All CBI Adult Education programs require registration. Some programs are virtual only. Check Chai Lights, our bi-monthly Bulletin and Adult Education emails for registration information and links. To receive Adult Education emails, please contact Rabbi Rosenbaum at hrosenbaum@cbict.org. Most programs are free of charge. You are encouraged to make a donation to Congregation Beth Israel’s adult education fund to make continued offerings possible and we thank you for your consideration. CLICK HERE to support our program.
UPCOMING PROGRAMS IN PERSON AT CBI:
Sunday, January 11 at 9am
Brotherhood/Adult Education Breakfast Program: Jewish Genealogy Workshop
Jewish genealogy doesn’t begin with the Mayflower or the founders of Windsor, CT—it begins with shtetls in Poland, ships from Europe and tenements on the Lower East Side. In this presentation we will look at some of the issues and challenges that Ashkenazi Jewish genealogists face and look at techniques and strategies for addressing them. Time permitting, topics may include: tracing your ancestor’s shtetl of origin, using DNA—benefits and challenges, and the joy of discovering family history. We’ll keep it accessible for beginners and interesting for the more advanced. Phil Karlin is president of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Connecticut. His passion for family history has led him to trace both his and his wife’s ancestral lines back to the 1700s. A member of Temple Sinai in Newington, he is also addicted to pickleball. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
“Death over Danish” with Rabbi Ilana Garber
Sunday, February 8 at 9am
The Adult Ed/Lifelong Learning Committee is presenting a very important program for adult congregants based upon the Internationally applauded program Death Over Dinner. This program will encourage participants to have frank and open conversations about mortality, end of life wishes, fears about death and the dying process. Rabbi Ilana Garber will be our facilitator and will add a Jewish slant to the discussion. Rabbi Garber is a former pulpit rabbi at the Beth El Temple of West Hartford, and now a death doula. Rabbi Garber is eager to connect with us as we explore our hopes, dreams, fears, and preferences for the end of life. Each session must be limited to 14 people, more sessions will be added if needed. Please email Mike Honor at mhonor205@gmail.com to attend. The first session will be on a first come, first serve basis so contact Mike as soon as you know you want to be involved. The cost is $25 per person.
UPCOMING VIRTUAL PROGRAMS:
Thursday, January 8 at 8:30pm: “Jewish Indonesia” with Rabbi David Kunin
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
Rabbi Kunin will examine the diverse kehilot that comprise one of the most isolated re-emerging Jewish communities in the world. Each of their communities is unique, with its own history and culture, yet together they form a vibrant whole, creating a Judaism which is absolutely authentic, yet at the same time uniquely Indonesian.
Sunday, January 11 at 1:00pm: The Jewish Museum, NY – “Afterlives: Recovering the Lost Stories of Looted Art”
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
During World War II, untold numbers of artworks and pieces of cultural property were stolen by Nazi forces. “Afterlives” explores how surviving artworks and other precious objects were changed by those events, and how they have moved through time, bearing witness to profound historical ruptures while also acting as enduring carriers of individual expression, knowledge, and creativity. The exhibition follows the paths taken by works of art across national borders, through military depots, and in and out of networks of collectors, looters, ideologues, and restitution organizations.
Thursday, January 15 at 8:30pm: “Jews for Choice: How Jews Have Been Active in the Fight for Reproductive Justice” with Michal Raucher (Rutgers)
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
The dominant narrative in the United States often portrays religion as inherently opposed to abortion, largely due to the influence of certain Christian groups. However, the reality is more complex: the majority of religious individuals in the United States actually support legal access to abortion. In this session, we will explore how Jews have been at the forefront of this advocacy—through efforts in women’s health, legal action, religious engagement, and the power of personal storytelling around abortion.
Sunday, January 25 at 1:00pm: “Purim in the Works of European Artists”
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
Welcome to the gallery of different images of Queen Esther, Mordechai, Achashverosh and Haman. We will see how Purim events are reflected in Italian, French, and Dutch art.
Thursday, February 5 at 8:30pm: National Museum of American Jewish Military History – “American Jewish Soldiers and the Liberation of the Concentration Camps”
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
Jewish American Soldiers played an important role in liberating Nazi concentration camps during World War II. The presentation will highlight their unique position as liberators that were simultaneously U.S. Army soldiers and members of the Jewish community, emphasizing their ability to communicate with survivors and provide immediate support and understanding amidst the chaos and devastation.
Thursday, February 12 at 8:30pm: “Talmudic Stories: From History to Literature” with Jeffrey Rubenstein (NYU)
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
How should Talmudic stories about the sages be studied? From the middle ages until recent times, interpreters adopted an historical approach that understood “sage-stories” as relating “what actually happened,” namely the lives and deeds of the sages. This talk will explore why scholars abandoned the biographical-historical approach and shifted to an understanding of rabbinic stories as didactic fictions.
Dr. Jeffrey L. Rubenstein is the Skirball Professor of Talmud and Rabbinic Literature at NYU.
Sunday, February 22 at 1:00pm: “Jewish Artists Who Shook the World”
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
This is a journey into the lives of Jewish artists from Eastern Europe who arrived in Paris with big dreams and little else, overcame immense challenges, and created groundbreaking masterpieces that forever changed the face of modern art.
S.A.G.E. Programs
Second and fourth Tuesdays of the month at 11:00am *In person at CBI unless otherwise specified*
These programs are for everyone, regardless of age! Visit our calendar for information on upcoming speakers or subscribe to our weekly e-newsletter Chai Lights. Most programs are followed by a light buffet lunch at $12 per person. For more information, contact Barb Lavine (wslavine@comcast.net) or Kay Weiss (steven.k.weiss@gmail.com).
