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-Wide 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; 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 Har Shalom, Warren; Temple Sholom, Bridgewater.
Program Guide 2018-19/5779
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 Jacob Best Adler
JCNWJ
Jewish Center of Northwest Jersey 115 Youmans Avenue, Washington 07882 (908) 689-0762 Denomination: Reform
CKI Congregation Knesseth Israel 229 Mountain Avenue, Bound Brook, NJ (732) 469-0934 • Fax: (732) 356-1325 Denomination: Independent
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) 758-2006 • 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 Jewish Center 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 Eric Cohen
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 Dan Selsberg
HS Temple Har Shalom 104 Mount Horeb Road, Warren 07059 (732) 356-8777 • Fax: (732) 356-0580 Denomination: Reform Rabbi Randi Musnitsky
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Jewish LIFE Year-Long Learning
Support Jewish LIFE Become a Patron or Benefactor today! *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 & The Band’s Visit on Broadway (Other exclusions may apply.)
Please call Laura Friedman JCC Executive Director for details: (908) 443-9001; LFriedman@ssbjcc.org Please send payment to Topaz Brown at: Jewish LIFE, 775 Talamini Road, Bridgewater, NJ 08807 Checks payable to: Shimon and Sara Birnbaum Jewish Community Center
iEngage 4
Israel’s Milestones and Their Meanings:
The Legacy of the Past and the Challenge of the Future
Instructor: Rabbi Arnie Gluck Sunday beginning October 7; November 18; December 9; March 3, 24; April 7; May 19; June 2 Location: TBE • Fee: $25/person • 4:00 - 6:00 PM
Memory is a central element in defining modern Jewish identity. As we look to Israel’s future, we need to engage anew with our past and explore its meanings and consequences. This course explores the pivotal events of 1947 and 1967 — following the 1917 Balfour Declaration — as key moments when Zionism unleashed new thinking about the meaning of Jewishness for generations to come. The course engages Jews in an open and pluralistic discussion about issues of Jewish identity, peoplehood, ethics, and theology as they relate to nationhood, land, sovereignty, Jerusalem, occupation, and moral red lines. Each session includes text study and discussion led by Rabbi Gluck and a video component with leading Hartman scholars.
iEngage 3 The Tribes of Israel: A Shared Homeland for a Divided People Exploring what unites and divides Israelis and American Jews Instructor: Rabbi Dan Selsberg Thursdays beginning October 18, through Spring 7:00 - 8:15 PM Location: TS • Fee: $36/person
Join Rabbi Selsberg for a class that looks at the divisions that help define Israeli society, and its relations with Jews worldwide. With multimedia materials from Jerusalem’s Shalom Hartman Institute, we’ll discuss and learn about what keeps us together, and what’s pulling us apart.
Jewish LIFE Year-Long Learning
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Birnbaum JCC 775 Talamini Road Bridgewater, NJ Taught by: Rabbi Richard Fagan Tuesdays, 9:15 - 10:45 AM Begins October Register by September 20 and receive a personalized binder for class handouts. For more information and to register, contact: Rhonda Lillianthal rlillianthal@jccmetrowest.org 973.530.3519
The Rachel Wasserman Scholars Curriculum provides an opportunity for continued study for graduates of the Florence Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning. Building on the two years of text-based study of Judaism, the Scholars Curriculum focuses on a deeper examination of selected Jewish texts, from the Biblical to the modern. The Scholars Curriculum invites Melton School graduates to an engagement with Jewish texts that has shaped Jews and Judaism for millennia.
Jewish Civilization Courses
■ Beyond Borders: The History of the Arab-Israeli Conflict ■ From Sinai to Seinfeld: Jews and their Jokes ■ Israeli Literature as a Window to Israeli Society ■ Jewish Denominations: Addressing the Challenges of Modernity ■ Jews in America: Insiders and Outsiders ■ Jewish Mysticism: Tracing the History of Kabbalah ■ The Holocaust as Reflected in Diaries and Memoirs ■ The Star and the Crescent: The Long Relationship of Judaism and Islam
Shiv'im Panim (70 Faces of Wisdom) Series ■ Bereshit I ■ Bereshit II ■ Shemot I ■ Shemot II ■ Vayikra ■ BeMidbar: Leadership Defied and Defended
Jewish LIFE thanks JCC MetroWest for bringing The Melton School of Adult Learning to our community. 4
Jewish LIFE Year-Long Learning
Jewish LIFE September
Apple and Honey Tasting
Thursday, September 6 3:00 PM and 6:00 PM Location: JCC Bridgewater Free. All are Welcome. Apple & Honey Tasting at the JCC - stop by the JCC lobby to bring in a sweet Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, and taste an assortment of flavored honeys and apples!
High Holiday Workshop Series
Instructor: Rabbi Eli Kornfeld Thursdays, 7:30 PM Location: CJC-HC 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 workshops offers meaningful and timely lessons, and fascinating discussion. September 13: The Victory Dance with the Lulav: The Deeper Meaning of Having Your Very Qwn Lulav & Etrog September 20: Does G-d Want your Mind or your Feet? The Deeper Meaning of Simchat Torah.
Sushi in the Sukkah!
Thursday, September 27 6:30 PM Location: JCC Bridgewater Fee: $10/Person or $36 max/Family All families are welcome to enjoy a delicious meal in the JCC Sukkah in observance of Sukkot, the first of three harvest holidays. We’ll learn how to make homemade vegetable sushi and will provide a child-friendly dinner as well. We will also have a lulav and etrog available for you to shake and fulfill the holiday’s mitzvah, commandment.
2nd Annual Soup for the Soul Jewish Family Service Fall Dates TBD Location: JCC Bridgewater
There’s nothing quite like sharing good food with friends and family to make us feel connected to those around us. Yet there are many elders in our community who don’t have the opportunity to socialize over a meal and struggle to put nutritious food on their table for one. We know of seniors and others who have to decide whether to buy healthy food or fill a prescription and many who are eating alone. Come for a bowl of soup, some bread and join our conversation about what you can do about Food Insecurity and Social Isolation in our community. For more information email: Admin@JewishFamilySvc.org or call 908-725-7799.
Community Morning Minyan Mondays and Thursdays, 6:45 AM Location: TS
Temple Sholom offers an egalitarian weekday morning minyan which is open to the entire community without regard to synagogue affiliation. All are welcome to attend, engage and participate. This provides an ideal opportunity to recite Kaddish, mark a yahrzeit or simply connect with your Judaism and your neighbors. In addition Temple Beth El, Somerset offers minyan on Thursdays.
Location: BES • Thursdays at 8:30 AM
Israeli Folk Dancing
Thursday(s) beginning September 6 (except holidays) 7:30 PM Location: TBE-H Everybody is welcome, beginners and experts.Private extra time for beginners. First-timers come for free. Any questions, contact Simona Rivkin at bakerec@ comcast.net September 6, 13, 20, 27; October 4, 11, 18, 25; November 1, 8, 15, 29; December 6, 13, 20, 27; January 3, 10, 17, 24, 31; February 7, 14, 21, 28; March 7, 14, 21, 28; April 4, 11, 16 (Tuesday), 23 (Tuesday), 30 (Tuesday); May 9, 16, 23, 30; June 6, 13, 20, 27, July 2, 11, 18
Film Event
Temple Beth-El Jewish Film Series
Baba Joon
Saturday, September 15 6:00 PM TBE-H Suggested Donation: $5 • Wine and Cheese A coming-of-age drama set in a Persian-immigrant moshav in the Negev during the early 1980s, the film depicts the ways of a community infrequently seen on screen. More universally, it provides a metaphor for the struggle between the migrant generation, which is holding on to the past and traditions from another country, and the sabra generation born into a new identity and seeking out a fresh path. It raises questions of upholding tradition as an immigrant and the obstacle it poses for personal independence, of pride within the family and the “tribe” and of the difficulty in honoring and loving in the midst of inter-generational conflict.
Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses
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Jewish LIFE September For Grandparents Everywhere Jane Isay Unconditional Love - A Guide to Navigating the Joys and Challenges of Being a Grandparent Today
Wednesday, September 26 12:00 Noon • Bridgewater JCC
For many grandparents having a grandchild is the chance to become the parent they didn’t have the time or the energy to be with their own children. Family-relationship expert Jane Isay argues that being a grandparent is the opportunity to turn missed opportunities into delight. Join in on the discussion with Isay as she shows how a grandparent, though no longer in charge, can use his/her unique perspective and experience to find a way to keep the love flowing. Co-Sponsored by Jewish Family Service of Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren Counties
$18 /Person includes lunch
Jewish LIFE October Angela Himsel
A River Could be a Tree
A Fundamentalist Christian Convert’s Journey to Judaism Sunday, October 7 • 12:00 PM • FJCC
Angela Himsel was raised in a German-American family, one of eleven children who shared a single bathroom in their rented ramshackle farmhouse in Indiana. The Himsels followed an evangelical branch of Christianity - the Worldwide Church of God - which espoused a doomsday philosophy. Only faith in Jesus, the Bible, significant tithing, and the church’s leader could save them from the evils of American culture - divorce, television, makeup, and even medicine and her own form of salvation - as a practicing Jewish woman. Himsel’s seemingly impossible road from childhood cult to a committed Jewish life is traced in and around the major events of the 1970s and 80s with warmth, humor, and a multitude of religious and philosophical insights. A River Could Be a Tree: A Memoir is a fascinating story of struggle, doubt, and, finally, personal fulfillment.
How does a woman who grew up in rural Indiana as a fundamentalist Christian end up a practicing Jew in New York? $10/Person 6
Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses
Jewish LIFE October Mary Morris Gateway to the Moon Monday, October 15 • 6:00 PM • FJCC
In 1492, the Jewish and Muslim populations of Spain were expelled, and Columbus set sail for America. Luis de Torres, a Spanish Jew, accompanies Columbus as his interpreter. Over the centuries, de Torres’ descendants travel from Spain and Portugal to Mexico, finally settling in the hills of New Mexico. Interwoven throughout the present-day narrative are the powerful stories of the ancestors of Entrada’s residents, highlighting the torture, pursuit and resistance of the Jewish people. A beautiful novel of shared history, Gateway to the Moon is a moving and memorable portrait of a family and its journey through the centuries.
$10/Person
Every Life Has a Story, Pass it On Richard Squires, Writer/Author
Thursday, October 18 • 7:00 PM Bridgewater JCC Fee: $10/Person includes coffee “and” Preserve your Jewish legacy and share the stories of your life. What better way than to leave behind a book for future generations to cherish and value. Join us for an entertaining and educational presentation and discussion!
Kings: Wisdom, Sin, Failure, and Triumph-An Uncensored Look at Biblical Heroes and Anti-Heroes
Instructor: Rabbi Dan Selsberg Thursdays beginning October 11, through Spring 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Location: TS Free to All Join Rabbi Selsberg for an in-depth study of the holy and the profane in the Book of Kings. A class with reverence, skepticism, and humor. This is the latest edition of our popular “Stories Way Too Inappropriate for Sunday School” series. No prior experience with biblical text is necessary.
Intermediate Biblical Hebrew
Instructor: Sarah Gluck Sundays, October 14, 21 (@9:30 AM), 28 (@9:30AM); November 4, 18; December 2, 9, 16; January 6, 13, 27; February 3, 10, 24; March 3, 10, 24, 31; April 7, 14 Time: 10:00-11:30 AM (note two exceptions above) Location: TBE Fee: cost of materials Now in its second year, this class will continue to guide you toward reading, understanding, and translating passages from the Hebrew Bible. If you did not participate last year and would like to this year, please contact Sarah Gluck at (908) 722-0674 x313 to learn about the prerequisites. Textbook: The First Hebrew Primer (EKS Publishing)
Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses
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Jewish LIFE October Wrestling with Faith tackles the “big issues”-questions we all share that secretly keep us from experiencing intimate faith with G-d.
Film Event Temple Beth-El Jewish Film Series
Instructor: Rabbi Eli Kornfeld Tuesdays begins October 23 7:30 PM Location: CJC-HC Fee: $99 includes textbook
Blood Relation
Where is the evidence for G-d? Is Jewish practice primitive? Are science and religion in conflict? Ask the questions that make you grapple with the deep concepts of G-d and Judaism. Explore the depths and find your true self in a spiritual experience that is both authentic and Jewish.
In the early 1940s, 14-year-old Pnina left her home in an agricultural village in the Galilee and disappeared. Years later she began sending letters to her family from her home in the West Bank. Filmmaker Hagai journeys to uncover the mysteries of her great-aunt Pnina and her family in the Palestinian Territories with the help of her uncle, a retired colonel in Israeli intelligence. The film chronicles the meetings between members of this Jewish-Arab family over the course of three years in Israel and Nablus, and reveals the complexities involved when a family member marries “out.” Discussion to follow.
Saturday, October 13 • 7:00 PM TBE-H Suggested Donation: $5
Co-sponsored by TBE Social Action and Cultural Arts Committees.
Women’s Mega Challah Bake Co-sponsored by Chabad of Somerset and Hunterdon Counties and the Shimon and Sara Birnbaum JCC Thursday, October 25 7:30 PM (Doors open at 7:00 PM) Bridgewater JCC Registration opens September 16. Join hundreds of women across Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren Counties as they unite, learn, discover, create and share. Fee: $25/person
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Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses
Jewish LIFE November Irma Horowitz Film Series
Thursday, November 1 • 6:30 PM • Bridgewater JCC Dreaming of a Jewish Christmas
Dreaming of a Jewish Christmas is an offbeat, playful celebration of the Jewish American songwriters who composed the soundtrack to the holiday season. In an irony of ironies, it was Jewish immigrant outsiders - Irving Berlin, Mel Tormé and many others - who redefined Christmas as a secular and inclusive cultural phenomenon. Penning such yuletide classics as “White Christmas,” “Let It Snow” and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” these artists amplified the spirit of the holidays through musical merriment. A panoply of performers delivers signature renditions of these beloved melodies, amusingly set in a Chinese restaurant, while musicologists, religious leaders, comedians and others add insights into the strange, contradictory and poignant relationship American Jews have with “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” (also written by a Jew).
Hannah Cohen’s Holy Communion
Set in Dublin in the 1970’s, this film explores a rarely glimpsed Ireland, as seen through the eyes of spirited seven-year-old Hannah Cohen. Hannah can’t wait to make her Holy Communion- only problem is she’s Jewish! An Irish/Jewish film with an international feel, the beauty of the story lies in its simplicity, humor, and the universal desire to fit in.
$18/Person includes falafel dinner This program is supported by the Irma Horowitz Endowment Fund.
Film Event
The Jewish Federation’s
The World is Funny
Thursday, November 1 Time: 8:30 AM-12:30 PM Raritan Valley Country Club
Temple Beth-El Jewish Film Series Saturday, November 10 Time: 7:00 PM TBE-H Suggested Donation: $5
Aspiring writer Zafi has trouble composing endings to her stories. She uses her housecleaning jobs to find interesting tales. Among the accounts she collects and ties together is the story of estranged siblings: the oldest sister Yardena is shocked to discover she’s pregnant since she hasn’t had sex with anyone in years, least of all her husband, who has been sleeping in a different room ever since the tragic death of her daughter in the army. Meanwhile, her brother Meron has to deal with the return of Nessi, Meron’s oldest son, who just woke up from a nine-year coma following a traumatic accident. Golan, the youngest brother, is in the midst of his own tragedy- his girlfriend, Natasha, is dying of cancer. Helpless to do anything about her illness, he set out on a quest to reunite the “Gashashim” comedy trio for a performance, hoping to save her with laughter.
Imagine Event
This year’s event supports impoverished Holocaust survivors in NJ, Israel and the former Soviet Union. Vendor Shopping: 8:30-10:00 AM and 11:30 AM-12:30 PM Lunch and Program: 10:00-11:30 AM Activities at the event will include vendor shopping, silent auction, lunch, a fashion show, and speaker presentation. We hope you will join us in this cause. To register call Lauren at 908-758-2003 or Jfedshaw.org/women.
Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses
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Jewish LIFE November Golem! Rocking Klezmer Dance Party! Saturday, November 3 • 8:00 PM • FJCC
Klezmer-rock band Golem was founded by Annette Ezekiel Kogan in New York City in 2000. Since then, the band has become a leading re-interpreter and innovator of Yiddish and Eastern European music, pushing tradition forward into the 21st century. Golem performs nationally across the United States and internationally, in clubs and festivals in France, Germany, Poland, Sweden and Mexico. Golem is known for its virtuosic musicianship, theatricality, humor and fearless wild energy, combined with a boundless love of tradition. Golem is clearly “not your grandparents’ Klezmer.”
$25/advance • $30/door • $10/students with ID
Nancy Gorrell-To the Little Polish Boy: Developing Empathy
Through Ecphrastic Poetry
Sunday, November 18 or Sunday, March 24 (2 Opportunities to Participate) 1:30 PM • Bridgewater JCC
Recommended for Grades 7-12 Participants in this inter-generational workshop will view an historic work of Holocaust photo-journalism, listen to survivor Peter Fischl read his poem, “To the Little Polish Boy” in response to that photo-journalism, and then produce their own responses using the tool of ecphrastic poetry, the poetry of empathy. Parents are encouraged to attend with their teenagers. No poetry writing ability required! This program is presented in recognition of Kristallnacht and in honor of those who fought and in memory of those who died in the Warsaw Ghetto uprising of April 1943.
December
Free (Advance Registration one-week prior.) Co-sponsored by the JCC Holocaust Memorial and Education Center
The Women’s Rosh Hodesh Society of Hunterdon County Series Larger Than Life: Weaving G-D Into The Details
Instructor: Rachel Kornfeld Thursdays • 7:30 PM Location: CJC-HC Fee: $95 yearly enrollment, or $18 per session (7 sessions in total) For centuries, Jewish values have shaped the moral compass of Western society. This course explores key Jewish values that were so influential in molding our civilization. The lessons focus on areas outside the domain of the synagogue and Jewish ritual, and explore what it means to live as a Jew in “the rest of our life.” How is a Jewish woman expected to interact with the world around her? What does it mean to live Jewish? This 7-part series promises to shine a spotlight on the Torah view of our social and ethical responsibilities, and guide us in how to live larger than life by weaving G-d into every detail.
Series Dates:
November 8: Hide & Peek, The Right to Privacy December 13: Carried Away, The Consumed Consumer January 10: The Pledge Fund, A Charitable Foundation February 7: With All Due Respect, Honoring Your Parents March 3: Whistle While You Work, The Balancing Act April 11: Cause & Effect, A “Soul-ar” Panel on Social Activism May 9: On Higher Ground, With Liberty & Justice for All
Lunch and Learn - Torah Studies Instructor: Rabbi Eli Kornfeld
Thursdays, starting in November at 12:30 PM Location: Turntable Junction, 35 Fulper Rd., Flemington, NJ $80/course or $15/class Includes text books and catered lunch
The Torah Studies program brings you the tradition of classical Jewish learning in a series of clear and engaging weekly classes.
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Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses
November Dr. Mehnaz Afridi-The Shoah Through Muslim Eyes Tuesday, November 13 • 7:00 PM • Bridgewater JCC
Dr. Afridi will discuss how Muslims have perceived the Holocaust, the role they played and how this might be a place of reconciliation. She will discuss the positive relations especially between Jews and Muslims and how we can try to build bridges. Her work is about bridging the gaps between Muslims and Jews by understanding the past of one another. Dr. Afridi is an Associate Professor of Religious Studies and Director of Holocaust, Genocide, and Interfaith Education Center at Manhattan College. She is committed to Islam and Holocaust education. Dr. Afridi obtained her PhD from University of South Africa, her MA and BA from Syracuse University, and speaks regularly to interfaith groups. Co-sponsored by The Community Relations Committee of the Jewish Federation of Somerset, Hunterdon & Warren Counties , The JCC Holocaust Memorial and Education Center and The Sisterhood of Salaam Sholom.
Free and open to the Community • Includes Coffee and Nosh To register: jfedshaw.org/CRC
Family Fun! Dress-Up Character Breakfast for Infants - 8 years old.
Amalia Hoffman-Dreidel Day Sunday, November 18 • 10:00 AM • Bridgewater JCC
Come out and join us for this fun-filled morning. Visit with 8 “characters,”while you enjoy a delicious breakfast dressed as your favorite “character.” For those with infants and toddlers, listen to author Amalia Hoffman read her book Dreidel Day. When a cat spins a dreidel on the first day of Chanukah, the kitty embarks on an amusing eight-day adventure! Breakfast, Music and Arts & Crafts.
$10/Person, $36 max/Family (2 and under free)
Kabbalat Shabbat Traditions & Texts
Instructor: Student Rabbi Shira Gluck Tuesdays, November 27; December 4, 11 7:00- 8:30 PM Location: TBE “Sof ma’aseh b’machshavah t’chillah, Shabbat was the final act of creation, but the very first in thought.” (“Lecha Dodi,” Shabbat liturgy). The ritual of Kabbalat Shabbat is a rich tapestry of texts and traditions from the time of the ancient Temple in Jerusalem to the mystics of the 16th century. These three sessions will explore the poetry and themes of the Shabbat psalms and the Kabbalistic understanding of Erev Shabbat, with emphasis on the musical-spiritual aspects of this service.
The Band’s Visit Broadway Trip to NYC Thursday, November 15
3:00 PM Leave the JCC. 7:00 PM Show $185/member • $200/person includes Orchestra Ticket and Coach Bus. Dinner is on your own. A passionate story about an Egyptian band that awakes a sleepy Israeli town with their music.
Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses
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Jewish LIFE November Jewish Federation
Dec. 2 • 9:30 AM-12:30 PM
2nd Annual Super Week Nov. 27, 28, 29 & Dec. 2
Nov. 27 • 7:00-9:00 PM • Bridgewater JCC Uncork your support and join us for some wine, make a few phone calls on behalf of the community.
Nov. 28 • 7:00-8:30 PM
Feed the needy-make bagged lunches to help support local children in need.
Nov. 29 • 3:00-6:00 PM
Super Sunday! Volunteer your time and be a superhero for the Jewish world. How? By getting on the phone with Federation and making powerful calls to the community. Calls for donations will change lives and strengthen our entire community at home, in Israel and wherever Jews are in need around the globe. Questions? Want to volunteer? Contact Dan Fahrer at dfahrer@jfedshaw.org or 908-758-2002
Cards for Soldiers-Bring your family and make holiday cards for US & Israeli soldiers.
December
Nancy Gorrell and Evelyn Rauch
Film Event
Light from the Yellow Star: An Introduction to the Holocaust Through Testimony and Art
Temple Beth-El Jewish Film Series
Past Life
Sunday, December 9 or Sunday, March 31
Saturday, December 1 Time: 7:00 PM TBE-H Suggested Donation: $5
(2 opportunities to participate)
1:30 PM • Bridgewater JCC
Past Life is best at conjuring that existential dread, the anger and fear that comes from not knowing exactly what your parents’ actions were, what moral norms they might have transgressed just to survive and, more than that, not being sure you even want to know. Uneven but ultimately effective, convincing in mood and emotion despite its melodramatic plotting, Avi Nesher’s Past Life is straightahead filmmaking heightened by a connection to a pervasive Israeli reality not often found on film. Discussion to follow.
Parents and teenagers will view Dr. Robert Fisch’s artwork from his survivor testimony, Light from the Yellow Star: A Lesson of Love from the Holocaust. After discussing the survivor’s illustrations and text, parents and teenagers will develop, collaboratively or individually, their own artistic responses inspired or suggested by the work. This inter-generational workshop is based on the noted work of Holocaust educator, Nancy Gorrell. The workshop will be co-taught by Nancy Gorrell and Evelyn Rauch, artist and designer of the SSBJCC Holocaust Memorial. Artwork produced from this workshop will be displayed at the SSBJCC throughout the month of April with permission of the workshop attendees. No artistic level of expertise required! All materials provided by the Holocaust Center.
Free (Advance Registration requested one-week prior.) Co-sponsored by the JCC Holocaust Memorial and Education Center
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Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses
Jewish LIFE December Mike Reiss Emmy-Winning Writer of The Simpsons Springfield Confidential Monday, December 3 • 7:00 PM Bridgewater JCC Mike Reiss is a former head writer for The Simpsons and has worked on The Simpsons since episode one in 1989. He will share stories, scandals and gossip about working with America’s most iconic cartoon family. Reiss explain will explain how the episodes are created and provide an inside look at the show’s writers, animators, actors and celebrity guests. Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity!
$10/Person, includes donuts and beer!
Family Chanukah Party
Thursday, December 6 6:00 PM Bridgewater JCC $10/Person or $36 max/Family includes dinner Help us light candle number 5 together as a community during our annual Family Chanukah Party! Enjoy special Chanukah crafts, games, and delicious holiday treats. We look forward to celebrating with you and your family! Bring your chanukiah and candles.
Elissa Brent Weisman-The Length of a String Wednesday, December 12 5:00 PM • FJCC
Imani knows exactly what she wants for her big Bat Mitzvah gift: to find her birth parents. She loves her family and her Jewish community in Baltimore, but she has always wondered where she came from, especially since she’s black and almost everyone she knows is white. Engrossing, heartfelt and captivating from start to finish, The Length of a String combines contemporary and historical fiction in one moving story that shows that family is far more than genetics.
Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses
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Jewish LIFE January World-Renowned Therapist
Dr. Ruth Westheimer- Roller Coaster Grandma
The Amazing Story of Dr. Ruth
Sunday, January 13 • 11:30 AM JCC Bridgewater
Dr. Ruth’s life has been anything but boring- her escape from the Nazis at age ten aboard a Kindertransport, her training as a sniper with the Haganah in Israel and her immigration to the U.S. She started as a maid and became a college professor, and eventually a radio and television star. Using a trip to an amusement park with her grandchildren as its framework, the story subtly demonstrates lessons of grit, resilience and strength that readers can apply to their own lives. Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity
Fee: $18 /person includes brunch Co-Sponsored by Brandeis National Committee, Somerset Chapter; Hadassah Canal Walk Chapter; Temple Har Shalom Sisterhood; Temple Sholom Sisterhood; The Wilf Campus for Senior Living
What is a Bias Incident or Crime and How to Respond Wednesday, January 9 6:00-6:30 PM registration • 6:30-8:30 PM program Conference Center at Raritan Valley Community College
This program explains the difference between bias incidents and bias crimes. Along with our neighbors and friends from the interfaith community, we will learn how to respond when confronted with bias in its many forms. We will hear from law enforcement and have an open discussion about issues affecting our communities. Co-Sponsored by Jewish Federation of Somerset, Hunterdon & Warren Counties, Prosecutor’s Offices of Somerset & Hunterdon Counties, Raritan Valley Community College
2nd Annual Kids Mega Challah Bake
4th Annual Kosher Cook-Off
Thursday, January 31 7:30 PM Location: Metropolitan Seafood in Lebanon, NJ $36/person Hosted by HJC-H
Monday, January 21 10:00 AM Bridgewater JCC $18 per person
Chefs face off in three heated cooking rounds to see who will be the ultimate creator of kosher cuisine. Who will take home the trophy? Open bar, hors d’oeuvres, and food tastings. Hosted by “Fishmonger” Mark Drabich.
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Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses
Jewish LIFE January Aryeh Green-My Israel Trail: Finding Peace in the Promised Land Sunday, January 27 12:00 Noon • FJCC
Experience Israel through new eyes as you join Aryeh Green on a 680-mile journey through the Promised Land. Following a devastating divorce, Aryeh decided to hike the Israel National Trail alone. Along the way, he found healing as he strengthened his relationship with the people, land and state of Israel. This inspiring story shares his descriptions of the stunning places he walked and the myriad breakthroughs he experienced along the way. A mustread for those who love Israel, or are facing personal challenges, or both! A former advisor to Natan Sharansky, Aryeh has been a business executive and consultant for over two decades, and is a frequent and captivating speaker on Israel, media issues and human rights.
$10/person
Irma Horowitz Film Series Featuring Falafel & Israeli Short Films
Films by Students of Ma’aleh School of Television Film and the Arts in Jerusalem
Thursday, January 10 • 6:30 PM
The Ma’aleh School
Bridgewater JCC • $18/person includes falafel dinner The Gravedigger‘s Daughter
After her father dies, a young woman wants to take on his profession, but meets with opposition from everyone she knows. Esther’s father was a gravedigger who in his last will and testament left only one significant request: that one of his sons continue with his profession. None of his sons has the slightest interest in doing so. Esther is the only daughter in this traditional ‘Sephardic’ North African home, and embarks upon a struggle to carry on her father’s legacy of humility and kindness over the objections of her family and community. A feminist film with a twist of graveyard humor.
Paperock
An ultra-Orthodox young Jewish woman agrees to meet her brother, whom she has not seen in many years. When she finally lays eyes on him she understands that, if she wants to re-establish the childhood bond between them, she must accept his new identity.
Home Made
A lonely woman makes an unexpected connection with two strangers. Just as Helena is about to end another dreary day in the restaurant where she works and return home to celebrate her fiftieth birthday with her husband, a stranger enters and orders a meal. Something about him rekindles Helena’s desire for human warmth and connection. Soon enough the two of them are joined by a neglected little boy whom Helena saves from a street fight outside the restaurant. A fragile fantasy family is built for three people whose alternative lives whisper inside them.
Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses
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Jewish LIFE February February is Jewish Disability Awarenness and Inclusion Month
WishMakers...Tulip Winery (Film) Thursday, February 7 7:00 PM • Bridgewater JCC
WishMakers is the story of the Tulip Winery that was established in a residential adult special-needs community-the Village of Hope - in Israel’s Jezreel Valley. It fosters a caring environment while providing employment, dignity and purpose for the residents. In addition to the satisfaction of producing world-class wine, the residents find joy and selfworth in helping to grant wishes for children with life-threatening illnesses. Join us as we welcome Filmmaker Cheryl Halperin as she leads a discussion about Tulip Winery and how it came to be. $10/Person includes wine and cheese
Film Event
Crime & Consequence-
Who the Jew Are You?
Instructor: Rabbi Eli Kornfeld Tuesdays Begins February 5 7:30 PM Location: CJC-HC Fee: $99 includes textbook
Jewish insights into the Torah Perspective on Law, Punishment and Justice
Temple Beth-El Jewish Film Series Saturday, February 9 7:00 PM TBE-H Suggested Donation: $5
When Alan Goldman’s son was born, he was not only faced with the decision of whether to circumcise him but also with the realization that Sacha was not actually Jewish. So begins a journey that asks, ‘What does it mean to be Jewish?’ Alan’s travels take him from Vancouver to Orthodox communities in Crown Heights, where the faithful debate points of scripture. From Jewish rappers to a lesbian, Judaism means different things to different people. While some people maintain that ‘G-doptional Judaism’ does not exist, others see this as a benefit: ‘That’s the point of being a Jew, you don’t have to believe in G-d.’ With humor, warmth, and a generous spirit, Who The Jew Are You? travels full circle back to the love a father has for his son. Discussion to follow with Cantor Emily Pincus.
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A father is wrongfully accused and sentenced to death for the murder of his wife and children. A reformed convict is condemned to life in prison for a crime committed in her youth. Miscarriages of justice can be infuriating, but also beg the question: What is a fair and effective approach? Take an in-depth look at the intricacies that govern Judaism’s views on justice.
Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses
Jewish LIFE February Adam Price-He’s Not Lazy:
Empowering your Son to Believe in Himself Wednesday, February 13 • 7:00 PM Bridgewater JCC
On the surface, capable teenage boys may look lazy. But dig a little deeper and you’ll often find conflicted boys who want to do well in middle and high school but are afraid to fail, and so do not try. This book can help you become an ally with your son, as he discovers greater self-confidence and accepts responsibility for his future. Adam Price, PHD, is a clinical psychologist who has worked with children, adolescents and their families for more than 25 years. He is an expert in learning disabilities.
Co-sponsored by Jewish Family Service of Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren Counties
$10/Person, coffee “and”
Financial Help
John Schwartz-This is the Year I Put My Financial Life in Order
Sunday February 24 • 12:00 Noon FJCC
John Schwartz used to think he’d grow up to be a financial maven. At 13, he put his Bar Mitzvah money into IBM. Soon after, the stock tanked and John realized he was no money genius. Many years later he set out to finally learn about money and realized that while many of us avoid thinking about it, financial planning can be learned. Join New York Times Correspondent John Schwartz as he shares his financial successes and mishaps, offering an everyman’s guide to straightening out your money once and for all!
$10/Person
Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses
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Jewish LIFE
February
Hamantaschen Bake & Wine Ladies Night Out Mingle, Eat, Drink & Enjoy! Thursday, February 28 • 7:00 PM Bridgewater JCC Fee: $25 Light Appetizers Served • BYO Drinks
Come together as a community to make traditional hamantashchen.
Jewish LIFE March Special Event - Irma Horowitz Film Series Heading Home: The Tale of Team Israel Thursday, March 7 • 6:30 PM Bridgewater JCC
Ironbound Films presents... A stirring story of sports, patriotism and personal growth, Heading Home charts the underdog journey of Israel’s national baseball team competing for the first time in the World Baseball Classic. After years of defeat, Team Israel is finally ranked among the world’s best in 2017, eligible to compete in the prestigious international tournament. Their line-up included several Jewish American Major League players―Ike Davis, Josh Zeid and ex-Braves catcher Ryan Lavarnway―most with a tenuous relationship to Judaism, let alone having ever set foot in Israel. Their odyssey takes them from Tel Aviv and Jerusalem where they are greeted as heroes, to Seoul where they must debunk their has-been, wannabe reputations. With their Mensch on the Bench mascot by their side, the team laughs, cries, and does much soul-searching, discovering the pride of representing Israel on the world stage.
Fee: $18/Person includes dinner This program is supported by the Irma Horowitz Endowment Fund.
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Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses
Jewish LIFE March Loss is Never Easy Rebecca Soffer
Modern Loss: Candid Conversations about Grief Tuesday, March 12 7:00 PM Bridgewater JCC
Let’s face it, most of us can’t handle talking about death. We’re awkward and uncertain. We blurt out platitudes or say nothing at all. We send sympathy bouquets whittled out of fruit to the shiva house. Modern Loss can help us do better. It offers a roadmap for navigating grief and resilience in the modern age. Rebecca has received praise by Stephen Colbert and Mindy Kaling among others! She is the cofounder and CEO of Modern Loss, former producer for the Colbert Report, and a former National Network Coordinator for Reboot. Sponsored by Jewish Family Service of Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren Counties
Fee: $10/Person includes coffee “and” 1 10 DJ •1 12:3S1n:310 G0am 0 PrM AaM S e1 es0•0 Innfl Gyenrenrdn0sory atab Ho a les • l Aydm u ur Fo raod rissio fd ornp n urch ase
Sunday, March 10 ry n is Welcome! c Everyone Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses
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Jewish LIFE March Jamie Bernstein - Leonard Bernstein’s Daughter Famous Father Girl-A Memoir of Growing Up Bernstein Tuesday, March 26• 7:00 PM Bridgewater JCC The oldest daughter of revered composer/conductor Leonard Bernstein offers a rare look at her father on the centennial of his birth in a deeply intimate and broadly evocative memoir. Bernstein mines the emotional depths of her childhood, and invites us into her family’s private world. A fantastic set of characters populates the Bernsteins’ lives, including the Kennedys, Mike Nichols, John Lennon and so many more. Bernstein’s beautifully written memoir is a great American story about one of the greatest Americans of the modern age.
Fee: $10/Person includes coffee “and”
Beit Midrash: Derech Eretz - Building Character and Building Society
Film Event
“Women Unchained”
Instructor: Rabbi Arnie Gluck Tuesdays, March 5, 12, 19, 26 7:00- 8:30 PM Location: TBE
Saturday, March 30 7:00 PM TBE-H Suggested Donation: $5
Even though Leslee’s husband was having an affair with the babysitter, it still took ten years before her husband would grant her a “get,” or Jewish divorce. In the meantime she raised their seven daughters alone. When Ariel sought a “get,” her husband demanded payment of a half-million dollars from her father. These are just two of the stories chronicled in Women Unchained, an important new documentary telling the stories of five women, each a victim of her husband’s refusal to give her a get, without which they cannot remarry. Viewers live through their travails in this film, which also features interviews with experts.
The classic setting for Jewish learning is the Beit Midrash. It is translated as “house of learning,” but is much more than that. “Midrash” means to interpret, to seek, to draw forth meaning from our sacred texts. The Beit Midrash is the inner sanctum where Jewish tradition has lived for the last 2,000 years and where it is recreated anytime Jews join together in serious study of Torah. So join us in our own Beit Midrash as we engage in a deep and dynamic dialogue with texts on Derech Eretz that Rabbi Gluck studied this summer in the Beit Midrash of the Hartman Institute in Jerusalem.
Discussion to follow. 20
Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses
Jewish LIFE April The Shabbat Table — Blessings, Home Rituals and Song Instructor: Student Rabbi Shira Gluck Tuesdays, April 2, 9,16 7:00-8:30 PM Location: TBE
“Judaism is a religion of time aiming at the sanctification of time….there are no two hours alike. Every hour is unique and the only one given at the moment, exclusive and endlessly precious.” (Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, The Sabbath) The medieval Kabbalists understood Shabbat as a highly structured day, in which each segment holds its own sacred purpose. With this framework in mind, these three sessions will examine the ritual aspects of Shabbat as practiced in the home. We will discuss the blessings and songs recited at the Shabbat table, as well as the special, joyous nature of Shabbat meals.
Wine & Cheese Tasting and Matzah Bakery
Sunday, April 7 5:00 PM Location: Unionville Vineyards in Ringoes, NJ $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. Hosted by HJC-H
7th Annual Celebrate Israel Event
Thursday, April 11 Time: 6:30 PM Location: Raritan Valley Country Club, Bridgewater Fee: $50/adults; $18/student includes dinner Honorees and guest speaker to be announced.
JCC Holocaust Memorial and Education Center Open House Sunday, April 14 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM; Program at 1:00 PM (TBA) Location: JCC Bridgewater Display of Art and Poetry by participants in Holocaust Teen/Parent Workshops.
Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses
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Jewish LIFE April CNN Political Commentator and Host of the “State of Resistance” podcast
Sally Kohn - The Opposite of Hate, A Field Guide to
Repairing Our Humanity
Monday, April 15 • 7:00 PM Bridgewater JCC As a progressive commentator on Fox News and CNN, Sally Kohn has made a career out of bridging political differences, learning how to talk civilly to people whose views she disagrees with passionately. She even gave a TED Talk about what she termed emotional correctness. But these days, even Kohn has found herself wanting to breathe fire at her enemies. She decided to look into the ugliness erupting all around us. Join Kohn as she discusses her travels around the world, introducing us to terrorists, white supremacists and even some of her own Twitter trolls. She draws surprising lessons from these dramatic examples, including inspiring stories of those who left hate behind.
$10/Person includes coffee “and”
Mimuna Celebration Sunday, April 28 5:00 PM Bridgewater JCC Great Family Fun!
The Israeli Art Song
Instructor: Cantor Emily Pincus Tuesdays, April 30; May 7, 14 Time: 7:00-8:30 PM Location: TBE Please join Cantor Pincus for a three-part exploration of highlights of the contemporary Israeli musical canon.
More info to come! 22
Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses
Jewish LIFE May Annual Community-Wide Yom Hashoah Observance Wednesday, May 1 7:00 PM Location: TBE- H Free to Community Guest speaker to be announced.
Yom Ha’atzmaut Celebration Community Wid e
Celebration
Sunday, May 5 3:30 - 6:30 PM Bridgewater JCC Free Admission to All Food Available for Purchase. More info to come!
MUSIC • WINE TASTING • ISRAELI DANCING • OUTDOOR GAMES • INFLATABLES FIRE PIT AND PITA MAKING • LOCAL CHOIRS • ISRAELI VENDORS • CRAFT BOOTHS • MITZVAH PROJECT • MINI ZIP LINE • ISRAELI BOOT CAMP
With All My Heart: Prayer - What Does it Mean and How to Make it Personal?
Instructor: Rabbi Eli Kornfeld Tuesdays Begins May 14 7:30 PM Location: CJC-HC Fee: $99 includes textbook Lose yourself and find your true self in a spiritual experience that is both authentic and Jewish. Explore how to make the practice of prayer more personally meaningful. Learn why we pray, how prayer works, and discover the meaning and history behind Judaism’s most important prayers
Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses
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Jewish LIFE June Israeli Day Parade New York City Sunday, June 2
Show your support of Israel!
July 4th Annual Jewish Music Festival & BBQ Sunday, July 14 5:00 PM
Location: Hunterdon Art Museum Terrace in Clinton, NJ Featuring renowned musical talent and Judd’s Memphis Kitchen BBQ truck. Vendors, Arts & Crafts, Face Painting, and more. Hosted by HJC-H
The Jewish LIFE program is made possible in part by a grant from the Jewish Federation of Somerset, Hunterdon & Warren Counties.
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Authors are brought to Jewish LIFE through the Jewish Book Council.
Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses