ADULT EDUCATION

FALL 2018

JewishCommunityofAmherst742MainStreet,Amherst,MA01002413.256.0160~www. jcamherst.org

JCAadulteducationprogramsreflect

religious,secular,practical,andculturalaspectsofJudaism.Wehopethatyouwillfindsomethingthatappealstoyou.

Registerandcontributeonlineathttp://bit.ly/jca1819Faec

Ifyouprefertoregisterbymailandcontributeviacheck,pleaseprinttheregistrationformattheendofthisbrochureorpickoneupintheJCAlobby.

FALL2018PROGRAMSATAGLANCE

LunchandLearnRabbiBenjaminWeinerWednesdays•12:15–1:15pmSephardicCivilizationIlanStavansSeptember25;October2,9Tuesdays•7–9pmPrayerbookHebrewLiteracyJanisLevyOctober15–December3Mondays•7:00–8:30pmMeetMeattheWellBookReadingJaneYolenandBarbaraDiamondGoldinSunday,October14•11am–12:30pmIsraeliDancingRandiSteinOctober23,30;November13,20Tuesdays•7:00–8:30pm

IsraeliFilmSeriesSundays•2–5pmOctober21:TheBand’sVisitDecember9:ZeroMotivationGreatestHitsoftheTalmudRabbiDevorahJacobsonOctober31;November7,14,28;December5,12Wednesdays•6:30–7:45pmCreatingaJewishHomefacilitatedbyMelanieLewisNovember4,December9Sundays•10:45–11:45am“AReasontoRemember”ExhibitionTourDeborahRoth-HoweNovember7•4–5:30pm•JCAKesheronlyOrthodoxFeminismAconversationwithRabbiLilaKagedanSunday,December2•1–3pm

Ifyouwouldliketosuggestfutureprogramming,pleasecontactamemberoftheAdultEducationCommittee:

BarbaraBurkart(chair),JaneBrodwyn,DavidGlassberg,DianeGnepp,PhyllisHerda,JonathanLewis,MelanieLewis,RuthSmith,LindaTerry,BorisWolfson,JanisWolkenbreit,RabbiBenjaminWeiner(exofficio)

LunchandLearn

RabbiBenjaminWeiner

Wednesdays•12:15–1:15pmNowinitsseventhyear,LunchandLearncontinuesitsinvestigationofHalakha,orthetraditionofJewishlaw.Overthepastfewyears,wehaveinvestigatedavarietyoftopics:holidayobservanceandperspectivesonShabbat,divorce,suicide,deathandmourning,purityandimpurity,kitniyot,thegivingoftzedaka.Theconversationisintellectuallystimulatingandemotionallyexpansive,givingparticipantstheopportunitytodeepentheirtraditionalJewishknowledgeandprocessthethoughtsandfeelingsthatthematerialbringstolight.Pleasebeassuredthatifyouhavenotalreadybecomeapartofthismeaningful,oddlyexhilarating,andevenfunexploration,itisnevertoolate.Youcancomeandgoasyou’reable,anddrop-insarealwayswelcome.Bringyourownlunch,andpleaserememberthatJCAkashrutrulesallowonlyfordairyandparevefoodsinsidethebuilding—nomeat!

Noregistrationneeded.

Pleasebringanon-perishablefooditemtobedonatedtotheSurvivalCenteraspartoftheJCAPerpetualFoodDrive.

SephardicCivilization:SenseandSensibility

IlanStavans

Tuesdays•September25,October2,97–9pm

AjourneyacrossthecomplexitiesofSephardiccivilizationacrosstime,from1492tothepresent,focusingonhistory,politics,culture,andrabbinicaldebates.•LectureOne:“TheWoundofExpulsion”Anexplorationof“LaConvivencia”ofthethreemajorworldreligions—Christianity,Judaism,andIslam—inSpainupto1492.

•LectureTwo:“UnityandDispersion”Ascanningofthediasporicpossibilitiesthatcamewith“marranismo”fromtheExpulsiontotheearlytwentiethcentury.

•LectureThree:“AdiósEspaña”SephardiclifeincontemporaryUnitedStates,Israel,LatinAmerica,andelsewhere.

ParticipantsshouldacquiretheSchockenBookofModernSephardicLiterature,editedbyIlanStavans(2005;ISBN978-0805242287)

IlanStavansisLewis-SebringProfessorofHumanities,LatinAmericanandLatinoCultureatAmherstCollege,publisherofRestlessBooks,andhostoftheNEPRpodcastInContrast.HismostrecentbooksareOnSelf-Translation:ReflectionsonLanguageandagraphic-noveladaptationofDonQuixoteofLaMancha.

Registrationrequired.Aminimumoftwelveparticipantsisneeded

forthecoursetorun.Suggestedcontribution:$54 Noonewillbedeniedaccesstoprogrammingbecauseoffinancialneed.Yourparticipationinourcommunityismoreimportantthantheamountofyourmonetarycontribution.

MeetMeattheWell:TheGirlsandWomenoftheBible

bookreadingwithauthorsJaneYolenandBarbaraDiamondGoldin

Sunday,October14•11:00am–12:30pm

BothJaneYolenandBarbaraDiamondGoldinhavelonghistoriesofwritingJewish(andother)books.MeetMeattheWellistheirfirstco-authoredproject:a21st-centuryfeministmidrashaboutthegirlsandwomenoftheBible,formiddle-gradereadersonup.Thebookteasesoutthewomen’sstoriesfrombehindthemen’sandexplorestheminproseandpoetry.Theauthorswilltalkaboutthedifficultiesandjoysofwritingthebook,anddiscusstheirfavoritestories:thewell-known—Eve,Sarah,Rebecca,Leah,NaomiandRuth,

Miriam,Esther,Deborah—andthelesser-known—Zipporah,Jael,andothers.JaneYolen(www.janeyolen.com),oftencalled“theHansChristianAndersenofAmerica,”iscelebratingthepublicationofher365thbookin2018.Herworksrangefromrhymedpicturebooksfortheveryyoungtonovelsforadults,andhavewontwoNebulas,aWorldFantasyAward,aCaldecott,theGoldenKite,threeMythopoeicawards,twoChristophermedals,theJewishBookAward,theKerlanAward,andtheCatholicLibrary’sReginaMedal.Janehasreceivedhonorarydoctoratesfromsixcollegesanduniversities.

BarbaraDiamondGoldin(www.barbaradiamondgoldin.com)istheauthorofmanypicturebooksandstorycollections,includingCakesandMiracles:APurimTale,TheWorld'sBirthday:AStoryaboutRoshHashanah,andThePassoverCowboy.ShereceivedtheprestigiousSydneyTaylorBody-of-WorkAwardin1997fromtheAssociationofJewishLibraries.Aformerteacherandchildren'slibrarian,BarbaraisnowthedirectorofTheEdwardsPublicLibraryinSouthampton.

Thiseventisco-sponsoredbytheJCAYouthandFamily

EducationCommittee.Noregistrationneeded.

Pleasebringanon-perishablefooditemtobedonatedtotheSurvivalCenteraspartoftheJCAPerpetualFoodDrive.

PrayerbookHebrewLiteracy

JanisLevy

Mondays•October15,22,29;November5,12,19,26;December3withoptionaladditionalclassesonDecember10and17

7:00–8:30pm

Thepurposeofthisclassistohelppeoplebecomemorecomfortableinservicesandattimesofprayer,andtoencourageparticipationwithoutjudgment.Itacknowledgesthatmanyadults,fordifferentreasons,feelexcludedbecausetheycannotreadHebrewwellenoughtochantorsingprayersinthesanctuaryorathome—unlesstheyhavelearnedthembyrote.

ManyadultsbelievethatitistoolateortoodifficulttolearntoreadHebrew.Thatisnotso.InthisclassyouwillgainconfidenceinspeakingHebrewwordsaloud,andalthoughcomprehensionisnotspecificallyagoal,youwillacquireagreaterunderstandingofwhatyouaresaying.ItisanopportunityforthosewithlimitedornochildhoodJewisheducationtostudyprayerbookHebrewwithastructure,developmentandmotivationalapproachspecificallydevelopedforthematurelearnerbyarabbiwhodevotedhislife’sworktoadulteducation.

JanisLevyhasbeenamemberoftheJCAsince2011,andcurrentlyservesontheboardandhelpstocoordinatecommunicationsforthecommunity.Priortothattime,alongwithothervolunteerwork,shewasinvolvedinleadingservicesandteachingintheJewishcommunityinNorthampton.And,foralmosttenyears,sheworkedwithaformerrabbitheretolaunchandteachfollow-upclassesforamajorAdultHebrewLiteracyprogram.ShelooksforwardtoparticipatingnowinthisprojectattheJCA.

Registrationrequired.Aminimumofsixparticipantsisneededforthecoursetorun.Suggestedcontribution:$36

Noonewillbedeniedaccesstoprogrammingbecauseoffinancialneed.Yourparticipationinourcommunityismoreimportantthantheamountofyourmonetarycontribution.

IsraeliDancing

RandiStein

Tuesdays•October23,30;November13,20

7:00–8:30pm

ComeandlearnthepleasuresofIsraelifolkdance!Thisisafour-sessionworkshop.Attendthefirstsessionforanintroductiontothebasicpatternsandseehoweasyandfunfolkdancingcanbe.WewillmeetinRandi'shomestudio.PleasecontactRandi(randistein@earthlink.net)fordirections.

RandiSteinlearnedtodancewithFredBerkinthesixtiesandcontinueddancingwithatroupeatBrandeisUniversity,andtheninIsraelwhereshelivedonakibbutzin1974-79.

Registrationrequired.Aminimumofsixparticipantsisneededtobegin;themaximumnumberofparticipantsiseight.

Suggestedcontribution:$36 Noonewillbedeniedaccesstoprogrammingbecauseoffinancialneed.Yourparticipationinourcommunityismoreimportantthantheamountofyourmonetarycontribution.

ContemporaryIsraeliFilmSeries

Sundays•2pm

October21

TheBand'sVisitdir.EranKolirin,200787minutes;ratedPG-13

Thefilmthatwasadaptedintoanaward-winningBroadwaymusical!AbandcomprisedofmembersoftheEgyptianpoliceforceheadtoIsraeltoplayattheinauguralceremonyofanArabartscenter,onlytofindthemselveslostinthewrongtown.

—withanintroductionbyAdiGordon,AssistantProfessorofHistoryatAmherstCollege.

December9

ZeroMotivationdir.TalyaLavie,201497minutes;unrated

AunitoffemaleIsraelisoldiersataremotedesertbasebidetheirtimeastheycountdowntheminutesuntiltheycanreturntocivilianlife.

—withanintroductionbyJesseFerris,VicePresidentofStrategyattheIsraelDemocracyInstituteinJerusalem.

Israelirefreshmentsprovidedatbothscreenings,courtesyofProjectRehovot.Thiseventisco-sponsoredbytheJCAWorldJewishConcernsCommittee.

Noregistrationneeded.

Pleasebringanon-perishablefooditemtobedonatedtotheSurvivalCenter

aspartoftheJCAPerpetualFoodDrive.

GreatestHitsoftheTalmud

RabbiDevorahJacobson

Wednesdays•October31;November7,14,28;December5,126:30–7:45pm

EndyourdaywithatasteofTalmud!Inthisclass,wewillencountersomeofthemostfascinatingdiscussionsoftheancientsagesasrecordedonvariouspagesoftheBabylonianTalmud.Joinusinexploringthesedifferent“gems”oftheTalmudandattemptingtowrestlewiththeirmeaningsintheirtimeandinourown.Thisclassisforbeginnersand

beyond,seekers,andloversofJewishlearning!RabbiDevorahJacobsonhasbeenChaplainandDirectorofSpiritualLifeatJGSLifecareinLongmeadowsince2001.ShehasservedonthefacultyofMeltonAdultJewishEducationProgramsinSpringfieldandFlorenceforovertenyears.In2016,shewasnamedoneofAmerica’sMostInspiringRabbisbyTheForwardandlaudedforherworkinhelpingseniorsandtheirfamiliesspirituallyduringdifficulttransitionsofaging.

Registrationrequired.

Acoursefeeof$90perstudenthasbeensetbytheinstructor.Aminimumoftenparticipantsisneededforthecoursetorun.

CreatingaJewishHome

discussionseriesfacilitatedbyMelanieLewis

Sundays•November4,December910:45–11:45am

WhatmakesahouseaJewishhome?BeyondhangingamezuzahandeatingJewishfoods,infusingourhomelifewithJewishvaluesandritualshelpscreateandsolidifyJewishidentitiesforourselvesandourchildren.Yettheintenserhythmofourdailylivesinasecularworldcanmakereachingthesegoalsamonumentalchallenge.JoinMelanieLewis,RabbiWeiner,andothersforaseriesofdiscussionsessionsfocusedonstrategiesforcreatingaJewishhome.Parentsandgrandparentscansharetheirexperienceswitheachotherwhilealsohavingthebenefitofexpertadvicealongtheway.

WewilldiscusswaystomakesurewearepassingonJewishvalues,encouragingourchildrentoengageinJewishlifeandreflection,keepingthecommunicationopenforquestioningandlearning,andcreatingritualsthataremeaningfulandspiritually-elevating.BetweenThanksgivingandChristmaswearebombardedwithmessagesabouttheimportanceoffamilytogetherness,gift-

giving,andthespiritoftheholidays.WehaveanopportunitytoassertourJewishidentityaswellashelpourkidsdealwiththeoften-overwhelmingandmaterialistictidingsoftheseason.HowcanweinfusethesemessageswithJewishvaluesaswepassthemontoourchildren?Thetwo-eventfallseriesfocusingontheholidayswillcontinueinthespring,withaspecialsessiononmakingShabbataspecialandmeaningfulexperienceforeveryfamily.MelanieLewis,aretiredLicensedPsychologist,movedtothePioneerValleywithherhusbandJonathantobeclosertotheiradultchildren.ThoughMelaniehasnoformalJewisheducation,theLewisesworkedhardtocreateahomefilledwithJewishtraditionsandvalues.MelaniepracticedpsychologyinWilmington,Delaware,foroverthirtyyears,workingwithadultsandtheirfamilies.

Thisseriesisco-sponsoredbytheJCAYouthandFamilyEducationCommittee.Noregistrationneeded.

Pleasebringanon-perishablefooditemtobedonatedtotheSurvivalCenter

aspartoftheJCAPerpetualFoodDrive.

AReasontoRemember:Roth,Germany1933-1942

SpecialtoursoftheexhibitwithDeborahRoth-Howe

GroupvisitI:Wednesday,November7•4:00–5:30pmforJCAKesherparentsandstudentsonly

Pleasenote:Asecondtour,

opentoallmembersoftheJCAcommunity,iscominginSpring,2019

WearepleasedtopresentthisrareopportunitytotourthepermanentexhibitattheUniversityofMassachusettsInstituteforHolocaust,Genocide,andMemoryStudieswithDeborahRoth-Howe,oneoftheexhibit’sco-creators.“AReasontoRemember”isbasedonDeborah’sfamilyhistoryandtellsthestoriesofthefiveJewishfamiliesthatresidedinthesmallGermanvillageofRothwhenHitlercametopower.Theexhibitpersonallyengagestheviewersinthephysicalandemotionallivesofthefamiliesastheystruggletounderstandtheirplaceinsocietyanddealwiththedissolutionoftheirrights.Thestunningly-detaileddocumentation,alongwithDeborah’sinsightsandpersonalanecdotes,willprovideapowerful,intimate,immersiveexperience.Therewillbetimeforquestionsandanupdateonthesurprisingandhopefuleventsthathavetranspiredinthevillageoverthepasttwentyyears.

DeborahRoth-HoweisthedaughterofElsaandHerbertRoth,whofledNaziGermanyin1938,afewmonthsbeforeKristallnacht.ShecreatedthisexhibitwithherparentsandRabbiRobertSternberg,formerlyoftheSpringfieldHatikvahHolocaustEducationCenter.

Thistourisco-sponsoredbytheJCAYouthandFamily

EducationCommittee.RegistrationisviaJCAKesheronly.

OrthodoxFeminism

AconversationwithRabbiLilaKagedan

Sunday,December2•1–3pmRabbiLilaKagedanisthefirstOrthodoxwomantoadoptthetitleofrabbi,havingreceivedherordinationin2015fromYeshivatMaharat,theOrthodoxwomen’sreligioustrainingprograminRiverdale,NY,foundedbyRabbiAviWeiss.Shedeliberatelychosethetraditionaltitleoverthecoinage“rabba,”therecentterm-of-artappliedtoOrthodoxwomeninrabbinicroles.WearehonoredtowelcomehertotheJCAforapublicconversationwithRabbiWeiner,inwhichtheywilldiscussherprofessionalandspiritualjourney,theachievementsandchallengesofhertrailblazingpath,changesandvariationsintherolesforwomeninmodernJewishorthodoxy,andotheraspectsofherremarkablydiverseandaccomplishedwork.RabbiLilaKagedanisadualCanadianandAmericancitizen,andholdsdegreesandcertificatesfromMidreshetLindenbaum,theHebrewUniversityofJerusalem,theUniversityofToronto,HarvardUniversity,theMedstarWashingtonHospitalCenterandMassachusettsGeneralHospitalandisaShalomHartmanInstituteRLIfellow.SheisalsoaHadassahBrandeisInstitute-Gender,Culture,ReligionandLawResearchAssociate.Afterordinationinearly2016sheassumedapostattheNewJerseyOrthodoxsynagogueMountFreedomJewishCenter.SheisnowtheseniorrabbiattheWalnutStreetSynagogueinChelsea,Massachusetts.SheisalsothefounderoftheSulamSchoolinBrookline.RabbiKagedanisaninstructorofbioethicsatNewYorkMedicalCollegeandisaclinicalethicistaswellasachaplaininhospitalsandhospices.SheiscurrentlystudyingforaYadinYadinsmicha.

Noregistrationneeded.

Pleasebringanon-perishablefooditemtobedonatedtotheSurvivalCenteraspartoftheJCAPerpetualFoodDrive.

ADULTEDUCATIONREGISTRATION•FALL2018

WestronglyencourageyoutoREGISTERONLINEathttp://bit.ly/jca1819Faec

Tomakeyourpaymentonline,viaPayPalorcreditcard,gotoourwebsiteat

https://jcamherst.org/payments-and-donations/paymentsandchooseAdultEducationClassfromthemenuofpaymentoptions.

Ifyouprefertopaybycheck,pleasecompletethisRegistrationFormandsend

totheJCAofficewithyourcheckmadeouttotheJCAand“AdultEd”inthememoline.

Participants’namesandemailaddresses

(pleaseprint)

Indicateprogramsforwhichyouareregistering

Contri-butionamount

SephardicCivilization

3lectures

$54

IsraeliDancing

3meetings

$36

PrayerbookHebrew

8sessions

$36

HitsoftheTalmud

6sessions

$90

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Noonewillbedeniedaccesstoprogrammingbecauseoffinancialneed.Yourparticipationinourcommunityismoreimportantthanthe

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Forinquiriesaboutregistrationemailadultedprog@comcast.netForinquiriesaboutprogramsemailbarbruth@comcast.netPleaseputthenameoftheprogramintheemailsubjectline.