Reverence for lifelong learning is a hallmark of our Jewish heritage.  To encourage this in our membership, we offer classes in:

• Hebrew Literacy
• Adult B’nai Mitzvah
• Torah Study
• Basic Judaism
• Hebrew in Less than a Week
• Adult Education programs
• Israel Chavurah programs
• Scholar-in-Residence
• Family Education programs

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Dorothy & Mauray J. Tye Scholar-in-Residence Program

Saturday, December 3, 2011 • 12:00 pm
Lunch and….
Dr. Leibel Fein
Founder, Moment Magazine and MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger
and former Professor of Politics and Social Policy and a Professor of Contemporary Jewish Studies at Brandeis University
“Israel and Us: A New Day?”

 Sunday, December 4, 2011 • 9:30 am
Breakfast and…
Dr. Fred Lazin
Professor Emeritus of Local Government, Ben Gurion University in Be’er Sheva, Israel
“Religious & Ethnic Conflict Among Jews in Israel”

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Schmooze N Shabbat - December 10, 12noon

“Night Words” Performance Spectacular, but Raises Profound Questions 

Monday night, November 7th’s reading of “Night Words, A Midrash on the Holocaust” brought more than 70 people to the Kristallnacht commemoration at Temple Emanu-El. 36 people took parts in the dramatic reading with a wide range of age groups represented in the reading and with many other observers as well. The highly charged and emotional reading borrowed from rabbinic, medieval, and modern literary sources, interspersed with Yiddish poetry and songs, contrasted readings from portions of sacred texts with the realities and evils of what Judaism’s enemies perpetrated from ancient times to the destruction of our people in the Holocaust.

In many ways, the reading was described by the author, Professor Roskies, as a “sacred parody “with “bold and symbolic inversions from our most familiar texts.” Among the most dramatic and impactful of the scenes was the writing of a unique “tattooed” number on each of the circle of 36, each representing a distinct individual who was so “branded” and perished in the Holocaust.
The dialogue, voices, questioning and even orchestrated rage represented a desperate wrestling / arguing with G-d and looking for answers to potentially unanswerable questions.
With so many open questions raised, a special “Schmooze ‘N Shabbat” discussion session will be held after Saturday services on December 10th: “Nightwords: Some Afterthoughts.”

Questions for discussion include:
• Night Words expresses disappointment, anger and rage at G-d for the trials and devastations that the Jewish people have suffered over millennia and culminating in the Shoah. Is this blasphemous? Is it appropriate? How do we think of it?
• How do we interpret several of the standard Torah readings that were “turned on their heads:” the killing of Isaac by Abraham; the comparison of the dimensions of the holy Temple with the dimensions of the death camps; the reading of the Torah compared to the reading of the “Scrolls of Happening;” the challenging of the greatness of G-d during the reading of the Amidah. What is Professor Roskies trying to say?
• What are our answers to “Where was G-d during the Holocaust;” should we even ask the question?
• What meaning is there in the dialogue between the “messenger” and the “magician” in the parable of the dry bones? Is it despairing or hopeful?
• Is it appropriate to have young people as part of the play, either as participants or audience? Is the language too rough for them?
• The Holocaust ended over 65 years ago; the play was written over 30 years ago; why should this still be read? What for?

Everyone is invited to participate in the discussion; even those who were not able to attend may benefit from the discussion. A luncheon will be served; those planning to attend are requested to notify the office to facilitate planning.