltdowns and a More Peaceful Family Location: SSBJCC Sunday, October 9 10:30 am Fee: $10/person includes Bagel Brunch
Being a parent is stressful, and when your child has a meltdown, it can be difficult to keep cool and calm your child down. Naumburg offers real solutions to help you both deal with stressful situations using everyday games, activities, rituals, and healthy habits. Designed for parents of children ages 3-10, Carla’s book is a fun, engaging, and effective way to learn how to share mindfulness with your whole family. Carla Naumburg, PhD, is a writer with a background in clinical psychology. She holds an MSW and PhD in social work. Her works have appeared in the New York Times, The Washington Post and The Huffington Post. Sponsored by the JCC Blaustein Early Childhood Center
Irma Horowitz Film Series Lloyd Handwerker
Famous Nathan
A Family Saga of Coney Island, the American Dream and the Search for the Perfect Hot Dog
Location: SSBJCC Thursday, October 13 6:30 pm $12/person advance, $15/event day - includes falafel dinner A story that recounts how three generations of the Jewish Handwerker family transformed a tiny Coney Island hot dog stand into an international corporation. The author, grandson of the famous Nathan Handwerker, speaks of Nathan’s family loyalty, Jewish faith and values, and his long, trying road to success. This program is supported by The Irma Horowitz Endowment Fund.
Holidays In-Depth
Pasta Dinner and Dessert in the Sukkah
Instructor: Rabbi Mendel Shemtov Location: CJC-BR Wednesday, October 5: 7:30 pm Exploring a new dimension to Yom Kippur. Wednesday, October 12: 7:30 pm Exploring a new dimension to Sukkot.
The Songs of Kabbalat Shabbat
Instructor: Cantor Emily Pincus Tuesday, October 25 7:00-8:30 p.m. Location: TBE-H Free to the community; materials provided Join Cantor Pincus for an examination of the joyous psalms of Kabbalat Shabbat in text and music. 12
Instructors: Shalom Stacey and Rinat Turel Thursday, October 20: 6:00 pm Location: SSBJCC Free to all It is a mitzvah to enjoy a meal with friends in the Sukkah. We will provide a dairy dinner and crafts... you bring the dessert!
Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses
Jewish LIFE October Grade8ers Social Action
Location: CJC-BR Sunday, October 16: 10:00am Help build and decorate Chabad’s Giant Sukkah and enjoy Sukkot foods.
Sushi in the Sukkah
Wednesday, October 19: 5:30 pm Learn how to make your own sushi and participate in the special Mitzvah of shaking the Lulav and Esrog!
CTeen Sukkot under the Stars
Friday, October 21: 5:30pm Enjoy a special meal under the stars in our giant Sukkah.
Sushi in the Sukkah
Saturday, October 22: 7:30pm Saturday Night Sushi Party for Teens
Simchat Torah Dancing
Wednesday, October 24: 7:00pm Come dance and celebrate the conclusion of the annual cycle of the Torah and begin a new one with plenty of food and L’chaims!
“A Modest Suggestion” (A Play)
Sunday, October 30 2:00 pm Location: FJCC $25/person “A Modest Suggestion” asks: Why do racism and antiSemitism exist? What does it mean to be Jewish? How does racism turn into violence? And, do Jews eat bacon? Discussion to follow.
Advanced Beginner Hebrew Reading
Instructor: Sarah Gluck Location: TBE-H Sundays, October 30; November 6, 20; December 4, 18; January 8, 22, 29; February 5, 26; March 19, 26; April 2, 23, 30 9:00-10:00 am This class is for anyone who wants to reinforce decoding skills and progress toward becoming a more comfortable and confident Hebrew reader. Come join the fun! Textbook: Shalom Hebrew! (Behrman House) and additional materials provided by the instructor. Book Fee: $20
Aleph Isn’t Enough
Instructor: Sarah Gluck Sunday, October 30; November 6, 20; December 4, 18; January 8, 22, 29; February 5, 26; March 19, 26; April 2, 23, 30 10:00-11:00 a.m. Location: Temple Beth-El, Hillsborough Have you ever said to yourself during services, I wish I could understand what I’m saying? (Who hasn’t?) If you know how to decode Hebrew (read phonetically), this class will boost your skills as you learn the structure and meaning of select passages from the Shabbat and holiday liturgy and ritual. Key vocabulary, word roots, and rudimentary grammar will guide you toward deeper understanding. Expect many “aha!” moments. Note: Continuation of last year’s course. Please call Sarah Gluck at 908-722-0674 x113 with questions. Textbook: Aleph Isn’t Enough (Behrman House/URJ Press) and additional materials provided by the instructor. Book Fee: $20
November What Is Hallel?
Instructor: Cantor Emily Pincus Tuesday, November 1: 7:00 pm Location: TBE-H Free to the community; materials provided Hallel comprises Psalms 113-118, and is an expression of thanksgiving and joy for divine redemption. It is chanted on all the Festivals (particularly around the seder table) and on minor holidays. This class will explore some beautiful melodies for this well-known liturgical unit.
Beginning Hebrew Reading
Instructor: Eric Komar Monday, November 7, 14, 28; December 5, 12, 19; January 9, 23, 30; February 6, 13, 27; March 6, 13, 20, 27 10:00-11:00 am Location: TBE-H This class will teach the alef-bet and vowels and get you on your way to reading Hebrew quickly and comfortably. Fun learning how to read is 100% guaranteed! Textbook: Shalom Hebrew! (Behrman House) Book Fee: $20
Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses
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November Jewish LIFE Special Events Rabbi Joseph Telushkin
Being A Good Person In A Morally Complicated World: On Forgiveness, Self-Esteem, And Why It’s So Hard To Change Sunday, November 20 12:00 pm Location: FJCC $18/person
Joseph Telushkin is a rabbi, scholar and the best selling author of 18 books. Rabbi Telushkin was ordained at Yeshiva University in New York, and pursued graduate studies in Jewish history at Columbia University. He resides in New York City with his wife, Dvorah Menashe Telushkin, and their four children. He lectures throughout the United States, serves as a Senior Associate of CLAL, on the Board of Directors of the Jewish Book Council, and as spiritual leader of the Synagogue for the Performing Arts in Los Angeles.
Adam Levin
Swiped
How to Protect Yourself in a World Full of Scammers, Phishers and Identity Thieves Thursday, November 3 7:00 pm Location: SSBJCC $5/person
Levin, a longtime consumer advocate and identity fraud expert, provides a method to help you keep hackers, phishers, and spammers from becoming your problem. With a clearheaded, practical approach, this is your guide to surviving the identity theft epidemic. Adam Levin is a former Director of the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs and consumer advocate with more than 40 years of experience in personal finance and privacy.
The Jews of the Ottoman Empire featuring Peter Stavrianidis
Wednesday, November 9 7:00 pm Location: SSBJCC
The Farewell Party Saturday, November 12 7:00 pm
FREE & open to the community. Continuing our series of lectures about the history of Jews around the world, Peter Stavriandis, Ph.D. will enlighten us about the lives of Jews in the Ottoman Empire and what happened to them as the empire crumbled. Hosted By Jewish Federation of Somerset, Hunterdon, & Warren Counties. www.jfedshaw.org/ottoman 14
Temple Beth-El Jewish Film Series
Suggested donation of $5 The Farewell Party is a compassionate dark comedy about friendship and knowing when to say goodbye. A group of friends at a Jerusalem retirement home build a machine for self-euthanasia in order to help their terminally ill friend. When rumors of the machine begin to spread, more and more people ask for their help, and the friends are faced with an emotional dilemma. Awards: Best Film at Israeli Academy Awards, Audience Award at Venice Days, 2014. “ It’s a film that firmly asserts the conviction that poetry can only be where we can find Life that makes us laugh and cry at the same time, without any contradiction.”
Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses
The Women’s Rosh Hodesh Society of Hunterdon County Series
Instructor: Rachel Kornfeld 7:30 pm Torah & Wisdom: Claim Your Inheritance: Thursday, November 10 Balancing Act: Where Pleasure Meet Purpose: Sunday, December 11 A New Approach: Creation Revisited: Tuesday, January 10 Personal Growth: Overcoming Limitations: Thursday, February 2 Intrinsic Value: Discovering Your Inner Worth: Sunday, February 26 Order & Peace: The Beauty of the Struggle: Tuesday, March 28 True Purpose: Joy Revealed: Thursday, May 4 Location: CJC-HC Fee: $95/year or $18/session We are fascinated by artists. Their work embodies what we want our lives to be: beautiful, meaningful, and purposeful. But art is not only for artists. It’s for anyone who craves to know how to live more creatively, more deeply. Join us on a seven-part journey as we explore Judaism’s insights into the arts and how they beautify and transform our lives, one brushstroke at a time. This Year’s Theme “Simple Truths” Pivotal Jewish Insights for Centered Living.
Lunch and Learn – Torah Studies
Instructor: Rabbi Kornfeld Thursdays, November 3,10 & 17: 12:30 pm $80 course or $15/Class (Includes Text Books & Lunch) Location: Turntable Junction, Flemington The Torah Studies program brings you the tradition of classical Jewish learning in a series of clear and engaging weekly classes. Fresh prepared lunch.
The Election through a Torah Lens
Instructor: Rabbi Nochum Mangel Thursday, November 3: 7:00 pm Location: CJC-BR A lecture on non-partisan hot-button election issues analyzed through the Lens of Torah.
How Success Thinks
Instructor: Rabbi Mendel Shemtov 6 consecutive Mondays 9:15am November 14 – December 19 Location: SSBJCC Instructor: Rabbi Mendy Herson 6 consecutive Mondays 7:30pm November 14 - December 19 Location: CJC-BR Instructor: Rabbi Eli Kornfeld 6 consecutive Tuesdays November 15- December 20 7:30 pm Location: CJC-HC Instructor: Rabbi Mendel Shemtov 6 consecutive Wednesdays 9:30am November 16 - December 21 Location: CJC-BR Fee: $100/Course Includes text books Accredited for medical and mental health professionals. Whether it’s at home, in our careers or personal life, everyone craves success. The question is, how do we get there? There is no one magic pill or secret formula to become an overnight sensation. This course provides uniquely Jewish ways of thinking to help you develop a growth mindset, identify and cultivate your signature strengths, deal with your weaknesses, and overcome the obstacles that stand in the way of your success.
The Ethical Life: Jewish Values in an Age of Choice
Instructor: Rabbi Dan Selsberg Thursdays, 15 sessions beginning November 3: 7:00 pm Location: TS Free From political and financial scandals to rapid progress in biomedical science and technology, the complex issues of modern society are, at their core, issues of ethical and moral concern. Primary sources and video lectures from the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York, along with class discussions, will help give a solid understanding of how Jewish ethics can inform our discussions and decisions about the critical questions of the day.
Leonard Bernstein:
American Maestro & Composer Instructor: Dr. Lee Coopersmith Hosted By: Jewish Family Service Location: SSBJCC Tuesday, November 8 FREE & open to the community
A Taste of Mussar
An introduction to the study and practice of Jewish spiritual ethics.
Instructor: Rabbi Arnie Gluck Tuesday, November 29; December 6, 13, 20 or Tuesday, February 28; March 7, 14, 21 7:00-8:30 p.m. Location: TBE-H Fee: $36
Mussar is a centuries old Jewish body of teachings, a perspective, and a disciplined practice that provides distinctively Jewish answers to the sorts of questions any thinking person asks about life: Why do I keep making the same mistakes over and over? Why do I cause pain to myself and others? What steps can I take to bring my life closer to my spiritual potential? Are there lessons I can learn from the experiences of previous generations? Mussar provides guidance in identifying your uniquely personal path of spiritual growth and offers practices to help bring about that growth. A Taste of Mussar is an introductory four-week course to give you the opportunity to experience the tradition of learning and practicing Mussar that has engaged and helped people for centuries.
Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses
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Jewish LIFE
November Special Event: Irma Horowitz Film Series
Featuring Falafel & Israeli Short Films Presented by Ma’aleh School of Television Film and the Arts in Jerusalem
Thursday, November 17 6:30 pm Location: SSBJCC Fee: $12/person advance, $15/event day (includes falafel dinner) A Little Bit Different
The Ma’aleh School
Chava, an ultra-orthodox young woman, called off her engagement a year ago. Now a new match has been suggested for her. The introduction is made, but Chava experiences a sharp disappointment. Can she put aside her prejudices to give love a chance to grow?
Full Of Life
Twelve-year-old Roni is sent by her mother to a weight-loss summer camp for fat children - the “Full of Life” camp. Roni, who is angry and rebellious, would normally find solace in the swimming pool, but the camp shares its pool with a professional children’s swim team, and Roni is ashamed to get in the water. Here Roni meets the team champion Yotam, who hates swimming but has no choice but to compete. A gentle bond is formed between the children which gives Roni the confidence to come to terms with her weight.
Without Sugar
A 13 years old kid is embarrassed at his blind father.
This program is supported by the Irma Horowitz Endowment Fund.
December Special Events Rabbi Marisa James
Israel: Bridging the Gap Sunday December 4: 10:00 am Location: CKS
No fee for members. Suggested donation for non-members: $12 including bagel and coffee.
Rabbi Marisa James is currently the Senior Organizer for T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights. During her five years living in Jerusalem, Rabbi James worked for Encounter Programs, facilitating respectful dialogue regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict among rabbinic and cantorial students and Jewish leaders during trips to the West Bank. With Israel so often in the news, many of us wonder if there will ever be peace. If you have questions about what you hear or read in the media, if you worry about Israel’s future, if you wonder if a twostate solution is still possible – or even what that means – then, this class is for you. Together we will learn about the roots of the conflict and its possible solutions, with ample time for questions and discussion.
Frieda Birnbaum
Life Begins at 60
A New View on Motherhood, Marriage and Reinventing Ourselves Thursday, December 15 12:30pm Location: SSBJCC Fee: $5
Dr. Frieda Birnbaum rose to fame seven years ago when she gave birth to twin boys in vitro fertilization at the age of 60. In this candid memoir, she sheds light on what it’s like to raise twins in your 60s. At an age when many people think they should slow down, she is empowered and ready to show the satisfying choice of having children later in life. Dr. Frieda Birnbaum is a research psychologist and psychoanalyst specializing in parenting, women’s health, depressions, and happiness who has been featured on Oprah and 20/20. 16 Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses
JFEDSHAW
Super Sunday
Sunday, December 4 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Location: SSBJCC Volunteers Needed! Please register at jfedshaw.org/supersunday
The annual Super Sunday phone-a-thon event is the most important day of the year to reach out to the Jewish community. Together we can continue to build and strengthen our Jewish community locally, in Israel and in more than 70 countries around the world.
Jewish Art and Beer
Thursday, December 15: 6:30pm Location: Lone Eagle Brewery, Flemington Fee: $20 in advance $25 at the door, includes painting and beer. Featuring an interactive painting experience with acclaimed artist Yitzchok Moully and delicious brews from the Lone Star Brewing Company. Take home your artwork! Hosted by Chabad of Hunterdon County.
Jewish Islam Relations in the 7th to 12th Century CE Tuesday, December 20: 1:00 pm Location: SSBJCC Fee: $10 per person or $36 per family Sponsored by Jewish Family Service.
Temple Beth-El Jewish Film Series
Rock the Casbah
Saturday, December 17 7:00 pm Suggested donation of $5 In recent years, there have been a number of important films that criticize the “occupation” -- including Room 514 shown here in 2013. Recently a new one, Rock the Casbah has been winning many awards. The year is 1989. In an era of Palestinian demands for independence, the State of Israel sends young soldiers to oversee the Arab population in the Occupied Territories. The film tells the story of soldiers assigned to catch some of the violent demonstrators in the streets of Gaza, and it provides you with a sense of what the soldiers had to deal with, how they coped, and the differences between them. The film describes the extraordinary journey of a young soldier trying to find his place in the chaos surrounding him. Wine and Cheese served. Awards: 8 Nominations, including wins for Best Film, Director and Supporting Actress, Israeli Film Academy, 2012; Best Israeli feature film nominee, Jerusalem Film Festival, 2012.
Shabbat in Cuba Community Shabbat Dinner
Friday, December 2 6:45 PM Services, 7:30 Dinner & Speaker Location: CJC-HC Fee: Adults: $15 in advance or $18 at the door; children are $8 in advance or $10 at the door
Guest speaker will present on Jewish life and culture in Cuba; the story of how a Jewish population of 15,000 became just 1,500 and what life is like in Cuba for its Jewish population today. Delicious Kosher Cuban Cuisine will be served.
Life on the Line: Course for Teens
Instructor: Rabbi Mendel Shemtov Sundays: December 4, 11, 18, & January 8, 15, and 22 Location: CJC-BR Life on the Line: You make the call. 6 week course on Torah’s take on some of the toughest questions in medical ethics.
Sephardic Song and Dance Tuesday, December 6: 1:00pm Location: TS Eva Lucena and Company entertain. Sponsored by Jewish Family Service.
Special Chanukah Celebrations JCC Chanukah Game Show!
Wednesday, December 14: 6:00 pm Location: SSBJCC Fee: $10 per person or $36 per family Powerhouse Studios Present... Chanunkah Game Show! Join your JCC family and friends for a Chanukah celebration including game show, dinner and latkes.
Lego Chanukah
Sunday, December 25: 11:00 am Location: SSBJCC Sponsored by Chabad Jewish Center of Basking Ridge Ever dreamed of building a GIANT menorah out of Lego? Well, dream no more! Celebrate Chanukah with latkes and doughnuts while building a giant Lego menorah.
Kol Dodi - It’s Chanukah and Time for Music!
Sunday, December 18: 11:30 am Location: FJCC Fee: $10 per person or $36 per family This veteran choral group will entertain us with songs in English, Hebrew, Yiddish and Ladino.
Chanukah Shabbat Dinner
Friday, December 30 Time: 5:30pm Location: CJC-BR Celebrate Chanukah together with the community and enjoy special Chanukah foods.
Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses
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Jewish LIFE January January Special Event Jason Gewirtz
Israel’s Edge
The Story of the IDF’s Most Elite Unit- Talpiot Thursday, January 12 7pm Location: SSBJCC Fee: $5
Israel’s Edge is about Talpiot, a special unit of the Israel Defense Forces considered to be the most elite in the army. Instead of learning to fight, the few soldiers selected each year ‘learn how to think,’ enlisting for at least ten years to design the weapons that will protect Israel for generations to come. Jason Gerwirtz is an Executive Producer at the business news network CNBC. He has covered Israel for CNBC and NBC News.
Beit Midrash with Rabbi Gluck
Shabbat in Nepal -Shabbat Dinner
2nd Annual Cholent Bowl
Second Annual Kosher Cook-Off
Instructor: Rabbi Arnie Gluck Tuesday, January 3, 31; February 7, 14 7:00-8:30 pm Location: TBE-H Free to the community; materials provided Join Rabbi Gluck to engage in a deep, dynamic dialogue with some of the great passages and debates of our Rabbis. Texts and topics will be those that Rabbi Gluck has studied in the Beit Midrash of the Hartman Institute in Jerusalem. Saturday, January 14 10:30am Location: CJC-BR Does your Cholent rank above all others? Join our 2nd Annual Cholent Bowl and compete for the ‘Golden Spoon’. More of a spectator? Taste and vote on all the delicious Cholents, the ultimate Jewish comfort food!
Friday, January 13 6:45 PM Services, 7:30 Dinner & Speaker Location: CJC-HC Fee: Adults: $15 in advance or $18 at the door; children are $8 in advance or $10 at the door Join world traveler Shmuly Levitin as he shares his personal experiences from Nepal, including the largest Passover Seder in the world and his amazing journey to print the Tanya on Mt. Everest.
Location: Flemington-Raritan Diner Sunday, January 29 6:00 pm Hosted by: CJC-HC Fee: $36 per person Featuring Chef Rabbi Hanoch Hecht, as seen on the 2016 season of Chopped, who will face off against a competing chef. Hosted by Rabbi Avi from aviskosherkitchen. com. Open bar, hors d’oeuvres and food tastings.
FJCC Film Series:
Zero Motivation
Saturday, January 21: 7:30 pm Location: FJCC Suggested donation of $5
Private Benjamin meets M*A*S*H, speaks Hebrew, and keeps kosher. Set in a remote desert military base, a platoon of young women soldiers, all Israeli conscripts, serve out their time playing computer games, singing pop songs, and conspiring to get transferred to Tel Aviv -- while endlessly serving coffee to the men who run the show. Here’s an Israeli film filled with funny, quick-witted, zany women who wield their staple guns like automatic weaponry. If there is a war going on, it’s one against boredom, bad uniforms, dopey rules, and doing everything in triplicate. Debut filmmaker Talya Lavie is Israel’s answer to Lena Dunham: ZERO MOTIVATION has had rave reviews and huge audiences. Winner of the top prize for narrative world cinema at the Tribeca Film Festival. Snacks will be provided. 18
Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses
Jewish LIFE February Talmud Interactive
Instructor: Rabbi Eli Kornfeld 6 consecutive Tuesdays Tuesdays January, 31 -March 7 7:30 pm Location: CJC-HC Instructor: Rabbi Mendy Herson 6 consecutive Wednesdays 7:30pm February 1 – March 8 Location: CJC-BR Instructor: Rabbi Mendel Shemtov 6 consecutive Wednesdays 9:30am February 8 – March 15 Location: CJC-BR Instructor: Rabbi Mendel Shemtov 6 consecutive Thursdays 9:15am February 9 – March 16 Location: SSBJCC Fee: $100 Course Includes text Books
Strange as it may seem, this is a course without a topic. Instead, it provides an engaging new approach to Talmud study. Each lesson presents a unique legal case with a seemingly impossible ethical conundrum. Through an exploration of original Talmudic texts, participants will search thousands of years of tradition and practical experience to find innovative insights and discerning solutions. Students will study the texts in pairs, and arrive at their own conclusions. Utilizing an electronic polling system, all participants will communicate their answers. This course provides an exciting new method to engage with Talmud wisdom, as was done in the Yeshivahs of old. With the aid of new technological tools students will find a philosophical foundation to face the ethical quandaries in their lives with confidence.
FJCC Art Series: Ancient Jewish Art with Cara London Date: Sunday, February 5 10:00 am Location: FJCC Fee: $5 suggested donation. Discussion with Bagels and Coffee
On One Foot: Basic Judaism, Part 2 Instructor: Rabbi Susan Falk Date: Sunday, February 5: 9:15 am Location: CKS Fee: Members free. Suggested donation for non-members: $10 including bagel and coffee.
A follow-up to Session 1, this class will focus on Judaism’s sacred texts and the historical periods that inspired them, concluding with modern and contemporary trends and the development of the various denominations.
Holidays In-depth
Instructor: Rabbi Mendel Shemtov Thursday, February 9 7:30pm Location: CJC-BR
A class with Rabbi Mendel Shemtov exploring a new dimension to Tu B’shvat.
Accredited for Continuing Legal Education (in most states).
February Special Event Eliezer Sobel
L’Chaim!
Thursday, February 9 7:00 pm Location: SSBJCC Fee: $5 Beautiful and rich Jewish-themed photographs with simple, easy-to-read captions in big print, designed to stimulate memories in Jewish patients suffering with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. The book is intended to provide an activity for caregivers and health aides to share with our loved ones with memory loss, to provoke conversation, reminisce and tender moments of joy and connection. Elizer Sobel is the author of Blue Sky, White Clouds: A Book for Memory Challenged adults, as well as Minyan: Ten Jewish Men in a World That is Heartbroken, winner of the Peter Taylor Prize for the novel; The 99th Monkey, a memoir; and Wild Heart Dancing. Event co-sponsored by the United Way Caregiver’s Coilition.
Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses
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Jewish LIFE February Tu B’Shvat Seder and Community Shabbat Dinner
Friday, February 10 6:45 PM Services, 7:30 Dinner & Seder Location: CJC-HC Fee: Adults: $15 in advance or $18 at the door; children are $8 in advance or $10 at the door
Come join Chabad of Hunterdon County as we celebrate the New Year for Trees—in an eco-friendly way! Featuring biodegradable dinnerware, plant a tree in Israel opportunity, recycling, and Kabbalistic insights into Israel’s 7 Species.
Janice Kaplan
The Gratitude Diaries How a Year Looking on the Bright Side Can Transform Your Life Thursday, February 16 12:30 pm Location: SSBJCC Fee: $5 includes a bagel “and”
Gratitude is a very Jewish concept. When we say blessings over the bread it raises the moment from the ordinary to the extraordinary. It makes us appreciate the specialness of what we have. A mix of serious research study, personal memoir, and prescriptive advice, The Gratitude Diaries takes readers on a smart and witty journey to discover how gratitude can transform every aspect of life: marriage and friendship, money and ambition, and health and fitness. Janice Kaplan has enjoyed wide success as a magazine editor, television producer, writer and journalist. A former editor of Parade magazine, she is the author of thirteen books including New York Times bestsellers.
FJCC Film Series Serial (Bad) Weddings Saturday, February 25 7:30 pm Location: FJCC Suggested donation of $5
Claude Verneuil, a Gaullist notary, and his wife Marie, a Catholic bourgeois, are parents of four daughters: Isabelle, Odile, Ségolène, and Laure. The three eldest are already married to men, each one of a different religion and a different ethnic origin: Isabelle married Rashid Ben Assem, an Algerian Muslim lawyer, Odile married David Benichou, a Sephardi Jew entrepreneur, and Ségolène married Chao Ling, a Han Chinese banker. The Verneuils pretend to accept their sons-in-law but have had a hard time hiding their discomfort at accepting people into the family from outside the community. Snacks will be served.
Tu B’shvat Seder and Shabbat Dinner Sunday, February 19 5:30pm Location: CJC-BR
Discover the special fruits of Israel and their meanings, while enjoying a delicious Shabbat dinner.
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Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses
March Jewish LIFE Special Events Felice Cohen
90 Lessons for Living Large in 90 Square Feet (...or more) Thursday, March 2 12:30 pm Location: SSBJCC Fee: $5 includes bagel “and”
Histapkut bamuat, being content with less, is considered a virtue in Jewish law. Felice Cohen would say that living in 90 square feet makes her pretty virtuous. This inspiration self-help book shows how living small for five years made her life big. It also offers lessons to help others downsize, reorganize, and realize the life they want to love, in whatever size space they choose. Felice Cohen is also the author of 90 Lessons for Living Large in 90 Square Feet, What Papa Told Me, and The Fancy Tales book series. She has written for the New York Daily News, am New York, and Metro. She has also been a professional organizer for over 20 years.
Yossi Klein Halevi
Hartman Scholars Series Part 1
The 50th Anniversary of the Six Day War -- Its Impact on Israeli Society Then and Now Thursday, March 16 7:00 pm Location: TBE-H Fee: $10
Yossi Klein Halevi is a senior fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem. Together with Imam Abdullah Antepli of Duke University, he co-directs the Institute’s Muslim Leadership Initiative. He is a former contributing editor of the New Republic and writes frequently for the op-ed pages of leading American newspapers. Yossi has been active in Middle East reconciliation work, and serves as chairman of Open House, an Arab Israeli-Jewish Israeli center in the town of Ramle, near Tel Aviv. He was one of the founders of the former IsraeliPalestinian Media Forum, which brought together Israeli and Palestinian journalists. He was born in New York. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Jewish Studies from Brooklyn College and an MS in journalism from Northwestern University. He moved to Israel in 1982, and lives in Jerusalem with his wife, Sarah, a landscape designer. They have three children.
Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses
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Jewish LIFE March Purim Carnival at the JCC
Sunday March 5 1:00pm Location: SSBJCC Fee: $20/child Games included. Adults free Enjoy a day of fun and games. A Purim Show for all ages plus lots of great food.
CTeen/Grade8ers Purim Party Saturday, March 11 7:00pm CJC-BR
Holidays In-depth
Instructor: Rabbi Mendel Shemtov Thursday, March 9 7:30pm Location: CJC-BR
A class with Rabbi Mendel Shemtov exploring a new dimension to Purim.
Purim Drinks & Drums Saturday, March 11 7:00pm CJC-BR
L’chaim! Hear the Megillah followed by an evening celebrating Purim with drink & drums. For adults 21+
It’s one of the highlights of the year, our Annual CTeen Purim Party! Hear the Megillah, awesome entertainment, delicious food, crazy costumes. All this while hanging out with the best Sunday, March 12 11:00am people!
Orange You Glad it’s Purim…Party CJC-BR
Purim taken to a whole new level. Full orange themed party… foods… costumes…and entertainment!
Wrestling with God: What Do Jews FJCC Art Series: 19th and 20th Believe? Instructor: Rabbi Susan Falk Century Artists with Cara London Sunday, March 5 Location: CKS No fee for members. Suggested donation for non-members: $10 including bagel and coffee.
Sunday, March 5 10:00 am Location: FJCC Fee: $5 suggested donation.
Discussion with bagels and coffee.
From our Biblical forebears to the Medieval philosophers to modern-day Jewish feminists, Jews have been struggling to understand God’s nature and how that understanding can provide meaning in our lives. In this class, we will learn about Jewish perspectives on God through history. We will discuss questions including: What is God? Is God all-knowing or allpowerful? Does God hear our prayers? If I don’t believe in God, am I still Jewish?
Mache M. Seibel
The Estrogen Window
The Breakthrough Guide to Being Healthy, Energized, and Hormonally Balanced- Through Perimenopuase, Menopause, and Beyond
Thursday, March 16 12:30 pm Location: SSBJCC Fee: $5
Dr. Mache Seibel, an international health expert on women’s wellness and menopause, presents ground breaking research explaining how every woman has a window of opportunity to begin estrogen replacement. If begun at the right time, estrogen can lower the risk of breast cancer, Alzheimer’s, and heart disease, while minimizing menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, irritability, and more. The estrogen window will eliminate your confusion, calm your fear, and help make you a more informed partner with your healthcare providers. Mache Seibel, MD is a speaker, writer, musician, and global woman’s health expert. He is a former member of the Harvard Medical faculty for 20 years and winner of the Media Award from the North American Menopause Society.
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Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses
FJCC Art Series: Jewish Influence on Contemporary Art with Cara London Sunday, March 26 10:00 am Location: FJCC Center Fee: $5 suggested donation. Discussion with bagels and coffee.
Great Jewish Writers and Great Jewish Writing, Part II Instructors: Ed Malberg and Bob Krovetz Tuesday, March 28; April 4 7:00-8:30 pm Location: TBE-H Free to the community; materials provided by the instructors.
The first session will discuss Israeli writers, including A.B. Yehoshua, S.Y. Agnon, Amos Oz, and David Grossman. The second session will look at Jewish writing in science fiction (Harlan Ellison, Phyllis Gottleib), and Jewish writing in mysteries (Faye Kellerman). In both sessions, we will use short stories and excerpts from larger works to look at the writing from a historical perspective and discuss about how the various writers’ backgrounds and their times influenced their writing.
Shabbat in Ethiopia Community Shabbat Dinner Featuring Avishai Mekonen
Friday, March 24 6:45 PM Services, 7:30 Dinner & Speaker Location: CJC-HC Fee: Adults: $15 in advance or $18 at the door; children are $8 in advance or $10 at the door Follow Avishai Mekonen’s harrowing story of the brutal kidnapping he endured as a child in Sudan during his Ethiopian community’s exodus out of Africa.
Grade8ers KFC & CTeen Events
Sunday, March 26 1:30pm for Grade8ers KFC (Kosher Food Club) Event Location: CJC-BR Make matzah ball soup and find meaning in our 2017 lives in the age old Passover Haggadah. 4:00pm CTeen Chocolate Seder Drink 4 cups of Chocolate milk, dip strawberries in chocolate fondue and hear some cool insight into Passover
Temple Beth-El Jewish Film Series
Policeman
Saturday, March 25 7:00 pm Location: TBE-H Suggested donation of $5
Policeman is the first feature film from writer/director Nadav Lapid. The film is an Israeli social study distinctly split into two halves. The first half follows the ultra-macho leader of a squad of highly trained operatives who specialize in the neutralization of Arab terrorists. The second half focuses on a group of Jewish student revolutionaries, dissatisfied with the gap between the country’s richest citizens and the struggling lower class, who plot to send a message. We see the inevitable confrontation, and how the individuals involved react to the situation presented them. Served with wine and cheese. Co-Sponsored by TBE Social Action Committee and CA Committee. Awards: 10 wins and 15 nominations, including Best Film, Best Actor, Best Director at Israeli Acadamy Awards, 2011; Best First Feature Film, Best Israeli Feature Film, Jerusalem Film Festival, 2011. Wine and Cheese served.
April FJCC Film Series
Orchestra of Exiles
Saturday, April 1 7:30 pm Location: FJCC Fee: $5 suggested donation This film is the story of violinist Bronislaw Huberman, who, in 1936, selected 70 of the best Jewish musicians fired by the Nazis, and moved them to Palestine to form the future Israel Philharmonic, saving them from the Holocaust. Snacks will be provided.
Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses
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Jewish LIFE April Hold The Dat e!
5th Annual
A Night to Celebrate Israel
April Special Event: Irma Horowitz Film Series
Our Community’s Support of Israel and Bond Event
The Ma’aleh School
Location: SSBJCC Thursday, April 6 6:30 pm $12/person advance, $15/event day (includes falafel dinner)
Tuesday, April 4
Raritan Valley Country Club Bridgewater, New Jersey
Father (Bringing the Wind)
Educate, Celebrate & Enjoy Dinner! More details to come!
Wine & Cheese Tasting and Matzah Bakery at Unionville Vineyards
Sunday, April 2 5:00 PM Location: Unionville Vineyards, Ringoes Fee: $25 at the door, $20 pre-paid includes tastings, cheeses, and matzah bake. Enjoy an evening at the beautiful Unionville Winery. Taste and purchase exquisite Kosher wines, taste delectable cheeses, and participate in a hands-on interactive matzah baking workshop. Order your Kosher wine for Passover.
Holidays In-depth
Instructor: Rabbi Mendel Shemtov Thursday, April 6 7:30pm Location: CJC-BR A class with Rabbi Mendel Shemtov exploring a new dimension to Passover.
Community-wide Shabbat Dinner together with a Holocaust Survivor Friday, April 28 7:00pm Location: CJC-HC A Shabbos together with a Survivor is an opportunity we won’t have forever. He will share stories and experiences and what we can take out of one of the darkest times in Jewish history.
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Featuring Falafel & Israeli Short Films, Presented by Ma’aleh School of Television Film and the Arts in Jerusalem
Eyal returns home from a trip to India. While traveling he has made the decision to become religiously observant. Initially he delays revealing this to his family but soon he can no longer hide it from them. His secular parents are scared and shocked by the change in him. The transformation is hardest for Eyal’s father, who has long planned that his son will join him as a partner in his successful law firm. No longer able to bear conflict and pain at home Eyal leaves to take refuge in a Breslov Hassidic community. It is in this totally unfamiliar environment that he must somehow build the bridge that will lead him back to his family.
A Pure Prayer
It is nearly Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement), and the synagogue is still short of a tenth man to make up the quorum for communal prayer. Schwartzman has no idea what to do. Rosa, his wife, has a solution - to bring Menachem, their special needs son, to the synagogue. Menachem is 30, but he has never taken part in communal prayers.
Third Movie TBA This program is supported by the Irma Horowitz Endowment Fund.
Yom Hashoah
Monday, April 24 Program details to come.
Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses
April Special Events
Dr. Yehuda Kurtzer
Hartman Scholars Series Part 2
The 50th anniversary of the Six-Day WarIts Impact on American Jewry Then and Now Thursday, April 20 7:00 pm Location: TBE-H Fee: $10
Dr. Yehuda Kurtzer is the President of the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America and a leading thinker and author on the meaning of Israel to American Jews, the value of the Jewish past to the Jewish present, and questions of leadership and change in American Jewish life. He leads the efforts of the Hartman Institute across the North American Jewish communal landscape, and teaches widely in the Institute’s many platforms for rabbis, lay leaders, Jewish professionals, and leaders of other faith communities. Yehuda received his doctorate in Jewish Studies from Harvard University and an MA in Religion from Brown University. He is an alumnus of the Bronfman Youth and Wexner Graduate Fellowships. Previously, he served as a member of the faculty and as the inaugural Chair of Jewish Communal Innovation at Brandeis University. Yehuda Kurtzer is the author of Shuva: The Future of the Jewish Past, which offers new thinking to contemporary Jews on navigating the tensions between history and memory, and on how we can relate meaningfully to our past without returning to it. Dr. Kurtzer lives in New York with his wife, Stephanie Ives, and their three children.
Cabaret at the J! Club Gelbe Stern Berlin’s Last Starlit Night Step back in time to the 1930’s Conceived by Alexis Fishman Directed by Sharone Halevy Written by Alexis Fishman and James Millar
Saturday, April 22 7:30 pm Location: SSBJCC Fee: $25 Show and Dinner
It is 1933 in divinely decadent Berlin. Erika Stern is the queen of the Weimar Cabaret scene. Feisty, sassy and always provocative, her show embodies the excess and daring of her time. But as the Nazi’s rise to power, tonight’s performance will be her last. The lights go down and the audience holds their breath. Club Gelbe Stern tells the story of Erika Stern, a fictional Jewish Chanteuse living and performing in Berlin as the Nazis take power. Erika is provocative, sassy, feisty, and above all determined to give a magnificent performance to her loyal audience. “The perfect combination – sorrow and bitterness with just the right dose of humor, sweetness, innocence and longing, taking us with Erika on a journey of triumph and loss. Erika is a lovable creation, beautiful yet flawed in so many ways…” Australian Stage
Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses
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April Special Events Kim Friedman and Kate Siegel
Mother, Can You Not? Wednesday, April 19 7:00 pm Location: SSBJCC Fee: $5
There is nothing more wonderful than a mother’s love. There is also nothing more annoying. Who else can proudly insist that you’re perfect while simultaneously making you question every career, fashion, and relationship decision you have ever made? No one better understands the delicate mother-daughter relationship better than Kate Siegel and her own mother. Kate pays tribute to the woman who invented the concept of drone parenting. From embarrassing moments to outrageous stories to hilarious celebrations, Mother, can you not? Lovingly lampoons the lengths to which our mother will go to better our lives- even when it feels like they’re ruining them in the process. Kim Friedman is an Emmy-nominated director of primetime television, including Beverly Hills 90210, Star Trek Voyager and more. She is also a distinguished theater director, having received two Obie nominations and two LA Drama Critics Awards. Kate Siegel is a writer and social media guru behind the Instagram account @CrazyJewishMom. She has been featured on Buzzfeed, Elite Daily, The Huffington Post, Cosmopolitan, People Magazine, Nightline and the Ellen DeGeneres Show.
Josh Aronson
Orchestra of Exiles
The Story behind Bronislaw Huberman, the Israel Philharmonic, and the One Thousand Jews He Saved From Nazi Horrors Thursday, April 27 7:00 pm Location: SSBJCC Fee: $5
As a teenager, violinist Bronislaw Huberman toured Europe and received invitations to play for royalty. But as an adult, witnessing the rising threat of Nazism, Huberman conceived an ingenious crusade the that would become his greatest legacy: forming the Palestine Symphony Orchestra, which would become the lauded Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. Huberman arranged the safe passage of hundreds of Jewish musicians and their families out of Nazi controlled territories. His tireless campaigning for the project saved nearly 1,000 Jews from the approaching Holocaust. Huberman’s triumph of art over cruelty was heard around the world. Josh Aronson is an Academy Award-nominated documentary and film writer, producer, and director. He has worked with Showtime, PBS, the Discovery Channel, and others and his films have won awards all over the world. He is also a concert pianist who regularly performs chamber music in New York.
Judy Batalion
White Walls
A Memoir about Motherhood, Daughterhood and the Mess in Between Sunday, April 30 10:00 am Location: SSBJCC Fee: $5 Bagels “and”
Judy Batalion grew up in a house filled with piles of junk and layers of dust, suffocated by old magazines, swivel chairs, and VHS tapes obsessively gathered by her hoarder mother. At the first chance, she escaped the clutter to create a new identity - made of order, regimen, and clean white walls - until she found herself enmeshed in life’s biggest chaos: motherhood. Confronted with the daunting task of raising a daughter after her own dysfunctional childhood, Judy reflected on her upbringing and the lives of her mother and grandmother, both Holocaust survivors. What she discovered astonished her. Told with heartbreaking honesty and plenty of humor, Judy’s poignant account of stuff and survival explores navigating the messiness of motherhood, how trauma passes through generations, and the indelible marks that others and daughters make on each other’s lives. Judy Batalion studied at Harvard and worked as a curator and comedian in London before settling in New York. She was a columnist for the New York Times and has appeared in numerous publications and magazines.
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Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses
Jewish LIFE May Temple Beth-El Jewish Film Series
She’s Coming Home Saturday, May 6 7:00 pm Locations: TBE-H Suggested Donation of $5
At the end of a lengthy relationship, Michal, 33, returns to her parents’ small, cramped apartment. She is a young, promising director, who should be devoting her time to writing a screenplay, but instead shuts herself up in her room, frustrated, and spends most of her time sleeping. Things change when Michal meets Zeev, a 50 year old married man, and falls in love. The forbidden passion and stormy emotions that develop between Michal and Zeev are reminiscent of first love. Unaware, Michal becomes a teenager all over again. The apartment, too small to contain two parents and a 30 year old “teenager”, is transformed into a pressure cooker teeming with conflict. Wine and Cheese served. Awards: Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Israeli Academy Awards, 2013; Best Actress, Best Israeli Feature Film, Jerusalem Film Festival, 2013.
Survival of a Nation
Instructor: Rabbi Eli Kornfeld Starting Tuesday, May 9 7:30 pm Location: CHC-HC Instructor: Rabbi Mendy Herson 6 Thursdays 7:30 pm May 11, 18, 25 June 8, 15, 22 Location: CJC-BR Instructor: Rabbi Mendel Shemtov 6 Wednesdays 9:30 am May 17, 24 June 7, 14, 21, 28 Location: CJC-BR Instructor: Rabbi Mendel Shemtov 6 Thursdays 9:15am -10:15am May 18, 25 June 8, 15, 22, 29 Location: SSBJCC Fee: $100 (includes text book)
Exploring Israel through the Lens of the SixDay War. What does Israel means to us today? More than a history, this is a course about connection; about understanding our connection to our land, to our people, and to our heritage. In celebration of 50 years since Israel’s historic victory during the Six-Day War, we will study through the prism of fascinating and thought-provoking events and themes from that time.
Lag Ba’omer Family Fun Day Sunday, May 14 11:00am Location: CJC-BR
BBQ, Bonfire, Face painting, Bounce House and more!
Shabbat Under the Stars Community Shabbat Dinner
Friday, May 19 5:00 – 7:00 PM Location: CJC-HC Fee: Adults: $15 in advance or $18 at the door; children are $8 in advance or $10 at the door
Join Chabad of Hunterdon County for a beautiful spring Shabbat outside at the Red Mill Museum overlooking the South Branch of the Raritan River. Outdoor services, followed by dinner under the stars.
Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses
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Jewish LIFE
May
Noa Baum
Land Twice Promised
An Israeli Women’s Quest for Peace Sunday, May 21 10:00 am Location: FJCC Fee: $10/person includes bagels “and”
Israeli storyteller Noa Baum grew up in Jerusalem in the shadow of the ancestral traumas of the holocaust and ongoing wars. Stories of the past and fear of annihilation in the wars of the 60s, 70s, and 80s shaped her perceptions and identity. In America, she met a Palestinian woman who had grown up under Israeli Occupation, and as they shared memories of war years in Jerusalem, an unlikely friendship blossomed. A Land Twice Promised delves into the heart of one of the world’s most enduring and complex conflicts. Baum’s deeply personal memoir recounts her journey from girlhood in post-Holocaust Israel to her adult encounter with “the other.” With honesty, compassion, and humor, she captures the drama of a nation at war and her discovery of humanity in the enemy. This compelling memoir demonstrates the transformative power of art and challenges each reader to take the first step toward peace.
Community Shabbat Meal with an Israeli Flair
Friday, May 19 7:30 pm Location: CJC-BR A Shabbat dinner featuring all the Israeli delicacies from hummus to couscous.
Holidays In-depth
Instructor: Rabbi Mendel Shemtov Wednesday, May 24 7:30 pm Location: CCJC-BR A class with Rabbi Mendel Shemtov exploring a new dimension to Shavuot.
Shavuot Ice Cream party
Wednesday, May 31 5:00 pm Location: CJC-BR 3,229 years ago, the Jews stood at the foot of Mt. Sinai and heard the 10 Commandments. This year, hear them at Chabad and partake in another Shavuot custom- delicious dairy! Enjoy an ice cream bar, penne ala vodka, fettucine alfredo and more!
June
Chabad Jewish Center of Basking Ridge: Shabbat Al Fresco Friday, June 16 8:00pm Location: CJC-BR Who wouldn’t want to have their Shabbat meal outdoors on a lovely June night?
2nd Annual Jewish Music Festival & BBQ at the Hunterdon Art Museum Terrace
Sunday, June 11 6:30 pm/Cocktail Hour 7:30pm/Dinner Fee: $10 in advance or $15 at the door Hosted by: CJC-HR Featuring the renowned Chillent Band, with local opening act and the Chosen Cholent BBQ Truck. Vendors, arts & crafts, face painting and more. 28
Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses