Adult Education
Kenny Wise and I are excited to be acting as the co-chairs of the Adult Education Committee and to continuing and, hopefully, enriching our Shul’s well deserved reputation as a center for engaging and meaningful educational programs.
We will be continuing such popular programs as Jewish Java, the Rabbi’s Lecture Series, Nosh and Drosh (where we can be exposed to the Rabbi’s unique views on the Parsha of the week in an intimate setting), Bringing the Torah to Life with Rachel Urowitz and we are proud to now offer an Adult Hebrew Class led by School Principal, Karen Goodis, RJE. In addition, we will be holding our first ever Wine Tasting with the Rabbi on November 11.
We are especially fortunate to have two high profile “Scholars in Residence”, each of whom is an educator, author and public figure.
Dr. Deborah E. Lipstadt will be with us on November 5 – 6, 2010 as part of Holocaust Education Week. Dr. Lipstadt is a professor of modern Jewish history and Holocaust studies at Emory University in Atlanta and, among many accomplishments, has served as a consultant to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the United States Holocaust Memorial Council, and has written extensively about the Holocaust, with an emphasis on Holocaust denial. Of particular interest, she wrote a book about her libel trial in London against David Irving who sued her for calling him a Holocaust denier and right wing extremist. Ultimately, in a victory for the truth, the judge found David Irving to be a Holocaust denier, a falsifier of history, a racist, an anti-semite and a liar. On a personal note, I vividly remember following the trial and believe Dr. Lipstadt to be a true Jewish hero and can’t wait to hear her personal reflections about the trial, anti-semitism on the North American campus and how to address Holocaust denial, especially as the number of our cherished Holocaust survivors diminishes.
Rabbi Benjamin Blech, who will be with us on May 27, 28 and 29, also promises to be an engaging guest. He is a professor of Talmud at Yeshiva University, the author of 12 books and has been ranked amongst the 50 Most Influential Jews in the United States. Rabbi Blech is scheduled to give his perspective on the eternal question of “How the World Can Be So Bad If G-d Is So Good”, and will also extend our horizons by addressing the Hidden Jewish Messages of Michelangelo and the Holy Jewish Treasures of the Vatican.
In addition to the input we will be receiving on an ongoing basis from Rabbi Flanzraich, Andrea Rowan (our tireless Program Director), Alan Cheskes and Stan Grossman (our Senior Officer Liaisons), Kenny and I are happy to welcome Alan Bronstein, Ken Chapman, Bayla Cheskes, Jim Gross, Sheila Kirshenblatt and Gary Posner to our Committee. We look forward to seeing you at programs and would welcome any questions and feedback you might have.
We hope you have a fun and healthy summer.
Steve Kelman and Kenny Wise
Adult Education Co-Chairs
Adult Education Co-Chairs