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fall Symposium features Jews and Gender
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LeoNarD GreeNSpooN Klutznick Chair in Jewish Civilization, Creighton University he Thirty-Second Annual Symposium on Jewish Civilization— Jews and Gender: Tradition and Change— takes place this year on Sunday, Oct 27, and Monday, Oct. 28. Our keynote presenter, Dr. Gail S. Labovitz, Professor of Rabbinic Literature at American Jewish University in Los Angeles, is uniquely qualified to speak on this topic. She is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 27, at 7:30 p.m. in the Theater of the Jewish Community Center of Omaha Staenberg Kooper Fellman Campus. Like all Symposium events, this is free and open to the public. Dr. Labovitz earned her Ph.D. at the Jewish Theological Seminary of
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Dr. Gail S. Labovitz
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Gabby bLair Staff Writer, Jewish Press Please save the date for the Omaha Community Beit Midrash Opening Celebration and Panel Discussion on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 7:30-8:30 p.m. at the JCC featuring Rabbis Abraham, Dembitzer, Katzman and Stoller. Join the JFO and our community’s clergy for in-depth study using traditional texts to uncover insights on contemporary issues and values. This exciting new weekly Beit Midrash (house of study) will give all of Jewish Omaha the opportunity to engage in spirited and challenging study on a variety of timely and thought-provoking topics. Beit Midrash classes will rotate among local synagogues and are
open to adults of all congregations, affiliations and backgrounds. Quarterly panel discussions will take place at the Staenberg Kooper Fellman JCC Campus in Omaha. Drop in for
one session, or become a regular attendee – everyone is welcome! All future Beit Midrash classes will take place Wednesday evenings from 7:30-8:30 p.m., through May 2020. Community members are welcome and encouraged to drop in to the regular weekly sessions. While not required, RSVPs for the Community Panels at the JCC are requested (Oct. 23, Dec. 4, March 4, May 6). For more information about the Omaha Community Beit Midrash or to register for community panels, please contact Mark Kirchhoff 402.334.6463 or mkirchhoff@jewish omaha.org. See beit Midrash page 2 for schedule
America (JTS) in New York City, from which she also received an M.A. and rabbinic ordination. Her undergraduate degree is from New York University. Commenting on this, Labovitz quipped that she “mostly still considers myself a New Yorker living in exile. Let’s go, Mets!” After receiving her doctorate from JTS, Labovitz initially stayed in the Northeast, where she was coordinator of the Jewish Feminist Research Group at the Seminary and senior research analyst for the Feminist Sexual Ethics Project at Brandeis University. Her subsequent research and publications have fruitfully combined her teaching and research interests in rabbinic literature; Judaism in Late Antiquity; feminist gender theory; and Jewish law, legal texts, and legal theory. See Jews and Gender page 2
Mark kirchhoff Community Engagement and Education While we are awaiting the renovations on our own JCC Theater, the 18th Annual Omaha Jewish Film Festival moves into local theaters this year. The alluring smell of freshly-popped popcorn will be wafting in the lobbies. In some cases, recliner seats will enhance the comfort of your viewing experience, and the film projections will be state of the art. The festival opens with the showing of Shoelaces on Monday, Nov. 4, 7 p.m. at the Aksarben Cinema, 2110 S 67th St. Advanced tickets will be available online through the Aksarben ticket office (www.aksarbencinema.com) beginning oct. 21 at the festival price of $8 per ticket. We anticipate a large turnout, so you are encouraged to obtain tickets early. Shoelaces tells the story of a complicated relationship between an aging father, Ruven, and his special-needs son,
Gadi. Bewildered in how to relate with his son, Ruven abandoned his wife and Gadi while Gadi was still a young boy. With the death of Gadi’s mother, father and son are uncomfortably back together again. As their relationship develops, Ruven learns that his kidneys are failing and Gadi wants to donate one of his own to help save his father’s life. As if life were not challenging enough for him, Gadi learns that he is facing more than one obstacle in making the donation. The story unfolds with warmth and compassion. Audiences embrace Gadi from the moment he appears on screen. The father/son relationship that unfolds gives pause for all to learn something about themselves. This year’s film selection committee members are (alphabetical order), Helen and Tuffy Epstein, Jordana Glazer, David Golbitz, Dora Goldstrom, Margie Gutnik, See Jewish film festival page 3