B'nai Israel Congregation

Join us from your living room to hear B’nai Israel member Josh Schonfeld talk about his father and grandparents as survivors of the Holocaust and raising a family in the Midwest. Co-sponsored with Sisterhood.

Memory is a central element in defining modern Jewish identity. As we look to Israel's future, we need to engage anew with our past and explore its meanings and consequences. Through the consideration of major historic moments, this Hartman iEngage series grapples with the different ideas and values that shape the meaning of Modern Israel, Zionism, and Jewish identity today. This innovative course explores the pivotal events of 1947 and 1967 - following the 1917 Balfour Declaration - as key moments when Zionism unleashed new thinking about the meaning of Jewishness for generations to come. The course engages Jews in an open and pluralistic discussion about issues of Jewish identity, peoplehood, ethics and theology as they relate to nationhood, land, sovereignty, Jerusalem, occupation, and moral red lines.

In conjunction with Ted Merwin’s talk on the history of Jewish deli, we will be providing pre-ordered and pre-paid deli sandwiches in the B’nai Israel parking lot. Sponsored by Men’s Club.

In New York, Baltimore, D.C. and other American cities, the delicatessen was the lifeblood and the linchpin of the Jewish community. The “soul food” and atmosphere it dished up became a quintessential part of American culture for Jews and non-Jews alike. But as Jews moved into the suburban middle class, the deli lost its bite, giving way to other ethnic restaurants and cuisines. Can the deli be resurrected? Dr. Merwin will show how the deli, which originated in Germany and Eastern Europe, developed in this country into a neighborhood institution on par with the synagogue. He will also discuss how the deli became an icon of both television shows and films about the Jewish experience. Presented by the Arts Taskforce of the Adult Education Committee. Cosponsored by Men’s Club and Sisterhood.

Engage with the weekly parsha during these interactive discussions led by community members and by clergy. Contact Wendy Fanaroff with questions (wfanaroff@gmail.com).

Come together with hundreds of fellow refugee advocates and activists across the globe to send out Shabbat with a joyful havdalah service (the service that marks the conclusion of Shabbat). Advance registration required. Please click here to RSVP.