Issuu

THE BEIT MIDRASH LAY-LED TORAH STUDY with Jen Weber and Lisa Gross Sundays, 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. on Oct 26, Dec 10, Feb 4, May 6. No Cost. Feel a little uncomfortable when everyone assumes you know the story in this week’s parsha? Could it be that you love reading Torah, but don’t have opportunities to discuss your questions and ideas with peers? Here is an excellent excuse for you to skip errands, exercise, and work during religious school. Join Temple Israel members, Jen Weber and Lisa Gross. for coffee, snacks, and a relaxed and interesting look at the stories the kids are learning. People with all levels of knowledge, from absolute neophytes to those who could teach a bible study class, are encouraged to attend.

MINDFULNESS AND MOVEMENT

Learning experiences cultivated and facilitated by Temple Israel members.

TILLI: TEMPLE ISRAEL’S LIFELONG LEARNING INITIATIVE, A THURSDAY STUDY PROGRAM FOR ADULTS AT TI Thursdays, 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., on Oct 19, 26, Nov 2, 9, 16, 30 Fall Semester Cost: $50 (members); $100 (non-members) Register at www.tisrael.org/tiIli-peer-led-learning Registration Deadline Sept 14 TILLI - Temple Israel Lifelong Learning Initiative - is Temple Israel’s signature program for active and curious adults who attend peer-led study groups on a wide array of Jewish, cultural, and social policy-themed topics. 5778/2017-2018 marks the 10th anniversary of this unique, synagogue based, community accessible place for interesting and stimulating classes in a friendly and sociable setting.

with Susan Sachs, LICSW & TI member Tuesdays, 12:30-1:30 p.m., beginning Sept 12 Cost: $80 for an Eight-Week Session/$12 per Drop-In

TILLI is one aspect of Temple Israel’s outstanding educational opportunities. Unlike the other programs, which are mostly held in the evenings, TILLI is a daytime program that always meets on Thursdays.

Research has shown that stress, tension, and anxiety are lessened by using mindfulness techniques and body awareness. This is a weekly 45-minute class to improve well-being in both mind and body by practicing mindfulness meditation. The class will focus on breathing awareness, meditation techniques, and body relaxation.

Managed by a volunteer Core Committee with clergy liaison and staff support, the courses are offered in fall and spring six-week semesters. A three-session monthly forum series takes place during the winter months. During the year, one-day field trips take participants to four or five cultural or historical attractions in Metro-Boston and beyond.

TILLI’S FALL SEMESTER STUDY GROUPS:

TILLI feeds the body as well as the mind with a Lunch and Learn hour featuring expert speakers from Temple Israel and community organizations. The day starts with a coffee hour at 10:30 a.m. and ends at 3:30 p.m.

The TILLI description continues in the next column. MORNING STUDY GROUPS, 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Hamilton: A Revolutionary Musical, with Judy Berkowitz Lessons on Life’s Final Journey, with Rabbi Herman Blumberg Justice and the Jewish Tradition, with Rabbi Serena Fujita Africa Then, Africa Now, with Brooks Goddard Black Voices, Black Reality, with Helen Kolsky AFTERNOON STUDY GROUPS, 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Issues in International Politics, with Ted Greenwood The Gene, with Barbara Smith Koff Meditation, with Susan Sachs Poetry of the Hebrew Bible, with Zvi A. Sesling The Reconstruction Period and Its Legacy, with Joanne Tuck The Conversation on Aging, with Rhoada Wald Wagner, with Stephen Weiner

The Fall 2017 semester starts October 19th and 12 study groups are being offered - they are listed at the bottom of the previous column. An illustrated brochure with the entire schedule, photos and bios of the study group leaders, and complete registration details is available by mail, online (URL below), or as an email attachment. The registration deadline is September 14th. Please contact Sue Misselbeck at susanm@tisrael.org or 617566-3960 with any questions. www.tisrael.org/tiIli-peer-led-learning

Temple Israel of Boston | 477 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02215 | www.tisrael.org | 617-566-3960

Center for Adult Jewish Learning Fall 5778/2017

Welcome! Dear Friends, Following a successful and exciting launch of The Center for Adult Jewish Learning (CAJL) at Temple Israel last year, we are thrilled to present this brochure of offerings for the fall of 5778/2017. Our spring 5778/2018 brochure will be published this winter. Once again, we are proud to bring meaningful programming to the Temple Israel community in a variety of settings - introductory courses (The Open Door); small group learning with local scholars (The Classroom); large events and lectures (The Town Hall); and congregant-led learning (The Beit Midrash). Through the CAJL this fall, we will join together to study many of the most important topics of our time. Our theme for weeknights in The Classroom is “Judaism in America” - a concept of immediate relevance. Together, we will explore and discover the history, theology, art and culture of Jews in America. Following a different but no less timely theme, our Town Hall endowed lectures will focus on “Science and Religion.” To kick off our theme, in October, our Burstein Scholar in Residence weekend will help us dedicate ourselves to the condidion of our natural world. In addition, the month of November will offer several opportunities to engage our relationship with the State of Israel. We are proud to continue strategic partnerships with Jewish organizations such as Hebrew College, The Jewish Arts Collaborative, Israeli Stage, and more, which allow us to highlight the best of Jewish Boston within our gates and create opportunities for all to deepen their connection to Judaism, enhance personal knowledge, and encourage spiritual and intellectual growth. All courses, presentations and programs are open to the greater Boston community. We look forward to Learning with you! Kol tov, all the best,

Rabbi Suzie Jacobson Mike Fishbein, Assistant Director for Education and Coordinator of CAJL

THE TOWN HALL

CONTENTS

THE OPEN DOOR Introductory courses and content such as intro to Judaism and basic Hebrew classes in collaboration

BURSTEIN SCHOLAR IN RESIDENCE WEEKEND: THE ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS — OUR SPIRITUAL RESPONSIBILITY

In collaboration with AIPAC New England Saturday, November 12, 4:00 p.m. Register at AIPAC.org/TIBoston (no cost)

November 17 - 19, 2017 No Cost

Appointed by President Barack Obama, Daniel Shapiro served as the United States Ambassador to Israel from July 2011 until the end of the Obama Administration. Shapiro won praise from leaders of both countries for his deft management of the U.S.Israel relationship. Among Shapiro’s major contributions were negotiating the $38 billion Memorandum of Understanding for U.S. military aid to Israel, unprecedented public outreach in fluent Hebrew in Israel’s diverse communities, and 40 percent growth in U.S.-Israel trade. Shapiro’s time as Ambassador followed a diverse career of over 20 years in senior foreign policy and national security positions in the US government, including as the Senior Director of the Middle East and North Africa at the National Security Council. Currently, Shapiro is the Distinguished Visiting Fellow at Tel Aviv University’s Institute of National Security Studies.

Every time Jews pray in community, we say Aleinu – It’s encumbant upon us to continue the work of creation. For centuries human industry has disregarded the environment we are spiritually tasked to “till and tend.” Now, we find ourselves in a critical moment, when our practical activities need to align with our deepest values in order to protect and preserve the world we have inherited. Join us November 17-19, 2017 as we learn about the crisis, consider important solutions and wrestle with our responsibility. Friday, November 17th, 6:00 p.m. Qabbalat Shabbat – featuring an environmental scholar (TBD)

small groups with Temple

“THE HEARING”

Israel clergy, local rabbis,

In collaboration with Israeli Stage Monday, November 20, 7:00 p.m. Ticket Cost: $15/person

Sunday, November 18th, 10 a.m. Join us for an opportunity to explore these themes through art and have the opportunity for community and conversation.

What is the role of political discourse in educational settings? A high school student complains their teacher expressed leftist views in the classroom, and the teacher is called in for a hearing with the Education Ministry, the Principal, and a secretary. This is the true story of Adam Verete who - after opening a dialogue about enlistment for the Israeli Defense Forces in a public high school in Israel - was not only forced to resign, but was publicly threatened and humiliated.

NATHAN ENGLANDER: READING AND CONVERSATION

Outreach Boston.

SAFEGUARDING THE ALLIANCE: AN AMBASSADOR’S STORY, FEATURING AMBASSADOR DAN SHAPIRO

Saturday, November 18th, 9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. Day of Learning and Action Beginning with an environmental Torah Study, we will spend the day together learning and connecting. Following lunch, there will be a plenary session with Reverend Mariama White Hammond of Bethel AME Church (1:30 - 2:30 p.m.). The day will conclude with Havdallah.

with Reform Jewish

Large events for the whole community, including our endowed lecture series.

THE CLASSROOM Learn Jewish content in

and scholars.

THE TOWN HALL Large events for the whole community, including our endowed lecture series.

THE BEIT MIDRASH Learning experiences cultivated and facilitated by Temple Israel members.

STUDIO SHABBAT Qabbalat Shabbat, Friday, October 27, 6:00 p.m. No �ost On Friday, October 27th we will join with thousands of art lovers and advocates across the state in celebration of art on the 4th annual Mass Creative #ArtsMatterDay. A diverse array of artists will explore Jewish journeys through the arts at local synagogues and organizations. Our Qabbalat Shabbat service will explore visual art as a spiritual mode.

in collaboration with Brookline Booksmith, JARTS, and the Jewish Book Council Wednesday, November 29, 7:30 p.m. Ticket Cost: $28 - includes admission and a copy of “Dinner at the Center of the Earth - the story of Prisoner Z” Register at jartsboston.org/event/nathan-englander-readingand-conversation/ Pulitzer prize finalist, best-selling short story writer, and New Yorker writer, Nathan Englander, discusses his new novel, “Dinner at the Center of the Earth - the story of Prisoner Z,” about an American Jewish boy who winds up a Mossad spy and later, a traitor to his adoptive country. It is a powerful, suspenseful dramatization of the anguished, violent division between Israelis and Palestinians, and the immense moral ambiguities haunting both sides. Dessert reception and book signing to follow.

WEEKNIGHT COURSES - OUR THEME: “JUDAISM IN AMERICA”

THE CLASSROOM

Learn Jewish content in small groups with Temple Israel clergy, local rabbis, and scholars.

LEARNING WITH THE TI CLERGY Course dates and times as indicated. There are no fees for Clergy Classroom courses.

FOLLOW MOSES? NOT SO EASY FOR A PROPHET BUT FASCINATING AND INSPIRING NONETHELESS! Wtih Rabbi Elaine Zecher Thursdays (except 2/27), 8:30 - 9:45 a.m. on the following dates: Oct 26, Dec 7, Jan 4, Feb 1 and (Tuesday) 27, Apr 5, May 3, June 7 The Torah ends with the statement: “Never again did there arise in Israel a prophet like Moses---whom the Eternal singled out, face to face…” (Deuteronomy 34:10). Many, many years later, other prophets would arise to face new and different challenges. We will explore three of the early prophets: Nathan, Elijah, and Elisha. Their stories are intertwined with the nascent monarchies and the lives of those who surrounded them. We will encounter treachery, deceit, boldness, and kindness. We will explore and delve into the various levels of the text, always with an eye toward context and worldview as we bring forward modern and ancient midrash as a lens for understanding and contemplation.

ROOTS: AN EXPLORATION OF JEWISH IDEAS AND RITUALS

THE TI YESHIVA: LEARN TO READ THE TALMUD Tuesdays with Rabbi Suzie Jacobson Tuesdays, 8:00-9:00 a.m., beginning Nov 17 Option to attend weekly or every other week. Join us as we swim through the meaningful sea of the Babylonian Talmud, dive into the minds of the Talmudic rabbis, and learn important text skills. We will study the Talmud in translation, while building our Hebrew vocabulary and learning to read pieces in the original Hebrew and Aramaic. No prior experience necessary.

SPRING PREVIEW: THE CLASSROOM’S 5778 THEME, “JUDAISM IN AMERICA,” CONTINUES NEXT SEMESTER “Weeknight Courses” will include:

Sundays with Rabbi Jen Gubitz Sundays, 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. on the following dates: Oct 15, Nov 11, Dec 3, Jan 7, Feb 11, Mar 11, Apr 8, May 6 Cross-listed in “The Open Door”

Judaism in the Americas, with Rav Claudia Kreiman (Mondays, January 2018)

Join us to explore the roots of Jewish learning! Each session will focus on a Hebrew root word, exploring the diversity of ways it shows up in Jewish prayer, holiday celebrations, and Jewish thought. In this class, �ou will gain basic Hebrew reading skills and vocabulary, study themes of our most essential prayers, and enjoy engaging conversations about Jewish ideas. This class is for all learners - no prior Hebrew experience or Jewish knowledge necessary.

The American Jewish Woman, with Judith Rosenbaum (Schedule TBD)

Klezmer in America, with Sherry Mayrent (Mondays, April 2018)

“One finds that Jews in America rose to meet the challenges both internal and external that threatened Jewish continuity - sometimes, paradoxically, by promoting radical discontinuities. Casting aside old paradigms, they transformed their faith, revinventing American Judaism in an attempt to make it more appealing, more meaningful, more sensative to the concerns of the day.” - Jonathan Sarna This year, our Weeknight and Me’ah Select courses in The Classroom (with one exception, “Exploring Medieval Midrash”) explore the theme, “Judaism in America.” We are in an unforgettable moment in American history. Today, Jews in America are asking questions like: “What does it mean to be Jewish and American?”, “What are our civic responsibilities as Jews?”, and “How has Judaism been transformed in America?” Join us for this fascinating and important exploration. Stay tuned for more classes and topics this Winter and Spring.

EXPLORING MEDIEVAL MIDRASH with Rabbi Bernard Mehlman, Senior Scholar of Temple Israel of Boston Mondays, 7:00-8:30 p.m., Oct 16, 23, 30 Course Fee: $90 for Members/$120 for Non-Members Dinner Provided. Tuition for this course goes to dinner and materials. What is Medieval Midrash and how does it differ from every other form of midrash? Join Rabbi Mehlman in an exploration of this special genre of midrash. Discover how Jews in medieval times re-read the classical midrash and adapted it to their new environments in the realms of Islam, in Byzantium, and in Roman Catholic Europe. Together, students will read texts, uncover the creativity that spurred them on, and discuss the subject materials of Rabbi Mehlman’s recently published book, Medival Midrash: House of Inspired Innovation, co-authored with former Temple Israel rabbinic intern Rabbi Seth M. Limmer, Senior Rabbi of Chicago Temple Sinai.

AMERICAN JEWISH RELIGIOUS THOUGHT: MORDECAI KAPLAN & ABRAHAM JOSHUA HESCHEL with Rabbi Or Rose, Director of Miller Center for Interreligious Learning & Leadership at Hebrew College Mondays, 7:00-8:30 p.m., Nov 6, 13, 20, 27, Dec 4, 11 Course Fee: $180 for Members/$240 for Non-Members Dinner provided. Please join us as we explore the writings and lives of two of the most influential Jewish thinkers in American Jewish history: Mordecai Kaplan (1881-1983) and Abraham Joshua Heschel (19071972). Our study will include close readings and discussion of their works on theology, prayer and ritual practice, and ethics. We will analyze the ways in which Kaplan and Heschel intrepreted earlier Jewish sources in light of their life experiences and of historical events. As we delve into their works, we will ask ourselves how their contributions interact with our understandings of the opportunities and challenges of contemporary Jewish life.

JUDAISM AND ISLAM IN THE BLACK AMERICAN EXPERIENCE with Kendra Yarbor, Doctoral Student (Brandeis University, Near Eastern and Judaic Studies) Thursdays, 7:00-8:30 p.m., Nov 2, 9, 16, 30 Course Fee: $120 for Members/$160 for Non-Members Coffee/tea and snacks provided. How did African Americans, after slavery and onward into the early to mid-twentieth century, find new religious expressions in Judaism and Islam? What prompted these alternative religious identities, and what was the impact ourside these communities? This course will explore these developments within Black America as represented in the lives of the Commandment Keepers (Black Jews) of Harlem and the Nation of Islam (Black Muslims) of Detroit.

FEE STRUCTURE FOR WEEKNIGHT COURSES

Weeknight Course registration is available individually or in a 3-Pack. A 3-Pack can be used for three courses this fall, or for one or two courses this fall and the remainder from the upcoming spring semester.

These fees and 3-Packs do not apply to “Me’ah Select” or to “Learning With the TI Clergy,” only to courses on this page.

BY COURSE 3-PACK

MEMBER RATE

NON-MEMBER RATE

$30/class

$40/class

$350

$450

Consider joining Temple Israel to participate at the lower rates!

THE CLASSROOM

Learn Jewish content in small groups with Temple Israel clergy, local rabbis, and scholars.

ME’AH SELECT: TEN SESSIONS; IN-DEPTH EXPLORATIONS. OFFERED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HEBREW COLLEGE & CJP. Financial Aid available from Hebrew College - contact Sara Brown at sbrown@hebrewcollege.edu.

AN INQUIRY INTO JEWISH AMERICAN FILM with Aaron TIllman Tuesdays, 7:00-9:30 p.m. on the following dates: Oct 17 and 24, Nov 7, 14, 28, Dec 5 and 19, Jan 2, 9, 16 Course Fee: $300 for Members/$400 for Non-Members In this course, we will view and discuss films about the Jewish and Jewish American experience, focusing on the 20th and 21st centuries. Along with immigrant and cultural concerns, topics may include assimilation, tradition, community, humor, religion, identity, alienation, discrimination, voice, visibility, and violence. We will ask: How do these films attempt to convey what it means to be Jewish in America? How do these films depict the changes that Jews have experienced over time? How are Jewish American movies in conversation with each other and with cinema more broadly?

SPRING PREVIEW - JEWISH GASTRONOMY IN AMERICA with Rabbi Lila Kagedan Thursdays, 7:00-9:30 p.m. beginning February 2018 Course Fee: $300 for Members/$400 for Non-Members Join us on a culinary tour of the history of Jewish food in America. Jews have in many ways contributed greatly to the American food experience and Jewish food is becoming more and more popular and trendy. This class focuses on both the Jewish history of American Jewish food and offer a “hands on’ cooking component. We will explore the astonishing stories behind a range of beloved foods from brisket and rugelach to couscous and pickles.

TEMPLE ISRAEL ADULT B’NEI MITZVAH: AN 18-MONTH JOURNEY OF JEWISH LEARNING AND DISCOVERY

ADULT B’NEI MITZVAH led by Rabbi Jen Gubitz Advance Registration Required by October 10, 2017. Sundays, 12:30-2:30 p.m., beginning with Orientation on Oct 22. See schedule below. Cost: $650 for 18 month program - Includes six learning modules, one Hebrew Boot Camp (see Page 2), four classes from CAJL’s “The Classroom,” meeting with Rabbi Gubitz, and various course materials. There may be additional expenses for textbooks, communal gatherings, and our b’nei mitzvah celebration. Scholarships and payment plans available upon request. Beginning in October 2017, we are thrilled to launch our next cohort of Adult B’nei Mitzvah (ABM) led by Rabbi Jen Gubitz. Throughout this 18 month ABM cycle, students will participate in modules focused on Jewish theology, liturgy, Torah, History, Israel and Torah/Shabbat service preparation. To reach all learners, we will gather for group study, Hebrew boot camp, personal theology exploration, as well as regular participation in Shabbat and Holiday experiences at TI. Our learning will culminate in a joyful communal B’nei Mitzvah celebration on Shabbat Morning, April 27, 2019. The Adult B’nei Mitzvah Program is open to members of Temple Israel who identify as Jewish or are in process towards an upcoming conversion. Those who became bar/ bat mitzvah at age 13 are welcome to participate as well. Year One (5778) Schedule: Orientation - Oct 22, 2017 Module 1: God Nov 5, 19, Dec 3, 2017

Module 2: Liturgy Jan 28, Feb 4, 11, 2018

Module 3: Torah April 29, May 6, 20, 2018

Hebrew Bootcamp Sunday, Nov 12, 2017, 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. or Thursday, Mar 22 & 29, 2018, 7:00-9:00 p.m.

THE OPEN DOOR

Introductory courses and content such as intro to Judaism and basic Hebrew classes in collaboration with Reform Jewish Outreach Boston.

OFFERED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH REFORM JEWISH OUTREACH BOSTON; SUPPORTED BY CJP To register for the following programs, or for more information, visit www.reformjewishoutreachboston.org. Advance registration is required for all programs and courses. For more information, contact RJOB@urj.org, 617-928-0012.

A TASTE OF JUDAISM: ARE YOU CURIOUS? with Rabbi Julie Zulpan Tuesdays, 7:00-9:00 p.m., Sept 12, 19, 26 Free Course Explore traditional and modern Jewish sources and discuss the ways that Judaism can resonate in our lives. Open to all: Interfaith couples, those with Jewish family heritage, and the simply curious.

INTRODUCTION TO JUDAISM with the Temple Israel Clergy Thursdays, 7:00-9:30 p.m., Nov 9 - Mar 8 (except 11/23) Course Fee: $275/individual or $375/couple. Scholarships available. Taught by a dynamic team of Reform rabbis, cantors and educators, Introduction to Judaism provides an opportunity to learn about Jewish beliefs, traditions, holidays, and life cycle celebrations in a warm and supportive environment. Everyone is welcome. This 16-session class is perfect for interfaith couples, those raising Jewish children, spiritual seekers, individuals considering conversion, and Jews who want a meaningful adult Jewish learning experience. Ask questions, engage with multiple perspectives, and explore Jewish life through a Reform lens.

HEBREW BOOT CAMP: A CRASH COURSE FOR BEGINNER HEBREW LEARNERS with Debbie Betesh Sunday, November 12, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Cost: $50 (includes materials) Light lunch provided. Learn to recognize the shapes and sounds of the Hebrew alphabet and become comfortable sounding out some of the key recurring words and phrases in the Hebrew blessings for Shabbat and holidays. This course assumes no prior Hebrew experience.

SPRING PREVIEW - MORE FROM REFORM JEWISH OUTREACH BOSTON COMING TO TEMPLE ISRAEL SPRING 2018: Introduction to Judaism (March) Hebrew Boot Camp (March) Taste of Judaism (April & June) Planning a Jewish Wedding (May)

OFFERED BY TI; CROSS-LISTED IN “THE CLASSROOM”

ROOTS: AN EXPLORATION OF JEWISH IDEAS AND RITUALS Sundays with Rabbi Jen Gubitz Sundays, 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. on the following dates: Oct 15, Nov 11, Dec 3, Jan 7, Feb 11, Mar 11, Apr 8, May 6 Join us to explore the roots of Jewish learning! Each session will focus on a Hebrew root word, exploring the diversity of ways it shows up in Jewish prayer, holiday celebrations, and Jewish thought. In this class, you will gain basic Hebrew reading skills and vocabulary, study themes of our most essential prayers, and enjoy engaging conversations about Jewish ideas. This class is for all learners - no prior Hebrew experience or Jewish knowledge necessary.

ADULT B’NEI MITZVAH with Rabbi Jen Gubitz Beginning in October 2017, we are thrilled to launch our next cohort of Adult B’nei Mitzvah (ABM). Throughout this 18 month ABM cycle, students will participate in modules focused on Jewish theology, liturgy, Torah, History, Israel and Torah/Shabbat service preparation. To reach all learners, we will gather for group study, Hebrew boot camp, personal theology exploration, as well as regular participation in Shabbat and Holiday experiences at TI. Our learning will culminate in a joyful communal B’nei Mitzvah celebration on Shabbat Morning, April 27, 2019. See page 5 for more information.