2023-24 • 5784
To Our Temple Israel Community and Beyond, Our 2023-2024/5784 Joys of Jewish Learning Program looks to be a wonderful year of learning, thoughtprovoking discussion, and connection with the community and our rich Jewish tradition. We invite you to read through the pages of this year’s catalog and hope that you find something that piques your interest during Temple Israel’s milestone year ahead. This year’s Joys of Jewish Learning program celebrates Temple Israel’s 100th Anniversary, as we delve into current Jewish trends and dream about the future of American Jewry and beyond. Through text study, literature, current events, scholars-in-residence and beloved teachers from our own community, cooking, panel discussions, or lectures, we look forward to sharing a memorable year of adult education with all of you. We are blessed to have a congregational community that supports adult learning each year. If you are a long-time supporter of our Joys of Jewish Learning program, I thank you for your ongoing participation, commitment to learning, and financial support. If you are new to our congregation or adult Jewish learning, I welcome you and hope that your Jewish journey is filled with meaning, personal growth, and joy. May your Jewish learning engage your heart, mind, and soul. May your involvement in this community of learners bring you joy and a reminder of our connection to those who have come before us and those who are yet to come. With a love of learning and well wishes on Temple Israel’s 100th Anniversary,
Sharon Amster Brown Director of Education and Congregational Engagement
JOYS OF JEWISH LEARNING
TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 1 September
Shabbat Sukkot Torah Study with Rabbi Bill Cutter
Pages 1-4 October
• Beginning Hebrew • Banned Books Discussion • Sacred Aging with Rabbi Fox • Ethiopian Jewry: Where Things Stand in 2023 • Torah Center Parent Discussions with Rabbi Fox and Cantor Cooper • Caring for our Furry Friends: What’s Happening at the Animal Shelter • Rabbi Leah Hochman, Pilger Scholar-in-Residence
Pages 5-7 November
• Taste of Judaism • Jews in France: Two Thousand Years of History • Take Your Brunch From The Usual to the Unusual • Ukraine and Jews: Past, Present, and Future • Discovering More about the Hebrew Calendar • Gardening Workshop and Jewish Learning
Page 7 December
• Torah Center Parent Discussions with Rabbi Fox and Cantor Cooper
Pages 8-12 January
• Introduction to Judaism • Adult B’nai Mitzvah Class • Intermediate Hebrew • Let’s Talk About Israel • Evening with TV Personality and Cookbook Author Natasha Feldman • Gardening Workshop and Jewish Learning • Torah Center Parent Discussions with Rabbi Fox and Cantor Cooper • Tu B’Shevat Seder • New Musical Trends and Composers: Shabbat Lunch and Learn with Cantor Cooper • Holiday Cooking: New Twists on the Classics • New Jewish Funeral and Burial Practices
Pages 13-14 February
• Hillel at 100: Jewish Trends on College Campuses • Trendy or Tradish Knish? They’re Both Delish! • Pushing Ourselves Beyond: An Evening with Rabbi Jocee Hudson • Movie Screening and Discussion: Kiss the Ground
Page 15 March
• Afternoon Tea and TI Stories • Living with Complexity: The Israel-Diaspora Relationship
Page 16 April
• Easy “Peas-y” Plant-based Cooking • Cantor Jonathan Friedmann, Ph.D., Lapid-Shapiro Scholar-in-Residence
Page 17 May
• Movie Screening and Discussion: As They Made Us • Criminal Justice Reform: A Panel Discussion
Pages 18-19 June
• Torah Study with Joy Ladin, Transgender Poet • Gardening Workshop and Jewish Learning • Tikkun Leil Shavuot: Panel Discussion About Identity
Pages 20-23 Ongoing Programs
• Torah Study • New Testament Study From a Jewish Point of View • Mussar Study Group • Tanakh Study Group • Women’s Book Club
PLEASE RSVP FOR ALL PROGRAMS TO CHARMAINE AT CLW@TILB.ORG
JOYS OF JEWISH LEARNING September - October 2023
SHABBAT SUKKOT TORAH STUDY WITH RABBI BILL CUTTER Saturday, September 30 at 8:45 am During this thought-provoking Torah Study, Rabbi Cutter will be examining Kohelet (Sukkot’s holy text) about “Past and Future” in the poetry of Yehuda Amichai, Israel’s “poet laureate,” and a master of describing hope and despair in the same stanzas. Rabbi William (Bill) Cutter is an old friend of Temple Israel. In addition to inaugurating two of our rabbis when they were young, Rabbi Cutter worked alongside Rabbi Wolli Kaelter, our Rabbi Emeritus of blessed memory, for years. He completed Yale University in 1959, Hebrew Union College in 1965, and UCLA in 1971, where he received his doctorate in Modern Hebrew and Comparative Literature. He has written on Israel reflections in modern literature, educational theory, and the pastoral rabbinate, having founded HUC’s program in clinical pastoral education. He would like to add that Sharon Amster Brown was a favorite student of his at HUC, whose luminous career he has followed with great pride.
BEGINNING HEBREW Wednesdays at 7:00 pm October 4 - December 13 Teacher: Janet Liss, Temple Israel congregant Have you ever wanted to learn the Alef Bet but thought that you just could not do it? It was too hard. You are not good at languages. You do not want to embarrass yourself. Well, now’s the time to put all those false beliefs to bed. This 10-week Beginning Hebrew class is painless and fun and by the 10th week of study, you will be reading Hebrew! We guarantee it. Come join other adults who, just like you, want to read Hebrew too. This is not your father’s or mother’s Hebrew class! Cost: $100, plus the cost of textbook
Janet Liss has been involved at Temple Israel since she was two years old. She began her career teaching at Temple Israel in 1971 as the music specialist and then moved to 2nd grade for 22 years. She loved teaching the 7th grade B’nai Mitzvah class for almost 20 years, as well as the Adult B’nai Mitzvah class and she served as the Director of B’nai Mitzvah studies as well as the Principal of the Torah Center prior to Sharon Amster Brown’s able leadership. In June of 2015, after 44 years, Jan retired as a Torah Center teacher but still enjoys teaching adult Hebrew classes at Temple Israel and Temple Beth David in Westminster. When not teaching, Jan serves Temple Beth Sholom in Tustin as their part time Interim Religious School Director and tutors students privately in Hebrew and Judaic Studies. Jan is also the proud mother of Rabbi Michal Merraro Loving. but the title Jan values most highly is “Bubby” to her three precious grandchildren Xander, Ari, and Connor Loving.
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JOYS OF JEWISH LEARNING October 2023
BANNED BOOKS DISCUSSION Thursday, October 5 at 6:30 pm at Temple Israel’s Sukkah Teacher: Matt Davis, Temple Israel Congregant Judaism places a significant emphasis on books and written texts, considering them crucial sources of knowledge, guidance, and spiritual insight. To coincide with The American Library Association’s Banned Book Week 2023, temple member Matt Davis will lead and facilitate a discussion of All the Rivers by Dorit Rabinyan. This book was selected from the “Jewish Banned Books” list from the Jewish Book Council. The novel is a beautiful and complex tale of an intercultural love story and how the personal becomes political. It shows how the juggernaut of social forces impacts joy and freedom. The program will take place during Sukkot, and we look forward to hosting this event at a time of gratitude and appreciation of the blessings of life. Program limited to first 20 registrants to allow for group discussion. Matt Davis is a member of Temple Israel and a family physician. Matt is a past president of the Board of Directors at the Alpert JCC. He enjoys participating in and leading discussions on art, culture, films, and books.
SACRED AGING WITH RABBI FOX Thursdays at 12:00 pm October 12, November 9, December 14, January 11, February 8, March 14 Every step of life brings with it unique experiences and opportunities. Join us as we explore the new frontier of roles and opportunities that come with sacred aging. We will examine the wisdom that comes with experience and talk together about the questions that make our lives meaningful. Join Rabbi Fox, as we explore Jewish questions and texts that speak to a meaningful spiritual life as we enter our golden years.
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JOYS OF JEWISH LEARNING October 2023
ETHIOPIAN JEWRY: WHERE THINGS STAND IN 2023
In partnership with the Social Justice Multimedia Group Sunday, October 15th at 7:00 pm (via Zoom) Faclitator: Simcha Schwartz, Executive Director, Struggle to Save Ethiopian Jewry
Simcha Schwartz, Executive Director, Struggle to Save Ethiopian Jewry will lead a discussion about both the ongoing efforts to assist the remaining 5,000 to 10,000 Beta Israel Jews in Ethiopia (most of whom have family members in Israel) make Aliya to Israel, as well as challenges they face in both countries. Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85397273692
TORAH CENTER PARENT DISCUSSIONS WITH RABBI FOX AND CANTOR COOPER Sunday, October 22 at 9:45 am with Rabbi Fox Come join Rabbi Fox and Cantor Cooper for coffee and conversation and enjoy this opportunity to connect with the clergy and meet other parents. We’ll discuss current events, explore big Jewish questions, and have a little fun along the way. This opportunity is for current Torah Center parents only.
CARING FOR OUR FURRY FRIENDS: WHAT’S HAPPENING AT THE ANIMAL SHELTER Sunday, October 22 at 1:00 pm Location: Education Center of the P.D. Pitchford Companion Animal Village (7700 E. Spring St., Long Beach) Enter at the south kiosk at Spring St. and El Dorado Park (as if going to the Nature Center); let the staff know that you’re going to the shelter and follow the paw prints to the parking lot. Look for the Education Center sign. As we read about Noah, we are reminded of our responsibilities toward caring for and protecting the animals around us. Join us, as we visit the P.D. Pitchford Companion Animal Village in Long Beach and learn more about the ground-breaking partnership between private rescue, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles (spcaLA) and municipal animal shelter, Long Beach Animal Care Services (LBACS). Speakers from both organizations will discuss the history of each agency, their programs and classes, as well as what is in store for the future. Additionally, you’ll learn some tips for enriching the lives of your own household pets and get to take a tour of this remarkable facility! Please consider bringing new or gently-used blankets and towels, new dog/cat toys, or unopened dog/cat food or treats to donate. LOOKING FORWARD: CURRENT TRENDS AND DREAMS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF JEWISH LIFE IN AMERICA AND BEYOND
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JOYS OF JEWISH LEARNING October 2023
LEAH HOCHMAN
Pilger Scholar-in-Residence Generously sponsored by the Temple Israel Foundation’s Pilger Fund
Friday, October 27 – Sunday, October 29 Friday: 7:00 pm Shabbat Service Looking Forward, Looking Back: Lech Lecha and the First Jews of Long Beach
Saturday: 8:45 am Torah Study Lech Lecha/L’khi Lach: You Want Me To Do What?
7:00 pm Evening Havdalah and Learning Location: Pam and Steve Keiles’ Home
POW! KA-BLAM! HI-YA! Comics, Graphic Novels and Jewish Superheroes for the 21st Century Together, let’s explore the role male and female superheroes have played for American Jews in their attempts—successful and not—to design, create and use powerful personas to explore their complex roles in families, in friendships, and within American society. We will look at secular heroes and observant heroines and find the power in the everyday and extraordinary people who populate our imagination.
Sunday: 9:45 am Morning Class Disruptions and Re-Formations: Making Judaism Out of Chaos We are in the midst of a wildly disruptive period of American Jewish life. What can we learn from earlier Jewish experiences of great ruptures and disruptors as we navigate through the end of the pandemic and uncertain social and political futures?
Dr. Leah Hochman directs the Louchheim School for Judaic studies at the University of Southern California and serves as associate professor of Jewish Thought at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) in Los Angeles. She is the author of The Ugliness of Moses Mendelssohn: Aesthetics, Religion and Morality in the Eighteenth Century (Routledge, 2014), the editor of Tastes of Faith: Jewish Eating in the United States (Purdue University Press, 2017), and the co-editor, with Dr. Michael Marmur, of Scriptions: Jewish Thoughts and Responses to Covid-19 (https://scriptions.huc.edu). Raised in the Seattle area, she earned her undergraduate degree at Pitzer College and both her M.A. and Ph.D. in religion and literature from Boston University. She spent significant time in Berlin writing, researching, and teaching after fellowships at the Moses Mendelssohn Zentrum and the Simon Dubnow Institute. Before joining the HUC-JIR faculty, she held positions at University of Florida and BU.
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JOYS OF JEWISH LEARNING November 2023
A TASTE OF JUDAISM WITH RABBI FOX Wednesdays at 7:00 pm November 1, 8, 15 This class is especially designed for unaffiliated Jews, intermarried couples, those seeking an initial orientation into an adult approach to the study of Judaism, and all those searching for an entry into Jewish life. If you have any questions about this class, please contact Rabbi Fox.
JEWS IN FRANCE: TWO THOUSAND YEARS OF HISTORY Thursdays at 7:00 pm November 2, 9, 30
Teacher: Alain Silverston, Temple Israel Congregant Session 1: Jews in France from 1st Century to The Crusades to the French Revolution (1789), including Rashi and other Medieval thinkers Session 2: From the French Revolution to 1939 and the beginning of World War II, including the emancipation of Jews and the Dreyfus Affair Session 3: From World War II up to contemporary times, including The Holocaust in France, and antisemitism Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83765490814 In Alain’s professional career, he had the opportunity to teach at the ORT School of Paris, at University Paris- Nanterre, at Ecole Nationale des Arts et Metiers, Ecole des Ponts, and more recently (2022-2023) at the Superior School of Real Estate. He has a Master Degree in Economics, from Sorbonne, as well as a Bachelor Degree in Philosophy and Mathematics. He relocated to the United States in 2001, became an American citizen in 2013, and has been a member of Temple Israel since 2005. Alain is the father of three sons, with unfortunately two of them who passed away in recent years, from a rare genetic disease called Fanconi Anemia (www.fanconi.org). His grandmother, Fanny Silverston, born Schoulman, was killed in Auschwitz, meanwhile his father and brothers joined the Free French Army.
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JOYS OF JEWISH LEARNING November 2023
COOKING CLASS: TAKE YOUR BRUNCH FROM THE USUAL TO THE UNUSUAL
In partnership with Temple Israel Sisterhood Sunday, November 5 at 9:45 am
Teachers: Norma Stein and Debbie Feldman, Temple Israel Congregants Looking to spice up your cooking and impress your next guests for brunch? Join us for a fun morning in the kitchen with Norma and Deb and try out some delicious new brunch recipes that are sure to make everyone smile! Cost: $10 / person
UKRAINE AND JEWS: PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE Tuesday, November 7 at 7:00 pm
Teacher: Jeffrey Blutinger, CSULB Professor Join us, as we learn more about the complex relationship between Jews and Ukraine and how it affects the current situation. Jeffrey C. Blutinger is the inaugural holder of the Barbara and Ray Alpert Endowed Chair in Jewish Studies at California State University, Long Beach, where he is also a professor in the history department. He is the author of numerous articles on such varied topics as Holocaust education in Israel, post-Communist Holocaust memorialization, the reception of science in Hebrew-language Enlightenment newspapers, and the origins of the term “orthodox” as a denominational label among Jews. His most recent article explored the writings and influence of a leading contemporary American anti-Jewish, white nationalist academic. He wrote an intellectual biography of the great nineteenth-century Jewish historian Heinrich Graetz and the book manuscript has been submitted to Lexington Press.
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JOYS OF JEWISH LEARNING November / December 2023
DISCOVERING MORE ABOUT THE HEBREW CALENDAR Friday, November 10 at 6:00 pm
Teacher: Ron Artstein, Temple Israel Vice President of Ritual Practices This class is a basic overview of the Hebrew calendar. We will learn the names of the months through song and art, the structure of the calendar, information about holidays and seasons, and some of the history that shaped the calendar into its present form. Ron Artstein grew up in Israel, where he learned from an early age that the importance of a Jewish holiday is determined by the amount of time you get off school. He has spent many moons studying calendars, waxing in knowledge with each new cycle. Ron is eagerly awaiting his 76th birthday (still many, many years away), which will be the first time in his life that his Hebrew and Gregorian birthdays coincide.
GARDENING WORKSHOP AND JEWISH LEARNING Saturday, February 17 at 2:00 pm Location: The Shafton Home Teachers: Rabbi Michal Loving and Bill Shafton, Temple Israel Congregants Join Bill Shafton and Rabbi Michal Loving as we explore “yard-to-table” vegetable gardening, including how to maximize: Plant selection, placement, and timing with the seasons; soil amendment (to transform hard, clay Southern California soil); irrigation strategies for plant health and water conservation; and critter management (including organic ways to address aphids and other pests).
TORAH CENTER PARENT DISCUSSIONS WITH RABBI FOX AND CANTOR COOPER Sunday, December 3 at 9:45 am with Cantor Cooper Sunday, December 17 at 9:45 am with Rabbi Fox Come join Rabbi Fox and Cantor Cooper for coffee and conversation and enjoy this opportunity to connect with the clergy and meet other parents. We’ll discuss current events, explore big Jewish questions, and have a little fun along the way. This opportunity is for current Torah Center parents only.
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JOYS OF JEWISH LEARNING January 2024
INTRODUCTION TO JUDAISM Wednesdays at 7:00 pm Beginning January 10
Teachers: Rabbi Scott Fox and Rabbi Michal Loving We invite you to join with learners of all backgrounds in our Introduction to Judaism course. The course will cover a broad cross-section of topics related to Judaism in a discussion-based format with experts in the field. This class is ideal for anyone looking to explore Judaism for the very first time, seeking conversion, or for folks who would like to fill in pockets of knowledge in a tradition that takes a lifetime to learn. Everyone is welcome. We look forward to your joining us. Cost: $200 plus the cost of textbooks
ADULT B’NAI MITZVAH CLASS Beginning January 10, 2024 Wednesdays from 6:00 - 8:00 pm
Teachers: Cantor Cooper, Rabbi Robin Foonberg, and Rachel Van Raalte Participation in our Adult B’nai Mitzvah Program is an incredible way to strengthen one’s connection to Judaism and the Temple Israel community. We are excited to welcome a new group of adult learners this January who will have become B’nai Mitzvah in Fall 2025. Learners who register for the Temple Israel Adult B’nai Mitzvah course are making a 22-month long commitment to learning. In the first year, we will learn the prayers of the Shabbat morning service, learn key liturgical vocabulary, and discuss the meaning of many of our key prayers. Our Judaica studies will focus on the Jewish lifecycle, Reform observance and history, Torah Study and commentary. Please note that there is a beginning Hebrew prerequisite for this class. Temple Israel will be offering a beginning Hebrew class this fall. If you are considering participating in the Adult B’nai Mitzvah program and have questions about your level of Hebrew reading please contact Sharon Amster Brown. Cost: $500/ year (total $1,000) Rabbi Robin Foonberg began her career in Jewish education in 1994. Since that time, she has accomplished a Master’s Degree in Jewish Education from Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies in Chicago and was ordained from the Academy for Jewish Religion/CA. She has worked at two Reform synagogues as teacher, Assistant Director, and Family Educator and spent seven years as the Judaic Studies Director at Morasha Jewish Day School. For the past twelve years, Robin was the Director of Education at Congregation B’nai Israel, a Conservative synagogue in Orange County, CA. In the last three years, she served as President of the Jewish Educators Assembly and is now the Executive Director.
Rachel Van Raalte has been teaching the 7thgrade B’nai Mitzvah class at Temple Israel for the past eight years and has been a Hebrew and religious studies teacher for the past seventeen years. She is originally from Fullerton, CA, where she studied Judaism hand-on through many years as a student and as the daughter of a Jewish Educator/Rabbi. She loves teaching students of all ages and is excited to work with adults on their journey of becoming B’nai Mitzvah. Rachel and her family are also members of Temple Israel and her three children are Torah Center students.
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JOYS OF JEWISH LEARNING January 2024
INTERMEDIATE HEBREW Wednesdays at 7:00 pm January 10, 17, 31, February 7, 14, 21
Teacher: Janet Liss, Temple Israel Congregant This six-week class is for people who want to learn in a fun and encouraging environment some basic blessings that we use often, as well as a standard prayer recited at every service. Prayers will depend on who enrolls in the class and interest level for specific prayers. We will look at the meaning of the prayers, as well as learn the Hebrew. Cost: $80, including learning materials
LET’S TALK ABOUT ISRAEL Thursdays at 7:00 pm January 11, February 15, March 21, April 25, and May 23 Facilitator: Mark Dressner, Temple Israel Past President
We are very pleased to share a new 10-part Israel educational curriculum, to be facilitated by Mark Dressner, offered by URJ (Union of Reform Judaism) and ARZA (Association of Reform Zionists of America). The curriculum is based on the framework of the “4 Hatikva Questions” – “To Be,” “A People,” “Free,” “In Our Land,” taken from the penultimate line of Israel’s National anthem “Hatikva.” It is a resource to address all of Israel’s complexities in a safe and thorough way, focusing on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Sessions will include: Introduction to the concept, Peoplehood, Democracy, Israeli General Elections, Home-Land, The Kotel, Israeli Judaism, The “O” Word, and Morality of War . Mark Dressner, MD is a family physician who graduated from Tel Aviv University Medical School. He also holds a Masters in Education from USC, working in medical education for fifteen years. He is passionate about Israel and the Jewish people. As of this writing he is on day 1,240 in a row studying Hebrew on duolingo.
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JOYS OF JEWISH LEARNING January 2024
EVENING WITH TV PERSONALITY AND COOKBOOK AUTHOR, NATASHA FELDMAN Thursday, January 18 at 7:00 pm Best selling cookbook author of The Dinner Party Project, Natasha Feldman, will be here talking about ways to remove stress from your Shabbat dinners, holiday meals, or any dinner party for that matter. She will demo/pass out easy to make appetizers and you’ll be heading home with Sour Cream Coffee Cake inspired by her great great grandmother’s recipe. Bring any questions you have and books to be signed for a Q&A after the demo. Books for sale for $30 at Temple Israel.
Natasha “Tash” Feldman is a self described 34-year-old Jewish grandmother. She is a webby-nominated cooking show host, cooking instructor, private chef, recipe developer, and author. She is a frequent guest chef on TV shows such as Home and Family, KTLA and Fox 5 San Diego, and private chef to several prominent clients in L.A. Her first show, Cinema and Spice, was picked up by Yahoo! in 2014 and aired over 70 episodes. Since then, Tash has produced, hosted, and styled over 150 pieces of food content, ranging from prepping fancy meals for wild animals on Super Deluxe to revamping holiday cookie classics for Huffington Post. Most recently, you can watch Tash co-host Snackable’s popular YouTube series Top Down Challenge, host Craving Healthy on Food Network’s Genius Kitchen, and Season 2 of her own digital series Nosh with Tash. She also just released her first cookbook with Harper Collins, The Dinner Party Project.
GARDENING WORKSHOP AND JEWISH LEARNING Saturday, January 20 at 2:00 pm Location: The Lunt Home Teachers: Rabbi Michal Loving and Andrew Lunt, Temple Israel Congregants Proven backyard farmer Andrew Lunt will demonstrate how to harness Long Beach’s Mediterranean climate to grow your own produce in a small-footprint, raised bed garden, for a minimal cost. Southern California’s growing season moments and their alignment with Jewish holidays like Tu B’Shevat will be discussed. Be the magic alchemist of sun, soil, seed, and water and feel the satisfaction of growing what you eat.
TORAH CENTER PARENT DISCUSSIONS WITH RABBI FOX AND CANTOR COOPER Sunday, January 21 at 9:45 am with Cantor Cooper Come join Rabbi Fox and Cantor Cooper for coffee and conversation and enjoy this opportunity to connect with the clergy and meet other parents. We’ll discuss current events, explore big Jewish questions, and have a little fun along the way. This opportunity is for current Torah Center parents only.
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JOYS OF JEWISH LEARNING January 2024
TU B’SHEVAT SEDER
In partnership with the Ritual Practices Committee Wednesday, January 24 at 7:00 pm The holiday of Tu B’Shevat marks the new year or the birthday of the trees. Tu B’Shevat translates as the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shevat; A harbinger of spring, Tu B’Shevat falls during the time that trees in Israel begin to bud. The Tu B’Shevat seder is a beautiful way to celebrate this holiday. Based on the Passover seder, the Tu B’Shevat seder was instituted by the Kabbalists, who connect each segment of the ritual to a different mystical teaching about the body and spirit. During the seder, we will drink four glasses of wine (or juice), read texts about agriculture and vegetation in Israel, sing beautiful songs about nature, and recite special blessings over different groupings of fruits and nuts. Please join us for this unique learning and social opportunity. Cost: $10/person
NEW MUSICAL TRENDS AND COMPOSERS: SHABBAT LUNCH AND LEARN WITH CANTOR COOPER Saturday, January 27 at 11:30 am Jewish music has always been influenced by the music of the surrounding culture. Pop, country, rap, and other styles of music are impacting what modern Jewish composers are writing now. Come discuss and listen to what is new in Jewish music.
COOKING CLASS: HOLIDAY COOKING NEW TWISTS ON THE CLASSICS
In partnership with Temple Israel Sisterhood Sunday, January 28 at 9:45 am Teacher: Amy Lipeles, Temple Israel Congregant Join us for a fun morning in the kitchen with long time cooking teacher Amy Lipeles. Together, we will try out recipes for Mediterranean cauliflower steaks, Israeli couscous and roasted tomatoes, and a new version of an apple cake. Sounds delicious, doesn’t it? See you there! Cost: $10/person
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JOYS OF JEWISH LEARNING January 2024
NEW JEWISH FUNERAL AND BURIAL PRACTICES
in partnership with the Ritual Practices Committee Tuesday, January 30 at 7:00 pm
Join us for a fascinating conversation about contemporary trends in funeral practices, including new liturgy, water cremation, human composting, and green burial. Panel discussion will feature Rabbi Fox Rabbi Jonathan Bernhard (green burial expert), Laura Cassidy (Recompose), and David Perfito (White Rose Aqua Cremation). Rabbi Jonathan Bernhard After 25 years at a wonderful congregation, Rabbi Jonathan Bernhard decided it was time for a change. Jonathan now works as the Executive Director of the Jewish Initiative For Animals, raising awareness about our sacred obligations to the other animals with whom we share this world. He is a past president of the Board of Rabbis of Southern California, the co-founder of the Valley Chevra Kadisha and the vice chair of the Sandra Caplan Community Beit Din. He and his wife Laurie live in the San Fernando Valley and they have three grown sons, two small dogs, and four noisy chickens. Laura Cassidy, Outreach Consultant, Recompose Originally conceived by founder Katrina Spade, human composting was developed by Recompose over years of rigorous research and design. The biological process mimics the Earth’s natural cycles and is similar to what occurs on the forest floor as organic material decomposes and becomes topsoil. Human composting is powered by beneficial microbes that occur naturally on our bodies and in the environment. Laura Sullivan Cassidy is a longtime Seattle journalist and editor turned grief and deathcare worker. After assisting with funerals for a year at Seattle’s largest conventional funeral home and memorial park, she joined Recompose at the end of 2022. Laura is also a coach, a consultant, and an artist; her work and her projects concern personal narratives, storytelling, human connection, and death awareness. David Perfito, Founder, White Rose Aqua Cremation Aqua cremation, also known as water cremation, Aquamation, or alkaline hydrolysis, is an alternative method of final disposition. It is an eco-friendly process that uses a combination of water, gentle agitation, and alkali salts to accelerate the process of what happens naturally as the body breaks down. Aqua cremation is gaining popularity as it offers a greener alternative to traditional flame-based cremation, saving 90% more energy, producing fewer greenhouse gasses and harmful emissions while ensuring a gentle and serene process for your loved one’s remains. David Perfito is committed to serving our families well, and with a deep understanding of compassion, with a viewpoint of respect and honor towards the loved ones who have passed. He has been a part of the Southern California business community culture since 1994. With an entrepreneurial spirit, an operations design and management expertise, and a customer service commitment to satisfaction, David was instrumental in founding and developing California’s first Alkaline Hydrolysis facility for human final disposition. David is a technical school graduate of the U.S. Navy, and a medical equipment industry technician holding many certifications on multiple platforms. David holds license as Crematory Manager, and currently oversees all operations at White Rose Aqua Cremation Inc.
Aqua Cremation
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JOYS OF JEWISH LEARNING February 2024
HILLEL AT 100: JEWISH TRENDS ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES A Wine and Cheese Event
Sunday, February 4, 4:00-6:00 pm Location: Long Beach Hillel House Facilitator: ChayaLeah Sufrin, Cal State Long Beach Hillel Director Join us for an enlightening lecture titled “Exploring Identity: Navigating Jewish Life on Campus.” Delving into the dynamic and diverse experiences of Jewish students, this lecture offers a profound exploration of how young adults navigate their Jewish identities in the college environment. From celebrating traditions and religious observances to embracing cultural heritage and fostering connections with peers, to standing up to anti semitism, we will delve into the intricate tapestry of Jewish life on campuses. As we address the challenges of balancing academic pursuits with preserving cultural roots, we aim to inspire meaningful conversations about building a strong Jewish identity while engaging with the broader campus community. Through personal anecdotes, thoughtful reflections, and expert insights, this lecture aims to inform the community of the work Beach Hillel is doing locally and what is happening nationally as students try to navigate their journey of self-discovery and thrive as proud members of the vibrant Jewish community on college campuses.
COOKING CLASS: TRENDY OR TRADISH KNISH? THEY’RE BOTH DELISH!
In partnership with Temple Israel Sisterhood Thursday, February 22 at 7:00 pm
Teachers: Eve Lunt and Levi Lunt, Temple Israel Congregants Mother and Son duo Eve and Levi Lunt will take on the beloved Jewish dumpling in both classic and TikTok styles. Eve will teach you the absolute easiest way to make a yummy potato knish and then her son Levi will take her traditional filling, add some spice and create knishentaschen, a savory cross between a knish and hamantaschen with a nod to international flavors. Come hungry and ready to roll (a knish that is!) Cost $10/person
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JOYS OF JEWISH LEARNING February 2024
PUSHING OURSELVES BEYOND: AN EVENING WITH RABBI JOCEE HUDSON In partnership with the Social Action Committee Refugee Shabbat, Friday, February 23 at 7:00 pm Jocee Hudson is a Rabbi, Spiritual Director, and Teacher. In July 2021, she joined LA Voice, a multi-racial, multi-faith community organization that awakens people to their own power, as their Clergy and Formation Lead. Rabbi Hudson attended Brandeis University. She received rabbinic ordination and a Masters in Jewish Education from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, the seminary where she now serves as a visiting professor in Rabbinic Practice. For 12 years prior to joining LA Voice, Jocee was a rabbi at Temple Israel of Hollywood. Jocee and her partner Rook live in Los Feliz and are the proud parents of Sela, Max, and Solomon, ages 8, 6, and 6, who fill their lives with so much love.
MOVIE SCREENING AND DISCUSSION: KISS THE GROUND
In partnership with the Social Action Committee Sunday, February 25 at 2:00 pm
Discussion Facilitator: Dori Chandler, Policy Advocate and Temple Israel Climate Justice Committee Member Narrated by and featuring Woody Harrelson, Kiss the Ground is an inspiring and groundbreaking film that reveals the first viable solution to our climate crisis. Kiss the Ground reveals that, by regenerating the world’s soils, we can completely and rapidly stabilize Earth’s climate, restore lost ecosystems and create abundant food supplies. Using compelling graphics and visuals, along with striking NASA and NOAA footage, the film artfully illustrates how, by drawing down atmospheric carbon, soil is the missing piece of the climate puzzle. This movie is positioned to catalyze a movement to accomplish the impossible – to solve humanity’s greatest challenge, to balance the climate and secure our species’ future.
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JOYS OF JEWISH LEARNING March 2024
AFTERNOON TEA AND TI STORIES In partnership with The Next 100 Years Campaign Committee Sunday, March 3 at 2:00 pm Join us for an afternoon of hot tea, scones, and memories about our home away from home here at Third and Loma. Together, we will recall some of the highlights of the past 100 years and the many blessings and stories along the way.
LIVING WITH COMPLEXITY: THE ISRAEL-DIASPORA RELATIONSHIP WITH STEVEN WINDMUELER, PH.D. Thursday, March 7 at 7:00 pm Seventy-five years into this experiment, the Jewish State is experiencing the cultural, demographic, and political dynamics associated with nation-building. What do these “Jewish Wars” mean for American Jewry and Israelis? What do we need to understand beyond the headlines? How can we move beyond this moment? Dr. Steven Windmueller is an Emeritus Professor of Jewish Communal Studies at the Jack H. Skirball Campus of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles. Prior to coming to HUC, Dr. Windmueller had served on the staff of the American Jewish Committee (1969-1972), directed the Albany (NY) Jewish Federation (1973-1985), and the JCRC (Jewish Community Relations Committee) of the Los Angeles Jewish Federation (1985-1995). During his tenure at the College, Dr. Windmueller served for ten years as the Director of its School of Jewish Nonprofit Management and in 2005 was named to the deanship of the LA campus (2006-2010). In 2009, he was named to an endowed chair and in 2014 was awarded an honorary doctorate by Hebrew Union College. The author of four books and numerous articles, Professor Windmueller holds a Ph.D. in International Relations from the University of Pennsylvania. His research has been primarily focused on Jewish communal trends, anti-Semitism, and Jewish political behavior. His articles have appeared in a number of secular and Jewish publications. Currently, Dr. Windmueller is consulting with national agencies, federations, synagogues, and foundations in connection with his current studies on virtual and privatized Judaism, the impact of COVID, and the broader social, economic and political trends reshaping American Jewish life.
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JOYS OF JEWISH LEARNING April 2024
COOKING CLASS: EASY “PEAS-Y” PLANT-BASED COOKING In partnership with Temple Israel Sisterhood Tuesday, April 16 at 7:00pm
Teacher: Martine Korach, Temple Israel Joys of Jewish Learning Committee Chair Ever thought about eating more plant-based (aka vegan or vegetarian) foods, but were worried about the time it takes? Want to reduce meat and dairy consumption while also getting food on the table quickly and easily? Don’t want to have to order online or go to a specialty store? Not sure if you’ll like plant-based options? Join us for some quick plantbased recipes that include pantry staples -- all from ingredients found in your average supermarket. Cost $10/person
CANTOR JONATHAN FRIEDMANN, PH.D. Lapid-Shapiro Scholar-in-Residence History of Temple Israel Book Release
Generously sponsored by the Temple Israel Foundation’s Lapid Shapiro Fund
Friday, April 26 - Sunday, April 28 Friday Night: A Temple is Born: Jewish Long Beach in 1923
Explore the events and personalities behind the founding of Temple Israel in 1923.
Saturday Morning: Torah Study: Chol Ha-mo’ed Pesach: Exodus 33:12–34:26 “Lead this people forward:” Long Beach as a Promised Land The Torah’s concept of the Promised Land has motivated Jewish migrants and communities to settle in disparate lands, including Long Beach.
Sunday Morning Book Talk: Centennial by the Sea: 100 Years of Temple Israel, Long Beach Centennial by the Sea is a decade-by-decade history of the first hundred years of Temple Israel, Long Beach (1923–2023). Cantor Jonathan L. Friedmann, Ph.D., is professor of Jewish music history and academic dean of the Master of Jewish Studies Program and Rabbinical School at the Academy for Jewish Religion California. He is also director of the Jewish Museum of the American West, president of the Western States Jewish History Association, editor of the association’s journal, Western States Jewish History, community leader of Adat Chaverim – Congregation for Humanistic Judaism, Los Angeles, and co-host of Amusing Jews, a podcast/YouTube show celebrating Jewish contributors and contributions to American popular culture. Jonathan is the author or editor of thirty books and dozens of articles on topics including Jewish music history, biblical criticism, musicology, sociology of religion, religion and popular culture, contemporary Judaism, and the history of Jews in the American West. His recent books include Jewish Los Angeles (2020), Songs of Sonderling: Commissioning Jewish Émigré Composers in Los Angeles, 1938–1945 (2021), Goliath as Gentle Giant: Sympathetic Portrayals in Popular Culture (2022), and Jewish Historical Societies: Navigating the Professional–Amateur Divide (2023). LOOKING FORWARD: CURRENT TRENDS AND DREAMS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF JEWISH LIFE IN AMERICA AND BEYOND
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JOYS OF JEWISH LEARNING May 2024
MOVIE SCREENING AND DISCUSSION: AS THEY MADE US
In observance of Mental Health Awareness Month Thursday, May 2 at 7:00 pm
Facilitator: Amy Lipeles, Temple Israel congregant A film written and directed by Mayim Bialik, As They Made Us follows Abigail, a divorced mother of two, who is struggling to balance the dynamic forces within her dysfunctional family as she attempts to cultivate new love. Her father Eugene (played by Dustin Hoffman) has a degenerative condition that he and his wife Barbara (played by Candice Bergen) refuse to accept, and her brother Nathan has been estranged from the family for decades. A self-appointed fixer, Abigail attempts to mend her complicated family’s dysfunction before it’s too late.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM:
A Panel Discussion featuring Judge Dan Lowenthal and Doctoral Student Taryn Williams Thursday, May 16 at 7:00 pm
Moderator: Adolfo Guzman-Lopez, Southern California Public Radio reporter and Temple Israel congregant The Religious Action Center of the Reform Movement teaches that it is the obligation of the government to ensure that no one is unjustly accused, convicted, or punished. There is growing evidence that race and poverty play a role in determining who gets arrested, who gets a fair trial, and how those convicted are sentenced. The Torah commands “Tzedek, tzedek tirdof,” or “Justice, justice you shall pursue’’ (Deuteronomy 16:20). The sages explained that the word “tzedek” is repeated not only for emphasis but also to teach us that we must be just in our pursuit of justice, that our means must be as just as our ends. Join us for an important and fascinating conversation about Criminal Justice Reform from the perspective of fighters for social justice Judge Lowenthal and Taryn Williams. Dan Lowenthal studied Black Studies at U.C. Santa Cruz, psychology at U.C. Santa Barbara, and law at Cornell University. He has served as a Superior Court Judge since January 2007 and currently presides over a felony courtroom at the Long Beach Courthouse. Prior to joining the bench, Dan was intricately involved in community, political and volunteer activities—mostly those that supported the most vulnerable and disenfranchised. Since joining the bench, Dan has been active in writing criminal justice reform legislation. He has authored multiple bills that have conferred judges with the discretion to grant diversion to low-level offenders and to resentence prisoners who no longer pose a threat to public safety. He is frequently asked to testify as an expert on criminal justice reform by the California State Legislature. He was named Judge of the Year in 2023 by the Los Angeles County Criminal Courts Bar Association. Taryn Williams is a Long Beach native and mother of eightyear-old twins. As a child, she experienced homelessness, was in and out of foster care, and suffered the loss of her mother at age 12. Despite the odds against her, Taryn always had her mind set on higher education. In 2005, she managed to enroll at Long Beach City College but continued to grapple with the reality of her circumstances. After a decade of homelessness, drug addiction, and incarceration, Taryn re-enrolled in college and then transfered to Cal State Long Beach. In 2018, she became the first President’s Scholar to transfer from a community college. In 2020, Taryn graduated Magna Cum Laude. Showing a propensity for academics and service work, she was named the College of Business Outstanding Graduate and ASI’s “Woman of the Year.” Now, she is a second-year doctoral student in the Organization and Management department at UC Irvine.
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JOYS OF JEWISH LEARNING June 2024
TORAH STUDY WITH JOY LADIN, TRANSGENDER POET Saturday, June 8 at 8:45 am In this study session, we will study Bamidbar from a trans perspective - reading it in terms of the ideas about what we now call gender that it reflects, both so that we can compare those ideas to our own, and so that can think about the position of those who don’t fit prevailing ideas of gender, then and now. Joy Ladin is the author of a memoir of gender transition, National Jewish Book Award finalist, Through the Door of Life; Lambda Literary and Triangle Award finalist, The Soul of the Stranger: Reading God and Torah from a Transgender Perspective; and ten books of poetry, including her new collection, Shekhinah Speaks, National Jewish Book Award winner. Two new books – Family, a poetry collection, and Once Out of Nature, a collection of essays on the transformation of gender, are forthcoming in 2024. Ladin’s work has been recognized with a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship, a Fulbright Scholarship, an American Council of Learned Societies Research Fellowship, and a Hadassah Brandeis Institute Research Fellowship, among other honors. Her writing is available at joyladin.com, and episodes of her online conversation series, “Containing Multitudes,” are available at JewishLive.org/multitudes.
GARDENING WORKSHOP AND JEWISH LEARNING Saturday, June 1 at 2:00 pm Location: The Liu Home Teachers: Kara Liu, Amy Rosenberg, Temple Israel Congregants Rabbi Michal Loving Kara Liu, our Temple Israel Youth Director, welcomes you to her urban farm organic garden. Come enjoy seasonal fruits and vegetables as we tour the garden. Feel free to ask questions about the many fruit tree varieties, learn about home garden recipes, and Kara’s favorite, compost. Special guests: Amy Rosenberg and her composting worms!
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JOYS OF JEWISH LEARNING June 2024
TIKKUN LEIL SHAVUOT: PANEL DISCUSSION ABOUT IDENTITY Tuesday, June 11 at 8:00 pm
Panelists: Rabbi Fox, Michael Morgan (The Center), Sheri Sinaga (Temple Israel Congregant), and others TBA The moment of receiving the Torah at Mount Sinai was a moment so powerful that its echo reverberated down the generations to the present day. To ritualize this moment the 16th century Kabbalists of Safed created an evening of all-night study (Tikkun Leil Shavuot), which concluded with a service at the break of dawn. Tikkun Leil Shavuot celebrates a moment of truth and wonder which remains eternally alluring. Join us, as we embrace this tradition of study, celebration, and wonder. This year’s Shavuot learning will focus on a conversation about Jewish identity and how it impacts the other identities we hold dear. The evening will begin with a panel discussion about the intersection of LGBTQ+ and Jewish identities, in partnership with The Center.
TEMPLE ISRAEL LONG
BEACH
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JOYS OF JEWISH LEARNING Ongoing Programs
TORAH STUDY Saturdays at 8:45 am (In person and via Zoom) Facilitator: Rabbi Scott Fox
Each time we study Torah, we find something new in its verses…and in ourselves. Join Rabbi Fox in our engaging Torah study. Each week, an enthusiastic group examines the parashat hashavuah (weekly Torah portion) and discusses its meaning and relevance using traditional commentaries, personal reflection, and lively debate. This Torah study is for everyone - no previous background or knowledge of Hebrew is required! Come one time - or every week! Join us, as we discover and re-discover the timeless teachings in our Torah and see what the “Torah study buzz” is all about! Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/163280737
NEW TESTAMENT STUDY FROM A JEWISH POINT OF VIEW Mondays at 9:45 am (Zoom only)
Facilitators: Jo Ann Schneider Farris and Dan Farris, Temple Israel Congregants Jews and Christians read the same stories differently. Explore and discuss the New Testament from a Jewish perspective and learn more about the Jewish roots of Christianity. Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82285979629
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JOYS OF JEWISH LEARNING Onging Programs
MUSSAR STUDY GROUP Every Other Wednesday at 9:45 am (Zoom only) Facilitator: Trish Goldin, Temple Israel congregant
Mussar is a system of introspective practices that can help you identify and break through the obstacles to your inherent holiness, using methods that are easy to integrate into daily life. The program laid out in the book Everyday Holiness: The Jewish Spiritual Path of Mussar by Alan Morinis focuses on 26 traits (middot) - such as loving-kindness, strength, generosity, compassion, honor, and equanimity - each of which takes center stage for a week of contemplation and exercises, in order to develop and refine that quality in yourself. Our study group meets every other Wednesday morning to work on one or more Mussar soul traits. Come join us! Zoom Link: https://www.rabbishefagold.com/love-and-truth/
TANAKH STUDY GROUP Thursdays at 10:15 am (In Person and via Zoom) Facilitator: Martine Korach, Temple Israel congregant
Have you ever wondered about the biblical-era writings that didn’t “make the cut” into Biblical Canon? Well, wonder no more! The Thursday Tanakh group will be diving in and studying these fascinating materials, known as the Apocrypha, that were not included in the Tanakh. Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86029516690
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JOYS OF JEWISH LEARNING Women’s Book Club
WOMEN’S BOOK CLUB Wednesdays at 7:00 pm (Zoom Only)
We have selected an exciting array of books for the 2023-2024 season. Read with us for a taste of many forms of Jewish literature whether you can attend one or all of our meetings. Temple Israel women and their guests are encouraged to join our spirited discussions, led by member facilitators. For more information, contact Donna Mitnick at (714) 287-4069 or donna.mitnick@gmail.com. Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87285748108
Shanda by Letty Cottin Progrebin September 13
In her deeply engaging, astonishingly candid memoir, author and activist Letty Cottin Pogrebin exposes the fiercely guarded lies and intricate cover-ups woven by dozens of members of her extended family. Beginning with her own long-suppressed secret, the story spirals through the hidden lives of her parents and relatives—revealing the truth about their origins, personal traumas, marital misery, abandoned children, religious transgressions, sexual identity, radical politics, and supposedly embarrassing illnesses. While unmasking their charades and disguises, Pogrebin also showcases her family’s remarkable talent for reinvention in a narrative that is, by turns, touching, searing, and surprisingly universal.
My Mother’s Secret by Alina Admas November 8
As her revolutionary neighbor mysteriously disappears during Josef Stalin’s Great Terror purges, 18-year-old Regina suspects that she’s the Kremlin’s next target. Under cover of the night, she flees from her parents’ communal apartment in 1930s Moscow to the 20th century’s first Jewish state, Birobidzhan, on the border between Russia and China. Once there, Regina has to grapple with her preconceived notions of socialism and Judaism while asking herself the eternal question: What do we owe each other? How can we best help one another? While she contends with these queries and struggles to help Birobidzhan establish itself, love and war are on the horizon.
The Lazarus Project by Aleksandar Hemon January 10
On March 2, 1908, nineteen-year-old Lazarus Averbuch, an Eastern European Jewish immigrant, was shot to death on the doorstep of the Chicago chief of police and cast as a would-be anarchist assassin. A century later, a young Eastern European writer in Chicago named Brik becomes obsessed with Lazarus’s story. Brik enlists his friend Rora - a war photographer from Sarajevo - to join him in retracing Averbuch’s path. Through a history of pogroms and poverty, and a prism of a present-day landscape of cheap mafiosi and even cheaper prostitutes, the stories of Averbuch and Brik become inextricably intertwined, creating a truly original, provocative, and entertaining novel that confirms Aleksandar Hemon, often compared to Vladimir Nabokov, as one of the most dynamic and essential literary voices of our time. LOOKING FORWARD: CURRENT TRENDS AND DREAMS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF JEWISH LIFE IN AMERICA AND BEYOND
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JOYS OF JEWISH LEARNING Women’s Book Club
The Guarded Gate by Daniel Okrent March 13
A forgotten, dark chapter of American history with implications for the current day, The Guarded Gate tells the story of the scientists who argued that certain nationalities were inherently inferior, providing the intellectual justification for the harshest immigration law in American history. Brandished by the upper class Bostonians and New Yorkers—many of them progressives—who led the anti-immigration movement, the eugenic arguments helped keep hundreds of thousands of Jews, Italians, and other unwanted groups out of the US for more than 40 years. A work of history relevant for today, The Guarded Gate is an important, insightful tale that painstakingly connects the American eugenicists to the rise of Nazism, and shows how their beliefs found fertile soil in the minds of citizens and leaders both here and abroad.
All Other Nights by Dara Horn May 8
How is tonight different from all other nights? For Jacob Rappaport, a Jewish soldier in the Union army during the Civil War, it is a question his commanders have already answered for him. Based on real personalities such as Judah Benjamin, the Confederacy’s Jewish secretary of state and spymaster, and on historical facts and events ranging from an African American spy network to the dramatic self-destruction of the city of Richmond, All Other Nights is a gripping and suspenseful story of men and women driven to the extreme limits of loyalty and betrayal. It is also a brilliant parable of the rift in America that lingers a century and a half later: between those who value family and tradition first, and those dedicated, at any cost, to social and racial justice for all.
Khirbet Khizeh by S. Yizkar July 10
It’s 1948 and the Arab villagers of Khirbet Khizeh are about to be violently expelled from their homes. A young Israeli soldier who is on duty that day finds himself battling on two fronts: with the villagers and, ultimately, with his own conscience. Published just months after the founding of the state of Israel and the end of the 1948 war, the novella Khirbet Khizeh was an immediate sensation when it first appeared. Since then, the book has continued to challenge and disturb, even finding its way onto the school curriculum in Israel. The various debates it has prompted would themselves make Khirbet Khizeh worth reading, but the novella is much more than a vital historical document: it is also a great work of art. Yizhar’s haunting, lyrical style and charged view of the landscape are in many ways as startling as his wrenchingly honest view of modern Israel’s primal scene. LOOKING FORWARD: CURRENT TRENDS AND DREAMS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF JEWISH LIFE IN AMERICA AND BEYOND
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JOYS OF JEWISH LEARNING
HISTORY OF TEMPLE ISRAEL BOOK RELEASE Join us as we welome
CANTOR JONATHAN FRIEDMANN, PH.D. Lapid-Shapiro Scholar-in-Residence
Friday, April 26 - Sunday, April 28 Friday Night: A Temple is Born: Jewish Long Beach in 1923 Explore the events and personalities behind the founding of Temple Israel in 1923.
Saturday Morning: Torah Study: Chol Ha-mo’ed Pesach: Exodus 33:12–34:26 “Lead this people forward:” Long Beach as a Promised Land
The Torah’s concept of the Promised Land has motivated Jewish migrants and communities to settle in disparate lands, including Long Beach.
Sunday Morning Book Talk: Centennial by the Sea: 100 Years of Temple Israel, Long Beach
Centennial by the Sea is a decade-by-decade history of the first hundred years of Temple Israel, Long Beach (1923–2023).
Generously sponsored by the Temple Israel Foundation’s Lapid Shapiro Fund LOOKING FORWARD: CURRENT TRENDS AND DREAMS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF JEWISH LIFE IN AMERICA AND BEYOND
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BECOME A PATRON OF OUR JOYS OF JEWISH LEARNING PROGRAM Temple Israel’s Joys of Jewish Learning Program is self-sustaining, seeking to bring top quality teachers, speakers, and programs to Temple Israel. We therefore invite you to please consider becoming a Joys of Jewish Learning Patron of our ongoing tradition. With your generous support, we will be able to continue to offer our many unique programs and grow our adult education program for many years to come. After reading through this Joys of Jewish Learning catalog, we hope you will see the value in supporting adult education at Temple Israel. Gifts and sponsorships for any particular event are also gladly accepted, as are contributions to our various adult education special funds. For more information, please contact our Director of Education and Congregational Engagement, Sharon Amster Brown.
With special thanks to our Joys of Jewish Learning Committee Martine Korach Chairperson Karen Ben-Shmuel VP of Education Sharon Amster Brown Director of Education and Congregational Engagement Jay Alhadeff Tila Carrol Kim DeCelles Karen Fried Bill Giser Elyse Gordon Bobbi Horowitz Joseph Ott
TEMPLE ISRAEL LONG
BEACH
269 Loma Ave • Long Beach CA 90803 562.434.0996 • www.tilb.org Thank you to Temple Israel’s graphic designer, Michelle Techau, for her beautiful work on this catalog.
Susan Philips Heather Raphael Alain Silverston Natalie Swit We are always looking for new ideas and creative perspectives on our Joys of Jewish Learning program at Temple Israel. If you’re interested in getting involved, please feel free to contact us at any point during the year.