center for jewish living & learning winter 2013 brochure
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CJLL Brochure of the Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center of HoustonTRANSCRIPT
l i terature
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W I N T E R 2 0 1 3
From Enlightenment to Intifada:
Center for Jewish Living and Learning
Scholar Series
FRENCH JEWRY THEN AND NOW
Dr. Robert Zaretsky is a professor of modern French history at the Honors College
of the University of Houston. Dr. Zaretsky is a frequent contributor to The New
York Times, International Herald Tribune, The Forward, Los Angeles Times and Le
Monde Diplomatique. His lectures will address the history of the Jews of France
from the French Revolution to the modern period, focusing on the Dreyfus Affair,
the Jews in Occupied France, and the relationship between the French, the Jews,
and the State of Israel after 1967.
Jerusalem on the Seine: Jews and the French Revolution Thursday, January 24 • 7:30 PM
Modernity begins with the French Revolution—an observation that applies with particu-lar relevance to European Jewry. Emancipated and enfranchised by the seismic events of 1789, when a revolutionary and secular state transformed them from aliens into citizens, French Jewry was launched into the modern age. We will discuss both the promise and pitfalls of this remarkable itinerary.
From the Second World War to the Second Intifada: France and the Jews TodayThursday, May 2 • 7:30 PM
In 1967, the great political theorist (and secular Jew) Raymond Aron, upon hearing President Charles De Gaulle’s remark that the Jews were an “elite people, sure of themselves and domineering,” wondered if this opened “a new chapter in Jewish history and perhaps anti-Semitism.” With the surge of violence in North African quarters against Jews, climaxing in the horrific massacre at Toulouse, French Jews now ask themselves if they can remain both fully French and fully Jewish.
Vichy Then and Now: The Jews of France in the Second World War Thursday, April 18 • 7:30 PM
France’s military defeat in 1940 heralded the birth of the Vichy regime, which sought to turn the clock back to pre-revolutionary France. Central to this reactionary agenda was the regime’s battery of anti-Semitic laws—initiated without the slightest of nudges from the Nazis. Beginning in 1942, these laws enabled Nazi Germany’s application of the Final Solution to France, leading to the murder of nearly 75,000 Jews, both foreign and native-born. We shall discuss the motivations of the bureaucracy that created and applied these laws and reflect on those institutions and individuals that resisted them.
The Dreyfus Affair: How An “Affaire Française” Became Our Affair Thursday, March 21 • 7:30 PM
In 1894, Captain Alfred Dreyfus, an officer in the French Army’s High Command, was sentenced to life imprisonment on Devil’s Island for acts of treason. As disturbing details emerged concerning the case—it happened that Dreyfus was Jewish—the nation was sundered in half between those who reminded France of its revolutionary ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity and those who insisted that Jews could never be fully French.
These lectures are made possible in part by a grant from Humanities Texas, a state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Thanks to our community partner:
$10 Member / $15 Public (per lecture) $36 Member / $48 Public (series pass)
ARTS, CULTURE, EDUCATION | ADULTS | SENIORS | KIDS & FAMILY | HEALTH & WELLNESS
F R E N C H J E W R Y T H E N A N D N O W
Center for Jewish L iv ing and Learn ing Scho lar Ser ies
From Enlightenment to Intifada:
Register online at www.jcchouston.org/frenchjewry
Level 1 - Beginning HebrewInstructor: Karen Greenspan10 Thursdays, Beginning January 177:00 – 8:30 PM$190 Member/ $240 Public
This introductory course is a program of letter recognition, reading proficiency, build-ing vocabulary, and learning basic phrases using the Hebrew textbook series Aleph Isn’t
Tough.
Level 2 – Prayer Book HebrewInstructor: Karen Greenspan10 Wednesdays Beginning January 167:00 – 8:30 PM$190 Member / $240 Public
This class builds on the reading skills estab-lished in the level one class. The focus will be on building reading fluency and a basic vocabulary to increase understanding. The course uses the Hebrew textbook Aleph isn’t
Enough.
Reading The Book of EstherInstructor: Karen Greenspan10 Mondays Beginning January 147:00 – 8:30 PM$190 Member/ $240 Public
This class will develop Hebrew comprehen-sion and grammar skills through a close reading of the Book of Esther. Participants should be able to read Hebrew fluently and have a basic biblical Hebrew vocabulary. Please call before registering to determine if this class is suitable for you.
Beginner Conversational HebrewInstructor: Nomi Barancik10 Tuesdays Beginning January 159:30 – 10:30 AM $130 Member / $165 Public
This course will teach the foundations of everyday spoken Hebrew. You will learn to build simple sentences and have a basic conversation. Acquaintance with Hebrew alphabet required.
Advanced Conversational HebrewInstructor: Nomi Barancik10 Tuesdays Beginning January 15 10:45 – 11:45 AM $130 Member / $165 Public
This course is suitable for those who read and comprehend Hebrew at a more advanced level but wish to expand their vocabulary and develop their fluency.
Genesis: The Story of the First Jewish Family
Instructor: Rabbi Samantha BodnerMondays, February 18 – June 10 Congregation Emanu El9:30 – 10:30 AM$175 Member / $200 PublicorInstructor: Mindeleah Pollak Tuesdays, February 19 – June 11 ERJCC Weingarten Building7:00 – 8:00 PM$175 Member / $200 Public
This course offers an in-depth study of the Bible utilizing traditional and contemporary commentaries as well as art and alterna-tive interpretations. The class begins with the birth of Jacob and Esau and continues through the story of Joseph and the exile and slavery in Egypt.
1000 Years of Rabbinic Commentary on the Story of Joseph
Instructor: Rabbi Roy WaltersTuesdays, February 19 – June 11 ERJCC Weingarten Building8:15 – 9:15 PM$175 Member / $200 Public
Come study with us the adventures of the famous Joseph. First-born to Jacob’s beloved Rachel, but 11th born in the status of 12 sons, he was loved by his father, but hated by his brothers. At the age of seventeen, his teenage years affect everyone in his family. A plan is devised to “get rid” of Joseph. But what really happens to him and who ends up selling him? Numerous commentaries discuss the travails of Joseph who eventually becomes Vizier, second in command to King Pharaoh of Egypt.
Reading the Psalms
Instructor: Mr. Jonathan FassTuesday, February 19 – June 11 ERJCC Weingarten Building8:15 – 9:15 PM$175 Member / $200 Public
Utilizing Robert Alter’s The Psalms: A
Translation with Commentary, this class will explore the Book of Psalms from a historical, theological, and literary perspective. Par-ticular emphasis will be placed on the study of Psalms that are utilized in the liturgy. Knowledge of Hebrew is not required.
LanguageLearning
Exploring the Talmud of the Land of Israel
Instructor: Rabbi Judith Z. AbramsTuesdays February 19 – June 11 ERJCC Weingarten Building7:00 – 8:00 PMorThursdays, February 21 – June 13 Merfish Teen Center $175 Member / $200 Public
This class will explore “the other Talmud,” the Yerushalmi, the Talmud of the Land of Israel. We’ll learn about different ways of praying, meditating, observing the holidays, lifecycle moments as well as ethics and the history of Jews in Israel between 200 - 425 C.E. The Yerushalmi is easier than the Bavli and there are many options for observance you’ve never heard of if you haven’t studied this Talmud. Taught in English. Beginners welcome.
Exodus: Revelation and Revolution
Instructor: Rabbi Pamela SilkThursdays, February 21 – June 13 Merfish Teen Center9:30 – 10:30 AM$175 Member / $200 Public
The course follows the development of the emerging Jewish nation from their awe- inspiring encounter at Mount Sinai through the building of the tabernacle in the wilder-ness. The high points of divine revelation in “Ten Commandments,“ “Encountering God,” and “Face to Face with God” are sharply contrasted with the low points of the “Golden Calf: Revolt or Reversion.” The text addresses some of the specific laws and reg-ulations that were to become part of Jewish living as well as the meaning, purpose and relevance to our lives today.
From Destruction to Renewal: Responsa Related to the Holocaust and to the Newly Established State of Israel
Instructor: Rabbi Barry GelmanThursdays, February 21 – June 13 Merfish Teen Center9:30 – 10:30 AM$175 Member /$200 Public
Responsa Literature are written decisions and rulings by rabbis to questions asked by individuals and communities throughout the ages. Through an examination of responsa written during the Holocaust and in the early years of the Jewish State, this class will exam-ine the idea that Jewish law has played the role of both interpreter and comforter during the worst of times and the best of times.
THESE COURSES ARE PART OF THE FLORENCE MELTON SCHOOL OF ADULT JEWISH LEARNING AND
ARE OPEN TO EVERYONE. PRIOR PARTICIPATION IN THE MELTON PROGRAM IS NOT REQUIRED.
To register for classes contact
Nomi Barancik at 713.729.3200, ext. 3288
Learning
Great Jewish Debates
Instructor: Jonathan FassMondays, January 28, February 4, 11, 187:00 – 8:00 PM$36 Member / $45 Public
If you like a good argument, this course is for you! We will explore important debates in Jewish history, from the biblical, rabbinic and modern period that have had a profound in-fluence on Judaism’s development through-out the centuries. Debates to be discussed include Hillel and Shammai’s debate on Jew-ish law, the Vilna Gaon and the Baal Shem Tov’s debate over spirituality, and Herzl and Isaac M. Wise’s debate over Zionism.
Join us for four sessions with Laykie Donin of Laykie’e Gourmet. Here is your opportunity to learn a few of her secrets and sample some delicious food.
To register for classes please call Nomi Barancik at 713.729.3200 ext. 3288.
Quick in the Kitchen · Feb. 6Laykie will show us how to make quick, delicious and nutritious meals that are right for the whole family.
Delicious and Nutritious · Feb. 13Laykie will impress you with some recipes that will have the most health-conscious eaters asking for more.
Can’t Believe it’s Kosher! · Feb. 20Learn how to transform some great dishes into kosher recipes that are sure to make you go back for seconds.
Simple Desserts · Feb. 27Laykie will show you how to make some simple desserts that will make everyone say “wow.”
Wednesdays, February 6, 13, 20, 27 $20 per session Member/$25 Public$70 series Member/$90 PublicClasses are held at a private, kosher home
with Laykie Donin of Laykie’s GourmetIN THE KITCHEN
The ERJCC is delighted to announce that Saranne and Livingston Kosberg have generously underwritten a new program to create richer Jewish experiences for Houston parents. Entitled Foundations of Jewish Family Living, this new course from the Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning provides parents with the skills and knowledge to practice the core values of Judaism at home with their families. Topics will include Essential Judaism, Creating Jewish Spaces and Welcoming the Stranger.
The Foundations program runs throughout the year. 20 sessions will be offered in 4-5 week blocks. The book for the course is $54. After paying the initial fee of $54, parents may partici-pate in as many sessions as they choose during the year at no additional charge. Facilitated
by local rabbis and Jewish educators.
uPcOMINg SeSSIONS: January 13, 20, 27, February 3
cLASSeS TAKe PLAce AT THe eRJcc · cHILDcARe WILL Be PROVIDeD
*This program is particularly appropriate for parents of children ages 2 through 8, but all parents are welcome.
For more information about Foundations, please contact Rabbi Samantha Safran Bodner at [email protected] or 713.729.3200 ext. 3322.
A N E W P R O G R A M F O R F A M I L I E S W I T H Y O U N G C H I L D R E N
F O U N D A T I O N So f J e w i s h F a m i l y L i v i n g
What are the Jewish values you want to teach your child?
Living
The Bible in Living Color: Biblical Stories Reflected in the Art of European Masters
Instructor: Jonathan FassWednesdays, February 6, 13, 20, 2710:00 – 11:00 AM$28 Member / $39 Public
European painters of the Baroque and Renaissance periods created timeless paintings that explore the central narratives of the Bible. We will look at biblical texts and their rabbinic and artistic interpretations in the hands of painters such as Caravaggio, Rembrandt, Rubens and Titian.
The ERJCC’s Symposium: Lifelong Learning
Institute classes provide a stimulating
intellectual and social environment for
active adults. Peer-led courses consist of
four consecutive weekly, one-hour sessions.
Symposium sessions are scheduled in the fall
and spring. To register contact Esther Bethke
at 713.595.8186 or [email protected].
To view all Symposium courses being offered in
the spring visit erjcchouston.org/symposium.
Join Ilan Duvdevani, a Houston resident and an Israeli wine enthusiast as he discusses Israeli wines and the wine making industry of Israel. The evening will conclude with an Israeli wine tasting representing a cross section of wines, including some of Israel’s finest wines.
L’Chaim: Exploring Israel’s Wines
Instructor: Ilan DuvdevaniWednesday, January 167:00 – 9:00 PM$25 Member / $30 Public
An In-Depth Investigation
Center for JewishLiving and Learning
Judaism And Ethics:M E C H O N H A D A R H O U S T O N S C H O L A R - I N - R E S I D E N C E P R O G R A M
WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN PARTICULARISTIC
JEWISH VALUES AND MORE
GENERAL UNIVERSAL ETHICS?
ARE “BEING A GOOD
JEW” AND “BEING A GOOD
PERSON” SYNONYMOUS
TERMS?
THESE CHALLENGES WILL BE
EXPLORED IN OUR IN-DEPTH
INVESTIGATION OF JEWISH ETHICS
WITH DR. RABBI ETHAN TUCKER OF
MECHON HADAR HOUSTON
Dr. Rabbi Ethan Tucker, Co-Founder and Rosh Yeshiva of Mechon Hadar, the only egalitarian yeshiva
in the United States, returns to Houston for a four-day scholar-in-residence program from February
24 through February 27, 2013. Rabbi Tucker was ordained by the Chief Rabbinate of Israel and earned
a Ph.D. in Talmud and Rabbinics from the Jewish Theological Seminary. He was named one of News-
week’s Top Fifty Rabbis in America in 2011 and 2012.
Between Wisdom and Honor: When Divine commands Threaten Human DignitySunday, February 24 • 7:30 PM
Human beings are created in the divine image and the Torah is built on a foundation of basic human decency. How do we deal with situations where the observance of a commandment gets in the way of this larger vision? We will begin this series by exploring a Talmudic passage that addresses this tension and attempts to lay out a framework for integrating these sometimes competing impulses.
ethical Norms as the Foundation of the TorahMonday, February 25 • 7:30 PM
This lecture will delve into a bold essay by R. Moshe Shmuel Glasner (19th-20th c., Hungary), who spells out a theory of how Judaism ought to relate to modern values. We will explore his text as a basis for rethinking the interrelationship of traditionally Jewish obligations with contemporary crusades for environmental and economic justice. Can we affirm the power of universal ethics without harming our commitment to Judaism?
Was Abraham asked to Sacrifice His ethics?Tuesday, February 26 • 7:30 PM
This lecture will explore anew the classic conflict between ethical commitments and religious duty: the Binding of Isaac. This biblical narrative plays a central role in Jewish prayer, has inspired countless Jews throughout the generations, and continues to haunt us on Rosh Hashanah. In the modern period, the Binding of Isaac has been used for more dramatic effect: making true devotion to God dependent on transcending one’s own ethical instincts. We will reevaluate this reading in an effort to reclaim the Binding of Isaac without sacrificing our own ethics in the process.
can Jewish Texts Be unethical: grappling with Difficult Sources Wednesday, February 27 • 7:30 PM
Sometimes we encounter a Jewish text that seems to say something offensive and contrary to our ethical sense. How do we respond as heirs to this tradition while being true to our ethical instincts? In this lecture, we will explore one 19th century rabbi’s attempt to deal with Talmudic statements that appear to speak disparagingly about Gentiles. Through his approach, we will investigate what it means to take ownership of a tradition that does not, at least at first glance, intuitively match our ethical instincts.
THIS PROGRAM IS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CONGREGATION BRITH SHALOM,
CONGREGATION BETH YESHURUN, AND CONGREGATION OR AMI.
$15 per lecture. To register go to www.erjcchouston.org/hadar
Tirkedu Houston! Workshop
Friday, January 11 – Sunday, January 13
$70 Member / $100 Public$50 Student with Valid ID
Dance Month at the Kaplan Theatre kicks off with Tirkedu Houston! a fun-filled weekend of enthusiastic Israeli dancing at the Evelyn Ru-benstein Jewish Community Center. Longtime favorite, Los Angeles-based David Dassa will lead the workshops January 11- 13. David Dassa is a world renowned Israeli dance teacher and choreographer who has taught Israeli folk dance in Los Angeles for the past 33 years and conducted hundreds of workshops throughout the US and abroad. The weekend will include an Erev Shabbat get-together, teaching ses-sions for intermediate to advanced dancers with reviews at the end of each session and a Saturday night dance party.
Dance Film
Wednesday, March 6 – Sunday, March 17
COMPANY ENeXT: An evening of choreography of Israel and Spain
Saturday, February 9 • 8:00 PM $16 Member / $22 Public$12 Senior Adult and Student
Washington based Company E, under the artistic direction of Paul Gordon Emerson and Kathryn Sydell Pilkington, focuses on the next generation of brilliant, cutting edge choreography. NEXT: An Evening of Chore-ography of Israel and Spain will include the following pieces: Alma and Inside It’s Rain-
ing, choreography by Israeli, Rachel Erdos; Dust (for Jack), choreography by Andrea Miller; Theater of Public Secrets, choreogra-phy by Roni Koresh; and Few, choreography by Thomas Noone and Nuria Martinez.
HOUSTON JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL9th Annual
THE 9TH ANNUAL HOUSTON JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL PROUDLY
CONTINUES ITS TRADITION OF PRESENTING AN ENTERTAINING,
THOUGHT-PROVOKING AND HIGH-QUALITY LINE-UP COMPRISED OF
THE BEST JEWISH AND ISRAELI FILMS FROM ACROSS THE WORLD.
PRESENTED IN COLLABORATION WITH THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS,
HOUSTON, THIS YEAR’S FESTIVAL WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH YOUR PICK
OF DOCUMENTARIES, DRAMAS, COMEDIES, MUSICALS AND, TELEVISION
SERIES. THE 2013 OFFICIAL SELECTION WILL BE ANNOUNCED SOON!
Seymour Schwartz: A Home MovieHouston Premiere. Filmmaker Jon Schwartz profiles his father, Seymour, and extended Jewish family in Houston, spanning the twentieth century.
A Bottle in the Gaza Sea
A bottle thrown into the sea begins a con-versation between an Israeli young woman and a Palestinian young man. It gives them the strength to confront the harsh reality of their worlds, to grapple with it, and thereby ever so slightly, to change it.
Hava NagilaFollow the infectious party song on its fascinat-ing journey from the shtetls of Eastern Europe to the cul-de-sacs of America in this hilarious and surprisingly deep film.
featured films include:
Dance Month at the Kaplan Theatre is funded in part
by the Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center
Patrons of the Arts, a grant from the City of Houston
through the Houston Arts Alliance, Houston Endow-
ment Inc, JPMorgan Chase & Co., and RBC Wealth
Management. Visit www.erjcchouston.org or find us
Facebook for more information and to buy tickets.
JANUARY 10-FEBRUARY 9, 2013
Art
Jewish Film Club
$2 ERJCC Member / $4 PublicAll screenings take place at 12:45 PM
The Jewish Film Club will feature monthly screenings of classic and contemporary films that highlight Jewish characters or themes. A discussion of each film, facilitated by Jonathan Fass or Rabbi Samantha Safran Bodner, will follow. Coffee and snacks will be provided for the discussion.
January 4 - Arranged (2007)
February 22 - For Your Consideration (2006)
March 29 - Partisans of Vilna (1986)
April 12 - Avalon (1990)
May 17 - Praying with Lior (2007)
ReelAbilities
Ben XNic BalthazarBelgium/Flemish/93 min Monday, February 11 • 7:00 PMKaplan Theatre, ERJCC
Ben lives in a universe unto itself. He hides from his harsh reality of school, being bullied, and awkward social interactions by escaping into his favorite online computer game, Archlord, where he is safe, strong, and in control of his surroundings. In this remarkable drama, Ben devises a plan to leave his reality and to become the hero he dreams of being.
ReelAbilities is the largest festival in the country
dedicated to promoting awareness and apprecia-
tion of the lives, stories and artistic expressions
of people with different disabilities.
ARTS, CULTURE, EDUCATION | ADULTS | SENIORS | KIDS & FAMILY | HEALTH & WELLNESS
The ERJCC proudly presents ERJCClive, a free
live streaming service open to the community
that allows you to watch select programs
LIVE on your computer screen or mobile device. It even has archived
viewing on-demand, so you can attend the program in-person and then
go home and watch it again. Join thousands from around the globe to
watch our world-class programming online.
To check out our upcoming live streaming programs, visit houstonjewishlive.com
Sue Gersten’s Dance Photos
January 7 – February 15
Sue Gersten has spent the majority of her lifetime photographing dancers. She is inspired by the movement, the grace and the beauty of the human form and has dedicated many hours to capturing these remarkable and extraordinary images. The exhibit will be displayed during the 33rd Annual Dance Month at the Kaplan Theatre.
Mann Makht und Gott Lakht’: Man Makes, God LaughsAn exhibit of paintings by Uzi Silber
February 25 – April 5
Uzi seeks out the relics, images, symbols, scripts and patterns which have made us who we are, resuscitates and integrates them in a new yet timeless context as whimsical as it is serious.
Coming Soon:
From enlightenment to Intifada: French Jewry Then and Now SEE PAGE 2 FOR DETAILS
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GALLERY HOURS:Monday – Thursday: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PMFriday & Sunday: 9:00 – 5:00 PM
2012 - 2013 Patrons of the ArtsIt’s not too late to join in the fund-raising and friend-raising… a celebration of 40 years of supporting arts, culture & education programs for the Jewish community and for Houston. For more
information, call the Development Office at 713.729.3200, ext. 3103.
Nonprofit Org.
U.S. Postage
P A I DHouston, Texas
Permit No. 6217
EVELYN RUBENSTEIN JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER5601 S. Braeswood | Houston, TX 77096erjcchouston.org
FRENCH JEWRY THEN AND NOW
C e n t e r f o r J e w i s h L i v i n g a n d L e a r n i n g S c h o l a r S e r i e s
From Enlightenment to Intifada:
Dr. Robert Zaretsky is a professor of modern
French history at the Honors College of
the University of Houston. Dr. Zaretsky is
a frequent contributor to The New York
Times, International Herald Tribune, The
Forward, Los Angeles Times and Le Monde
Diplomatique. His lectures will address the
history of the Jews of France from the
French Revolution to the modern period,
focusing on the Dreyfus Affair, the Jews
in Occupied France, and the relationship
between the French, the Jews, and the State
of Israel after 1967.
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SEE PAGE 2 FOR DETAILS