danny Maseng rabbi elliot dorff, ph.d.

Transcription

THE BETH AM
M a r c h 2013
a da r / N i s s an 5773
Weekend of Music, Worship and Study:
Danny Maseng
Beth Am’s First Artist-in-Residence
We welcome Danny Maseng, an internationally acclaimed
musician, as our inaugural Artist-in-Residence. The weekend
events will enable congregants to experience the full spectrum of
Danny’s music. Learn more at www.betham.org/dannymaseng
in this issue:
.

SHABBAT SERVICE
Friday, March 15, 6:15 p.m., Sanctuary
Danny will speak, and will lead the service along with
our clergy, featuring his original liturgical compositions.
Pa s s o v e r B e g i n s
page 3
THE TWILIGHT CONCERT
Saturday, March 16, 7 p.m., Sanctuary; followed by light dessert reception, Social Hall
Tickets: $18 in advance; $20 at the door
Danny will perform The Heart of the World, a concert filled with a spiritual and uplifting
tapestry of Jewish music and a true message of tikkun olam (repairing the world).

TEACHING OUR COMMUNITY
Sunday, March 17, 9:15 – 10:45 a.m., Beit Kehillah
Danny will share a teaching about Hasidic Zen: Why So Many Jews Are Drawn to Zen Buddhism.
A n I s ra e l i
P ro g re ss i v e V i e w p o i n t
The Artist-in-Residence Weekend is underwritten by the Music and Art Fund, which is replenished
every other year by the Bella Notte concert. Your contribution to this fund would be welcomed.
page 8
beth am welcomes 5773 Saxe Family scholar-in-residence:
Rabbi Elliot Dorff, Ph.D.
Professor of Jewish Theology at the American Jewish University
We are honored to welcome this year’s Scholar-in-Residence,
Rabbi Elliot Dorff, a leading scholar of the Conservative Movement
and an expert on Jewish ethics and Jewish law. We will have several
opportunities to learn from him throughout the weekend:
Modern Jewish
L i t e ra t u re
page 8
Jewish and American Law: A Comparison of Fundamental
Assumptions and Methodologies — Friday, March 22, 5 p.m.,
Sanctuary

God without Ethics, Ethics without God — Friday, March 22, 6:15 p.m., Sanctuary

Jewish Medical Ethics — Saturday, March 23, 4 p.m., Beit Kehillah

A Jewish Approach to Poverty — Sunday, March 24, 9 a.m., Beit Kehillah
Sponsored by the Saxe Family Scholar-in-Residence Fund
contact us at (650) 493-4661
From Cantor Lauren Bandman
Sing to God a New Song. No, really… it’ll make you feel better.
Singing is
part of our
souls and has
the power to
transform.
Page 2
I know what you’re thinking. Of course, the cantor
thinks singing is a good thing.
It breaks my heart a little bit each time someone
says to me, “Oh no. I can’t sing.” “Sure you can!”
I reply. “No, I really can’t.” “How do you know?”
(Here, the conversation varies.) “Well, when I was in
the third grade, my teacher told me not to sing and
just to mouth the words.” Or, “when I would sing in
the car my [insert family member here] told me that
my voice is terrible.” And the saddest part of all is
that many of these people go throughout their lives
suppressing their voices, making sure they don’t
sing. And, should they be brave and sing anyway
from time to time, they make sure to do it only in
complete privacy, when it is certain that another
human being could not possibly hear.
There is a reason we sing. It feels good.
Science teaches us that the breathing used
for singing causes the body to relax and release
stress. It is an aerobic activity that helps bring in
oxygen, improving circulation. Also, the very act
of singing releases endorphins that can boost our
mood and quite simply, make us feel better. Singing
has the power to transform us both physically and
psychologically. Those who study singing say it
has the potential to help singers overcome great
shyness. Singers may also have improved posture
through increased body awareness. People who
sing in ensembles learn teamwork and cooperation,
and feel the great satisfaction of working toward a
shared goal.
Beyond the physiological lift, singing allows us to
more fully express our feelings. This can manifest in
simple ways. We sing along to a sad song when we
are feeling blue, or turn up our favorite song when
life is good and we are basking in that moment of
gratitude. Sometimes, singing can help us tap into
our innermost feelings, even those that we may not
be fully aware of ourselves. Perhaps Aldous Huxley
put it best when he said, “After silence, that which
comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is
music. Music is what feelings sound like.”
Our tradition knows something about this
as well. In Jewish music, we have niggunim, or
wordless melodies that we sing to express our
deepest longings, our greatest joys and our spiritual
searching. These melodies enable us to “say
something,“ even at times when words fail to fully
communicate our intentions.
Our most sacred texts invite and even demand that
we sing. One prime example is the book of Psalms
contained in the third section of our Hebrew Bible,
the Ketuvim or Writings. There you will find myriad
instances of encouragement to sing, including
psalms we recite to welcome in Shabbat each week.
Here are a few examples:
Psalm 95: “Come let us sing joyously to Adonai;
raise a shout for our Rock and Deliverer; let us come
into God’s presence with praise; let us raise a shout
for God in song.”

Psalm 96: “Sing to Adonai a new song; sing to
Adonai all the earth.”

Psalm 98: “Sing to Adonai a new song; for God has
worked wonders.”

Psalm 100: “Raise a shout for Adonai; all the earth;
worship God in gladness; come into God’s presence
with shouts of joy.”

Psalm 101: “I will sing of faithfulness and justice; I
will chant my hymn to You, O God.”

The Psalms don’t say, ”sing only if your voice is
pleasing.” They invite and insist that “every living
being of breath and spirit lift up our voices in praise.”
(Psalm 150) Our society doesn’t limit running to
only those individuals who are marathon runners
or racers. We don’t tell people not to cook dinner
unless it is a chef-worthy creation. Yet many people
refuse to sing because they feel as if their voices
aren’t as pleasing as others. Humans are genetically
programmed to sing. It is part of who we are and how
we express our feelings. Singing is so second nature
that many people sing without even realizing that
they are doing it. We hum as we wash the dishes,
scan the store shelves, shampoo our hair, or even
while we drive to our destination. Singing is part of
our souls and has the power to be transformative.
We sing to explore and express our spiritual selves.
Whether lighting the Shabbat candles alone or
welcoming the Shabbat bride (L’chah Dodi) as a
community, the music helps us reach higher.
As Reb Nachman of Bratzlav said, “When two
people speak at the same time, it is cacophony, but
when two people sing at the same time, it’s harmony.”
So, go ahead and sing. Join in and add your voice
to Shabbat services, sing in the shower, in the car,
around the Passover seder table. Just sing. It is the
human thing to do. It is the Jewish thing to do…and
after all, it’s good for you!
Passover Begins
Clear Out the Chametz, Grab Your Haggadahs and Get Ready for Pesach
A Note from
the President
S t a r t i n g a t S u n dow n , M o n d a y, M a rc h 2 5
As the Haggadah reminds us, “Even if all of us
were wise…all of us learned in the Torah, it would
still be our obligation to speak of the Exodus from
Egypt. And all who elaborate upon the story of the
Exodus are worthy of praise.” We celebrate Pesach
not simply to repeat the tale of our enslavement and
liberation, but to find new and personal meaning in
that narrative each year. As March begins, it’s time
to think about how we’ll prepare our homes and our
spirits for the arrival of the Feast of Freedom!
While Passover is primarily a festival
centered in the home, we also offer several
opportunities to celebrate as a community:
First Night of Passover Seder Match
Looking for a place to go for the first
seder? Able to host a guest at your
table? Participate in our annual Seder
Matching program, Monday, March 25.
www.betham.org/2013PassoverMatch
Beth Am’s Annual 2nd Night
Community Seder
Led by Rabbi Adam Rosenwasser
Tuesday, March 26, 6 p.m., Social Hall
www.betham.org/2013SecondSeder
Beth Am Women’s Annual Dessert Seder
Celebrate a Sweet Passover Tradition
Among Women
Thursday, March 28, 6 p.m., Social Hall
www.betham.org/bawseder2013
Passover Festival and Yizkor Service
We gather as a community for a time of
prayer, song and remembrance.
Monday, April 1, 9:30 a.m.
Followed by brunch, Beit Kehillah
www.betham.org/2013PassoverYizkor
Émigré Passover Seder in Russian
For families with children up to 11 years old
Sunday, April 8, 5 p.m., Social Hall
www.betham.org/emigreseder
Blessings Past & Future
Oneg Shabbat to Honor Beth Am Women
and Rabbi Sarah & Eric
Our March calendar is
packed with visiting speakers,
artists, scholars and a multitude
of other programs and classes
for our thriving community. In
addition, be sure to mark your
calendars now for our
congregation’s Annual
Meeting, taking place on
Sunday, April 14 at 4 p.m.
During the meeting, we’ll
welcome our next Beth Am
President, Ben Lloyd.
L’Shalom,
Mark Holtzman
President@Betham.org
He’s my man
And I love him!
F r i d a y, M a rc h 1 , 7 : 3 0 p. m . , Soc i a l H a ll
The Beth Am community celebrates the marriage
of Rabbi Sarah Wolf and Eric Weissman with an aufruf
(special blessing) and Oneg Shabbat.
Across the country, the Women of Reform Judaism
is launching its Centennial Year on Friday, March 1.
Come celebrate 100 years of Sisterhood and wish
our happy couple, Rabbi Sarah and Eric, 100 years of
happiness together.
Festive Oneg Shabbat sponsored by Beth Am Women.
Can you help? Please contact bawinfo@betham.org.
Page 3
Sunday
Monday
T u e s d a y
Wednesday
SAFR
Congregation Beth Am
F i n e
March 2013
12:00BAW Poetry Group
5:30 Avodah! 5:30Tuesday Night Program
6:00Confirmation Class
6:15Adult Hebrew Level A2
7:30Adult Hebrew Level C
9:00Foundations Class
PM
9:00Sunday Program
PM
11:45Hebrew Tutoring
PM
AM
9:00 2nd Grade Family Day
5
AM
11:00Adult Hebrew Level E
AM
4
AM
3
10:00Adult He
PM
Featuring origina
Israeli artists (from $
the Safrai gallery in
Fo r a m ore d et ai l ed cal end ar, v is it o ur we b s it e a t w w w. b e t h a m . o rg
ccar conference
ar
4:00 Hagigah
4:00 Weekda
4:40 T’filah
5:40 3rd Grad
5:45Prayerbo
7:00 Adult H
7:00 Émigré A
7:30 Re-Imag
AM
PM
AM
AM
PM
12:00Re-Imag
4:00 4th Grad
4:00 Weekday
4:40 T’filah
5:45 Prayerbo
7:00 Adult B’n
7:00Adult He
7:00 Émigré A
7:00 Mah Jon
AM
AM
AM
10:00 Émigré Senior Havurah
31
Stanford Law School Comes to Beth Am:
Tzedek Shabbat
F r i d a y, A p r i l 5 , 6 : 1 5 p. m . , S a n c t u a ry
sa
t hv e
da e
te
Judaism has a long history of using the law as a pathway for greater good and
global betterment. During the Shabbat service, we will hear from three Beth Am
members who work at Stanford Law School, and are committed to using the law to
help underserved populations.
7:00 Émigré A
PM
6:30 Second Night
Community Seder
PM
11:30 Madrichim Training
3:00 One Bay One Book
Discussion
5:00 Émigré Passover Seder
6:30Renaissance Series
4:00Hagigah
4:00 Weekday
4:40 T’filah
5:45 Prayerbo
6:15Beit R’fu
7:00 Adult He
7:00 Émigré A
7:30 BAM Pho
1st Day of pesach—office closed
erev pesach—office closed
242526
at noon
9:00 4th Grade Family Day
9:00 Scholar-in-Residence Talk, Rabbi Elliot Dorff
9:00Sunday Program
9:00 Jewish Literature Class
PM
AM
PM
AM
AM
PM
12:00BAW Poetry Group
4:30BATY Hang Out
5:30Chocolate Seder
5:30Tuesday Night Program
6:15 Adult Hebrew Level A2
7:30 Adult Hebrew Level C
PM
AM
PM
9:00 Sunday Program
10:00 Chicken Soupers
11:30 Study with Rabbi Sarah
1:00UMPA
2:30 Chai Lights Seniors Event
3:00Torah Circle
scholar-in-Residence Weekend
Meeting
11:00 Adult Hebrew Level E
4:30 BAJY Salsa Bar
5:30 Tuesday Night Program
6:15 Adult Hebrew Level A2
7:30 Adult Hebrew Level C
7:30BAW Rosh Chodesh
11:00 Adult Hebrew Level E
10:00 Adult He
171819
PM
PM
AM
Artist-in-Residence Weekend
BAM Slalom Rav
AM
12:00Avodah!
12:00Gan Haggim
1:00Passover Cooking Class
PM
AM
PM
10:00 Adult He
10:00Chai Lights Committee 101112
9:00 Sunday Program
9:15Achieving Work-Life Balance through Mussar
11:30 Judaism and Social
Responsibility Class
Friday
de T’filah
ook Hebrew Level A2
Hebrew Level B
Adult B’nai Mitzvah
gine Meeting
PM
h
ay Hebrew
7
8:00 Thursday Morning Minyan
9:30Senior Torah Study in Russian
12:00 Talmud
1:30 Jewish Spirituality Class
4:00 Weekday Hebrew
4:40 T’filah
6:00Hebrew Tutoring
6:15 Adult Hebrew Level D
7:00BAW Board Meeting
7:30 Advanced Convo. Hebrew
AM
PM
5:00 Lay-Led Gates of Prayer
5:00 Tot Shabbat
6:00BATY Sleepover
6:15 Tizmoret Shabbat Service
7:30 Oneg Shabbat: Blessings Past and Future
8
5:00Lay-Led Gates of Prayer
6:15Shabbat Service with
Speaker Rabbi Gilad Kariv
8:30 Bagels and Coffee
9:00 Torah Study
10:15 Torah Minyan
10:30 B’nei Mitzvah Service:
Silver/Gold
10:30Lay-Led Minyan
3:00 My Jewish Discovery
3:30 Shabbaton and 6th Grade
Hebrew
6:30Biblical Characters in
World Art
2
9
AM
AM
al oil paintings, watercolors and lithographs by 100 different
$80 to $8,000, with 20% of proceeds going to Beth Am), from
Jerusalem. Stay tuned for more information.
6
1
9:00 Torah Study
10:15 Torah Minyan
10:30B’not Mitzvah Service:
Goldman/Fron
10:30Lay-Led Minyan
PM
Israeli Art Exhibition
and Sale April 11-14, Beth Am
ebrew Level A3
S a t u rd a y
AM
S av e th e D at e and P lan t o S h o p
( o r at l e ast b r o ws e ! ) :
PM
ar t
AM
RAI
T h u r s d a y
PM
y
Calendar
3:30Shabbaton and 6th Grade Hebrew
BAM Slalom Rav
6:15 Shabbat in the Round with Danny Maseng
7:30 Oneg Israel
AM
AM
Minyan
12:00 Talmud
4:00 Weekday Hebrew
4:40 T’filah
6:00Hebrew Tutoring
6:45Tinnitus Support Group
7:30Advanced Convo. Hebrew
7:30Board Meeting
PM
ook Hebrew Level A2
uah
ebrew Level B
otography Group
PM
h
y Hebrew
PM
AM
ebrew Level A3
8:00 Thursday Morning
13
14
1516
NFTY MTC
BAM Slalom Rav
9:00 Torah Study
9:30Tot Shabbat
10:15 Torah Minyan
10:30B’not Mitzvah Service: Segal/Asher
10:30 Lay-Led Minyan
3:30 Shabbaton & 6th Grade Hebrew
7:00Danny Maseng Twilight Concert
5:00Scholar-in-Residence Talk, Rabbi Elliot Dorff
6:15 Shabbat Service with Scholar-in-Residence
Rabbi Elliot Dorff
7:30Poltava Shabbat Dinner
AM
AM
12:00 Talmud
4:00 4th Grade Israeli Restaurant
4:00 Weekday Hebrew
4:40T’filah
6:00Hebrew Tutoring
7:00Healing Helping Hands
7:30Advanced Convo. Hebrew
PM
ook Hebrew Level A2
nei Mitzvah
ebrew Level B
ngg
PM
gine Meeting
de Israeli Restaurant
y Hebrew
PM
AM
Scholar-in-Residence Weekend
Scholar-in-Residence Weekend
8:00 Thursday Morning Minyan
ebrew Level A3
20212223
9:30Senior Torah Study in Russian
9:00 Torah Study
10:15Torah Minyan
10:30B’not Mitzvah Service: Levine/Howard
10:30 Lay-Led Minyan
3:30 Shabbaton & 6th Grade Hebrew
4:00Scholar-in-Residence Talk, Rabbi Elliot Dorff
6:00BATY Chocolate Seder
Mystery Night
AM
AM
12:00 Talmud
6:00BAW Dessert Seder
6:00Hebrew Tutoring
5:30Shabbat ShaBoogie
6:15 Shabbat Service
9:00 Torah Study
10:00NFTY Junior Youth Group
10:15 Torah Minyan
10:30Lay-Led Minyan
3:30
PM
PM
Minyan
PM
AM
8:00 Thursday Morning
8:30 Matzah and Coffee
27282930
Jewish Film Series: Brothers
Jewish Film Series:
Brothers
Free - Refreshments will be served!
S a t u rd a y, M a rc h 3 0 , 3 : 3 0 p. m . , B e i t K e h i ll a h
Brothers, a sensitive
depiction of Israel’s
religious-secular divide,
focuses on the troubled
relationship between two
brothers who are unalike
in every way, except for
the fact that they are
both Jewish.
The two meet again
in Israel after 25 years of
silence. Dan chooses to
work on the land, living on
a kibbutz in the south of Israel. Aaron is a doctor of law and
philosophy and a distinguished scholar of the Torah, who
comes to Jerusalem to defend the rights of Torah students.
Film made available through Seventh Art Releasing.
an armchair trip:
Oneg Israel
F r i d a y, M a rc h 1 5 , F ollow i n g t h e S h a bb a t
S e rv i c e , Soc i a l H a ll
The Israel Awareness Committee invites you to “travel”
with us to Israel to celebrate Shabbat with your fellow Beth
Am congregants, feast on a scrumptious dinner and enjoy
the entertainment.
RSVP no later than Tuesday, March 12 to Judith Rabbie
at jrabbie@att.net or call (650) 493-4661.
Your contribution to the dinner is very much appreciated,
and allows Beth Am to continue offering these Israeli cultural
programs. Please send your donation to Congregation Beth Am
with a note “for Oneg Israel.”
B e t h Am I s a P r o u d P a r t n e r o f :
Jewish LearningWorks’ “One Bay One Book”
Join Us for a Discussion of Nathan Englander’s Short Story Collection
What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank
S u n d a y, M a rc h 3 1 , 3 p. m . , B e i t K e h i ll a h
The discussion, which will be led by Rabbi Sarah Wolf, is free and open to the public.
“One Bay One Book” connects a diverse cross section of Bay Area adults with
meaningful, lively Jewish learning by bringing participants together in shared discussions
and events, stimulated by the selected book and its themes. The book for this inaugural
year is Nathan Englander’s award-winning What We Talk About When We Talk About
Anne Frank. There is something for everyone in Englander’s short stories, which touch
on themes that particularly resonate for modern Jews while simultaneously addressing
universal concerns.
Please visit Jewish LearningWorks’ (formerly the Bureau of Jewish Education) website, at
www.jewishlearningworks.org/for-adult-learners/one-bay-one-book, for resources –
discussion questions, essays and other materials related to the book – and details on discussion
groups and final author events with Nathan Englander from Monday to Tuesday, May 5 to 6.
Page 6
Member Spotlight:
MEMBER
S P OT L I G HT
Over the course of four days, Beth Am’s Confirmation
Class of 2013 traveled across the country and participated
in the Religious Action Center’s (the RAC) L’Taken Seminar in
Washington, D.C. Each year, nearly 2,000 high school-aged
students participate in the L’Taken Seminar. The program
is designed to expose students to a variety of public policy
issues, explore the Jewish values surrounding these issues,
and teach the skills of an effective advocate. Learn more about
L’Taken at http://rac.org/confprog/ltaken.
The following was written by Beth Am Confirmation Class
participant Xoee Margolis, and reflects her experience on the
L’Taken trip:
Bright and early on Friday, January 11, fifteen sleepy
teens, accompanied by Rabbis Jonathan Prosnit and Adam
Rosenwasser, flew to Washington, D.C., excited for one of the
most extraordinary weekends of our lives. Shortly after our
arrival, we learned more about the L’Taken Seminar and the RAC
through various workshops and programs. Over the course of the
short weekend, we had the opportunity to mix and mingle with
300 other teens from across the country, learn about important
social issues that are relevant to America and the world today,
and lobby our representatives on Capitol Hill about those issues.
We first learned about the issues on a general scale, and then
slowly got more in-depth by learning about the RAC’s viewpoints
regarding each issue and the specific law/bill/act that applied to
each. The RAC takes a stand on each topic from the perspective
of the average Reform Jew living in the United States.
After having attended programs covering a few topics, we
then got to choose which topic we wanted to lobby on, and
finally, write speeches that we would soon deliver to our elected
representatives. The writing process was done in pairs and took a
couple of hours. Topics ranged from the importance of stem cell
Confirmation
Class of 2013
f i f t e e n B e t h Am t e e n s t r a v e l
t o w a s h i n g t o n , d . c . for
R a c ’ s l’ t a k e n s e m i n a r
research to supporting sensible gun laws; from LGBT (lesbian,
gay, bisexual, transgender) rights to malaria research and
awareness advocacy. The resulting talks each included an
overview of the topic we had chosen to focus on as it related
to the respective action or bill, including a Jewish connection
with the issue as well as our own personal connections. After all
speeches had been reviewed by a legislative assistant (and some
nicer clothing donned), we were ready for Capitol Hill, where we
met with our representatives in their offices and lobbied on the
issues close to our hearts.
In between the seminars and programs, we got to visit many
memorials and numerous museums. On Shabbat, we went
to The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and then
the new Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. We also stopped by
Georgetown where we were given free time to walk around. One
highlight of the weekend took place later in the evening, when all
300 L’Taken teens convened for Havdalah at the Thomas Jefferson
Memorial. Each teen got his or her own candle, and together we
sang the beautiful blessings that ended Shabbat.
What was really great about the trip were not just the
programs or the visits to our representatives’ offices or the free
time at the National Mall, but the way in which every single part
of the visit connected to the other parts. Without having gone to
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum earlier that day,
Havdalah at the Thomas Jefferson Memorial might not have made
such a strong impression on us teens. This trip showed us all how
lucky we are to be living in a country where we can approach
our government representatives and tell them what is important
to us and why. Being Jewish, this is particularly important to us
because so many of our religious values are rooted in helping
others — we can’t just stand by and let things happen. We, as
Jews, need to take action, which is exactly what this program was
all about.
Page 7
NONPROFIT
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT #121
CONGREGATION
BETH AM
LOS ALTOS HILLS, CA
r ine Free
lo
Pr i
0% Rec
•5
ycl
nting
ed • Ch
C o n g r e g a t i o n B e t h Am
26790 Arastradero Road
Los Altos Hills, CA 94022
B e t h Am W e l c o m e s :
Israeli Rabbi Gilad Kariv
An Israeli Progressive Viewpoint on the Results of the Recent Elections in Israel
Friday, March 8, 6:15 p.m., Sanctuary
Rabbi Gilad Kariv is an Israeli Reform rabbi, an attorney and the head of the Israel Movement
for Progressive Judaism. During our Shabbat evening service, Rabbi Kariv will discuss the results
of the recent Israeli elections and their social and religious implications for Israeli society.
Modern Jewish Literature Class 2013
Taught by Rabbi Marder and Dr. Joyce Penn Moser
S u n d a y s : M a rc h 3 1 , A p r i l 1 4 , M a y 1 2 , J u n e 2 a n d 9 , 9 - 1 1 a . m .
B e i t K e h i ll a h
. This five-session seminar explores fascinating works by American, European and Israeli Jewish
writers that illuminate the human condition. Come prepared for a lively discussion!
. Most readings will be emailed to participants upon registration, except novels by Henry Roth
(Call it Sleep), Sayed Kashua (Dancing Arabs) and Assaf Gavron (Almost Dead), which are widely
available in bookstores and online. (Books are available for purchase at Amazon or Keplers.)
To register for this course, download and complete the sign-up form at www.betham.org/modernlit2013 and return with a
check to “Congregation Beth Am,” attention Sheba Solomon, or call (650) 493-4661 to request that a registration form be sent
to you.

Session 1 March 31 — Stories by Isaac Babel and Lamed Shapiro

Session 2 April 14 — Stories by Dvora Baron

Session 3 May 12 — Excerpt from Call it Sleep by Henry Roth

Session 4 June 2 — Dancing Arabs by Sayed Kashua, Story by Savyon Liebrecht
Session 5 June 9 — Almost Dead by Assaf Gavron, Story by Etgar Kereet
Suggested donation: $36 per person (includes bagels, cream cheese, juice and coffee)
For more info visit www.betham.org • Please “Like” us on Facebook and “Follow Us” on Twitter!