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2Participation is free for Beth Or members.Advance registration required.

RSVP Deadline: March 18

Sign up now for

the classes of your choice!

R Israeli Poet Yehuda Amichai As You’ve Never Read Him BeforeInstructor: Janine Jankovitz Pastor, Rabbinic Intern, RRCDiscover Yehuda Amichai’s work and learn more about the deep Jewish references he employs for the poetry that made him one of Israel’s most beloved poets and, perhaps, most misunderstood.

R Jews Telling Jokes Instructor: Rabbi Gregory MarxAt the beginning of the 19th century, a sense of humor was not associated with Jewishness. Hermann Adler, the chief rabbi of London, felt impelled to write an article in 1893 in which he argued against the view that Jews have no sense of humor. It is perhaps interesting to note that not only Jews but non-Jews as well consider today “a good sense of humor “ as one of the notable characteristics of Jews.

This class will look at what it means to be funny and Jewish. We will view the well-known video, Jews Telling Jokes, and analyze it as an answer to existentialism.

R What Happened at Sinai? And Should You Care? Texts on the Revelation at Sinai and How it Affects our Judaism Every DayInstructors: Rabbi Jason Bonder and Aaron NielsenshultzWhat happened at Mount Sinai? Did Moses receive the 10 commandments? The written and oral Torah? Did anything get transmitted at Sinai? Is it all just a myth? Come explore the Sinai event and ask what you believe to be true. What you learn and believe about the Sinai event will likely influence the Jewish choices you make. Note: This class is a repeat of the earlier session. Please sign up for one or the other.

R What Happened at Sinai? And Should You Care? Texts on the Revelation at Sinai and How it Affects our Judaism Every DayInstructors: Rabbi Jason Bonder and Aaron NielsenshultzWhat happened at Mount Sinai? Did Moses receive the 10 commandments? The written and oral Torah? Did anything get transmitted at Sinai? Is it all just a myth? Come explore the Sinai event and ask what you believe to be true. What you learn and believe about the Sinai event will likely influence the Jewish choices you make. Note: This class is repeated in 2nd session. Please only sign up once.

CLASS SESSION 1 6:30 PMR Centering Women: Gender, Family and Community in the Book of RuthInstructor: Elsie R. Stern, Ph,D., Vice President for Academic Affairs, RRCThe book of Ruth is one of the only biblical books with female protagonists. In this session, we will explore how the book and character of Ruth were part of a live conversation about gender, family and community identity in antiquity and what the authors of the book might have been telling us about these perennially thorny questions.

R Cooking with Gass: Part 1Instructor: Alyson GassJoin Alyson Gass for another wonderful evening cooking and sharing family stories and recipes. This class will focus on the wonder of salads. How we can plant our own veggies, and create delicious meals with all natural ingredients. We will whip up some main meal salads, side salads & dessert salads. Note: This class will be one class in two parts. Please sign up for both sessions when selecting this class.

R GPS: Guided Prayer SessionInstructor: Janine Jankovitz Pastor, Rabbinic Intern, RRCTake a deeper dive into prayer with Jewish wisdom, stories, poetry, and rabbinic text. All levels and practices welcome!

R Jews and ComedyInstructor: Rabbi Gregory MarxWhat do Woody Allen, Morey Amsterdam, Jack Benny, Milton Berle, Shelley Berman, Joey Bishop, Victor Borge, David Brenner, Fanny Brice, Albert Brooks, Mel Brooks, Lenny Bruce, Art Buchwald, George Burns, Red Buttons, Sid Caesar, Eddie Cantor, Jack Carter, Myron Cohen, Irwin Corey, Rodney Dangerfield, Jules Feiffer, Totie Fields, Rube Goldberg, Harry Golden, Shecky Green, Dan Greenburg, Buddy Hackett, Goldie Hawn, Joseph Heller, Abbie Hoffman, Lou Jacobi, George Jessel, Mickey Katz, Danny Kaye, Alan King, Robert Klein, Bert Lahr, Norman Lear, Sam Levenson, Jerry Lewis, The Marx Brothers, Jackie Mason, Bette Midler, Zero Mostel, Jan Murray, Gilda Radner, Carl Reiner, Don Rickles, The Ritz Brothers, Joan Rivers, Leo Rosten, Philip Roth, Mort Sahl, Soupy Sales, Dr. Seuss, Dick Shawn, Allan Sherman, Phil Silvers, Shel Silverstein, Neil Simon, Smith and Dale, David Steinberg, the Three Stooges, Larry Storch, Sophie Tucker, Gene Wilder, Ed Wynn and Henny Youngman all have in common? A study in what makes some jokes Jewish and why humor is so essential to Jewish culture.

2 ways to register by March 18: Online via the RSVP portal on www.bethor.org home page or contact Barbara Murtha, 215-646-5806, ext. 220.

LEARN SHMOOZE CONNECT STUDY MINGLE DISCOVER EXPLORE EXPERIENCE SOCIALIZE

CLASS SESSION 2 8 PMR Cooking with Gass Part 2

Instructor: Alyson GassAlyson’s cooking class focusing on preparing delicious salads continues. Note: This class is a continuation of the 1st session class. Please sign up for both when registering.

R Even Weirder: Esther in the Rabbinic ImaginationInstructor: Elsie R. Stern, Ph,D., Vice President for Academic Affairs, RRC With its beauty pageants, buffoonish king and crazy coincidences, the book of Esther is one of the wackiest books of the Bible. In comparison to the rabbinic riffs on the story collected in the Talmudic tractate Megillah, the biblical book looks tame. In this class we will explore these midrashim on Esther and consider why the rabbis imagined Esther and her role as they did.

BREAK 7:30 PMGather in the Spain Lobby between classes for a light dinner and chat with your instructors and fellow participants.