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25th Annual Community-Wide Tikkun Leyl An All-Night Study Session on Shavuot WEDNESDAY - TUESDAY | MAY 14 - 15 | 6:15PM TIL DAWN JCC EAST BAY | 1414 WALNUT ST | BERKELEY LIST OF SPEAKERS: Joel Abramovitz, Rabbi Ruth Adar, Professor Deena Aranoff, Fred Astren, Barry Barkan, Zvi Bellin, Rabbi Shalom Bochner, Robin Braverman, Maya Brodkey, Rabbi Carol Caine, Rabbi Yonatan Cohen, Rabbi David J. Cooper, Talia Cooper, Nico Correia, Rabbi Menachem Creditor, Zephira Derblich-Milea, Rabbi David Dunn Bauer, Danny Farkas, Hannah Feiner, Ron H. Feldman, Ph.D., Rabbi Yoshi Fenton, Rabbi Yehuda Ferris, Estelle Frankel, Rabbi Pamela Frydman, Joel Gerwein, Julia Gilden, Maggid Zelig Golden, Leslie Gordon, Abigail Grafton, Rivka Greenberg, Ph.D., Rabbi Burt Jacobson, Rabbi Yoel Kahn, Rabbi David Kasher, Nur Katz, Rabbi Dean Kertesz, Yael Kirsch, Eliana Kissner, Michal Kohane, Rita J. Kuhn, Ph.D., Judy Kunofsky, Lefton, Rabbi Joshua Ladon, Rabbi Michael Lerner, Rabbi Chaim Mahgel-Friedman, Rabbi Harry A. Manhoff, Ph.D., Rabbi Adam Naftalin-Kelman, Mark Priven, Ma’ayan Rabinovich, Jennifer Read, Yiskah Rosenfeld, Rabbi Mike Rothbaum, Brian Yosef Schachter-Brooks, Rabbi SaraLeya Schley, Miriam Schwartz, Naomi Seidman, Rabbi Sara Shendelman, Claire Sherman, Joel Siegel, Alex Tan, Max Weinryb, Rabbi Peretz Wolf-Prusan, Ariel Wolpe, & Rabbi Bridget Wynne

SPONSORING ORGANIZATIONS: Aquarian , Bend the Arc: A Jewish Partnership for Justice, Berkeley Hillel, Beyt Tikkun, Chochmat HaLev, Congregation Beth El, Congregation Beth , Congregation Netivot Shalom, East Bay Minyan, Fair Trade Judaica, G-dcast, JCC East Bay, Jewish Community High School of the Bay, Jewish Federation & Jewish Community Foundation of the East Bay, Jewish , Jewish LearningWorks, Kehilla Community Synagogue, Keshet, Kevah, Jewish Youth for Community Action (JYCA), KlezCalifornia, Lehrhaus Judaica, in Berkeley, Moishe House, Nishmat Shalom, Or Zarua, Richard S. Dinner Center for Jewish Studies - Graduate Theological Union, , Tehiyah Day School, Temple Beth Hillel, Temple Beth Sholom, Temple Sinai, Urban Adamah, Wilderness , and Yeashore Community

Time/Room Teachers Topics

* denotes use of musical instruments, , writing, etc. 6:15p – 6:50p

*Auditorium Jewish Renewal Mincha Service with Aquarian Minyan & Kehilla Community Synagogue (musical instruments used) *Rm 13 Family Programming Begins (til 7:45) (musical instruments used) – Please see Family Programming Flyer for more information

6:50p – 7:45p *South Hall Julia Gilden Movement-based Expressive Arts and the Hebrew Alphabet (recorded music played) Center Room Zephira Derblich-Milea & Rivka Greenberg Lashon Hara: Tattling or Telling? Rm 19 Rabbi Peretz Wolf-Prusan Chaos to Order and Back Again Rm 20 Rita J. Kuhn G-d Manifest in Nature: Psalm 104 and Three Poems Library Rabbi David J. Cooper Night Rituals and the Discovery of Coffee: The Case of Shavuot Rm 22 Michal Kohane Jewish Peoplehood: Exploring Current Issues Through Text Rm 7 Rabbi Carol Caine A Chanting Journey Through the Book of Ruth Game Rm Rabbi Sara Shendelman Drawing Back the Veil

7:45p – 8:30p Auditorium Egalitarian Combined Ma’ariv Service with Congregation Netivot Shalom

8:30p – 8:50p Auditorium Community Gathering and Welcome Yizkor (Remembrance) Dance Prayer – The Moving On Dance™ Project with Cheryl Bartky, sponsored by Sinai Memorial Chapel

8:50p – 9:10p Courtyard Kiddish, Handwashing, & Motsei

9:10p – 10:10p Please be mindful of arriving at your sessions as promptly as possible! Auditorium Rabbi Menachem Creditor Martin Buber and the Place of the Past South Hall Professor Deena Aranoff Why Do We Do What We Do: Medieval Perspectives on the Mitzvot (Commandments) Rm 19 Rabbi Burt Jacobson & Max Weinryb G-d is Everything: A Teaching of the Ba’al Shem Tov Rm 20 Barry Barkan Growing G-d in Your Own Heart: Swami Ram Das Meets Reb Shlomo Carlebach Library Rabbi Mike Rothbaum Stranger in a Strange Land: Finding (Y)our Jewish Voice in the Immigration Debate Rm 22 Yiskah Rosenfeld Ain’t No Mountain High Enough: Geography, Gender, and Spiritual Love Rm 7 Claire Sherman & Judy Kunofsky Sing Your Way Through the Jewish Year (includes the Seder’s 4 Questions in Yiddish) Game Rm Rabbi Joshua Ladon Is the Meaning of the Torah Translatable? Rm 13 Sarah Lefton Animating Text Art Room CBI Youth Room

10:20p – 11:20p Auditorium Naomi Seidman & Jennifer Read The Sacrifice of Sarah: Sarah and the Akeidah South Hall Rabbi David Kasher Face-off With G-d Rm 19 Robin Braverman, Leslie Gordon, Let My People Go: Slavery Today and What Should Do About It Mark Priven & Joel Siegel Rm 20 Estelle Frankel Listening to the Voice of the Divine in a Noisy World Library Rabbi Michael Lerner Healing the World Under the Rule of the Breasted G-d Rm 22 Rabbi Bridget Wynne Love the Stranger…Or How About Your Spouse? Rm 7 Maggid Zelig Golden The Nature of Revelation Game Rm Rabbi Dean Kertesz Choice or Coercion – Two Different Visions of Revelation Rm 13 Rabbi Yoel Kahn Birkhat Tal – Celebrating the Dew Art Room CBI Youth Room

11:30p – 12:30a Auditorium Rabbi Yonatan Cohen Dusting It Off with the Rabbis – On Wrestling with the Teachings of Our Sages South Hall Rabbi Shalom Bochner The Mixed Metaphors of the Shalosh Regalim Rm 19 Zvi Bellin & Ariel Wolpe I-Thou Love You (and You, Too!) Rm 20 Rabbi Ruth Adar Converting Ruth: It Took the Village Library Jewish Youth for Community Action Youth Empowerment for Everyone – Connecting Across Generations Rm 22 Rabbi Yoshi Fenton Holy Arguments and Jewish Pluralism: Can’t We All Just Along? Rm 7 Brian Yosef Schacter-Brooks What Does G-d Want Me to Do? Game Rm Rabbi Adam Naftalin-Kelman Pareve: Why Do I Have 3 Sets of Dishes? Rm 13 Rabbi SaraLeya Schley Torah of Fire and Darkness Art Room CBI Youth Room

Time/Room Teachers Topics

12:40a – 1:40a Auditorium Rabbi Yehuda Ferris What Really Happened at Sinai? South Hall Rabbi Pamela Frydman Up Against the Wall Rm 19 Abigail Grafton Building Holy Community Rm 20 Resting Room Library Joel Abramovitz Justice of Revelation Rm 22 Eliana Kissner Chalom: Dream Interpretation in the and You Rm 7 Ron Feldman Sabbath, Festival, and the Garden of Eden – at Burning Man Rm 13 Rabbi Harry A. Manhoff If There Were No Jews There Would Be No Superheroes Art Room CBI Youth Room

1:50a – 2:50a Auditorium Fred Astren At the Mountain: Exodus 19 & 20 South Hall Hannah Feiner A Hebrew? An Egyptian? Neither? An Exploration of Moses’ Identity Rm 19 Robin Braverman What Do We Do With the Violence Committed by G-d in The Torah? Rm 20 Resting Room Library Chevruta Study Session Rm 22 Rabbi Chaim Mahgel-Friedman Think Jewish Shop Local Rm 13 Rabbi David Dunn Bauer Queer Theology...How It's Good For the Jews! Art Room CBI Youth Room

3:00a – 4:00a Auditorium Rabbi Shalom Bochner Obscure Dates in the Hebrew Calendar South Hall Ma’ayan Rabinovich The Hardest Mitvah to Fulfill Rm 19 Joel Gerwein The 49 Day Tikkun: The Omer and Social Justice Rm 20 Resting Room Library Chevruta Study Session Art Room CBI Youth Room

4:10a – 5:10a Auditorium Rabbi Yonatan Cohen Kevah and Kavanah – Prayer Paradigms South Hall Maya Brodkey Busting Down the Binary: A Jewish Exploration of Gender and Gender Performance Rm 20 Resting Room Library Chevruta Study Session Art Room CBI Youth Room

5:20a Auditorium Combined Egalitarian Shacharit Service – Led by Rabbi Pamela Frydman and Yael Kirsch South Hall Orthodox Shacharit – Led by Congregation Beth Israel Rm 14 Childcare (ends at 7am, please pick up your children by this time) Art Room CBI Youth Room

5:45a Beyt Tikkun Synagogue Without Walls in Berkeley Sunrise Service at the Berkeley Pier

Workshops 6:50p – 7:45p Session Movement-Based Expressive Arts and the Hebrew Alphabet This year we explore the Hebrew letter, SHIN, crowns and shadows, nexus of opposites, the relationships of three. We will use movement, drawing, writing, and sounding to find the story of shin as told by your expressive art. No dance or art experience necessary. Dress to move comfortably, and try to come on time. Appropriate for all ages and abilities. Julia Gilden is a graduate of Tamalpa Institute and teaches movement-based expressive arts to different populations. (South Hall)

Lashon Hara: Tattling or Telling? - We will look at multiple interpretations of the prohibition against lashon hara in contrast to the command to not stand idly by (Lev. 19:16). Both the notion of “healthy boundaries” and the text itself will be the lens through which we can decide what constitutes “gossip” vs. when to speak up. Zephira Derblich-Milea is the Youth Program Coordinator at Shalom Bayit and winner of the 2012 Helen Diller award for excellence in Jewish education, for her work teaching about healthy relationships. Rivka Greenberg, Ph.D. is the Board Chair of Shalom Bayit and consultant in the areas of children and families at risk. (Center Room)

Chaos to Order and Back Again Do you suffer from Mishna confusion? In social situations when the Mishna is mentioned and everyone else smiles and winks knowingly, do you fake it? In this session your miasma over Mishna will be cured and the wisdom of the sages revealed and you can hold your head high and say, "I am a Mishna maven." Rabbi Peretz Wolf-Prusan is a Senior Educator at Lehrhaus Judaica, your neighborhood partner in Jewish studies since 1973. (Rm 19)

G-d manifest in Nature: Psalm 104 and Three Poems We will discuss how and why the concept of finding God in nature changed over the centuries by comparing Psalm 104 with three poems: King David, Wordsworth, and Rilke. Rita J. Kuhn, Ph.D. is originally from Berlin, Germany, where she survived 12 years of Nazi occupation. Her memoir Broken Glass, Broken Lives has just been published by Amazon. She has been a public speaker/teacher for 25 years. (Rm 20)

Night Rituals & the Discovery of Coffee: The Case of Shavuot A big fan of Jewish history, Rabbi David is particularly interested in the early modern period and Renaissance, when developments from exploration and scientific discovery affected religious outlooks and rituals. From the 1500’s on, coffee from the Americas enabled late night religious rituals. Find out more about all this at the workshop. Rabbi David J. Cooper serves Kehilla Community Synagogue. (Library)

Jewish Peoplehood: Exploring Current Issues Through Text In this workshop, we will explore the relationship between the Jewish communities of the Diaspora and Israel, then and now through Torah & Talmudic text. Originally from Israel, Michal Kohane has been a teacher and leader for over 20 years in the Jewish community of Northern CA. (Rm 22)

A Chanting Journey through the Book of Ruth During Shavuot, we read the story of Ruth, who joined a people out of love, and boldly changed history. In this workshop, we will use meditative Hebrew chant as a vehicle to take Ruth’s journey inside us. Rabbi Carol Caine is a graduate of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College who integrates an intellectual and devotional approach in her work. (Rm 7)

Drawing Back the Veil Being open to our connections is a sacred gift to understanding ourselves and what we came into this life to do. We have angels and guides who assist us. Simple techniques will be taught to tap into our eternal knowledge, which help us make changes and achieve our goals, as well as exercises to help us keep our balance with everything swirling about us. “The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.” --Albert Einstein Rabbi Sara Shendelman, a Life Cycle Officiant, Reiki Master and Clairvoyant Seer & Healer, & intuitive counselor, is the founder/director of Jewish Arts, and Culture School and a former rabbi of Chochmat HaLev. She has just finished a book of spiritual teaching. (Game Rm)

9:10p – 10:10p Session Martin Buber & the Place of the Past We close the Torah service with the Hebrew phrase "Chadeish Yameinu KeKedem / Return our days as of old." Which "days of old" do we mean? And do we really mean it? What role does the past play when Jews dream of the future? Come examine selections from the writings of Martin Buber and explore what he called "ever-recurring renunciation" of the past. Rabbi Menachem Creditor serves as the spiritual leader of Congregation Netivot Shalom in Berkeley, CA. Named by Newsweek as one of America’s Most Influential Rabbis in 2013, his work as an author, musician, teachers, and activist amplifies prophetic Jewish voices in the world. Find out more at menachemcreditor.org. (Auditorium)

Why We Do What We Do: Medieval Perspectives on the Mitzvot (Commandments) This session will explore classical medieval discussions of the commandments and their purpose. Professor Deena Aranoff is assistant professor of Medieval Jewish Studies at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, CA. She is also a community educator and teaches Bible, rabbinics, and Jewish thought in a variety of adult education programs. (South Hall)

G-d is Everything: A Teaching of the Ba'al Shem Tov In this class, Max will teach a core Besht Hebrew text on divine immanence, focusing on the vocabulary, grammar and syntax, and Rabbi Burt will use lecture, guided meditation and class discussion to enable students to grasp the text's meaning and significance. Attendees need to be able to read unvocalized Hebrew texts. Max Weinryb has been a participant, leader, and teacher in local havurot and at the National Havurah Committee summer institute. Rabbi Burt Jacobson, Founding Rabbi of Kehilla Community Synagogue, is completing a book, The Mystery of the Ba'al Shem Tov. (Rm 19)

Growing G-d in Your Own Heart: Swami Ram Das Meets Reb Shlomo Carlebach "Friends please open your hearts, what I have to say is so deep," the holy rebbe Reb Shlomo Carlebach often said. Each of our hearts is the meeting place where the Holy Blessed One enters our lives, our communities and the world. We'll learn together a little bit about how to live in our hearts and bring the Ruach HaKodesh into the world. Barry Barkan has visited many spiritual paths and finds his tribal home among the Jewish people, some of who call him a "ba’al brucha", master of blessing. (Rm 20)

9:10p – 10:10p Session cont. Stranger in a Strange Land: Finding (Y)our Jewish Voice in the Immigration Debate The Jewish story has been an immigrant story, from Abraham to Ellis Island. Come hear Jewish stories of immigration from Torah to today, reclaim your own stories, and learn how to take powerful action as a Jew in the current struggle for justice by today's immigrants. Rabbi Mike Rothbaum serves as Rabbi/Educator at Beth Chaim in Danville. He has been a passionate teacher and activist in the Jewish world for two decades, and a leader with Bend the Arc, a national organization that pursues justice as a core expression of Jewish tradition. (Library)

Ain't No Mountain High Enough: Geography, Gender, and Spiritual Love Tonight we will explore the physical, mythic, and psycho-spiritual landscape of two holy encounters in the Exodus story: one below sea level, the other at the highest peak. What can these powerful terrains and texts teach us about our personal quests for spiritual connection and intimacy? Yiskah Rosenfeld holds graduate degrees in law and literature, and studied at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. An award-winning poet and long-time Jewish educator, she currently serves on the faculty of the Tauber Jewish Studies Program in San Francisco. (Rm 22)

Sing Your Way Through the Jewish Year (includes the Seder’s 4 Questions in Yiddish) Starting at Shavuot let's take a musical tour through the holidays. We'll sing something from each holiday, including the different nusach for the High Holidays. We'll end with the four questions, Di Fir Kashes, in Yiddish. Judy Kunofsky is Executive Director of KlezCalifornia, which promotes Yiddish culture and klezmer music in the Bay Area. Claire Sherman is a visual artist, and one of the founders of Congregation Netivot Shalom, where she enjoys davening, chanting Torah, and singing in honor of . (Rm 7)

Is the Meaning of the Torah Translatable? How important is Hebrew to understanding the meaning of the Torah? Does the Torah transcend human language? We will look at several different stories told about the Septuagint - the Greek translation of the Torah, as well as a couple of modern Jewish thinkers on the goals of translation and study of the Torah. Rabbi Joshua Ladon teaches and Jewish thought at the Jewish Community High School of the Bay. He also teaches for Kevah and is a member of Congregation Beth Israel in Berkeley. (Game Rm)

Animating Text This workshop will take you through a short text from the book of Samuel; the group will experiment with midrashic voiceover and virtual cartooning (no writing) get at new ways to read the text. Sarah Lefton is the founder and director of G-dcast, which produces animated short films and games about Jewish stories. (Rm 13)

10:20p – 11:20p Session The Sacrifice of Sarah: Sarah and the Akeidah While Sarah famously fails to appear in the story of the Binding of Isaac in Genesis 22, the rabbinic and post-rabbinic tradition has made up for this gap by imagining her role in this pivotal story in a number of ways. In this workshop, we will present selections from midrashic material, the Tsenerene (the Yiddish women’s Bible), and modern Hebrew poetry on Sarah and the Akeidah, in an attempt to understand the connection between maternity, sacrifice, and religious identity. Naomi Seidman is the Koret Professor of Jewish Culture and Director at the Richard S. Dinner Center for Jewish Studies at the Graduate Theological Union. Jennifer Read has recently received her M.A. in Jewish Studies at the Graduate Theological Union, where she completed a thesis on representations of Sarah in the Akeidah story in , the Crusader Chronicles, and the Tsenerene, the Yiddish women's Bible. (Auditorium)

Face-off With God The Torah tells us that Moses spoke to God "face to face." What in the world does that mean?!? Does God even have a face?! We'll explore this paradoxical image together, and see if it provides any clues as to how we might speak to God ourselves. Rabbi David Kasher is the Director of Education at Kevah, a Bay Area-based organization that helps people set up Torah-study groups in their homes. (South Hall)

Let My People Go: Slavery Today and What Jews Should Do About It You may not know it, but slavery could be present in products you use every day, like cell phones, chocolate, coffee, computers, sugar, cotton, rugs and even cars. In this session we will present information about present-day slavery, discuss Jewish principles that apply to slavery, and explore what we can do to help. The presenters, Robin Braverman, Leslie Gordon, Mark Priven, and Joel Siegel, are members of a chevra at Congregation Netivot Shalom working to raise awareness and motivate action among members of our congregation and the wider community about present-day slavery. (Rm 19)

Listening for the Voice of the Divine in a Noisy World Jewish mystics teach that in order to be receptive to divine revelation, we have to go beyond what is "known," and rest in the wordless silence and stillness of our innermost being. This open state—beyond thoughts and thinking—creates the fertile ground for the unknown Mystery to be revealed. In this class, we will explore the dialectics of divine revelation—how sound emerges from silence, knowing from not-knowing. Estelle Frankel is a practicing psychotherapist, spiritual advisor, and author of Sacred Therapy, a book exploring the intersection of & depth psychology. (Rm 20)

Healing the World Under the Rule of the Breasted God In the Aleynu prayer, Jews repeat the words "le'takeyn olam be'malchut Shadai." In this workshop, we will try to imagine together what that might look like – a world ruled by the feminine energy of God, and how we might actually contribute to making that world a reality. And we'll look at Rabbi Lerner's spiritual update of the "ten commandments" (really, the speech acts, aseret ha'dibrot) as part of that process. Rabbi Michael Lerner was mentored by Abraham Joshua Heschel at the Jewish Theological Seminary and is the editor of Tikkun Magazine. (Library)

Love the Stranger... Or How About Your Spouse? You fall in love -- he or she seems perfect -- your similarities are magnified, you delight in your differences. Then reality sets in, and you discover that your partner is a stranger, full of annoying habits and deep flaws. Our tradition calls upon us to love the stranger, for we know the heart of the stranger. This challenging yet profound teaching can help us to enrich our most intimate relationship, with the stranger who is also our beloved. Rabbi Bridget Wynne works with Jews, people of Jewish heritage, or those in a Jewish family who long for Jewish community and tradition that feels meaningful and relevant. (Rm 22)

10:20p – 11:20p Session cont. The Nature of Revelation Although many claim that the experience of revelation is no longer accessible to us, Jewish texts and stories show us an open doorway to the divine: the wilderness. Drawing from seminal Torah passages, as well as examples from his leadership in the movement to reconnect Judaism and nature, Zelig will guide our exploration on how our connection to the wilderness is at the heart of our spiritual awakening. Maggid Zelig Golden is a founding co-director of Wilderness Torah, which awakens the earth-based traditions of Judaism. (Rm 7)

Choice or Coercion - Two Different Visions of Revelation Was Torah given out of love between God and Israel or were the Jewish people forced to accept it? In this workshop, we will study two different rabbinic texts about the giving of Torah at Sinai. Through close reading and discussion we will examine whether the Jews chose Torah or were forced to receive it. No Hebrew required. Participation essential. Rabbi Dean Kertesz serves at Temple Beth Hillel in Richmond California and teaches at the Jewish Community High School of the Bay. (Game Rm)

Birkhat Tal - Celebrating the Dew Beginning at Passover, we recognize the life-giving power of dew. This workshop will explore the symbolism of dew in Jewish texts (ancient and modern) and its celebration in a medieval poem by Eliezer Kallir. "Menuchat Tal,” composed in the 7th century and now available in English, involves alphabetical acrostics, embellishments of most of the verses in the Song of Songs and all of Psalm 92, and a botanical thesaurus invoking every imaginable (and many perhaps previously unknown) alimentary and ornamental plant in the Hebrew lexicon. All texts in Hebrew and English. Rabbi Yoel Kahn, Rabbi of Congregation Beth El, writes and teaches about the history and spirituality of the liturgy. (Rm 13)

11:30p – 12:30a Session Dusting It Off with the Rabbis - On Wrestling with the Teachings of Our Sages We will focus on surprising sources that advocate for a relentless pursuit of truth even at the expense of obedience to the authority of the rabbis. Rabbi Yonatan Cohen is the spiritual leader of Congregation Beth Israel (CBI), Berkeley's vibrant Modern Orthodox community. (Auditorium)

The Mixed Metaphors of the Shalosh Regalim In this session we'll examine the Shalosh Regalim (3 annual pilgrimage festivals) and see how each offers a fascinating mixed metaphor. Passover, Shavuot, and Sukkot all have ancient agricultural and historical significances, and also offer deep insights into the holiday cycle and the human condition. Rabbi Shalom Bochner is based in Berkeley and is the Director of Alma Retreats, which provides approaches to Judaism, which are meaningful, traditional, text-based, and interactive. (South Hall)

I-Thou Love You (and You, Too!) Together we will share some texts that offer a deeper understanding of Buber's I-Thou construct. We will discuss how this timeless concept finds relevance in every relationship and how it can transform a community. Zvi Bellin is the Director of Jewish Education for Moishe House and a private psychotherapist in Berkeley. Ariel Wolpe is a resident of the East Bay Moishe House with a fierce creative spark. (Rm 19)

Converting Ruth: It Took the Village We will first look at the traditional rabbinical understanding of the conversion of Ruth. Then we will look to the Book of Ruth for insights and inspiration about the role of Jewish community in making new Jews. Rabbi Ruth Adar assists at Temple Sinai in Oakland, and teaches for Lehrhaus Judaica in Berkeley. (Rm 20)

Youth Empowerment for Everyone- Connecting Across Generations We will offer an opportunity for people to connect across the generations in discussing the concept of "adultism" - the oppression of young people. Learn from youth activists and remember your own younger years! Discuss and engage in activities that present how the idea of youth empowerment connects to all of us and how it can helps us become better leaders of social change. This workshop will be presented by Talia Cooper, Alex Tan and Nico Correia – staff and youth leaders of Jewish Youth for Community Action (JYCA), the Bay Area's uniquely own youth empowerment and activist organization. (Library)

Holy Arguments and Jewish Pluralism: Can’t We All Just Get Along? In this shiur, we will look at what it means to be in holy argument with someone. Through both ancient and modern text we will investigate "machlokot" as a method of learning Torah. Join us in this exploration of 'machloket', or arguments. What is machloket, how does it shape the way we learn, and can we still be friends afterwards? Rabbi Yoshi Fenton is Associate Director of Jewish LearningWorks and lives in Berkeley with his family. (Rm 22)

What Does G-d Want Me to Do? Explore the non-dual territory beyond the linear mind to discover the moment before G-d and human become separate – that is, the present moment. Led by Brian Yosef Schacter-Brooks. (Rm 7)

Pareve: Why Do I Have 3 Sets of Dishes? On a night dedicated to eating dairy, we will be looking at some of the source texts that created the whole concept of food being pareve. We will explore major halakhic principals of kashrut and explore how they are relevant today. Led by Rabbi Adam Naftalin-Kelman. (Game Rm)

Torah of Fire and Darkness “Why was the Torah was given in fire and darkness?” asked Rabbi Isaac in the Zohar. The study of sacred text is our guide on the burning trajectory through three levels of darkness into the very heart of heaven. Together, we set an intention that our hearts will open into Torah so that our personal revelation will become clear. Rabbi SaraLeya Schley, who serves Chochmat HaLev, was ordained through ALEPH, is the mother of 3 adult children, has a day job as a gynecologist, and is also a member of Congregations Beth Israel and Netivot Shalom. (Rm 13)

12:40a – 1:40a Session What Really Happened at Sinai? There was thunder and lightning to accompany the greatest Divine revelation ever experienced by our people. But the message of the 10 commandments seems to be self-evident, so... why the big deal? Chassidic philosophy has a unique slant on the innovation of the revelation at Mt. Sinai. Rabbi Yehuda Ferris is the director of Chabad of the East Bay. (Auditorium)

Up Against the Wall Last Friday 500 men and women prayed and celebrated the new Jewish month together at the in surrounded by a human chain of Israeli police protecting them from 5000 ultra Orthodox protesters. Come learn texts about what is and isn’t allowed in traditional for women and mixed groups. Rabbi Pamela Frydman is the International Co-Chair of Rabbis for . (South Hall)

Building Holy Community Our holy communities and social movements are important to us and are also frustratingly difficult to start and maintain as we would wish. Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi has posed five important questions to consider in doing this work, and we will explore them experientially in this workshop. Among his questions are: How do we envision a cosmology that will heal Mother Earth? How do we include both right- and left-brain approaches? How do we include G-d? Abigail Grafton is a psychotherapist, organizational consultant, and co-Shomeret of The Aquarian Minyan. (Rm 19)

Justice of Revelation Encountering G-d - at Sinai, in prayer, in meditation, nature, or elsewhere - can be an agitating experience. It unsettles us and forces us to change our perceptions about ourselves and about our society. Through text and discussion, we'll consider how revelation can compel us to work towards justice in our community. Joel Abramovitz is a day school teacher, educator with Kevah, and a volunteer leader with Bend the Arc: A Jewish Partnership for Justice. (Library)

Chalom: Dream Interpretation in the Talmud and You Come join Eliana on a nighttime textpedition and explore rabbinic dream interpretation from Tractate Berachot of the Babylonian Talmud. We'll study this ancient text of possible dreams ranging from elephants to fig trees to forbidden passions and even saying the shema. We'll also have a chance to share our own dreams with each other. Eliana Kissner is a singer, composer, performer, and talmudette who interweaves Jewish text, practice, and performance. (Rm 22)

Sabbath, Festival and the Garden of Eden – at Burning Man Certain practices that have evolved at the annual Burning Man festival are surprisingly similar to Jewish observances of Sabbath and festivals which arouse a yearning for a better world and provide a taste of the messianic “world-that-is- coming.” Come to a discussion of how Black Rock City can be seen as a contemporary quest for the Garden of Eden. Ron H. Feldman, Ph.D. has published widely on Jewish subjects, is a Visiting-scholar at the Graduate Theological Union and works at the JCC of the East Bay. He is bald because he wears many hats! (Rm 7)

If There Were No Jews There Would Be No Superheroes Since 1938, young Jews have been writing, drawing, editing and publishing comic books for DC Comics, Marvel and minor publishers as well. This may explain why there are so few good super villains. This certainly explains the creation of graphic novels! Described by the J.Weekly as the Super Fan, Rabbi Harry A. Manhoff, Ph.D. began collecting and re-collecting comic books twenty years ago. For the last ten years, he has been lecturing about the Jews who created the Superhero genre. (Rm 13)

1:50a – 2:50a Session At the Mountain: Exodus 19 & 20 Chapters 19 and 20 of Exodus constitute a concise narrative of the Israelite community's preparations for revelation at Mount Sinai and the reception of the Ten Commandments. Join Fred for a wide-ranging reading of Torah that brings together approaches from religious studies, literature, history, anthropology, and Jewish tradition. Fred Astren is Professor and Department Chair of Jewish Studies at San Francisco State University. (Auditorium)

A Hebrew? An Egyptian? Neither? An Exploration of Moshe's Identity This session will be exploring the psukim in the first few chapters of Shmot, looking for hints about Moshe's personal identity before G-d spoke to him. The question of who Moshe identifies as in his childhood is very important when thinking about who he was as OUR leader. Hannah Feiner is a 10th grader attending Jewish Community High School of the Bay in SF. (South Hall)

What Do We Do with The Violence Committed by God in The Torah? Sadly violence continues to plague our world, raising questions about the role religion, any religion, may play in inspiring violence. God behaves violently in many places throughout the Torah. As Jews, the role model of a God who repeatedly behaves in angry, violent ways in our most sacred text presents obstacles for many of us in embracing Torah as Truth. This night, as we receive Torah anew, let us wrestle together with God-violence in Torah. Robin Braverman teaches creative approaches to Jewish learning and practice that express Jewish values in social action and everyday life and go beyond Jewish denominational differences. (Rm 19)

Think Jewish Shop Local There is a principle in the Torah that if property is being bought or sold, preference be given to buy from or sell to other Jews. The rabbis have reinforced this and accept it as a standard practice. This workshop will explore the of supporting our fellow Jews when buying things. Rabbi Chaim Mahgel-Friedman is the co-owner of Afikomen Judaica in Berkeley and a teacher of Jewish thought and practice. (Rm 22)

Queer Theology...How It's Good for the Jews! We'll look at the creation texts from Bereishit and explore how a Queer understanding of our stories of our original connections to God can change and reinforce the shape and intensity of Jewish faith. Rabbi David Dunn Bauer is an alumnus of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College and holds a certificate in Sexuality and Religion from Pacific School of Religion. He has been teaching about Queer spirituality and Religion and Eros for over a decade. (Rm 13)

3:00a – 4:00a Session Obscure Dates in the Hebrew Calendar In this session, we'll explore the Hebrew Calendar and some of its lesser-known significant dates, such as when the universe was created, when the Hebrews arrived at Mount Sinai, and when the flood during Noah's time started and ended. Rabbi Shalom Bochner is based in Berkeley and is the Director of Alma Retreats, which provides approaches to Judaism, which are meaningful, traditional, text-based, and interactive. (Auditorium)

The Hardest Mitzva To Fulfill In a post-modern world, where each individual is free to make decisions about their life, there are a few Torah commandments that seem to clash with this concept. How can we rebuke and love, leave our comfort zone and dare to respond to an act that seems wrong? A text-based class and chavruta (partner-study). Ma'ayan Rabinovich is an instructor at the Merkevah Torah Insitute, and Youth Director at Congregation Beth Israel. (South Hall)

The 49 Day Tikkun: The Omer and Social Justice Join him to discover and revive the traditional connections between the omer and a sustainable and just food system. Joel Gerwein is an environmental professional who likes to think about food. (Rm 19)

4:10a – 5:10a Session Kevah and Kavanah - Prayer Paradigms We will explore the tensions between fixed prayer and the spontaneous pouring of the heart through the works of contemporary Jewish theologians. Rabbi Yonatan Cohen is the spiritual leader of Congregation Beth Israel (CBI), Berkeley's vibrant Modern Orthodox community. (Auditorium)

Busting Down the Binary: A Jewish Exploration of Gender and Gender Performance What is gender, and how do we experience it? How are Jewish experiences of gender different than non-Jewish ones? And what do all those letters in LGBTQIA stand for, anyway? Come learn the answers to those questions and more! Maya Brodkey is the Bay Area Community Organizer for Keshet. (South Hall)

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