jewishjourneys2014

Jewish Journeys

Adult Learning at Beth El 2014•15

Dear Learner:

Welcome to our Beth El Adult Education program, newly titled Jewish Journeys: Adult Learning at Beth El. You’ll notice a number of new classes, new styles of learning, and new instructors, along with the traditional courses we’ve always offered. This year, we’ve characterized each course and speaker, dividing everything into four categories: Eye on Israel; Spirituality and Text; History and Culture; and Learn-ing and Doing. Some courses overlap, but the idea is to be more specific in how we present our courses, and allow you to choose wisely.

Jewish learning remains the most important Jewish spiritual activity. As our rabbis claimed, Talmud Torah k’neged kulam – “Torah study supersedes every-thing.” Not because we should study Torah to the exclusion of every other activity, but because study leads to passionate engagement with the world. We won’t find ourselves, our way with God, our true voca-tions in life without the serious reflection that Torah study offers. A healthy, questing inner life is the key to a full, active embrace of our beautiful world.

So do yourself a favor this year, and take advantage of this excellent program. At Beth El, we study Torah literally every day of the week, and often several times of day. We study morning, afternoon, and evening – weekdays, weekends, and holidays. We learn from rabbis, professors, educated lay people, therapists, community leaders, and mostly, each other. Learn with us, and enter the exciting community of Torah Study. If not now, when?

Shanah Tovah,

Rabbi Philip Graubart Senior Rabbi

Message from the Rabbi

Text & Spirituality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Daily Minyan & Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Study of Jewish Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Talmud Class . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Torah Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Short Stories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Big Ideas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Intro to Judaism I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Intro to Judaism II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Judaism, Science & Theodicy . . . . . . . . 5 The Tribes of Israel: A Shared Homeland for a Divided People . . . . . . 5

History & Culture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Shabbat Schmooze . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Shirenu Chorus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Seven Decades of Israeli Music . . . . . . 7 Short Stories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Eye on Israel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 The Tribes of Israel: A Shared Homeland for a Divided People . . . . . . 7A Cinematic Tapestry of Israeli Ethnicities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Seven Decades of Israeli Music . . . . . . 7Scholar-in-Residence. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Ritual Learning & Doing . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Connecting with Jewish Practice . . . . . 9

Classes at a Glance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Teacher Bios . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Table ofContents

4 Register at www.cbe.orgOnline Registration Required

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DAILY MINYAN AND STUDYJoin us for our Daily Minyan and Study and enjoy a bagel, cream cheese, and coffee at no cost. Not only will we be able to fulfill the important mitzvah of helping others recite the Mourner’s Kaddish, it is also a wonderful way to open our hearts and minds, allowing God’s presence into our lives. Daily Minyan in the Beit Midrash Monday – Friday: 7:30 - 8:00am (9:00 - 9:30am on Federal Holidays)Sunday: 9:00am

Study of Jewish LawTaught by Rabbi Avi Libman Join us as we study Jewish Law. We are using the Shulchan Aruch as a beginning point for our conversation. Mondays & Tuesdays, 8:00 - 8:30am, Beit Midrash

Talmud ClassTaught by Rabbi GraubartWatch Rabbi Graubart’s Talmud class online: https://cbe.org/learning/video-classes.html Wednesdays, 8:00 - 8:30am, Beit Midrash

Torah Study Join us on Thursday as volunteers lead the Torah study discussion with a chance for questions and further dialogue. Thursdays, 8:00 - 8:30am, Beit Midrash

Shabbat Morning Torah StudyTaught by Rabbi Philip Graubart or Rabbi Avi Libman We will gather together before Shabbat morning services to study the weekly Torah Reading. Each week, Rabbi Philip Graubart or Rabbi Avi Libman will lead a discussion based on traditional com-mentary, contemporary issues, and other insights participants may bring to the discussion. This will not be a lecture or a sermon, but a fully interac-tive, participatory study session. Saturdays, 9:00am Jacobs Family Community Hall No Cost. No sign-up necessary. Drop-ins welcome.

SHORT STORIESLed by Mo GoldJoin Mo for lively and interactive discussions of short stories from America and I and The Shocken Book of Modern Sephardic Literature. Stories discussed each week will be sent to participants in advance.Sundays, Oct. 19, Nov. 16, Dec. 21, 2014; Jan. 18, Feb. 22, Mar. 15, Apr. 19, May 17, Jun. 14, 2015 10:30am-12:00pm, Beit Midrash Email [email protected] to get the weekly story.No cost

BIG IDEAS: WHAT JUDAISM TEACHES US ABOUT POLITICS, COMMUNITY, FAMILY, NATURE, SCIENCE, AND THE INNER LIFE. Taught by Rabbi Philip GraubartJoin us for an eight session class studying Jewish texts which respond to a series of “big” questions. Each session will include dinner, group study, a lecture from Rabbi Graubart, and discussion.

Topics and Questions:■ Democracy and Pluralism: What is the ideal

political structure, and what are the best ways of getting there, and doing it right?

■ Humans in Nature: Are human beings part of nature, or apart from nature?

■ Science and Technology: What are the best, most effective, most ethical ways of pursuing scientific knowledge? How exactly do human beings differ from intelligent machines, or other intelligent animals?

■ Relationships: What are the best human relation-ships? How do we achieve those?

■ War and Peace: When do we go to war; when do we go for peace? Are there rules in war, or ethical standards?

■ Nationalism: Does nationalism benefit humanity? How do we balance tribal feelings, with a sense of loyalty to all humanity?

■ Economics/Capitalism/Socialism: What are the ideal economic policies for governments and communities?

■ God: What does it mean to say there is a God, and that there is only one?

Nov. 12, Dec. 10, 2014; Jan. 14, Feb. 11, Mar. 18, Apr. 22, May 13, 2015 6:30-8:30pm, Beit Midrash $120 members, $145 nonmembers Includes dinner at all sessions

INTRO TO JUDAISM ITaught by Rabbi Avi LibmanJoin us for an educational journey for Jews and non-Jews interested in gaining knowledge of Jew-ish history, life and culture. In this course, we will cover topics like Jewish history, theology and phi-losophy, as well as holidays and life-cycle events, practices and rituals, and an introduction to Hebrew. The course is geared to both Jews and non-Jews who want to learn more about Judaism, in addition to those considering conversion. Nov. 3, 10, 17, 24; Dec. 1, 8, 2015 7:00-8:30pm, Beit Midrash $50 members, $75 nonmembers

Online Registration Required


5Register at www.cbe.orgOnline Registration Required

INTRO TO JUDAISM II Taught by Rabbi Avi LibmanJoin us for the second part of an educational jour-ney for Jews and non-Jews interested in gaining knowledge of Jewish history, life and culture. In this course, we will discuss topics like Jewish History, Mitzvoth (Commandments) How and when the Torah was written, prayer and modern understand-ings of God. The course is geared to both Jews and non-Jews who want to learn more about Juda-ism, in addition to those considering conversion.March 2, 9, 16, 23, 30; April 6, 2015 7:00-8:30pm, Beit Midrash $50 members, $75 nonmembers

JUDAISM, SCIENCE & THEODICYTaught by Rabbi Shai CherryHas Judaism ever cared about the science of the day? Is there science in the Torah? In the prayer book? Have Darwinian evolution and Big Bang cosmology affected Jewish thought or practice—should they? This 6-week course with Rav Shai Cherry dives deeply into the topic and reveals the moral and theological reverberations of the sci-ence and religion encounter.

Topics:■ Science in Tanach■ Science in Siddur, Genesis Rabbah, and Hagiga■ Science and Rambam■ Lurianic kabbala and theodicy/post-Shoah theology■ Darwinian evolution■ Big Bang cosmologyRelevant Publications“Jewish Origins: Cosmos, Humanity and Judaism,” Rout-ledge Companion to Religion & Science (2012); “Juda-ism, Darwinism and the Typology of Suffering,” Zygon: Journal of Religion & Science 46:2, June 2011; “Crisis Management via Biblical Interpretation: Fundamentalism, Modern Orthodoxy & Genesis,” Jewish Tradition and the Challenge of Evolution, University of Chicago Press, 2006; “Three Twentieth-Century Jewish Responses to Evolutionary Theory,” Aleph: Historical Studies in Sci-ence and Judaism 3 (2003)Nov. 3, 10, 17, 24; Dec. 1, 8, 2014 7:30-9:00pm Youth Lounge Conference Room $50 members, $75 nonmembers

THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL: A SHARED HOMELAND FOR A DIVIDED PEOPLEA Shalom Hartman class Facilitated by Dr. Ray Fink and Rabbi Philip GraubartThis Video Lecture Series confronts the challenge of creating a Jewish and democratic public space in the modern State of Israel—a shared common space for a people divided along “tribal” affiliations: religious, ideological, national, and geographic.

What is the significance of the State of Israel as a Jewish public sphere? How does a people divided along religious, geographic, and ideological lines build a shared society? The Tribes of Israel begins a conversation to restructure the relationship be-tween the collective and the individual tribes that comprise Israel. Topics include:

■ The Jewish People as a Tribal Family: Lecture by Shalom Hartman Institute (SHI) President Rabbi Dr. Donniel Hartman

■ The “Orthodox” Jewish Tribes: Lecture and Inter-views with Yechezkel Fogel, Yael Chechik, Dov Elbaum, and Yedidia Stern

■ The “Liberal” Jewish Tribes: Lecture and Inter-views with Ruth Calderon, Rani Jaeger, Melila Hellner-Eshed, and Dani Elazar

■ The Arab Palestinian Israeli Tribes: Lecture and Interviews with Amal Jabareen and Mohammad Darawshe

■ The North American Jewish Tribes: Lecture 1 and Interview with Rick Jacobs; Lecture 2 and Inter-views with Yehuda Kurtzer and Sharon Brous

■ Unity and Diversity in the Jewish Tradition: Lec-ture by SHI President Rabbi Dr. Donniel Hartman

■ The Porous “Wall of Separation” between Church and State: Lessons from the U.S. and Canada: Lecture by SHI President Rabbi Dr. Don-niel Hartman

■ Synagogue and State: The Israeli Experience: Lecture and Interviews with Ruth Gavison and Danny Statman

■ Sharing the Public Sphere: New Foundations for a Jewish Democracy: Lecture by SHI President Rabbi Dr. Donniel Hartman

■ Tribes and Peoplehood: Reflections on Living in a Tribal Family: Interviews with Yossi Klein Hale-vi, Rachel Sabath Beit-Halachmi, Yehuda Kurtzer, Melila Hellner-Eshed, Gil Troy, and Tal Becker

Each session includes dinner, group study, video lecture, and discussion. All participants will be in-vited to a special private evening with Dr. Yehuda Kurtzer, North American director of the Shalom Hartman Institute when he visits Beth El as scholar- in-residence. Participants will also receive study materials and additional learning opportunities from the Shalom Hartman Institute.10 sessions, meets bi weekly. Oct. 21, Nov. 4, Nov. 18, Dec. 2, Dec. 16, 2014; Jan. 6, Jan. 20, Feb. 3, Feb. 17, March 3, 2015 6:30-8:30pm Jacobs Family Community Hall $150 members, $175 nonmembers includes course book and dinners at all sessions





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reHistory & CultureSHABBAT SCHMOOZE: LUNCH-N-LEARNShabbat Schmooze is a program that provides an opportunity for our congregants to enjoy the com-pany of their friends following Shabbat Services. Through the presentation of interesting topics, participants are able to learn and schmooze with each other and topic leaders while enjoying a buf-fet lunch. You can enrich your Shabbat experience within the walls of your community home. Immediately following Shabbat Services Jan. 31, 2014; Feb 21, Mar. 21, 2015 Jacobs Family Community Hall No Cost

New Date! Saturday, April 18 GARY JACOBS High Tech High Mr. Gary Jacobs founded Jacobs In-vestment Company, a company that participates in investment activities

throughout the United States, Israel and abroad. He serves as chairman of the board for DermTech International, Nutrinia Ltd., and Next Generation Technologies, and is a director of GEO2 Tech-nologies, Bio2 Technologies, Motus GI Technolo-gies, M.S.T - Medical Surgical Technologies, and Fallbrook Technologies. Mr. Jacobs owns the Lake Elsinore Storm Professional Baseball and Las Ve-gas Wranglers Professional Hockey teams.Mr. Jacobs is Chairman, Board of Trustees of High Tech High charter high schools and a board mem-ber of the HTH Graduate School of Education. He chairs the Dean’s Advisory Council for the Social Sciences at University of California, San Diego. He and his wife, Jerri-Ann, created the Gary and Jerri-Ann Graduate Fellowship in Social Sciences Endowment and the Jerri-Ann and Gary Jacobs Chair in Social Sciences.They have endowed the Jerri-Ann and Gary Jacobs Teen Director position and Senior Depart-ment at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center, Jacobs Family Campus. Mr. Jacobs is on the boards of the Lawrence Family Jewish Com-munity Center and Jewish Community Centers Association; the UCSD Athletic Board; UCSD Board of Overseers; and UCSD Foundation Board.The Gary and Jerri-Ann Jacobs International Teen Leadership Institute (JITLI) brings together Jewish teens from San Diego and Israel and Arab teens from Israel and Gaza for a year long program study-ing historical and current Muslim/Jewish relations.Mr. Jacobs graduated in 1979 from the University of California at San Diego with a B.A. in Manage-ment Science. He lives in Del Mar with his wife Jerri-Ann, son Adam, daughters Sara, Beth, and Mara, and their dogs Goldie and Sunny.

Saturday, February 21 MICHAEL SONDUCK Regarding the Pew SurveyMichael Sonduck is the President and CEO of the Jewish Federation of San Diego County. Michael has been associated with the Federation

since 2004, as a consultant, Director of Strategic Implementation, and Chief Operating Officer, prior to being named CEO in March 2012. Before work-ing for Federation, Michael led a management consulting practice for twenty-five years focus-ing on the role of leadership in strategic change. His clients included business, government, and non-profit leaders. He is a published author and accomplished public speaker. He has been active as a synagogue Board member and led strategic planning activities for several synagogues and Jewish organizations. He is a graduate of George Williams College.

Saturday, March 21 TOM LEVY Biblical Archaeology in the 21st Century - Views from Across the JordanThomas E. Levy is a Distinguished Professor of Anthropology, holder of

the Norma Kershaw Chair in the Archaeology of Ancient Israel and Neighboring Lands at UC San Diego. He directs the Cyber-Archaeology labora-tory at the Qualcomm Institute -UCSD. Most of his fieldwork takes place in southern Jordan.

SHIRENU CHORUS Taught by Cheri WeissIf you love to sing Jewish and liturgical music, we invite you to join our new adult mixed voice chorus. Rehearsals will take place on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month beginning Novem-ber 12th and will begin with a brief vocal training lesson. We will learn new melodies to traditional Jewish prayers and sing choral versions of familiar Hebrew and English songs. We will eventually integrate some of our pieces into the new Shab-bat Shirenu service, which will take place on the fourth Friday of each month. Our chorus will also perform at Jewish venues in the community. The Shirenu Chorus will be conducted by Cheri Weiss, who is a former vocal instructor at Palo-mar College and a current Cantorial candidate at the Academy for Jewish Religion in Los Angeles, Cheri is also serving as our Cantorial Intern.Nov 12, Dec 10, 2014; Jan. 14, 28; Feb. 11, 25; March 11, 25; April 8, 22; May 13, 27; June 10, 24, 20156:30-8:30pm, Jacobs Family Community HallNo Cost



IsraelEye onSHORT STORIES Led by Mo GoldSee full description on page 4.

Sundays, Oct. 19, Nov. 16, Dec. 21, 2014; Jan. 18, Feb. 22, Mar. 15, Apr. 19, May 17, Jun. 14. 2015 10:30am-12:00pm, Beit Midrash No cost

Eye on IsraelTHE TRIBES OF ISRAEL: A SHARED HOMELAND FOR A DIVIDED PEOPLEA Shalom Hartman class, facilitated by Dr. Ray Fink and Rabbi Philip GraubartSee full description on page 5.

10 sessions, meets bi weekly. Oct. 21, Nov. 4, Nov. 18, Dec. 2, Dec. 16, 2014; Jan. 6, Jan. 20, Feb. 3, Feb. 17, March 3, 2015 6:30-8:30pm, Jacobs Family Community Hall $150 members, $175 nonmembers includes course book and dinners at all sessions

A CINEMATIC TAPESTRY OF ISRAELI ETHNICITIES Movie Series with introductions and discussions by Dr. Laurie Baron, Professor Emeritus, San Diego State University 7:00pm $8 movie/$25 series for members $10 movie/$30 series for nonmembers

November 9 THE BARBEQUE PEOPLE Dir. by Yossi Madmoni and David Ofek (Israel: 2003)

A family of Iraqi-Israelis, each with his or her own weaknesses and de-termination, gathers for an Indepen-

dence Day picnic. Their background stories are presented, reaching back as little as a few days or as far back as the War of Independence and the old country before that, and interlocking in ways that even they never realize.

December 14 THE SCHWARTZ DYNASTY Dir. by Amir Hasfari and Schmel Hasfari (Israel: 2005) The Schwartz dynasty is descended from a long tradition of Jewish rab-bis. The grandfathers came to Israel

to start a new life and build a country. Where are their descendants and how are they doing in the Israel of today are the themes that come together here. The movie examines how Israeli society accommodates the new immigrants coming from the former Soviet Union with a blurring Jewish tradition and a set of problems that did not exist in the previous waves of immigration.



A CINEMATIC TAPESTRY OF ISRAELI ETHNICITIES, cont’d

January 11ZRUBAVELDir. by Shmuel Beru (Israel: 2009) While they were born and raised in Israel, the Zrubavels are of Ethiopian heritage and find themselves caught between their love for Israel and

the racism they face there. The father struggles to support his wife and children as a janitor. One son rejects his parents’ desire to send him to a prestigious school; another is wary of joining the air force while his brother aspires to be a rabbi; the only daughter has fallen for a boy who is re-jected by her folks because he’s a distant relative and the youngest wants to be a filmmaker and documents life in the neighborhood with his video camera. This was the first Israeli film directed by an Ethiopian Jew.

March 8 THE ATTACKDir. by Ziad Doueiri (Lebanon, France, Qatar, Belgium: 2012)

Dr. Amin Jaafari is an Israeli Arab surgeon who seems to have it all with a promising career with honors

among the Israelis in Tel Aviv. That all changes after a devastating terrorist suicide bombing and his beloved wife, Siham, is found among the dead as the primary suspect. Although initially refus-ing to accept that she could be involved, Amin comes to realize the allegations are true. Now, the ostracized Amin tries to find out why Siham had so strong a conviction that she kept secret from him.

SEVEN DECADES OF ISRAELI MUSICTaught by Elisheva EdelsonThe course “Seven Decades of Israeli Music” is designed to connect people with Israel via songs. Although there are many songs, and it is impos-sible to learn them all, every decade has a style, a certain message, a description of the land and certainly a historical background that will bring the people who learn the songs to get to know the Israelis. Jan. 5, 12, 26; Feb. 2, 9, 23, 2015 7:00-8:30pm, Beit Midrash $50 members, $75 nonmembers



Eye on IsraelSCHOLAR IN RESIDENCE: YEHUDA KURTZERThe New Tribes of Israel: Community & Consensus for an Evolving PeopleTalk topics:■ The Tribes of Israel: Can “Tribalism” Help Us

Think About Jewish Peoplehood? ■ Peoplehood in Crisis: What Do Jews in Israel and

America Owe One Another?■ The Three Major Transformations of American

Jewry: Mapping American Jewry’s Uncertain Future

Yehuda Kurtzer is President of the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America. He has a Doctorate in Jewish Studies from Harvard University an MA in Religion from Brown University, and is an alumnus of both the Wexner Graduate and

Bronfman Youth Fellowship programs.

Yehuda is the author of Shuva: The Future of the Jewish Past, a work of constructive theology that offers new thinking on how contemporary Jews can and should relate to our past while living profoundly in the present. As a fellow in the Insti-tute’s iEngage Project, Yehuda writes and teaches widely on the central challenges facing Jewish life in both America and Israel, and how new Jewish thinking can help us stand up to these challenges. Yehuda previously served on the faculty of Brandeis University as the inaugural Chair of Jewish Communal Innovation. He now lives in New York with his wife, Stephanie Ives, and their three children.

December 12 and 13, 2014Congregation Beth El

ISRAEL TOUR JUNE 17 - 29, 2015Join Rabbi Philip Graubart & Congregation Beth El on this In-Depth Tour of ISRAEL. Explore the many faces that make up Multicultural Israel, while enriching your knowledge of Jewish and Ancient History. Enjoy outdoor adventures and the beauty of the land itself and encounter firsthand the Modern Miracle of the State of Israel. Immerse in Israeli Culture — Art, Food & Wine. Engage with the communities of Israel.

This amazing tour includes: ■ 3 nights at the Carlton Hotel in Tel Aviv ■ 1 night at the Holiday Inn in Ashkelon ■ 2 nights at Kibbutz Nof Ginnosar in the Galilee ■ 4 nights at the Dan Panorama in Jerusalem ■ All touring in a deluxe air-conditioned vehicle

with an English-speaking guide ■ Breakfast daily ■ Welcome dinner ■ Shabbat dinner in Tel Aviv ■ Shabbat lunch in Tel Aviv ■ 2 Kibbutz dinners ■ Lunch at Moshav Nahalal ■ Shabbat dinner in Jerusalem ■ Shabbat lunch in Jerusalem ■ Farewell dinner ■ Fun and educational Scavenger Hunt through

Jerusalem ■ Partake in a “Side by Side”, dual narrative tour of

Old Jaffa led jointly by a Jewish and Arab guide ■ Take part in an archeological dig in the caves of

Tel Maresha ■ Plant a tree in a JNF Forest ■ Enjoy a Jeep tour of the Golan Heights & a Kaya-

king adventure along the Jordan River ■ Learn at a glassblowing Kaballah workshop with

Sheva Shaiman in Safed ■ Help Israel’s needy with Pantry Packers ■ Hear about religious freedom challenges in

Israel with Rabbi Uri Regev of Hiddush ■ Visit with the elderly artists at Yad Lakashish ■ Enjoy the Tower of David Sound & Light show ■ Transfers included if arriving/departing with the

main group ■ Entrance fees per itinerary ■ Porterage ...and so much more!

Tour Pricing: Israel Land Tour Full Cost (Paid by CC) - $3,398 Discounted (Paid by Check) - $3,299 Land costs are per person, based on double occupancy. Single supplement is $1,128 or $1,095 paid by check. Triple reduction is $660 per room ($220 per person in a triple - one person in room must be under 18).

While flights are on own, please contact Tara at Ayelet Tours at 1-800-237-1517 ext. 302 for assistance with your flight arrangements.Itinerary and on-line registration available at: www.ayelet.com/GraubartJune2015.aspx

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Ritual: Learning and DoingCONNECTING WITH JEWISH PRACTICETaught by Eugene NewmanThis is a four-week course that discusses and lays the foundation for the observance of simple Jew-ish practice. If you have thought about wanting to bring into your home simple practices of Jewish observance that can add to your Jewish connec-tion, these four classes may be an answer to how to integrate Jewish routines of observance into your current life style. We will discuss your desires and expectations for the class, whys and hows of Jewish practice observance, and how adding one new simple Jewish practice to a daily or weekly routine can add a new dimension to your life’s perspective.

If you have kvelled over the candle lighting scene in Fiddler, why not kvell over your own candle lighting scene – and best of all you can kvell weekly! Practices that we will discuss are candle lighting for the Sabbath and festivals, reciting the Kiddush, Havdalah, wearing tefillin, saying grace after meals, and saying blessings before eating. This is open ended so bring your thoughts, com-mitment, and questions. We can add subjects as you desire and time permits.

Thursdays, Nov. 6, Nov. 13, Nov. 20, Dec. 4 7:00-8:30pm Youth Lounge Conference Room Free

Ritual Learning &D

oing


$150 members$175 nonmembers

Tribes Of Israel: A Hartman Class, pg. 5

Ray FinkRabbi Graubart

Tuesdays, Oct. 21, Nov. 4, 18; Dec. 2, 16, 2014;Jan. 6, 20; Feb. 3, 17; Mar. 3, 2015

6:30-8:30pmJFCH

$120 members$145 nonmembersBig Ideas, pg. 4 Rabbi Graubart Wednesdays, Nov. 12, Dec. 10, 2014; Jan. 14,

Feb. 11, Mar. 18, Apr 22, May 13, 20156:30-8:30pmBeit Midrash


Introduction to Judaism Part I, pg. 4 Rabbi Libman Mondays, Nov. 3, 10, 17, 24; Dec. 1, 8, 2014 7:00-8:30pm

Beit Midrash$50 members$75 nonmembers

Introduction to Judaism Part II, pg. 5 Rabbi Libman Mondays, Mar. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30; Apr. 6, 2015 7:00-8:30pm

Beit Midrash

FREEWeekly Talmud Class, pg. 4 Rabbi Graubart Wednesday mornings available on www.cbe.org

After MinyanBeit Midrash

FREEPortion of the Week, pg. 4 Rabbi GraubartRabbi Libman Saturday Mornings Before Services

Beit Midrash

FREEPortion of the Week, pg. 4 Irv Jacobs Thursday Mornings After MinyanBeit Midrash

FREEJewish Law, pg. 4 Rabbi GraubartRabbi Libman Monday and Tuesday Mornings After Minyan

Beit Midrash


Judaism, Science & Theodicy, pg. 5 Rabbi Shai Cherry Nov. 3, 10, 17, 24; Dec. 1, 8, 2014

7:30-9:00pmYouth LoungeConference Room

Jewish Short Stories, pg. 4 Mo Gold Sundays. Oct. 19, Nov. 16, Dec. 21, 2014; Jan. 18, Feb. 22, Mar. 15, Apr. 19, May 17, Jun. 14, 2015

10:30-12:00amBeit Midrash

FREE

FREE

Shirenu Chorus, pg. 6 Cheri WeissWednesdays, Nov. 12, Dec. 10, 2014; Jan. 14, 28; Feb. 11, 25; Mar. 11, 25; Apr. 8, 22; May 13, 27; Jun. 10, 24, 2015

6:30-8:30pmJFCH


Seven Decades of Israeli Music, pg. 7 Elisheva Edelson Mondays, Jan. 5, 12, 26; Feb. 2, 9, 23, 2015 7:00-8:30pm

Beit MidrashMembers: $8/movie $25/SeriesNonmembers: $10/$30

Israeli Films: A Cinematic Tapestry of Israeli Ethnicities, pg. 7

Prof. Laurie Baron Second Sunday of the MonthNov. 9, Dec. 14, 2014; Jan. 11, Mar. 8, 2015

7:00pmJFCH

FREEConnecting with Jewish Practice, pg. 9 Gene Newman Thursdays, Nov. 6, Nov. 13, Nov. 20, Dec. 4, 2014 7:00pm

Youth LoungeConference Room

TBDScholar in Residence, pg. 8 Dr. Yehuda Kurzer December 12 & 13, 2014 JFCH

FREEShabbat Schmooze, pg. 6 Gary Jacobs:High Tech High

Saturday, Jan. 3, 2015 After ServicesJFCH

FREEShabbat Schmooze, pg.6 Michael Sonduck:The Pew Study Saturday, Feb. 21, 2015

After ServicesJFCH

FREEShabbat Schmooze, pg. 6Dr. Tom Levy: Biblical Archeology in the 21st Century Views from Across the Jordan

Saturday, Mar. 21, 2015 After ServicesJFCH

CLASS TITLE INSTRUCTOR DATES TIME/PLACE FEEClasses at a Glance


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Bio

s Meet our FacultyRabbi Philip Graubart is the senior rabbi of Congregation Beth El, in La Jolla, California. In 2012, Congrega-tion Beth El honored him on his ten years at the synagogue. Before that, he served congregations in New York City, and Northampton Massa-

chusetts. He was also senior vice president of the National Yiddish Book Center in Amherst Massa-chusetts. He has had leadership volunteer positions in many organizations including the Rabbinical Assembly, the United Synagogue, The San Diego Rabbinic Association, Hillel, The Federation, the San Diego Jewish Academy, and Jewish Family Service.

Rabbi Graubart received his rabbinic degree from the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York. He also studied at Northwestern University and the University of Judaism. He has a master’s degree in International Relations from Hebrew University.

Rabbi Graubart is an accomplished author. He’s had regular columns in The Jerusalem Report, the Jerusalem Post, the San Diego Jewish Journal, and the Jewish Journal of Western Massachu-setts. Many of these columns have won Jewish journalism awards. He currently blogs at timeso-fisrael.com and cbe.org. He has published five books, My Dinner with Michael Jackson, Planet of the Jews, My Mother’s Song, A Suicide Note, and his latest Rabbis and Gangsters.

He’s married to Rabbi Susan Freeman. They have two sons.

Rabbi Avi Libman currently serves as the Associate Rabbi of Congrega-tion Beth El in La Jolla. Ordained by the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies in Los Angeles, he served for two years as the Rabbinic Intern for Congregation Ner Tamid in Palos

Verdes, and two years as the Student Rabbi for Hillel at the University of Texas. He holds a BA in Political Science from Clark University, and an MBA in non-profit management from the Univer-sity of Judaism. He also served as a Chaplain in the United States Navy.

Dr. Laurie Baron Lawrence “Laurie” Baron, Ph.D. is the Nasatir Chair in Modern Jewish History at San Diego State University where he has taught since 1988. He is the founder and current president of the Western Jewish Studies Association. He

specializes in modern Jewish history, particularly the history of the Holocaust, and representations of modern history in feature film. He has edited the anthology The Modern Jewish Experience in Feature Film which was published in December 2011 by Brandeis University Press. Previous work by Baron includes his book, Projecting the Holo-caust into the Present: The Changing Focus of Contemporary Holocaust Cinema (Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield, 2005).

Rabbi Shai Cherry holds a doctor-ate in Jewish Thought and Theology from Brandeis University (2001) and was subsequently ordained as a Conservative Rabbi by the Ziegler School (2009). Shai wrote the first user-friendly textbook on Jewish

biblical commentary: Torah Through Time: Under-standing Bible Commentary from the Rabbinic Period to Modern Times, and he is the featured lecturer for The Teaching Company’s “Introduc-tion to Judaism.” He spent four years as an assistant professor of Jewish Thought at Vander-bilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, and four years as a lecturer at UCLA. Rav Shai is now the director of Shaar Hamayim, a center for Jewish learning.

Mo Gold recently celebrated the 70th Anniversary of his Bar Mitzvah at Beth El. From a young age, as was typical of the times, in addition to his secular studies, he was intensively involved in Jewish studies at the yeshiva in Chicago. Mo has always

been a person steeped in an active Jewish life. His involvement in synagogue life, religious practice, exposure to Jewish books, and connec-tion to Rabbis and teachers in the greater Jewish world have only fostered his desire to search and learn more about Judaism and its multi-faceted dimensions.

Mo has been married to Phyllis for 58 years. They have children, Sari, Karen, and Steven and their families include 7 grandchildren. They all give Mo great joy in their love.


Elisheva Edelson originally from Mexico, has been a Jewish Educator and performer of Jewish folk and Popular music. Elisheva has a BA in Education from the once Yiddish-Hebrew Teachers Seminar in Mexico City, now Universidad Hebraica, and

she is an alumnus of the Melton Program “Me-hanchim Bechirim” at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. She has earned the Advanced Peda-gogic Award from the San Diego Agency for Jewish Education and the prestigious Grinspoon-Steinhardt Award for Excellence in Education. She has been invited to participate in several cultural events organized by the Israeli Embassy in Mexico and the “Instituto Cultural Mexico-Israel.” Elisheva has performed in the Annual Jewish Music Festi-vals “TUVIE MAIZEL” in the Palace of Fine Arts in Mexico City in a concert of Sephardic music at the National Museum of History in Chapultepec Castle, and at the National University in Mexico and celebrating “Jerusalem 3000.” She represented the Jewish Community of Mexico in the Yiddish Theater Festival in Bucharest, Rumania, celebrating Abraham Goldfaden, and the 115th Anniversary of Yiddish Theater. For over 20 years she taught Jewish Music at the “Yiddishe Shule in Mexico City,” now CIM-ORT and conducted the children’s choir. Since 2002, she lives in San Diego, CA where she teaches at Congregation Beth Am where she also conducts the Beth Am Choir.

Cheri Weiss is currently serving as Beth El’s Cantorial Intern and is studying for the Cantorate at the Academy for Jewish Religion in Los Angeles. She holds Bachelors and Masters degrees in Vocal Perfor-mance from CSU Northridge and a

Bachelor of Arts degree from Wesleyan University in Connecticut. Cheri served as Adjunct Professor of Music at Palomar College and taught private voice lessons. She has performed at numerous venues throughout San Diego County including the Lyceum Theater, Poway Center for the Per-forming Arts, the JCC, as well as many Syna-gogues including Temple Ner Tamid, where she served as Cantorial Soloist for 9 years. She performed the Israel premier of her original song cycle, “Shirim L’Emma” (Songs for Emma) at the Haifa Museum and lived in Israel for 6 years. Cheri is looking forward to expanding Beth El’s musical programming with the new Shirenu Chorus as well as the Shabbat Shirenu Service, which will take place on the 4th Friday of every month.

Gene Newman has lived in San Diego County from November 2007, after being retired since 2003 from his profession as an information systems specialist. It is a field in which he worked for over 35 years and one in which he received in

1998 national recognition for innovation in the application of information technology to business processes. Born in Brooklyn, spending a few years in the Detroit suburbs, he relocated from the Washington D.C. area where he lived since the late 1950’s. He and his wife Suzanne were among a dozen families to found B’nai Shalom of Olney, a Conservative synagogue in Maryland which at its largest growth had a membership of over 500 families. He served on the governing body of the synagogue for many years, holding positions of Chairman for fundraising, programming, bylaws, and ritual, as well as Director and President. He was fortunate to be a synagogue member where the clergy, both Rabbi and Hazzan, were actively encouraging the participation of members to engage in services beyond prayer and so pro-vided courses of instruction in various aspects of service participation of which he took advantage. He thus learned to lead Shabbat and weekday services, perform the role of gabbai, and chant Torah and haftarah. His participation in Jewish community affairs included serving on a Presi-dents Council for the Washington area, making phone call solicitations for the United Jewish Appeal on Super Sunday, picketing the Russian Embassy in support of Russian Jewry, and partici-pating in 10km walks in support of Israel. Gene has two children, son and daughter, and four grandchildren.


Congregation Beth El of La Jolla8660 Gilman DriveLa Jolla, CA 92037Tel. (858) 452-1734Fax (858) 452-5578

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