Jewish LIFE EveryoneLearning Is For

Ambassador Daniel C. Kurtzer

Jewish LIFE Mission Statement: Jewish LIFE, a collaborative Jewish education program created by the JCC, Rabbis, lay leadership and Jewish agencies, strives to expand and enhance the Jewish educational opportunities offered to both affiliated and non-affiliated Jews in Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren Counties.

Jewish LIFE, a Community-Wide Adult Education Program, is Supported by: Judith Viorst Chabad of Greater Somerset County; Chabad Jewish Center of Southern Somerset County; Chabad of Hunterdon County; Flemington Jewish Community Center; Congregation Kehilat Shalom, Belle Mead; Congregation Knesseth Israel, Bound Brook; Jewish Family Service of Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren Counties; Jewish Federation of Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren Counties; Or Chadash, the Reform Temple of Hunterdon County; Shimon and Sara Birnbaum Jewish Community Center, Bridgewater; Jewish Center of Northwest Jersey; Temple Beth-El, Hillsborough; Temple Beth El, Somerset; Temple Har Shalom, Warren; Temple Sholom, Bridgewater.

Yousef Bashir Program Guide 2019-20/5780

Aimee Ginsburg Bikel If you are interested in registering for any class listed under Course Offerings, please contact the host locations directly, using the below guide.

Code Organization Code Organization

BES Temple Beth El, Somerset OCH Or Chadash 1489 Hamilton Street, Somerset 08873 149 Foothill Road, Flemington 08822 (732) 873-2325 • Fax: ( 732) 873-3892 (908) 806-2122 Denomination: Conservative Denomination: Reform Rabbi Eli Garfinkel Rabbi Joseph M. Forman

CKS Congregation Kehilat Shalom JCNWJ Jewish Center of Northwest Jersey 253 Griggstown Road, Belle Mead 08503 115 Youmans Avenue, Washington 07882 (908) 359-0420 • Fax: (908) 359-8848 (908) 689-0762 Denomination: Reconstructionist Denomination: Reform Rabbi Jacob Best Adler Rabbi Dr. Andy Dubin

CKI Congregation Knesseth Israel JFS Jewish Family Service of Somerset, 229 Mountain Avenue, Bound Brook, 08805 Hunterdon & Warren Counties (732) 469-0934 • Fax: (732) 356-1325 150-A West High Street, Somerville 08876 Denomination: Independent (908) 725-7799 • Fax: (908) 725-0284 Rabbi Stephen Wylen Executive Director: Jerry Starr

CJC-BR Chabad Jewish Center of JFED Jewish Federation of Somerset, Greater Somerset County Hunterdon & Warren Counties 3048 Valley Road, Basking Ridge 07920 775 Talamini Road, Bridgewater 08807

(908) 604-8844 • Fax: (908) 604-0771 (908) 758-2006 • Fax: (908) 725-9753 Denomination: Independent Executive Director: Robin Wishnie

Rabbi Mendy Herson JCC-BW Shimon and Sara Birnbaum CJC-HC Chabad Jewish Center of Hunterdon County Jewish Community Center 90 Beaver Avenue, Clinton 08809 775 Talamini Road, Bridgewater 08807 (908) 238-9002 • Fax: ( 908) 238-9006 (908) 725-6994 • Fax: (908) 725-9753 Denomination: Independent Executive Director: Laura Friedman Rabbi Eli Kornfeld TBE Temple Beth-El, Hillsborough FJCC Flemington Jewish Community Center 67 U.S. Hwy. 206, Hillsborough 08844 5 Sergeantsville Road, Flemington 08822 (908) 722-0674 • Fax: (908) 429-1418 (908) 782-6410 • Fax: (908) 806-7736 Denomination: Reform Denomination: Conservative Rabbi Arnie Gluck Rabbi Eric Cohen

HS Temple Har Shalom TS Temple Sholom 104 Mount Horeb Road, Warren 07059 P.O. Box 6007, 594 North Bridge Street (732) 356-8777 • Fax: (732) 356-0580 Bridgewater 08807 Denomination: Reform (908) 722-1339 • Fax: (908) 253-0878 Rabbi Randi Musnitsky Denomination: Conservative Rabbi Dan Selsberg

2 Jewish LIFE Year-Long Learning Social Justice: Offered at the Birnbaum JCC The Heart of Judaism in Theory and Practice. 775 Talamini Road October 29, November 5, 12, 19, 26 Bridgewater December 3, 10, 17, January 7, 14, 21, 28 February 25, March 3, 17, 24, 31 Taught by: Rabbi Richard Fagan April 21, 28, May 5, 12, 19, 26, June 2, 9, 16 Tuesdays, Designed by Ruth Messinger and written by Lisa Exler, this course draws 9:15 - 10:45 AM on texts and history to explore how social justice goes beyond addressing Begins October 29 short-term needs and looks at structural causes of injustice. Topics include issues related to poverty, immigration and environmental degradation. For more information and to register, Students are encouraged to identify issues that are particular to their own contact: communities to explore in greater depth.

The registration fee for 2 semesters is $550. For one semester the fee is Rhonda Lillianthal [email protected] $300. Fee includes all of the curriculum materials. 973.530.3519

90-MINUTE GRADUATE CLASSES 2 SEMESTERS

Second Semester TBA at the JCC Foundations of Jewish Family Living: Jewish Values for Parents to Share with Their Children Offered at Temple Har Shalom September 22, October 20, November 24, December 15 104 Mt. Horeb Rd. January 26, February 23, March 22, April 19, May 3 Warren Taught by: Foundations of jewish Family Living provides you: Rabbi Randi Musnitsky, D. Min Sundays, • A thought-provoking encounter with the core values 9:00 - 10:30 AM and ideas of Judaism Begins September 22 A 10-session course. • The learning, language and the confidence to be a teacher For more information to your own children and support Jewish learning at home and to register, contact: • Meaningful connections to PJ Library books and the Shalom Sesame video series. Rhonda Lillianthal [email protected] 973.530.3519 Call Temple Har Shalom for pricing and information at 732.356.8777.

Jewish LIFE thanks JCC MetroWest for bringing The Melton School of Adult Learning to our community.

Jewish LIFE Year-Long Learning 3 Jewish LIFE September

Cup of Chai - Why? Film Event Curious about the “why” in Jewish Life? Temple Har Shalom Join Rabbi Randi Musnitsky to learn the answers. Thursdays from 10:30 am 11:30 am Extra Innings: First Session: A Special Movie Presentation September 12th Future sessions: followed by Community Slichot October 17th at Saturday, September 21 Panera November 14th Basking Ridge Time: 7:30 PM Movie Treat December 12th Movie Start Time: 8:00 PM March 12th Location: THS April 2nd Film will be followed by a talk back with director May 14th and writer Albert Dabah. Selichot service will culminate the evening.

Call the Temple Office with any questions: 7323568777 ext. 100 Set against the enchanting backdrop of 1960’s Brooklyn, Extra Innings tells the story of David Sabah who pursues his dream of playing baseball while staying devoted to his Syrian Jewish family, but a tragic loss makes reconciling the two impos- Becoming Jewish Basics of Judaism sible. Based on the true story of writer and director First 3 Sundays/Every Month 4th Thursday/Every Month Albert Dabah. Starting September 8 Starting September 26 Time: 12:30 - 2:00 PM Time: 6:30 - 7:45 PM This evening is sponsored by Temple Har Shalom Location: FJCC Location: FJCC joined by Temple Sholom and Temple Beth- El. Instructor: Rabbi Cohen Instructor: Rabbi Cohen Contact Rabbi Dan Selsberg, Free, all are welcome. Free, all are welcome. [email protected], 908-722-1339 RSVP 908.782.6410; RSVP 908.782.6410; flemingtonjss.org flemingtonjss.org

Rabbi Cohen’s Adult Education Class Tot Shabbat Thurdays, Starting September 12 Third Friday/Every Month Time: 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM Starting Sept. 20 Location: FJCC Time: 9:30 AM Free, All are welcome. RSVP 908.782.6410; Location: JCC- BW flemingtonjss.org Bring your child and join in the Shabbat fun with candle lighting, Kiddush, and yummy challah. Listen to a PJ Li- brary story, participate in a craft project, and sing Shabbat songs. This is a great opportunity to socialize and meet The Torah of Relationships: other parents in our community. This program is great for Love, Hate, Family Drama, and babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. the Rest of Life Sundays following Nitzanim school schedule September 15 through May 10 Time: 9:30 - 10:00 AM Location: TS Join Rabbi Dan Selsberg on Sunday mornings for a quick class with insights from the Jewish tradition for negotiating the ups and downs of everyday life. For parents, grandparents, or anyone who has ever been part of a family. All are welcome. Questions? Contact Rabbi Dan Selsberg, [email protected], 908-722-1339.

4 Jewish LIFE Year-Long Learning Jewish LIFE October

Jewish LIFE Year-Long Learning 5 Jewish LIFE October Julie Satow The Plaza: The Secret Life of America’s Most Famous Hotel Thursday, October 10 12 Noon JCC-BW In The Plaza: The Secret Life of America’s Most Famous Hotel, Julie Sa- tow discusses the thrilling, unforgettable history of how one illustrious ho- tel has defined our understanding of money and glamour, from the Gilded Age to the Go-Go Eighties to today’s Billionaire Row.

Julie Satow is an award-winning journalist who has covered real estate in New York City for more than a decade. A regular contributor to The New York Times, her work has also appeared on National Public Radio, the New York Post, and The Daily Beast. $18/Person includes lunch

Program Partner: Brandies National Committee, Somerset Chapter

Interfaith Families Working Group Jewish American Literature: 4th Wednesday/Every Month Where are you Going, Where Starting October 23 Have you Been? Time: 12:30 - 2:30 PM Saturdays Location: FJCC Instructor: Rabbi Cohen Oct. 19, Nov. 16, Jan. 11 & Feb. 8 Free. RSVP 908.782.6410; flemingtonjss.org Time: 9:30 - 11:00 AM (Come for Challah and coffee at 9:00 AM) Location: OCH Instructor: Jennifer Gilmore Fee: $136/Person Sushi in the Sukkah! Minimum of 10 participants for class to run. Thursday, October 17 RSVP: September 15 6:00 PM Location: JCC- BW We will consider the Jewish American Experience in American literature by focusing on a variety of Jewish Ameri- Fee: $8/Person can texts—fiction, essays, film and television—to continue All families welcome to enjoy a delicious meal in the JCC the discussion of what makes a Jewish American and what Sukkah for Sukkot, the first of three harvest holidays. are the themes that define Jewish American literature. As We’ll learn how to make homemade vegetable sushi and we examine what makes an “American Identity” we will look will provide additional food supplements for the meal. at the stereotypes that are confronted and upheld in these We will also have a lulav and etrog available for you to texts. We will explore the various ways the Jewish American experience has been defined and examine its connection to shake and fulfill the holiday’s mitzvah and we will make immigration, acculturation, alienation and the rise of material beautiful Welcome Signs for your own Sukkah or House. wealth. We will investigate a fundamental question: Is there such a thing as “Jewish Fiction” and if so, will it continue to evolve? We will read texts chronologically, from a range of writers that could include Anzia Yezierska, Abraham Cahan, Saul Bellow, Delmore Schwarts, Philip Roth, Grace Paley, Allen Ginsberg, Adrienne Rich, Art Spiegelman, Joan Silber, Lara Vapnyar and Nathan Englander.

https://orchadash.wufoo.com/forms/s1hnmkvm1i6vyow/

6 Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses Jewish LIFE October Shababa! (For Grades 3 – 6) SPECIAL EVENT: Saturdays Oct. 19, Nov. 16, Dec 14, Jan. 11, Feb. 22, The Dr. Michael Fink Memorial Lecture: March 14, April 4 & May 16 Jews in the American Theatre: Time: 10:45 AM - 12 Noon A Legacy Like No Other Location: TS Wednesday, October 16 A chance to learn Torah and Shabbat songs and services in Time: 7:45 PM a relaxed atmosphere Questions? Contact Ilene Cohen, Guest Speaker: John Kenrick [email protected], 908-722-1339 Location: BES Free to all. Intermediate Biblical Hebrew A native New Yorker, John Kenrick worked for many years in Sundays the professional theatre, serving as personal assistant to six Oct. 20 & 27, Nov. 3, 17 & 24, Jan. 5 & 12, Tony Award winning producers. Creator of the popular edu- Feb. 2 & 9 March 1,8,15,22, April 19 & 26 cational website Musicals101.com, he pulls back the curtain Time: 10:00 - 11:30 AM on show business history as only an insider can. He has Location: TBE discussed theatre on TV and radio, including PBS, the BBC Instructor: Sarah Gluck and NPR. His book Musical Theatre: A History has just been Now in its third year, this class will continue to guide you to- released in a revised 10th anniversary edition, and Publish- ward reading, understanding, and translating passages from the Hebrew Bible. If you have not participated previously ers Weekly calls it “the go-to text on this subject.” He has and would like to join the class this year, please contact taught at The New School University, The Philadelphia Uni- Sarah Gluck to learn about the prerequisites. versity of the Arts, and is now in his twelfth year teaching Textbook: The First Hebrew Primer (EKS Publishing) musical theatre history at NYU’s Steinhardt School. Review- ing his course, one of his students recently wrote, “He didn’t Simchat Torah Dinner, just make me laugh; he made me care.”

Service & Dancing This lecture is generously sponsored by Lori & Bob Fink in Monday, October 21 memory of their beloved son, Dr. Michael Fink, Ph.D. Time: 6:30 PM Location: TS Free Questions? Contact Ilene Cohen, Film Event [email protected], 908-722-1339 Temple Beth-El Basic Hebrew Reading Jewish Film Series Mondays, beginning October 23 Mr. Gaga Time: 4:30 - 6:30 PM Location: FJCC Saturday, October 26 Instructor: Adah Radzin Time: 7:00 PM Fee: $36/Person suggested donation TBE-H RSVP to 908.782.6410 Suggested Donation: $5 Mr. Gaga tells the story of Ohad Naharin, renowned choreographer and artistic director of the Batsheva Dance Shabbat B’Yachad (Shabbat Together) Company, an artistic genius who redefined the language For Preschool - 2nd Grade of modern dance. Director Tomer Heymann digs artfully Saturdays October 26, November 23, December 7, into the enigma of famed Batsheva choreographer Ohad January 25, February 8, March 21, April 25 and May 9 Naharin, providing new revelations about the way history, Time: 11:00 AM geography, and personal tragedy have shaped his work- Location: TS and the revolutionary movement language of the title. Shabbat singing, dancing, and learning for wee ones! Questions? Contact Ilene Cohen, [email protected], 908-722-1339 Viewers will be in thrall to this charismatic figure and his rule-bending art. Portrait of a brilliant innovator who’s in- fluenced dance across the planet. RSVP to Simona: [email protected]

Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses 7 Jewish LIFE October Carla Naumburg Hebrew Language for Kids How to Stop Losing Your Sh*t With Location: JCC- BW Your Kids: A Guide to Becoming a Mondays: Starting October 28 for 8 weeks Grades K -2: 5:00-5:45 PM and Calmer, Happier Parent Grades 3-6: 5:45-6:30 PM Thursday, October 24 Time: 12 Noon Fee: $160/Discounted Member Fee: $10/Person includes light lunch $175/Student Location: HS Instructor: Vered Weinglass To register, contact Temple Har Shalom at Vered has taught Hebrew for over 20 years in the 732.356.8777. local community. Carla Naumburg, PhD, is a writer, speaker, and clinical social worker. She is the author of Ready Set Breathe: Practicing Mind- Children will develop a love for the Hebrew language. fulness with Your Children for Fewer Meltdowns and a More We will get to know each other in Hebrew, and each Peaceful Family (New Harbinger, 2015) and Parenting in the Pres- week, the children will “visit” a different place and ex- ent Really Matters (Parallax, 2014). Her writing has appeared in pand on their Hebrew skills. We will be visiting the zoo The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, and touring sites by bus, train and plane. Children will and Mindful Magazine among other places. Carla is a sought-after go home with educational materials after each session, public speaker, and she coaches overwhelmed parents on how to make parenting less stressful and more fun. Carla lives outside of so learning can be reinforced at home. Boston with her husband, two young daughters, and two totally insane cats. Let’s Talk Hebrew to Connect to Israel Location: JCC- BW Starting October 17 for 8 weeks Oz Pearlman, (no class 11/7 & 11/28) World-Renowned Mentalist Thursdays: 6:30-7:30 PM Fee: $200/Discounted Member and Mind Reader $225/Student Instructor: Raya Ben-Haim Sunday, October 27 Raya has taught Hebrew for all ages and levels for the 7:00 PM past 20 years. General Admission $54 This class will cover basic reading and conversational Dessert Reception Hebrew. “Tour” Israel, “Eat” at restaurants, and learn following program the history of the land of milk and honey.

Let’s Talk Hebrew Conversational The Wilf Campus Location: JCC- BW The Education and Resource Center Thursdays 7:30-8:30 PM 354 DeMott Lane Starting October 17 for 8 weeks (no class 11/7 & 11/28) Somerset, NJ Fee: $200/Discounted Member For Tickets, call 732-649-3515 or $225/Student email [email protected], Instructor: Raya Ben-Haim Hebrew for adults. or send in your check (payable to The Foundation at Using the Ulpan method to teach, we will learn basic The Wilf Campus) to: vocabulary revolving around Jewish holidays and The Wilf Campus for Senior Living, traditions. 354 DeMott Lane, Somerset, NJ 08873 Ages 21 and up Kings: The Last Days of the Kingdom of Israel Thursdays October 31- May 21 Join Rabbi Dan Selsberg for a journey through the tales of miracles and destruction Time: 11:00 AM - 12 Noon in the Biblical Book of Kings. A class with reverence, skepticism, humor, flaming Location: TS horses, and at least one instance of defenestration. Questions? Contact Rabbi Dan Instructor: Rabbi Dan Selsberg Selsberg, [email protected], 908-722-1339.

8 Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses Yousef Bashir The Words of My Father: Love and Pain in Palestine Thursday, October 24 7 PM JCC-BW In The Words of My Father: Love and Pain in Palestine, Yousef Bashir recalls his adolescence in Gaza during the Second Intifada, and how he made a strong commitment to peace in the face of devastating brutality. This moving, candid, and transformative memoir, reminds us of the impor- tance of looking beyond prejudice, anger and fear.

Yousef Bashir is a Palestinian - American from the Gaza Strip. He is the son of Khalil Bashir, a highly respected educator. Still suffering the ef- fects of a near catastrophic injury at the hands of an anonymous IDF solider, Yousef made his way to the United States where he earned a BA in International Affairs from Northeastern University, and an MA in Co-Existence and Conflict from Brandeis University. Now living in Wash- ington DC, Bashir has worked on Capitol Hill and serves as a member of the Palestinian Diplomatic Delegation to the United States. Yousef is an accomplished author, a vigorous advocate of Israeli - Palestinian peace and a much sought-after public speaker. Fee: $10/Person How To Tell Your Family Story Miriam Dobin 2nd Generation, Memorist and Principal of Neve Shalom Religious School Tuesday, October 29 3GNJ 6:30 PM Location: JCC- BW 2Gs, 3Gs and families (must be 16+) A Kosher dinner will be served. Cost: $18/person Please register at ssbjcc.org (search 3G) at the Welcome Center or call 908.443.9018. Presented by the JCC Holocaust Memorial and Education Center. Imagine Wednesday, October 30 Time: 9:00 AM Location: Bridgewater Manor Join the Women’s Philanthropy Division of the Jewish Federation of Somerset, Hunterdon & Warren Counties for their annual fall fundraiser “Imagine”. Activities at the event will include vendor shopping, silent auction, brunch and a panel discussion on mental health. This year’s event supports organizations working with mental health here at home and in Israel. Please join in this cause.

To register call Lauren at 908-758-2003 or Jfedshaw.org/women Fee: Jewish$54/Person LIFE includes Special brunch Events, Films, Lectures, Courses 9

Jewish LIFE November Lunch and Learn - Torah Studies Instructor: Rabbi Eli Kornfeld Thursdays, starting in November at 12:30 PM Location: Turntable Junction, 35 Fulper Rd., Flemington $80/course or $15/class Includes text books and catered lunch The Torah Studies program brings you the tradition of classical Jewish learning in a series of clear and engaging weekly classes. Beit Midrash Museum of Jewish Heritage Sundays, November 3,17,24; February 2, 9 Trip to New York City March 1, 8, 15 with Bridgewater JCC Time: 9:00- 10:00 AM Wednesday, November 6 Location: TBE 9:30 AM - 4:00 PM Instructor: Rabbi Arnie Gluck Join us for a 90-minute guided tour of the Auschwitz The classic setting for Jewish learning is the Beit Mi- exhibition.The Museum drash. It means “house of learning” but is much more of Jewish Heritage is a living memorial to the Holo- than that. “Midrash” means to interpret, to seek, to caust in NYC.This exhibition features more than 700 draw forth meaning from our sacred texts. The Beit original objects never seen before in North America. Midrash is where Jewish tradition has lived for 2000 Fee: $115/discounted member rate years; it is recreated wherever Jews join in serious $130/person includes coach bus, guided tour and study of Torah. Each of these sessions in the Temple lunch. Beth-El beit midrash will explore classic texts on one of Lunch at famous Katz’s Deli! the great themes of Judaism that guide us in living an Fee: $115/discounted member rate honorable and ethical life.

Adult Confirmation Class Tuesdays, November 12, 19 December 3, 17, Sara-Chana Silverstein January 7, 28, February, 4, 11,25 March 3, Moodtopia: 17,31 Time: 7:00 PM Tame Your Moods, Location: TBE-H De-Stress, and Find Instructor: Rabbi Arnie Gluck Balance Using Herbal Fee: $36 Suggested Donation Remedies, Aromatherapy Over the years, the 10th-grade Confirmation class at Temple Beth-El has been an enlightening and transfor- and More Thursday, November 14 mational experience for the teens of the congregation. Time: 12 Noon Over the years, parents have asked whether a similar Location: HS class might be available to them. The time has come! Please join Rabbi Gluck for a 12-session exploration Sara-Chana Silverstein is New York’s expert on of core Jewish beliefs, values, and practices. Topics MOODINESS and is a dynamic and engaging speaker. Her include: What does it mean to be a religious person? passion, humor, and endless knowledge captivates the room How to read the Torah and understand its message. leaving the audience empowered. She is regularly featured What does our tradition teach us about how to live an on TV news shows. She is a master herbalist , RH (AHG), ethical life? Confronting mortality: death as part of life classical homeopath, board-certified lactation consultant (IB- Why be Jewish? CLC), wife consultant to Medical Doctors, and is a mother of seven children.

For Fee and to register call Temple Har Shalom at 732.356.8777

10 Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses Jewish LIFE November

During the season of thankfulness, we invite you to share a bowl of one of our delicious vegetarian and Tuesday, November 19th @7pm kosher soups as we recognize those in need. MOVIE NIGHT! S H I M O N A N D S A R A B I R N B A U M J E W I S H C O M M U N I T Y C E N T E R Break bread with us as we discuss ways that we can 7 7 5 T A L A M I N I R D , B R I D G E W A T E R Open to the Community help eliminate Food Insecurity and Social Isolation T O W N S H I P , N J in our community. Please join 3GNJ, the grandchildren of Holocaust survivors, for our movie night. Post-film Q & A with Dr. Adara Goldberg, Director of the Kean University Holocaust A Variety of Soups, Salads & Breads will be Served Resource Center, to follow.

Catering by Nuray’s Gourmet Food & Café The film begins in November 1940, days after the Nazis sealed 450,000 Jews in the Warsaw Kosher Food provided by Jerusalem Pizza, Livingston ghetto. A secret band of journalists, scholars, and community leaders decide to fight back. Led by historian Emanuel Ringelblum and known by the code name Oyneg Shabes, this RSVP by Nov. 8- Register online JewishFamilySvc.org clandestine group vows to defeat Nazi lies and propaganda, not with guns or fists but with pen and paper. Tickets are $30/adults $15/children under 13 This event is being co-sponsored by 3GNJ, The SSBJCC Holocaust Education Resource Center, and Kean University Holocaust Resource Center. For More Information - Seating is limited and reservations are required. Please register with the link for SSBJCC. Email: [email protected] https://www.ssbjcc.org/event/3gnj-movie-night/ or call 908-725-7799 The fee is $5 per person. Dessert & Coffee will be provided.

Jamie Bernstein Famous Father Girl Sunday, November 24 Time: 4:00 PM Location: FJCC Fee: $18/person includes tea and dessert. RSVP to Flemingtonjcc.org The oldest daughter of revered composer/conductor Leonard Bernstein offers a rare look at her father on the centennial of his birth in a deeply intimate and broadly evocative memoir. Bernstein mines the emotional depths of her childhood, and invites us into her family’s private world. A fantastic set of characters populates the Bernsteins’ lives, including the Kennedys, Mike Nichols, John Lennon and so many more. Bernstein’s beautifully written memoir is a great American story about one of the greatest Americans of the modern age.

Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses 11 Jewish LIFE December Jewish Federation 3rd Annual Super Week December 3, 4, 5 & 8 JCC- BW Tuesday, Dec. 3 • 7:00 - 9:00 PM Join us for some wine and cheese as we make phone calls to support the good work that Federation does. Wednesday, Dec. 4 • 7:00 - 8:30 PM Come support locals in need while participating in community service activities. Thursday, Dec. 5 • 3:00 - 6:00 PM Come join us as we create holiday cards for US & IDF soldiers for the December holidays. Sunday, Dec. 8 • 9:30 AM-12:30 PM Super Sunday, Federation’s biggest fundraising day of the year. Come volunteer with us to make phone calls, stuff envelopes, and help us raise money for the Jewish community. Together, our impact stretches from Somerset, Hunterdon & Warren Counties to Israel and 70 countries around the world. Questions? Want to volunteer? Contact Dan Fahrer, [email protected] or 908-758-2002 Two Family Chanukah Events to enjoy! Family Chanukah Shabbat Dinner Join us as we celebrate this Festive Holiday! Friday, December 13 Time: 5:30 PM Location: JCC- BW $15/Person or $50/max/Family includes dinner Join us for a special Shabbat Dinner, where we will make Chanukah crafts, play games and enjoy delicious holiday treats. We look forward to celebrating with your family! Chanukah Community Event Sunday, December 15 Time: 10:30 AM Location: TS Free to all! Sing, eat, and learn at a family-friendly Chanukah celebration! Questions? Contact Ilene Cohen, [email protected], 908-722-1339 Yiddish Fiddler Bus trip to NYC with FJCC Sunday, December 8 Time: 3:00 PM Matinee Bus Leaves at 11:30 AM $180/person before 10/15 • $200 after 10/5 No muss, No fuss, No tolls and No parking! Ticket includes show, round trip bus and snacks.

12 Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses Jewish LIFE December

The Irma Horowitz Film Series Featuring Falafel & Film December 12 6:30 PM JCC- BW An engaging evening featuring a screening of the legenday Theodore Bikel z”l’s critically acclaimed documentary film, followed by a lively audience discussion with Aimee Ginsburg Bikel- widow of Theo, and Director, The Theodore Bikel Legacy Project.

Fee: $18/Person includes Film and Falafel Dinner

This program is supported by the Irma Horowitz Endowment Fund.

Film Event Temple Beth-El Jewish Film Series 90 Minute War Saturday, December 14 Time: 7:00 PM TBE-H Suggested Donation: $5 The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has lasted 100 years. 100 years of war, bloodshed, bitterness, suffering. 100 years of stalemate, intransigence and failed peace deals. And now, it’s all over! They’ve finally found the solution: A game of soccer. The winner gets to stay. The loser leaves forever. And no whining. In a deft feint, Director Eyal Halfon’s satire has something serious to say about the contested issues that divide two peoples. RSVP to Simona: [email protected]

Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses 13 Jewish LIFE January Stephen M. Silverman The Amusement Park: Thursday, January 23 900 Years of Thrills, and the 12 Noon Dreamers and Schemers JCC- BW Who Built Them Experience the electrifying, never-before-told true story of amusement parks, from the middle ages to present day, and meet the colorful (and sometimes criminal) characters who are responsible for their enchanting charms. Step right up! The Amusement Park is a rich, anecdotal history that begins nine centuries ago with the “pleasure gardens” of Europe and England and ends with the most elaborate modern parks in the world. It’s a history told largely through the stories of the colorful, sometimes hedonistic charac- ters who built them. And, of course, this is a full-throttle celebration of the rides, those marvels of engineering and heart-stopping thrills from an author, Stephen Silverman, whose life-long passion for his subject shines through. The parks and fairs featured include the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, Coney Island, Steeplechase Park, Dreamland, Euclid Beach Park, Ce- dar Point, Palisades Park, Ferrari World, Dollywood, Sea World, Six Flags Stephen M. Silverman is the author of 13 books, Great Adventure, Universal Studios, Disney World and Disneyland and including Funny Ladies. His work has appeared in many more. Esquire, Harper’s Bazaar, The Chicago Tribune, Newsweek, The New York Times, The London $18/Person includes lunch Times, Smithsonian, Vogue, and The Washington Post. He is a 20-year veteran of Time Inc., and taught at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. Dale Atkins & Amanda Salzhauer The Kindness Advantage Tuesday, January 28 7:00 PM JCC- BW The Kindness Advantage is a practical and concrete guide for you to equip your child with the skills they need to have a positive influence on the world. We all benefit when children are raised with the understanding that they can have an impact by making conscious choices. It’s never too early to start your child on a path of fulfillment through meaningful connection with others. Designed to be read with children as young as four, the book presents ten fundamental concepts to weave into your family’s daily life. Using text, quotes, questions and real life stories, The Kindness Advantage is the first book parents need to think about and teach the necessary skills to be a kind, compassionate person. Each idea on its own is simple and unintimidating, yet together they form the powerful foun- dation parents need to go beyond teaching “please” and “thank-you” to form kindness habits that will last a lifetime. In a world where kindness is so greatly Authors Dale Atkins, PhD and Amanada Salzhauer, MSW will give an enlightening needed. To Register, Contact Lauren Edelman at 908.758.2003. and engaging interactive presentation on how to raise kind, compassionate and car- $10/Person ing children in the 21st century. Books will be available for purchase at $10 each.

14 Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses Jewish LIFE January Saul Austerlitz Thursday, January 30 Generation Friends: 7:00 PM JCC- BW An Inside Look at the Show A fascinating behind-the-scenes look at Friends, published for the That Defined a Television Era twenty-fifth anniversary of the show’s premiere. Howyoudoin’?

In September 1994, six friends sat down in their favorite coffee shop and began bantering about sex, relationships, jobs, and just about everything else. A quarter of a century later, new fans are still find- ing their way into the lives of Rachel, Ross, Joey, Chandler, Monica, and Phoebe. Thanks to the show’s immensely talented creators, its intimate understanding of its youthful audience, and its reign during network television’s last moment of dominance, Friends has become the most influential and beloved show of its era. Friends has never gone on a break, and this is the story of how it all happened. Noted pop culture historian Saul Austerlitz utilizes exclusive interviews with creators David Crane and Marta Kauffman, executive produc- er Kevin Bright, director James Burrows, and many other producers, writers, and cast members to tell the story of Friends’ creation, its remarkable decade-long run, and its astonishing Netflix-fueled afterlife Saul Austerlitz is the author of four previous books, including Just a Shot Away and Sitcom. His work has been published by The Boston Globe, The New York Times Magazine, Esquire, Rolling Stone, Slate, and the Los Angeles Times. He is a graduate of Yale and NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and is an adjunct professor of writing and comedy history at NYU. $10/Person

Myron Sugerman Beyond Dispute: Chronicles of Debates That Shape Jewish Life The Last Jewish Gangster: Thursdays, Beginning January 2 From Meyer to Myron Time: 7:00 PM Sunday, January 26 Location: TS Location: TBE Instructor: Rabbi Dan Selsberg Time: 9:00 AM Fee: $36 Suggested Donation Free to All! Brunch will be served. Debates have helped define Jewish life The Last Jewish Gangster begins in postwar Newark, New Jersey but follows Sugerman as he traverses the globe, rub- for millenia- yet for all our arguing, we are bing shoulders with dangerous men and legendary mob figures still one people (arguably). In this age of including Longie Zwillman, Meyer Lansky, Joe “Doc” Stacher, argument and disagreement, we’ll look and Tony Bananas Caponigro. He covers everything from his dealings with the fearsome Cali Cartel to helping famous Nazi at some of the great debates of the Jew- hunter Simon Wiesenthal track down Dr. Josef Mengele in ish past (and present)- and learn not only Paraguay, and running a joint venture gambling machine op- eration in Lagos. about the past, but bring insights to help Sugerman will discuss positive contributions made by the Jewish mob in the 1930s, us in the unique situation of the present. fighting anti-Semitism and the American Nazi Party. This is a brand-new multi-media course Sugerman is an expert on a bygone era of old-school gangsters, having grown up from JTS in New York, with brief vid- at the feet of some of the most famous ones. There are touching stories such as eo lectures from leading scholars, along flying an elderly Jewish mobster to Israel, and saying kaddish for one of the chevra, wearing ski masks instead of kipot. with study and discussion with Rabbi Selsberg. Questions? Contact Rabbi Dan “I’m the last man standing of a generation of a world that once was,” Sugerman writes. “Those were men who in their own way cared for their people and their Selsberg, [email protected], community.” 908-722-1339

Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses 15 Jewish LIFE February Renegade Women in Film and TV Elizabeth Weitzman Celebrating Women’s Acheivment Sunday, February 9 10:30 AM JCC- BW Fee: $25/Person brunch included- $36 with book

During a historic time of change in the Entertainment Industry, Weitzman will discuss women who broke glass ceilings in film and television.

Elizabeth Weitzman is a journalist, film critic, and the author of more than two dozen books for children and young adults. She currently covers movies for The Wrap, and was a critic for the New York Daily News for 15 years. In 2015, she was named one of the top critics in New York by the Hollywood Reporter. Jacob M. Appel Who Says You’re Dead?: A Book of Medical Dilemmas for the Curious and Concerned Thursday, February 13 7:00 PM JCC- BW Jacob M. Appel is a physician, attorney, and bioethicist who serves as an attending psychiatrist in the Mount Sinai Healthcare System. He teaches ethics at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where he is Direc- tor of Ethics Education in Psychiatry and a member of the Institutional Review Board. $10/Person - Free to Maimonides Society Members RSVP:www.jfedshaw.org/maimonides

Join the Maimonides Society of JFedSHAW and author Jacob Appel, MD for a lively discussion of medical ethics in the 21st century. Irma Horowitz Film Series Featuring Falafel & Israeli Short Films FILMS TBA Films by Students of Ma’aleh School of Television Film and the Arts in Jerusalem Thursday, February 27 • 6:30 PM JCC- BW • $18/person includes falafel dinner

16 Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses Jewish LIFE February Seth M. Siegel Thursday, February 20 Troubled Water 7:00 PM What’s Wrong With What We Drink JCC- BW

From big cities and suburbs to the rural heartland, chemicals linked to cancer, heart disease, obesity, birth defects, and lowered IQ rou- tinely spill from our taps. Many are to blame. The bottled water industry has been fanning our fears about tap water, but bottled water is often no safer. The tragedy is that existing technologies could launch a new age of clean healthy and safe tap for only a few dollars a week per person. Troubled Water is full of shocking stories about contaminated water found throughout the country and about the everyday heroes who have successfully forced change. Fee: $10/Person

Seth M. Siegel is a lawyer, an activist, a serial entrepreneur, and the author of The New York Times bestseller, Let there be water. His writing has appearing in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times, and in leading publication in Europe and Asia. He has spoken on water policy hundreds of times around the world and in Congress, The United Nations, The World Bank, and at dozens of leading universities. March Judith Viorst Wednesday, March 4 Nearing Ninety: 12:00 PM And Other Comedies of Late Life JCC- BW

In Nearing Ninety: And Other Comedies of Late Life, Judith Viorst candidly shares the complicated joys and everyday tribulations that await us at the age of nine- ty, all with a large dose of humor and an understand- ing that nothing – well, almost nothing – in life should be taken too seriously. While she struggles to make it to midnight on New Year’s Eve, while she’s starting to hear more eulogies than symphonies, while she’ll forever be disheartened by what she weighs (and for- ever unable to stop weighing herself), there is plenty to cherish at ninety: hanging out with the people she loves, playing a relentless game of Scrabble, and still sleeping tush-to-tush with the same man to whom she’s been married for sixty years. Fee: $18/Person includes lunch

Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses 17 Jewish LIFE March

Special Passover Event Thursday, March 19 Jordan B. Gorfinkel 7:00 PM Passover Haggadah JCC- BW Graphic Novel There’s no more universal medium for telling heroic stories, one that bridges all cultures, faiths and languages, than the sequen- tial art form of the graphic novel—itself a Jewish innovation. An artistic and educational milestone, the Passover Haggadah Graphic Novel will inspire and engage everyone on Passover night for many years to come. Fee: $10/Person

Jordan B. Gorfinkel is a cartoonist, musician, writer, and pro- ducer. For nearly a decade, Gorf was a manager of the Batman franchise at DC Comics, where his creations serve as inspira- tion for television, film, games, and more. He is the creator of “Everything’s Relative” a Jewish cartoon featured online and in newspapers.

Two Purim Two Passover Events Events

JCC Family Purim Carnival Sunday, March 1 K-2nd Parent and Child Passover Time: 11:30 AM Sensory Hour 12:30 PM General Admission Exploration JCC- BW Sunday, March 29 Free to All! Time: 9:30 AM DJ • Games • Inflatables and Tons of Fun! Location: TS FOOD FOR PURCHASE Free to all. A chance for kids to enjoy learning the basics of the Community Purim Extravaganza heart of the Jewish story! Sunday, March 8 Questions? Contact Ilene Cohen, ilenecohen@temple- Time: 10:00 AM sholom.net, 908-722-1339 Location: TS Intergenerational Passover Seder Free to Community Wednesday, April 1 Not the whole Megillah, part of it, along with games, 12 Noon and... you’ll never guess... hamentaschen! (Along Location: JCC Bridgewater with learning for adults...) Questions? Contact Ilene Fee: $10/Person Cohen, [email protected], Join the JCC, our 4’s and the Kindergarten class for 908-722-1339 an abbreviated Seder, full of love and great food!

18 Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses Jewish LIFE March Irma Horowitz Film Series Film Event Featuring Falafel & Film Temple Beth-El Redemption Jewish Film Series Thursday, March 26 Nina’s Tragedies 6:30 PM Saturday, March 28 JCC- BW Time: 7:00 PM Israel, 2018 TBE-H Drama Suggested Donation: $5 Hebrew (with English subtitles) Nina’s Tragedies straddles the line between dark comedy 104 minutes and deep drama. The Nina in the movie’s title is the beau- Menachem, a former frontman for a rock band, is tiful aunt of the film’s 14-year-old narrator, Nadav. Nadav is in love with Nina. But Nina has too many things swirl- now religious, and a father to a six-year-old. When ing around her life, most notably the tragic death of her his daughter is diagnosed with cancer, he must find husband and the sudden emergence of a suitor. With no a creative solution to fund the expensive treatments. one to confide in, Nadav keeps a detailed diary of his es- He reunites his band for one last tour. The journey capades following his aunt. to save his daughter exposes old wounds and allows him to reconnect with his secular past. Menachem Nina’s Tragedies continues the run of recent Israeli films understands that only a new connection to his past that are mostly apolitical -- and mostly worth shouting and to his music can pave the road to his own re- about. It’s easy to see why “Nina’s Tragedies” won 11 Israeli demption. Academy Awards. The dry humor is disarming. The en- semble cast is engaging. And the main plot is suspenseful. April RSVP to Simona: [email protected] Rabbi Hirshel Jaffe The Running Rabbi: A Living Hero Thursday, April 2 7:00 PM JCC- BW Rabbi Hirshel Jaffe, who has been called “a living hero”, has led a life of courage and compassion. Competing in the New York Marathon earned him the nickname “The Running Rabbi.” In 1980, Rabbi Jaffe visited the 52 Americans held hostage in Iran to offer them comfort and hope and deliver letters to their families and loved ones. Upon the return of our freed Americans, he was invited by President Ronald Reagan to greet the hostages in a White House ceremony. The Rabbi prayed with world leaders at the Presidential Prayer Breakfast in Washington D.C. and delivered a message about bridging the gulf that divides us. “40 years ago Rabbi Hirshel Jaffe visited the 52 hostages in Tehran when the fate of the American prisoners gripped the world. In a recent BBC Documentary aired worldwide the Rabbi bears personal witness to that history. He will screen the Documentary at the JCC and describe what happened to the Jewish hostages and how, because he was a Rabbi wearing a yarlmeka, he was detained by the Militants and almost became the 53rd hostage. Hear about the Rabbi’s confrontation with a zealous Imam over the treatment of the Jewish hostages and his portrayal of Israel as “The Great Satan” How will the Jewish people combat this anti-semitism in a world when Israel is increasingly isolated. $10/Person

Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses 19 Jewish LIFE April

20 Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses Jewish LIFE May

Trip to the Lower Eastside, NYC Tenement Museum Walking Tour of the Home of “Victoria Confino” Thursday, May 7 Leave JCC at 10 AM 11:30 AM- Hear the history of “Victoria Confino” 97 Orchard Street 1:00 -1:45 PM – Lunch on your own at Essex Market 2:00 -3:30 PM -Walking tour of the Lower East Side Fee: $125/Person Maximum 30 people Discover life as an immigrant in 1916 through the eyes of 14-year-old Victoria Confino. A costumed actor portraying Victoria provides a first-person perspective inside her apartment. Victoria will share her experiences about immigrating to America from Greece, living at 97 Orchard Street with her parents and five brothers, and adjusting to life on the Lower East Side. Life on the Lower East Side was very different from the Confino’s hometown of Kastoria. As Jews with ancestry in Spain, Victoria and her family may have felt out of place among the Eastern European Ashkenazi Jewish community on the Lower East Side. Not only were their traditions different but so too was the language they spoke. Kastoria’s beautiful mountainous landscape turned into the crowded and dirty streets of New York City. Accustomed to living in a spacious and comfortable home, Victoria and her family had to adjust to tenement housing in a narrow and cramped apartment. Film Event Temple Beth-El Jewish Film Series Off-White Lies Saturday, May 23 Time: 7:00 PM TBE-H Suggested Donation: $5 Poised unwaveringly between gentle comedy and delicate drama, Israeli filmmaker Maya Kenig uses the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah as a springboard for an exploration of the troubled relationship between an unemployed father and his teenage daughter. While posing as war refugees, father and daughter learn the limits of deception and slowly form an emotional bond that finally transforms them into something like family. Charming…full of wit. RSVP to Simona: [email protected] Erev Shavuot: Tikkun (learning for adults) & Youth Programming for all ages Thursday, May 28 Time: 7:00 PM Location: TS in cooperation with Temple Beth El, Hillsborough and CKI Bound Brook We all stood together to receive Torah at Mt. Sinai... Come join friends old and new from across the community in nighttime learning with teachers from across the community. Questions? Contact Rabbi Dan Selsberg, [email protected], or Ilene Cohen, [email protected]; 908-722-1339

Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses 21 Community-Wide Jewish LIFE Events Annual Community-Wide Yom Hashoah Observance Monday, April 20 7:00 PM Location: Temple Har Shalom Free to Community

Guest speaker to be announced.

SAVE THE DATE! Community Wide Yom Ha’atzmaut Celebration May 2020 More details to come!

Israeli Day Parade New York City Sunday, June 7, 2020 Support Jewish LIFE Become a Patron or Benefactor today! *Patron: $180 includes 1 Ticket with Reserved Seating for each Event. **Benefactor: $360 includes 2 Tickets w/Reserved Seating for each Event. *Patron/Benefactor excludes: Melton School, iEngage, Imagine and Celebrate Israel. (Other exclusions may apply.) Please call Laura Friedman JCC Executive Director for details: (908) 443-9001; [email protected] Show your support of Israel!

22 Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses The JCC Holocaust Memorial and Education Center offers free educational programs and workshops for secular and religious school children. Now registering for the fall semester. All programs are free and open to the community.

For additional information and to schedule a workshop

Email Nancy Gorrell for more information at [email protected]

Available Workshops:

“To the Little Polish Boy” Developing Empathy through Ecphrastic Poetry Instructor : Nancy Gorrell Recommended for Grades 7-12 Participants in this workshop will view an historic work of Holocaust photo-journalism, listen to survivor Peter Fischl, read his poem, “To the Little Polish Boy” in response to that photo- journalism. Participants then produce their own responses using the tool of visual poetry, the poetry of empathy. No poetry writing ability required.

Light from the Yellow Star

An Introduction to the Holocaust through Testimony and Art Instructors: Nancy Gorrell and Evelyn Rauch Recommended for Grades 7-12 Participants in this workshop will view Robert Fisch’s artwork from his survivor testimony, Light from the Yellow Star: A Lesson of Love from the Holocaust. After discussing the survivor’s illustrations and

story, participants will develop, together or individually, their own artistic responses inspired by the survivor’s artwork. No artistic. level of expertise required. All materials provided by the Center free of charge. Support Jewish LIFE Become a Patron or Benefactor today! *Patron: $180 includes 1 Ticket with Reserved Seating for each Event. **Benefactor: $360 includes 2 Tickets w/Reserved Seating for each Event. *Patron/Benefactor excludes: Melton School, iEngage, Imagine and Celebrate Israel. (Other exclusions may apply.) Please call Laura Friedman JCC Executive Director for details: (908) 443-9001; [email protected] Please send payment to Topaz Brown at: Jewish LIFE, 775 Talamini Road, Bridgewater, NJ 08807

Checks payable to: Shimon and Sara Birnbaum Jewish Community Center

Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses 23 Coming in 2020 A Special Evening with Steven Katz Saturday, October 17 Location: JCC- BW

Steve Katz is the founding member of the 1960’s band Blood, Sweat and Tears and has recently written his memoir about growing up Jewish in the world of 1960’s rock n roll. Steve has had quite the amazing life, playing at Woodstock, partying with Jim Morrison, Elizabeth Taylor and Groucho Marx, conversed with Martin Luther King, Jr. and Andy Warhol, and jammed with Jimi Hendrix.

The Jewish LIFE program is made Authors are brought to Jewish The Jewish LIFE program is possible in part by a grant from the LIFE through the Jewish Book made possible in part through Jewish Federation of Somerset, Council. funding by the Shimon and Hunterdon & Warren Counties. Sara Birnbaum Jewish Com- munity Center.

24 Jewish LIFE Special Events, Films, Lectures, Courses