Events are listed chronologically. Click below for a calendar
of 2008, 2007, 2006 and 2005 Adult Education Events and 2007/08,
2006/07, 2005/06, 2004/05, 2003/04 and 2002/03 School Events.
Click on items with blue links for additional
information.
Outreach presented a frank discussion on interfaith
challenges and opportunities facing B’nai Mitzvah
families. An expert panel shared ideas on how to make
family members and guests of differing faiths feel comfortable
and welcome at services. Rabbi Cohen offered his views
on what is appropriate for the ceremony.
January
11
Adult
Retreat
Olin-Sang-Ruby Union Institute, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin
Rabbi Cohen led the program around the theme "Created
in the Image of God: An Exploration of Faith."
January
23 - 25
"Negotiating with the Arab World"
In seeking to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict, Israelis
tend to focus on borders and security arrangements,
while Arabs, Palestinians in particular, speak of justice,
rights and respect. What is the significance of these
two different perspectives? Does the Arab/Islamic world
only understand force? Do both parties have the same
objectives, or are cultural differences, in terms of
time, place, language and law, placing additional hurdles
on the road map to peace? Professor Ilai Alon examined
these and other questions concerning the historic Mideast
struggle.
This community-wide Jewish adult education program
was hosted at Temple Jeremiah under the auspices of
the North Shore Fellowship of Rabbis and sponsored
in part by the Union for Reform Judaism. Rabbi Cohen
taught a course entitled “The Golem Legend: Was
Dr. Frankenstein Doing God’s Work?”, which
explored creating life out of inanimate objects in
the context of social policy, ethical-legal decision-making
and the development of our faith in God. Cantor Amy
Zussman and Dr. Anne Lidsky were also presenters at
the program.
Executive Director of the Interfaith Housing Center
of the Northern Suburbs Gail Schecter spoke on fair
housing in the suburbs.
March
5
Shabbat Across America
Temple Jeremiah joined over 750 synagogues nation-wide
for a special Shabbat service. Shabbat Across America
is designed to explain the rituals of the Sabbath
in an easy-to-understand manner.
March 12
Adult Education & Empty
Nesters:
Brunch and Book Discussion
The group discussed the coming-of-age novel, A
Trumpet in the Wadi by Sami Michael. Widely read
in Israeli high schools, the book is the provocative
story of a Christian Arab family whose lives are changed
by the arrival of a Russian Jewish immigrant in the
room above their apartment and the escalating Arab-Israeli
conflict in Lebanon in 1982. Debra Colodny, a professional
educator, discussion leader and founder of SeferSoGood,
Ltd., facilitated the discussion.
March
14
“Biblical History: Lies That I Have Taught You”with Rabbi Schreibman
During his 25 years at Temple Jeremiah, Rabbi
Robert D. Schreibman taught Biblical history based
on the latest archeological theories of the time.
Since his retirement in 2000, books have both bolstered
and questioned his view of history. In this class,
Rabbi Schreibman reviewed his teachings in light of
recent archeological discoveries as he and attendees
took a unique look at Biblical history.
March 18
“Jeremiah Reads” - JUF Speaker Julie Salamon
and Brunch
As part of its “Jeremiah Reads” program,
Temple Jeremiah, in collaboration with the Jewish
United Fund, hosted Julie Salamon, author of Rambam's
Ladder,A Meditation on Generosity and Why
It Is Necessary to Give.
A culture writer and critic for the New York Times,
Ms. Salamon's articles have appeared in such publications
as The New Yorker, Vanity Fair,
Vogue, Bazaar and The New Republic.
The author of six books, Ms. Salamon's latest work
looks at the eight-step program for giving which was
written by Rabbi Moses ben Maimom, aka Rambam or Maimonides,
in the 12th century.
“Into
the Arms of Strangers - Stories of the Kindertransport”
In tribute to Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Remembrance
Day, the Adult Education Committee presented this
gripping story of the extraordinary rescue operation
that allowed 10,000 Jewish children to flee from Nazi
Germany to Great Britain just before the onset of
World War II. This film, which was aired on Yom Hashoah,
includes first-hand accounts by several children who
were on the Kindertransport, as well as some parents
and rescuers. Following the film, one of our own congregants
who made the journey, Ruth Segal, led a discussion. (Click here for
more on past Yom Hashoah events...)
April
18
"Tearing Down Walls, Building Bridges" Interfaith
Weekend
The weekend included:
Shabbat Service April 23 with Ron Miller of Common
Ground speaking on "Today's Agenda for Jewish-Christian
Dialogue."
The Annual Golder Interfaith Lecture April 24
with Bruce Feiler speaking on "Can We All Get
Along? Building Bridges Among Jews, Christians and
Muslims in the 21st Century."
"The God of Abraham Praise" - Church
services centered around this hymn about the common
forefather of Judaism, Christianity and Islam
April 23 - 25
"Today's Events Through the
Prism of the Past"
Joyce Schrager, known for her deft way of interpreting
the ever-changing events of the world, offered this popular
series, which looked at late-breaking political and military
events in relation to parallel situations of the 20th century.
Does history repeat itself? Do we learn from past events?
Participants expanded their understanding of today's issues
at this informative program.
Cantor Amy Zussman
led this Hebrew Reading Crash Course. Created by the
National Jewish Outreach Program, this class had participants
reading Hebrew like they never thought possible in
just a few short hours. Participants received prayer
review sheets and a handy Aleph-Bet chart to enhance
their reading skills. The class is designed for people
with some Hebrew background.
August
29
"Difficult Dialogue: A Palestinian and an Israeli-Jewish
Perspective on the Conflict"
with Tzvi Adelman and Muhammed Abu Samra
Temple Jeremiah and the Dawn Schuman Institute presented
a discussion on the Mideast conflict from two unique
perspectives.
Tzvi Adelman is on the faculty of the Graduate program
at the Rothberg School for Overseas Students at the
Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the on-line faculty
of Hebrew College in Boston and teaches Jewish studies
at an Israeli teachers college.
Prof. Adelman read a statement from Prof. Muhammed
Abu Samra, who could not attend the evening's program.
Prof. Samra is a Palestinian citizen of Israel and
holds degrees in Linguistics and International Relations,
specializing in Middle Eastern Studies from the Hebrew
University of Jerusalem.
September
8
"God in the Abrahamic Traditions: Connection
and Conflict Among Judaism, Christianity and Islam"
Both Christianity and Islam emerged out of a foundation
laid by Judaism, and the three traditions have a great deal
in common. Relationships among Jews, Christians and Muslims
have been fraught with ambivalence and conflict. This lecture,
led by Dr. Mark Berkson, focused on conceptions of God in
all three traditions and explored shared understandings
as well as the tremendous diversity found both among and
within the traditions.
Questions included:
• To what degree can God be understood?
• How do we determine God's will and live in accordance
with it?
• What are the roles of scripture, ritual, faith
and law in relation to God in the three traditions?
We analyzed excerpts from the Hebrew Bible, the New
Testament and the Qur'an, as well as the writings of
modern theologians from all three traditions.
Dr. Ben Katz, who previously traced the history of
the Jews following the death of Moses in "Biblical
History: Building a Nation, from Joshua Through the
Babylonian Exile," continued his popular series
with a look at the Jews over the period of the Second
Temple. This class focused on the Jews’ return
to Israel from exile in Babylon and Persia, the rebuilding
of the Second Temple and the establishment of the second
Commonwealth. Texts included the Biblical books of Ezra,
Nehemiah, Hagai, and Zachariah, as well as the apocryphal
book of Esdras and extra-Biblical materials.
October
31 - November 21
"Rembrandt's Jews" with
Dr. Steven Nadler
Dr. Steven Nadler, author of the Pulitzer Prize-nominated
book, Rembrandt's Jews, examined the legend
and reality of Rembrandt's relationship to Jews and
Judaism and showed slides of work by Rembrandt and
other artists.
While Jewish life in pre-Enlightenment Christian
Europe is traditionally viewed as an era of banishment
and persecution, 17th century Dutch Jews managed to
achieve a level of freedom and tolerance unparalleled
in the history of Christian-Jewish relations.
In Rembrandt's Jews, Dr. Nadler presents
a vivid portrait of this remarkable community and
the circumstances allowing it to fluorish. A chronicle
of Rembrandt's fortunes and his relationship to his
Jewish neighbors, the book goes on to provide a theological
look at Dutch Christian-Jewish society, as viewed
through the lens of one of the country's native artists.
