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MAY 2023 PROGRAMS
THE TASTE OF JEWISH CULTURE
The Walnut Street Synagogue is pleased to present The Taste of Jewish Culture series. Join us in June for our fifth program, A Virtual Taste of Machane Yehuda Market, on Wednesday, June 14 at 7:00 pm EDT. Please visit our event webpage for more details and to register.
The Taste of Jewish Culture details
CSP
The Walnut Street Synagogue is pleased to be a partner congregation of the Orange County Jewish Community Scholar Program.
The King, the Priest, the Heroine and the Prophet – Passionate portraits of lesser-known biblical characters
Part 1 – Tuesday, May 30 3:30 pm EDT
Part 2 – Tuesday, June 6, 3:30 pm EDT
Part 3 – Tuesday, June 13, 3:30 pm EDT
Part 4 – Tuesday, June 20, 3:30 pm EDT
(online in partnership with the Orange County Jewish Community Scholar Program)
We all know a lot about Adam and Eve, the patriarchs and matriarchs, and the leaders of the Exodus. This course is not about them. It is about more obscure characters in the Torah who nevertheless made a huge impact. Through close textual reading and analysis of rabbinic texts we will learn the untold stories of four fascinating people: (a) Malkitzedek – the king who sold his soul; (b) Jethro – the opinionated priest who enabled Revelation; (c) Elisheva – the long-lived, but unsung, heroine of the Israelites; and (d) Bilaam – the wayward prophet who lost it all. Scott Lang wrote in his memoir, “Look Out For The Little Guy!” – we’ll be doing just that…
Rabbi Dr. Raphael Zarum is Dean of the London School of Jewish Studies (LSJS) and holds the Rabbi Sacks Chair in Modern Jewish Thought at the school. He is a rabbinic leader, lecturer and author with a passion for teaching traditional Jewish texts and innovative educational programming for young and old. Rabbi Zarum earned a PhD in Theoretical Physics from King’s College London, leading to the publication of a number of papers on Quantum Chaos Theory. He also completed an MA in Adult Education, with distinction, at the Institute of Education in London. As well as serving as Dean of LSJS, Rabbi Zarum currently serves as the Scholar-in-Residence at the Central Square Minyan in Hampstead Garden Suburb. He studied at Yeshivat HaKotel in Jerusalem and the Kollel of the Judith Lady Montefiore College in London where he received rabbinic ordination. Rabbi Zarum is a graduate of the prestigious Jerusalem Fellows program at the Mandel Leadership Institute in Israel. He was the first Head of faculty of the Florence Melton Adult Mini School UK and was Director of Text-Based Jewish Education at the UJIA Centre for Informal Jewish Education. He is the creator of the Torah L’Am crash course and is the author of the ‘Torat Hadracha’ and ‘Jampacked Bible’ educational study guides.
Rabbi Dr. Raphael Zarum is Dean of the London School of Jewish Studies (LSJS) and holds the Rabbi Sacks Chair in Modern Jewish Thought at the school. He is a rabbinic leader, lecturer and author with a passion for teaching traditional Jewish texts and innovative educational programming for young and old. Rabbi Zarum earned a PhD in Theoretical Physics from King’s College London, leading to the publication of a number of papers on Quantum Chaos Theory. He also completed an MA in Adult Education, with distinction, at the Institute of Education in London. As well as serving as Dean of LSJS, Rabbi Zarum currently serves as the Scholar-in-Residence at the Central Square Minyan in Hampstead Garden Suburb. He studied at Yeshivat HaKotel in Jerusalem and the Kollel of the Judith Lady Montefiore College in London where he received rabbinic ordination. Rabbi Zarum is a graduate of the prestigious Jerusalem Fellows program at the Mandel Leadership Institute in Israel. He was the first Head of faculty of the Florence Melton Adult Mini School UK and was Director of Text-Based Jewish Education at the UJIA Centre for Informal Jewish Education. He is the creator of the Torah L’Am crash course and is the author of the ‘Torat Hadracha’ and ‘Jampacked Bible’ educational study guides.
Performance Art, Religious Practice & Daily Life
Monday, May 22, 3:30 pm EDT
(online in partnership with the Orange County Jewish Community Scholar Program)
The intersections between art and religion weave human nature and history with surprising connections, and what seems far at first glance can be found in our daily lives. This lecture will explore the unique world of performance art and see how it’s intimately connected with religious practice. Then, looking at international and Israeli art examples and Judaism, Islam, and Zen Buddhism, we’ll open our eyes to a new form of expression, beauty, and gratitude that goes beyond words.
Shirel Horovitz is a talented artist who uses installations and performances to create deliberate interruptions in daily life, proposing alternative rituals and spaces for reflection. Coming from Tel Aviv, Israel, Shirel Horovitz is serving as the the Jewish Community Foundation Orange County’s newly reimagined Weissman Arts Program month-long artist in residence. With a BFA from Bezalel Academy of Art and Design and an MA from The Interdisciplinary Art Program in Tel Aviv University, she is a recipient of the Rabinovitch Art Fund Foundation Prize (2018). Her work has been exhibited in galleries, museums, and art festivals in Israel and the USA.
Program video
Shirel Horovitz is a talented artist who uses installations and performances to create deliberate interruptions in daily life, proposing alternative rituals and spaces for reflection. Coming from Tel Aviv, Israel, Shirel Horovitz is serving as the the Jewish Community Foundation Orange County’s newly reimagined Weissman Arts Program month-long artist in residence. With a BFA from Bezalel Academy of Art and Design and an MA from The Interdisciplinary Art Program in Tel Aviv University, she is a recipient of the Rabinovitch Art Fund Foundation Prize (2018). Her work has been exhibited in galleries, museums, and art festivals in Israel and the USA.
Program video
Sleeping as Fast as I Can
Sunday, May 21, 1:00 pm EDT
(online in partnership with the Orange County Jewish Community Scholar Program)
With humor, anger, and tenderness, Richard Michelson’s poems in his new book, Sleeping as Fast as I Can, explore the boundaries between the personal and the political—and the deep connections between history and memory. Growing up under the shadow of the Holocaust, in a Brooklyn neighborhood consumed by racial strife, Michelson’s experiences were far from ordinary, yet they remain too much a part of the greater circle of poverty and violence to be dismissed as merely private concerns. In this new collection of poems, Michelson pays tribute to his father, a victim of gun violence, and honors his mother’s surrender to dementia. Still, it is Michelson’s sense of humor and acute awareness of Jewish history, with its ancient emphasis on the fundamental worth of human existence, that makes this accessible book, finally, celebratory and life-affirming. Join us for a conversation with Richard Michelson about his newest book of poetry, his first full length poetry collection since 2015 (and his first book since winning the National Jewish Book Award for The Language of Angels in 2018).
Richard Michelson is the winner of the National Jewish Book Award and recipient of two Sydney Taylor Gold Medals from the Association of Jewish Libraries, Hismany books for children, teens and adults have been listed among the Ten Best of the Year by The New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and The New Yorker; and among the best Dozen of the Decade by Amazon.com. Other credits include two Massachusetts Book Award Honors, three Skipping Stones Multicultural Book Awards, a Harlem Book Fest Phillis Wheatley Honor, a National Parenting Publication Gold Medal and an International Reading Association Teacher’s Choice Award. Michelson hosts Northampton Poetry Radio and served two terms as Poet Laureate of Northampton, MA. He is the founder and owner of R. Michelson Galleries.
Program video
Richard Michelson is the winner of the National Jewish Book Award and recipient of two Sydney Taylor Gold Medals from the Association of Jewish Libraries, Hismany books for children, teens and adults have been listed among the Ten Best of the Year by The New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and The New Yorker; and among the best Dozen of the Decade by Amazon.com. Other credits include two Massachusetts Book Award Honors, three Skipping Stones Multicultural Book Awards, a Harlem Book Fest Phillis Wheatley Honor, a National Parenting Publication Gold Medal and an International Reading Association Teacher’s Choice Award. Michelson hosts Northampton Poetry Radio and served two terms as Poet Laureate of Northampton, MA. He is the founder and owner of R. Michelson Galleries.
Program video
On Cancel Culture – Why Jews Don’t Cancel
Thursday, May 18, 3:30 pm EDT
(online in partnership with the Orange County Jewish Community Scholar Program)
Cancel culture – the silencing of unpopular opinions, and the shunning of those who voice them – is now a part of American life. It need not be. Rabbi Salkin will show you a Jewish model for disagreement, and extending diversity into different areas of life.
Rabbi Jeffrey Salkin is one of American Judaism’s most prolific and most-quoted rabbis. His blog, “Martini Judaism: for those who want to be shaken and stirred,” published by the Religion News Service, won a 2022 Wilbur Award from the Religion Communicators Council for best religion blog of the year, as well as two previous awards. “Martini Judaism” now produces podcasts, based on his columns. Rabbi Salkin’s essays have appeared in the Washington Post, Commentary, The Wall Street Journal, The Huffington Post, Tablet, Mosaic, Forward, and JTA. He has discussed the American political scene on CNN and the BBC. He has contributed articles to scholarly journals. His ten books discuss such subjects as bar/bat mitzvah, Israel, masculinity, and Jewish culture, as well as three Torah commentaries. He delivered the keynote on religion and spirituality at the iconic Chautauqua Institution, as well as contributing to CLE (continuing legal education) programs, and interreligious dialogues in international forums. His colleagues have described him as “courageous,” “always relevant,” and “one of American Judaism’s true public intellectuals.” Rabbi Salkin serves as the rabbi of Temple Israel in West Palm Beach, Florida. His hobbies include: playing guitar, movies, theater, travel to Israel, and drinking coffee.
Rabbi Jeffrey Salkin is one of American Judaism’s most prolific and most-quoted rabbis. His blog, “Martini Judaism: for those who want to be shaken and stirred,” published by the Religion News Service, won a 2022 Wilbur Award from the Religion Communicators Council for best religion blog of the year, as well as two previous awards. “Martini Judaism” now produces podcasts, based on his columns. Rabbi Salkin’s essays have appeared in the Washington Post, Commentary, The Wall Street Journal, The Huffington Post, Tablet, Mosaic, Forward, and JTA. He has discussed the American political scene on CNN and the BBC. He has contributed articles to scholarly journals. His ten books discuss such subjects as bar/bat mitzvah, Israel, masculinity, and Jewish culture, as well as three Torah commentaries. He delivered the keynote on religion and spirituality at the iconic Chautauqua Institution, as well as contributing to CLE (continuing legal education) programs, and interreligious dialogues in international forums. His colleagues have described him as “courageous,” “always relevant,” and “one of American Judaism’s true public intellectuals.” Rabbi Salkin serves as the rabbi of Temple Israel in West Palm Beach, Florida. His hobbies include: playing guitar, movies, theater, travel to Israel, and drinking coffee.
Drawing the Omer
Mpnday, May 15, 3:30 pm EDT
(online in partnership with the Orange County Jewish Community Scholar Program)
The Omer, a period between Pesach (the Festival of Freedom) and Shavuot (the Festival of Receiving the Torah), spans seven weeks marked by daily counting rituals. This time represents a chance for personal spiritual growth and transformation. Jacqueline embraces this opportunity through her art, each year creating a daily drawing inspired by varying themes. By questioning what constrains her, seeking inspiration and connection, and letting the drawings unravel their significance, she explores the essence of making each day count.
Jacqueline Nicholls is a London based artist, award-winning visual poet and Jewish educator. She uses her art to engage with traditional Jewish ideas in untraditional ways. Her recent drawing project, Draw Yomi, completed in Jan 2020, Jacqueline drew the Talmud, following the Daf Yomi schedule. She co-ordinates Arts & Culture events at JW3 London, and regularly teaches at the London School of Jewish Studies. Jacqueline’s art has been exhibited in solo shows and significant contemporary Jewish Art group shows in the UK, USA and Israel. Jacqueline has an MA in Fine Art from Central Saint Martins. Art. Recent residencies include ‘Wasted Books’ at The London Library, ’50 Jewish Objects’ Jewish Studies Department, Manchester University, and Beit Venezia, where she was the lead artist for the Deck of Esther project, reimagining Megillat Esther as a pack of playing cards.
Program video
Jacqueline Nicholls is a London based artist, award-winning visual poet and Jewish educator. She uses her art to engage with traditional Jewish ideas in untraditional ways. Her recent drawing project, Draw Yomi, completed in Jan 2020, Jacqueline drew the Talmud, following the Daf Yomi schedule. She co-ordinates Arts & Culture events at JW3 London, and regularly teaches at the London School of Jewish Studies. Jacqueline’s art has been exhibited in solo shows and significant contemporary Jewish Art group shows in the UK, USA and Israel. Jacqueline has an MA in Fine Art from Central Saint Martins. Art. Recent residencies include ‘Wasted Books’ at The London Library, ’50 Jewish Objects’ Jewish Studies Department, Manchester University, and Beit Venezia, where she was the lead artist for the Deck of Esther project, reimagining Megillat Esther as a pack of playing cards.
Program video
The Essence of Exploration: Unraveling Journeys and Their Impact
Thursday, May 11, 1:00 pm EDT
(online in partnership with the Orange County Jewish Community Scholar Program)
Join us as we delve into the captivating stories of three ancient travelers who bridged cultures, religions, and geography through their intrepid journeys. Herodotus (450 BCE) revealed the shared humanity among diverse groups of people. Benjamin of Tudela (1150 CE) showcased the common bonds among Jews worldwide and their rich cultural differences, fostering a sense of global community. Ibn Battuta (1325 CE) embarked on a similar endeavor within the Arab Muslim world, driven by curiosity to explore, interact, and ultimately document his enlightening experiences.
Dr. David Mendelsohn supervises the entire academic program of Kivunim. His areas of expertise include Islamic Studies, History and Culture of Arabs with Israeli Citizenship, Bedouin Law and the relationship between language and culture in Arabic and Hebrew. His current research examines the influence of Hebrew on the dialects of Arabic spoken in Israel. Mendelsohn also lectures on the history and relationships between Middle East countries and militant organizations. David holds advanced degrees in diverse fields: a Ph.D. Classics / Linguistics, an M.A. in Archaeology / Linguistics and an Honours B.A. in Classical Studies. David is the recipient of one of Canada’s highest academic honors, The Trudeau Prize, and is a world medalist in wrestling. He lives in Jerusalem with his wife Ronny and 3 children.
Program video
Dr. David Mendelsohn supervises the entire academic program of Kivunim. His areas of expertise include Islamic Studies, History and Culture of Arabs with Israeli Citizenship, Bedouin Law and the relationship between language and culture in Arabic and Hebrew. His current research examines the influence of Hebrew on the dialects of Arabic spoken in Israel. Mendelsohn also lectures on the history and relationships between Middle East countries and militant organizations. David holds advanced degrees in diverse fields: a Ph.D. Classics / Linguistics, an M.A. in Archaeology / Linguistics and an Honours B.A. in Classical Studies. David is the recipient of one of Canada’s highest academic honors, The Trudeau Prize, and is a world medalist in wrestling. He lives in Jerusalem with his wife Ronny and 3 children.
Program video
Art and Idolatry in the Ancient World
Sunday, May 7, 2:00 pm EDT
(online in partnership with the Orange County Jewish Community Scholar Program)
Why do you want to smash those idols? And who REALLY believes in Zeus? Art and Idolatry is an exciting journey into archaeology, history and psychology behind the icons and images that have shaped mythology and human societies for millennia.
Nachliel Selavan “The Museum Guy”, originally from Jerusalem’s Old City, has Bachelor’s degrees in both Tanach and Mass-Media along with a teachers’ certificate. He also holds an MA in education from Hebrew University’s Melton School of Jewish Education, and is currently completing a second Master’s degree in Ancient Jewish History at Yeshiva University, along with doing annual fieldwork in archaeological excavations. Nachliel’s unique approach to museum tours and storytelling combines Tanach, Jewish History and other disciplines, engaging visitors with the treasures of art and archaeology in an exciting and enthralling way. Nachliel has engaged Jewish communities in cities all over the world with guided educational programs in classrooms and museums, and lectures and tours for Jewish schools, summer camps, organizations and institutions including the WZO, National Bible Contest USA, the Jewish Agency and UJA Federation. He currently lives in Israel, and aside from guiding in the Israel and Bible Lands Museums, he is a part-time high school teacher.
Crossroads of Culture – A Virtual Visit to the New Eastern Mediterranean Gallery at the Penn Museum
Thursday, May 4, 7:00 pm EDT
(online in partnership with the Orange County Jewish Community Scholar Program)
Like Judaism today, the religion’s founding and development cannot be separated from the larger context in which it exists. There were three monotheistic religions — Judaism, Christianity and Islam — that emerged in the Eastern Mediterranean region that includes modern Israel, Jordan and Syria, among other nations. All three spread throughout the world. Yet they were all born and raised in the same vibrant and eclectic region. And it was that territory’s melding of different cultures and ideas that led to such an impactful legacy.Join us for a virtual visit to the to the Penn Museum’s new Eastern Mediterranean Gallery with our special CSP guide – Dr. Sharon Keller – as we explore the “Crossroads of Culture” through the amazing collection of artifacts in this new exhibit.
Dr. Sharon Keller, who served as CSP’s 15th Annual One Month Scholar in residence in January 2016 and who earned her doctorate at New York University (NYU) in the Department of Hebrew and Judaic Studies in the area of Bible and the Ancient Near East, is a member of the Classics faculty at Hofstra University. She has been an Assistant Professor of Bible and Ancient Semitic Languages at the Jewish Theological Seminary and at Hebrew Union College; she has also held appointments at NYU, and New York City’s Hunter College, teaching biblical text courses as well as more general courses in biblical literature and history, as well as the courses in the art and archaeology of the lands of the Bible and the ancient Mediterranean world. She has written and edited numerous scholarly articles and academic books, most of which relate to the interplay between biblical Israel and ancient Egypt. Her most popular book, Jews: A Treasury of Art and Literature was awarded the prestigious National Jewish Book Award. Known for the enthusiasm and humor that she brings to all of her talks that make otherwise esoteric subjects easily accessible, Sharon is an in-demand lecturer and adult education course instructor throughout the United States.
Dr. Sharon Keller, who served as CSP’s 15th Annual One Month Scholar in residence in January 2016 and who earned her doctorate at New York University (NYU) in the Department of Hebrew and Judaic Studies in the area of Bible and the Ancient Near East, is a member of the Classics faculty at Hofstra University. She has been an Assistant Professor of Bible and Ancient Semitic Languages at the Jewish Theological Seminary and at Hebrew Union College; she has also held appointments at NYU, and New York City’s Hunter College, teaching biblical text courses as well as more general courses in biblical literature and history, as well as the courses in the art and archaeology of the lands of the Bible and the ancient Mediterranean world. She has written and edited numerous scholarly articles and academic books, most of which relate to the interplay between biblical Israel and ancient Egypt. Her most popular book, Jews: A Treasury of Art and Literature was awarded the prestigious National Jewish Book Award. Known for the enthusiasm and humor that she brings to all of her talks that make otherwise esoteric subjects easily accessible, Sharon is an in-demand lecturer and adult education course instructor throughout the United States.
The Audacity of Faith
Part 1 – Tuesday, May 2, 1:00 pm EDT
Part 2 – Tuesday, May 9, 1:00 pm EDT
Part 3 – Tuesday, May 16, 1:00 pm EDT
Part 4 – Tuesday, May 23, 1:00 pm EDT
(online in partnership with the Orange County Jewish Community Scholar Program)
Faith by definition is required at the very moment when we are in doubt, unable to see our way forward. What do we do when in the moments when we most need our faith, we find ourselves at a loss, unable to say, I believe? In this session, we’ll turn to the writings of several important modern Jewish thinkers to uncover their own teachings and struggles with faith. From the ghetto of Warsaw and the writings of Rabbi Kalonymus Kalman Shapira to the modern poetry of Israeli poem Yehuda Amichai, we’ll ask: what is the nature of faith, what do we do when we find ourselves without it, and on whom or what might we rely in moments of struggle?
Rabbi Avi Strausberg is the Director of National Learning Initiatives at Hadar, and is based in Washington, DC. She received her rabbinic ordination from Hebrew College in Boston and is a Wexner Graduate Fellow. She also holds a Masters in Jewish Education. Energized by engaging creatively with Jewish text, she has written several theatre pieces inspired by the Torah and maintains a Daf Yomi haiku blog in which she writes daily Talmudic haikus.
Rabbi Avi Strausberg is the Director of National Learning Initiatives at Hadar, and is based in Washington, DC. She received her rabbinic ordination from Hebrew College in Boston and is a Wexner Graduate Fellow. She also holds a Masters in Jewish Education. Energized by engaging creatively with Jewish text, she has written several theatre pieces inspired by the Torah and maintains a Daf Yomi haiku blog in which she writes daily Talmudic haikus.
COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
Shield of David – A History of Jewish Servicemen in America’s Armed Forces
Tuesday, May 23, 7:30 pm EDT
(online program presented by the Lappin Foundation)
The Walnut Street Synagogue is pleased to be a community partner of Shield of David – A History of Jewish Servicemen in America’s Armed Forces, presented by the Lappin Foundation. Please join us for a virtual program commemorating Memorial Day with Chaim Rosenberg, author of a book with the same title as the program.
Shield of David Memorial Day Program (event flyer)
COMMUNITY PROJECTS
CJP Plan to Combat Antisemitism
Combined Jewish Philanthropies (CJP) has developed a five-point plan to combat rising antisemitism in Massachusetts. They are seeking stories for their mobilization campaign to fight back. If you have experienced antisemitism in any form at any time, join them and say enough is enough! Stories can be of any length and can be submitted anonymously.
Learn more and submit your story
YAD CHESSED
Yad Chessed helps Jewish individuals and families who struggle with financial hardship pay their bills and buy food. As a social services agency rooted in the Jewish values of kindness (chessed) and charity (tzedakah), they are committed to helping those in need navigate a path toward financial stability while preserving their privacy and dignity. They provide emergency financial assistance, grocery gift cards and compassionate advice for those trying to make ends meet. Hundreds of families and individuals throughout the state rely on Yad Chessed to provide for their essentials, and even at times, a Jewish burial for a loved one. Members of our community, as well as others in the Jewish community, who need assistance may contact Yad Chessed by phone at 781-487-2693 or by Email at intake@yadchessed.org for a confidential conversation. Questions can be directed to info@yadchessed.org.
Support Yad Chessed
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