Refuel Your Think Tank
NOV.15 ROUTES A DAY OF JEWISH
LEARNING 2015
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND presented by
770 •
HOURS
SESSIONS
In partnership
Table of Contents Map...........................................................................................2–3 Schedule of the Day..................................................4–7 Session 1............................................................................. 8–11 Session 2.......................................................................... 11–15 Session 3.........................................................................15–18 Session 4........................................................................19–22 Session 5.......................................................................22–26 Session 6.......................................................................27–30 Session 7........................................................................ 31–33 Upcoming Opportunities.........................................37 Lunch will be available for pick-up beginning at noon. Please see map on pages 2–3 for pick-up location.
ROUTES A DAY OF JEWISH
LEARNING 2015
7•70
HOURS
SESSIONS
Dear Fellow Learners, “Learning, learning, learning, that is the secret of Jewish survival.” — Ahad Ha’am Thank you for joining us at ROUTES 2015 and making Jewish learning an important part of your journey. The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington is honored, along with Maryland Hillel, to present today’s program—the only of its type. We are lucky to live in an area with a richness of teachers and an abundance of students. The mixture of offerings reflects the desire for diversified opportunities in our community. We hope you take the opportunity to explore new pathways to Jewish life and learning and creative ways through which to express your Jewish identity. Federation encourages you to join in and make learning yours. We are grateful to the amazing presenters and leaders; dedicated staff; and sponsors who worked so hard to bring you this event. Sincerely, ROUTES 2015 Leadership
Ezra Allswang
Jeremy Zissman
Rick Zitelman
Student Co-chair
Co-chair
Co-chair
Danielle Leopold
Sharon Zissman
Cindy Zitelman
Student Co-chair
Co-chair
Co-chair
Rabbi Ari Israel Executive Director Maryland Hillel
Robert Zahler
Steven A. Rakitt
President Jewish Federation
CEO Jewish Federation
MAP
Van Munching Hall
1336
1330
1335
1333
1307
1206
1202
1212
2
1303
MAIN ENTRANCE
REGISTRATION
1412
1411
1415
1505
1528
LUNCH PICK-UP
Starting at 12:00pm
1520
1511
CAFÉ
Exit here to Hillel
Located across the street
3
1524
Van Munching Hall Entry Level / Level 1 ROOM 1202
ROOM 1206
ROOM 1212
ROOM 1303
ROOM 1307
ROOM 1330
ROOM 1333
ROOM 1335
Room
A&C
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Session 1 9:30–10:20
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Exploring the Complexities of Jewish Identity in a Minyan of Thinkers
Tevye’s World: The “real” history behind Fiddler on the Roof
PRESENTER: Cheryl Pruce
PRESENTER: Dr. Lauren B. Strauss
A&C
A&C
LOVE: The four-letter word you WANT your kids to learn
Thinking Outside the TzedakkahA&C Box PRESENTER: Hannah Olson
A&C
From the Book of A&C Nehemiah to Recent Israel
The Second A&C Assassination of A&C Yitzhak Rabin A&C and the Cultural Warfare in Israel
PRESENTER: Sarah Rabin Spira
Bikkur Ho the 21st C Visiting th and copin illness tod
PRESENTER: Pnina Agenyahu
PRESENTE Rabbi Mar Raphael
PRESENTER: Professor Yoram Peri
A&C A&C
A&C
Session 2 10:30–11:20
A&C
Mending Broken A&C Hearts: Breakthroughs in biomaterials from the land of milk, honey and algae4
Contemplative A&C Torah: Listening with your heart, feeling with your soul PRESENTER: Rabbi Leila Gal-Berner This is a two-part class.
PRESENTER: Dr. Yulia Sapir
A&C
A&C
A&C
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Why Jews Can’t Get Along: An historical perspective PRESENTER: Rabbi Sid Schwarz
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Orthodox Female Spiritual Leaders: Why is this such a big deal? PRESENTER: Rabbi Nissan Antine
Keeping Your Legacy Alive Through Storytelling
A&C
Are Jews Really “The Chosen A&C People,” and does it mean that Jews are Better?
PRESENTER: Courtney Tisch
PRESENTER: Rabbi Stuart Weinblatt
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Session 3 11:30–12:20
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We Made A Religion! The Start of Judaism in the Second Temple Period.1
Ukraine in Crisis: How can we continue to help its Jewish population?2
PRESENTER: Rabbi Evan Krame:
PRESENTER: Shaun Goldstone
What Challenges A&C Await Students on Campus and How May We Prepare Them?
PRESENTER: Rabbi Mendel Bluming
PRESENTERS: Pnina Agenyahu Noa Meir
A&C
PRESENTER: Rabbi Ari Israel
A&C
The World Can Use a Few More “HandyMensch:” How our community can engage in Hands-On work to keep housing affordable and liveable
A&C
The A&C Media as the Third Party to the Conflict: A comparative view of media coverage
Angelolog Jewish Tra PRESENTE Rabbi Dav Markus
A&C A&C
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Jerusalem: Two halves and a A&C three-part ending
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Paradigm Shift: A&C Three transformational life teachings of the Tanya
Radical Amazement in a Box of Raisins
A&C
A&C A&C
PRESENTER: Rabbi Uri Topolosky
Speaking Truth A&C to Power
The Jewis “Satan:” T we know1
PRESENTER: Rabbi Steven Rein
PRESENTE Rabbi Dav Markus
PRESENTER: Noa Meir
PRESENTER: Audrey Lyon A&C
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Martin Buber: True community and Havurah Judaism
Session 4 12:30–1:20
PRESENTER: Rabbi David Shneyer
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The Prostitute that Saved theA&C A&C Israelites: The A&C incredible story in Joshua 2 PRESENTER: Rabbi Fabian Werbin
A&C
JDC’s Work in Ethiopia-Tikkun Olam at its Core2 PRESENTER: Shaun Goldstone
A&C
Be in the Text A&C with Bibliodrama PRESENTER: Marcus Freed
A&C A&C
Clocks and Clouds and the Spirituality of Uncertainty PRESENTER: Rabbi Uri Topolosky
A&C A&C
Sex, Love, Relationships: 2015 Edition PRESENTER: Maiya Chard-Yaron
A&C A&C
A&C A&C
Jewish Arab A&C Relations and Community Development in the Negev3 PRESENTERS: Ariel Dloomy Wafaa Eben-Beri
A&C Klezmer Dance
PRESENTER: Dr. Jay McCrensky
Hillel
oom 1336
Room 1411
Room 1412
Room 1415
Room 1505
Room 1511
Room 1524
Room 1528
Multipurpose
A&C A&C
olim in Century: he sick ng with day
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ER: rk
Living in our Legacy of Trauma: How to sustain positive mental health despite media madness
Why Jews Loved Living in Ghettos: 500 years ago in Venice
A&C A&C
PRESENTER: Professor Bernard Cooperman
A&C
Jews and Medical Marijuana
God Isn’t Perfect…So A&C Why Should I be?
PRESENTER: Rabbi Jeffrey Kahn
PRESENTER: Rabbi Michael Safra
PRESENTER: Dr. Kay Abrams
A&C
A&C
A&C
A&C A&C
A&C
Study vs. Action: How to get your community to stop talking and start doing
gy in A&C 1 adition ER: vid
PRESENTERS: Rabbi Elizabeth Richman Andy Kirschner Rafi Glazer
Finding Our Jewish Response to Climate Change
Jewish Aspects of Arlington National Cemetery
A&C A&C
PRESENTER: Joelle Novey
PRESENTER: Les Bergen
A&C
A&C
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The Golden Age of the Jews of Turkey
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What is the Role of MiraclesA&C in the Bible…and Today?
PRESENTER: Sheilah Kaufman
PRESENTER: Gideon Amir
A&C A&C
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sh A&C The devil
1
ER: vid
A&C A&C
Tricks of the Mentalist’s Trade: Powerful, tested methods to improve memory
The Glory in Creation: Valuing A&C biodiversity A&C
PRESENTER: Evonne Marzouk
The Nights of the Round Table
A&C
PRESENTER: Rabbi Sarah Tasman
A&C
PRESENTER: Ronnie Baras
A&C A&C
Food Justice: Solving our nations most pressing problem through entrepreneurship PRESENTER: Evan Lutz
A&C A&C
Judeo-Italian Music: A workshop/lab for all PRESENTER: Hazzan Dr. Ramon Tasat
A&C A&C
Ask the Rabbis Live! Moment Magazine Rabbi Forum: What are our responsibilities towards Syrian refugees? MODERATOR: Amy Schwartz, Opinion Editor, Moment Magazine A&C A&C
A&C A&C
Finding Inspiration: Now THAT’S something to dance about PRESENTER: Orit Janco-Golan Jodi Wager
Criticizing from Within
A&C
PRESENTER: A&C Joshua Runyan
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Israeli and A&C Palestinian Historical Narrative: Why they can’t be ignored in peacemaking PRESENTER: Dr. Paul Scham
A&C
Jewish Medical Ethics: Who has custody of the embryo? PRESENTER: Rabbi Gary Fink
A&C A&C
What Does the Sh’ma Say A&C and What Does it Mean? PRESENTER: Gideon Amir
A&C A&C
Social Hall
Van Munching Hall Entry Level / Level 1 ROOM 1202
ROOM 1206
ROOM 1212
ROOM 1303
ROOM 1307
ROOM 1330
A&C
A&C
A&C
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Tallit of Many Colors
Soul Joy: Psalm songs from Rock Creek
Adventures in the First Amendment: A Jew among the nations
PRESENTER: Rabbi Elyssa Joy Auster
Session 5 1:30–2:20
A&C
A&C
PRESENTER: Rabbi Jack Moline
PRESENTER: Rabbi David Shneyer
A&C
Conversations and Caponata: A&C Food and A&C reflections at a Jewish and Italian crossroads
Jewish Junkies : Who knew? We should! PRESENTER: Rabbi Hirsh Chinn
ROOM 1333 A&C
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Lights in A&C Transition: Why the increasing number of Chanukah lights?
Session 6 2:30–3:20
A&C
A&C
Jewish Arab A&C Relations and Community Development in the Negev3
PRESENTER: Maiya Chard-Yaron
PRESENTERS: Ariel Dloomy Wafaa Eben-Beri
A&C
A&C
A&C
What Are Jews Talking About?
LOVING & WAITING: A A&C Talmudic perspective on relationships
PRESENTER: Samantha Vinokor
PRESENTER: Rabbi Eli Backman
PRESENTER: Rabbi Jack Luxemburg
A&C
What Ashkenazim Can Learn From Their Sephardic Brethren (besides rice on Pesah)
DC Dessert Startup, A “Piece of Cake:” Pops by Haley PRESENTER: Haley Raphael
PRESENTER: Rabbi Haim Ovadia
Why “Black Lives Matter” to Us: Race, poverty, and Jews
Are our (G Children “Immigran to Judaism
PRESENTERS: Suzanne Feinspan David Wolkin
PRESENTE JoHanna Po
A&C
A&C
A&C
A&C
Responding to Secularism: Creating a compelling Jewish conversation from millenials to baby boomers and beyond
PRESENTER: Rabbi Charlie Buckholtz
Session 7 3:30–4:20
1
Brought to ROUTES by The Jewish Studio.
2
Brought to ROUTES by the JDC.
A&C
PRESENTER: Marcus Freed This session is a high-energy interactive play.
A&C
4
T he session is presented through the cooperation of American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.
A&C
Getting to know A&C your ancestors: A deeper look at the lives of Rachel and Leah
Learn How to Caffeinate Responsibly with the founder of JAVAZEN
PRESENTER: Devorah Buxbaum
PRESENTER: Arron Wallach
This session is made possible through the cooperation of the Greater Washington Forum on Israeli Arab Issues, and the Inter-Agency Task Force on Israeli Arab Issues.
3
A&C
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“Solomon: King, Poet & Lover” interactive play
PRESENTE JoHanna Po
A&C
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Uncoverin the Femal Counterpa “The Lonely of Faith1”
PRESENTERS: Rabbi Daniel & Shira Zemel
A&C
Hannah, Hysteria, and the RootsA&C of Jewish Prayer
Room A&C
21st Century Polish Jewry: A story of community and revival
PRESENTER: Marcia Friedman
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ROOM 1335
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Modern Midrash: What can we A&C learn from the lives of our biblical characters? PRESENTER: Rabbi Bruce Aft
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The Blessings (or not) of A&C Vulnerability and Authenticity PRESENTER: Rabbi Shira Stutman
Climbing Y Family Tre A&C Jewish ge PRESENTER: A&C in the nati Dr Jay McCrensky capital
Kabbalah and Tefilah (Prayer)
PRESENTE Marlene Ka Bishow
Hillel
oom 1336
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Room 1412
Room 1415
Room 1505
A&C
Room 1524
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Is There Such A Thing As A&C “Business Ethics?”
Grand)
nts” m?1
PRESENTER: Rick Zitelman ( Routes 2015 Co-Chair)
ER: Potts
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Texts on Inclusion in A&C an Inclusive Study Session
The Literature of Borges and the Kabbalistic Motiffs
My Personal Exodus: Leaving Iran and the revolution
Justifying Israel’s Wars in JewishA&C Law: Challenges and solutions
PRESENTER: Linda Yitzchak
PRESENTER: Professor Saul Sosnowski
PRESENTER: Professor Farideh Dayanim Goldin
PRESENTER: Professor Robert Eisen
“ETTY”: A Conversation, or The Thinking Heart of The Barracks (performance)1
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What Losing a Lung Taught Me About Greatness PRESENTER: Daniel Ratner
ER: Potts
Your ee: enealogy ion’s
Social Hall
Multipurpose
Jewish Values, the Papal A&C Encyclical and A&C the Planet PRESENTER: Rabbi Fred Scherlinder Dobb
Jews in the Amazon Basin: A&C from early A&C boaters to “saints” to present day entrepreneurs PRESENTER: Professor Regina Igel
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A&C
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Chanukah music: We’re not just spinning dreidels! PRESENTER: Zemer Chai
PRESENTER: Susan Stein This is a two-part session
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ng leA&C art to y MAN
Room 1528
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ER: atz
Room 1511
A&C
Overcoming Gender: The impact of the Persian language on Iranian women’s confessional literature
Torah Comes A&C Forth From Zion: The most revolutionary ideas we learned at the Shalom Hartman Institute
PRESENTER: Professor Farideh Dayanim Goldin
PRESENTERS: Rabbi Michael Feshbach Rabbi Eric Cytryn
A&C
A&C
A&C
A Feminist Tzedakkah?A&C The Case of Ms. Ukba
PRESENTER: Rabbi David Rose
PRESENTER: Rabbi Eric Cytryn
A&C
Yoga & Kabbalah: Two traditions, A&C A&C one path
PRESENTER: Sara Shalva
A&C
A&C
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A Hospice Rabbi’s Reflection on A&C Death and Life
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Torah Yoga
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The Changing Landscape of American Jewish Life: Exploring identity, race and family PRESENTER: Dr. Janaki Kuruppu
A&C
Mapping Our Jewish Journeys PRESENTERS: Rabbi Benjamin & Sara Shalva
PRESENTER: Rabbi Benjamin Shalva
A&C
SESSIONS
A&C Sessions are listed by time and then by room number
Key:
A&C
A&C
A&C Arts & Culture
A&C
Body & Spirit
Text Study
Peoplehood,
A&CHistory &
Sociology A&C
A&C Israel A&C
Repeat Speakers
A&C
A&C
Session 1
A&C A&C
Tevye’s A&C World: The “real” history behind Fiddler on the Roof
A&C A&C
Exploring the Complexities of Jewish Identity in A Minyan of Thinkers
The great Yiddish author Sholem Aleichem lived and wrote during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a time of great upheaval and change for Eastern European Jews. His most famous work, “Tevye the Milkman,” brought to life many of his people’s challenges and transformations, from the violent pogroms and expulsions directed by the Tsarist government, to the Jewish community’s internal religious reforms and social revolution. Half a century later, Tevye’s trials and tribulations, along with his appealing manner, were adapted for Broadway in the musical “Fiddler on the Roof.” Since 1964, audiences have delighted in the stories of Tevye and his daughters, applauding their humanity and weeping at their losses. To truly appreciate this genius adaptation we must look behind the songs and stage sets and learn the history behind the tales. Through photos, film and primary sources from that era, we will compare the reality of Jewish life in Tsarist Russia to its mid century American musical cousin. Dr. Lauren B. Strauss
This year, a group of thoughtful young Jewish professionals in DC have been meeting monthly to read contemporary Jewish scholarly texts on topics related to Jewish identity. We have had dialogue sessions about these pieces and have written reflection pieces based on those discussions. We want to take you through some of this journey, challenge you to think critically about your own Jewish identity and the implications for how we as a community can approach issues of Jewish identity in productive ways. Cheryl Pruce The Minyan of Thinkers is a dialogue-based think tank that channels the brainpower of ten Jewish young people to grapple with our community’s most pressing issues. We develop our ideas in an intellectually open and safe space that allows us to come up with new approaches to challenges facing the Jewish community. Just as traditional Judaism uses a quorum of ten for public prayer, we build on the collective spiritual and intellectual energy of our members to create positive social change.
Dr. Strauss is a professor of modern Jewish History and culture and Director of The Foundation for Jewish Studies, a 33-year-old institute that provides university level adult Jewish learning through a variety of programs. She has taught for twenty years at DC universities, especially at The George Washington University, where she is a Visiting Scholar. Dr. Strauss’ areas of specialization include American Jewish political and cultural history, modern Jewish literature, Jewish women’s history and Yiddish culture. Dr. Strauss is co-editor of the book “Mediating Modernity: Challenges and Trends in the Jewish Encounter with the Modern World.” She is currently working on her book “Painting the Town Red: Jewish Visual Artists, Yiddish Culture and Radical Politics in Interwar New York.”
Room 1202
Room 1212
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families. Sarah has a BA in English (children’s literature) from the University of Florida and an MA from The George Washington University.
Room 1307
Thinking A&COutside the Tzedakkah Box We’re all familiar with the adage, “Give until it hurts.” But A&C that’s not the Jewish way at all! In this interactive and peer-to-peer study session, we’ll examine texts that teach a framework of philanthropic habits, explore some tools for maximizing philanthropic giving, both large and small and build strategies for passing on moral and charitable values to our family members, all with the goal of learning what it takes to “give until it feels good.” Let the world be your pushke (tzedakkah box) but in many ways, tzedakkah does begin at home! Hannah Olson
A&C Second Assassination of Yitzhak The Rabin and the Cultural Warfare in Israel A&C
Twenty years after his assassination on November 4, 1995, the project of commemorating Prime Minister Rabin and his legacy seems to have failed. Why did this happen? What is left of his legacy today? An analysis of the “Retro-Metro” conflict in Israeli society may provide the answer (and insight into Israeli society in general). Professor Yoram Peri
A native Californian, Hannah Strasser Olson is a recent transplant to the DC area and the lead professional in charge of the Create a Jewish Legacy program for Jewish Federation of Greater Washington. She spent a year studying at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem before receiving her degree in Religious Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara and her Teaching Credentials from the California State University, Sacramento. Following 10 years of elementary school teaching, Hannah switched careers to become the Executive Director of the Jewish Community Foundation of the West in Sacramento, CA. There, among her other duties, she facilitated family philanthropy programs, acted as guest scholar for several synagogues and spearheaded the LIFE & LEGACY program and the Legacy Builders Guild.
Yoram Peri (PhD, London School of Economics) has published extensively on Israeli society, media and politics. Among his publications are “The Assassination of Yitzhak Rabin” and “Between Battles and Ballots: Israel Military in Politics.” His latest book is “Generals in the Cabinet Room: How the Military Shapes Israeli Policy.” A former political advisor to the late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, Dr. Peri founded and is the former head of the Chaim Herzog Institute for Media, Politics and Society.
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A&C A&C
Room 1303
A&C the Book of Nehemiah to Recent Israel From
Participants will learn about the general role holidays play in A&C Israeli life. We will in particular look at the meaning of the Sigd holiday for the Ethiopian Jews and how that ancient holiday can be relevant to any Jew today. “Hag HaSigd” is one of the unique holidays of the Ethiopian Jewish community and is now recognized as a state holiday. It is a day of unity, yearning for Jerusalem and symbolizes the renewal of the receiving of the Torah. We will explore how the holiday reflects Jewish life in Ethiopia but also its relevance in Israel today. Our session will include music, food and text study. Pnina Agenyahu
LOVE: The four-letter word you WANT your kids to learn A&Cshow love? How do you raise good, kind, How does a mensch loving children? Babies feel the love of their parents, grandparents andA&C extended families from their first moments. But what does it mean for them to return the love to their families? In Jewish tradition and for children, loving someone requires action, not just words. Using PJ Library books and hands-on examples, we will explore the Jewish idea of love and how to foster ways for children to “Honor thy parents (kibbud av va’em)” as well as grandparents and other elders. This session is recommended for those who lovingly read to “children of all ages.” Sarah Rabin Spira
Pnina is the Senior Shlicha at The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington. Previously, she served as Director of Hillel at Tel Aviv University. She has spoken at conferences such as the General Assembly of Jewish Federations of North America and UN Watch. She was an activist involved in several social change organizations and was appointed to a prestigious position as public representative on Israel’s Council for Higher Education. In 2014, Pnina was named by Haaretz as one of 66 Israeli influential women you should know. Pnina holds a BA from Hebrew University in Jewish History and Sociology and an MA in Public Leadership from Tel Aviv University.
Sarah has been working in Jewish education for almost 13 years, as a preschool teacher, camp director and preschool director and now running PJ Library of Greater Washington. She has participated in the Partnership for Jewish Life and Learning’s Reggio Study Group and the first Israel Educators Institute. Sarah loves bringing her education, programming and marketing background to engage and connect local Jewish and interfaith
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ROUTES A&C
Bikkur Holim in the 21st Century: Visiting the sick and coping with illness today A&Cinvolves hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, nursing Coping with illness today homes and sometimes hospice—not to mention a complicated world of A&C technology. This session will afford participants time to reflect about the experiences of being a patient or visiting the sick. Attendees will discuss the documents and preparation which everyone can do to better cope with today’s realities.
Rabbi Mark Raphael Rabbi Raphael served three congregations during 31 years of pulpit leadership. After retiring in 2012, he began chaplaincy training at Shady Grove Hospital and continued his Clinical Pastoral Education at The Hebrew Home of Greater Washington. A graduate of Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts, he was ordained in 1981 from the Jewish Theological Seminary. Rabbi Raphael presently works part-time at Washington Hospital Center and the DC VA Hospital, as well as for the Jewish Social Service Agency doing chaplaincy in senior residence communities.
Room 1336
A&C
Why Jews Loved Living in Ghettos: 500 years ago in Venice Jews tell their history as an emergence from medieval persecution to modern liberty. For almost 200 years, the ghetto was understood as representing the prejudice and persecution of the earlier era. In fact, as we shall see when we consider the very first ghetto, established in Venice in 1516, this was far from the truth. The ghetto was not a way of excluding Jews from society; it was a mechanism for allowing them in! We will never understand pre-modern reality if we see it only through modern eyes. Professor Bernard Cooperman Professor Bernard Dov Cooperman holds the Louis L. Kaplan Chair in Jewish History at the University of Maryland. Professor Bernard Cooperman (PhD, Harvard University) focuses on the development of communal institutions and political thought among Jews in early modern Italy. Recent publications include “Political Discourse in a Kabbalistic Register: Isaac De Lattes’ Plea for Stronger Communal Government,” in Be’erot Yitzhak, Isadore Twersky Memorial Volume and “Theorizing Jewish Self-Government in Early Modern Italy” in Una Manna Buona per Mantova.
Room 1505
Living in our Legacy of Trauma: How to sustain positive mental A&Cmedia madness health despite
God Isn’t A&C Perfect…So Why Should I be?
Much of our reactivity, A&C insomnia and/or negative mood results from the way we think about what we witness and experience. As we sort through stimulation overload, we may lose hope and joy while our nervous systems take a beating. Healing and problem solving are born out of compassion and care. Dr. Abrams will teach the neuro-physiology of stress and its impact on mood and cognition. Participants will learn to better manage a calm confidence that empowers and enables them to manage themselves and interpersonal relationships with greater calm, compassion and care. Dr. Kay Kosak Abrams
Not long after creation, God decides that the world is not A&C perfect. God tries to destroy it, but soon comes to understand that perfection is not possible. The God of the bible becomes a model for how one might accept imperfection and love others in spite of their flaws. We will explore key texts to demonstrate that, rather than projecting perfection, the God of the bible models a path towards betterment and growth. Using our own experiences, we will try to emulate that model—to be striving, growing individuals on the path to perfection…but never there. Rabbi Michael Safra
Dr. Abrams is a psychologist in private practice, with twenty years of experience working with children, adolescents and families. Her group practice, Abrams & Associates, Center for Family Psychotherapy, in Kensington and Rockville, offers individual and family therapy. Dr. Abrams works to bring psychology to the community through her public speaking, media work and writing.
Michael Safra serves as Rabbi at B’nai Israel Congregation in Rockville. Active in the community, he is a member of Federation’s Jewish Life and Learning Advisory Committee, a past president of the Baltimore Washington Region of the Rabbinical Assembly and a board member at Camp Ramah in New England and the Jewish Coalition Against Domestic Abuse. He is working (slowly) on a book with the working title “God isn’t Perfect, So Why Should I be?”
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A&C Arts & Culture
A&C
Body & Spirit
Peoplehood, History & Sociology
Text Study
A&C A&C
Rabbi Jeffrey Kahn was ordained at Hebrew Union College in 1981 and served Reform congregations in the US and Australia for 30 years. He and his family own and operate Takoma Wellness Center, a medical marijuana dispensary in Washington, DC.
Room 1528
Session 2
A&C
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A&C A&C
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Repeat Speakers
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Contemplative Torah: Listening with A&C your heart, feeling with your soul A&C
Jews and Medical Marijuana The State of Maryland’s medical marijuana program is underway! Just like every other medical marijuana A&C jurisdiction, Israeli researchers and Jewish pioneers are A&C leading the way. Participants will learn about Maryland’s Medical Cannabis Program, related Jewish/Halachic positions and how Israel leads the world in medical marijuana research and application. Rabbi Jeffrey Kahn
A&C Israel
This is a two-part class, extending through sessions 2 and 3. This session will open an entry-way into Torah that has profound meaning for one’s own life. It involves an initial learning of the spiritual practice of listening and meditating on Torah’s words that brings forth the heart first and lets the intellect rest. Hearing Torah this way lets you ask yourself, “What do the ancient words have to do with ME and the deep issues of my life? Come prepared to sit comfortably in silence, breathe deeply and listen with the ears of your heart. Rabbi Leila Gal-Berner Rabbi Leila Gal-Berner is the spiritual leader of Kol Ami, the Northern Virginia Reconstructionist Community and Dean of ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal Ordination Program. She is a trained spiritual director and a nationally known liturgist, her work appears in many prayer books and haggadot. She has taught Jewish history and Jewish studies at Reed College, Swarthmore College, Emory University and George Washington University. For years she has served as Scholar-in-Residence in the Philosophy and Religion Department at American University. Her book “Listening With Ears of the Heart: Genesis” will soon be published.
A&C Mending Broken Hearts: Breakthroughs inA&C biomaterials from the land of milk, honey and algae
Room 1206
This session is presented through the cooperation of American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. Thanks to cutting edge programs at Ben-Gurion University, Israel, the “start-up nation” may soon help people restart their hearts after a myocardial infarction. Tissue engineering is one of the most exciting and rapidly growing areas in biotechnology because, among other benefits, it offers new possibilities for the functional and structural restoration of damaged or lost tissue. The long term goal of my project was to create functional cardiac muscle patch suitable to replace damaged and/or missing myocardial tissue. The “T” in technology also stands for Tikkun Olam, repairing the world. Dr. Yulia Sapir Yulia Sapir received her BSc, MSc and PhD in engineering from BenGurion University, graduating summa cum laude. During her graduate studies she worked to develop and perfect an algae-based patch that repairs tissue damaged by heart attacks.
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Why Jews Can’t Get Along: An historical perspective
Keeping Your Legacy Alive Through Storytelling
The recent communal debate about the Obama Administration’s overture to Iran only underscores the serious rifts that exist in the Jewish world today. Unfortunately, the level of animosity that was on display is more the rule than the exception within the Jewish community. During this session we will take a step back and consider how several historical events have affected the way Jews understand themselves and how those events created disparate worldviews among Jews that are virtually irreconcilable. The analysis will be accompanied by a new way to conceptualize the purpose of Jewish life which can help re-weave the torn fabric of Jewish peoplehood. Rabbi Sid Schwarz
Courtney Tisch will share her experiences of self-publishing “The Numbers on her Arm,” a children’s book about the Holocaust written to honor the memory of her grandparents, both survivors. While learning about Tisch’s journey, participants will be led through a process that will inquire about who or what from their heritage they would like to honor through a creative medium. It is the hope that participants will leave inspired to put something out into the universe that will keep a part of their Jewish legacy alive forever. Tisch will address storytelling, self-publishing, the writing process, Holocaust education and the importance of preserving elements of one’s Jewish heritage. Courtney Tisch
Rabbi Sid Schwarz has been a congregational rabbi, a social entrepreneur, the CEO of several non-profits and an author. Currently, Sid serves as a senior fellow at Clal: The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership where he directs the Clergy Leadership Incubator (CLI) program. He is also deeply involved in interfaith work with a particular emphasis on co-existence efforts in the Middle East. Rabbi Sid founded and led PANIM: The Institute for Jewish Leadership and Values for 21 years. He previously served as the executive director of the Jewish Community Council of Greater Washington. He is the founding rabbi of Adat Shalom Reconstructionist Congregation in Bethesda, MD. Dr. Schwarz holds a Ph.D. in Jewish history and is the author of more than 100 articles and three groundbreaking books.
Courtney Tisch is a writer and educator from Washington, D.C. The manuscript for “The Number on Her Arm” was first written during a children’s literature course she took during her final semester of graduate school in 2013. The book eventually went on to become a John Horrworth Children’s Book Award winner. Courtney became motivated to pursue publication of this book due to the strength and selflessness of her grandparents.
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Are Jews A&C Really “The Chosen People,” and Does that imply that Jews are Better? A&C
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The concept of the Jews as the “Chosen People” is probably one of the most misunderstood ideas—both by Jews and non-Jews. Rabbi Weinblatt will guide us through some of the classical texts that have bearing on this issue and participants will gain an appreciation of what this idea is supposed to mean…and what it does not mean. Rabbi Stuart Weinblatt
A&C
Orthodox Female Spiritual Leaders: Why is this such a big deal? All non-orthodox denominations have been ordaining female clergy for years. Why is this such a big deal in Orthodoxy? Will it ever become mainstream? Join Rabbi Antine as he explores some of the halachic, historical and sociological factors behind this issue. Rabbi Nissan Antine
Rabbi Weinblatt is the rabbi of Congregation B’nai Tzedek in Potomac, Maryland, which he founded in 1988. Rabbi Weinblatt has long been a leader in community affairs. As a student at the University of Maryland, where he graduated in 1974 with high honors in history, he served as the Director of State Affairs. He also chaired the Committee for Jewish Studies and was instrumental in developing the Jewish studies program at the University. Rabbi Stuart Weinblatt is President of the Rabbinic Cabinet of The Jewish Federations of North America. He has served as President of the Washington Board of Rabbis and twice chaired the National Convention of the Rabbinical Assembly. Rabbi Weinblatt has been an adjunct professor at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C., where he has taught Jewish history and theology.
Rabbi Antine is the Rabbi at Beth Sholom Congregation in Potomac, Maryland. Rabbi Antine was ordained by YCT Rabbinical School in 2006 and was awarded Alumnus of the Year in 2012. He is the president of the International Rabbinic Fellowship, a Modern Orthodox rabbinic group with over 180 members.
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A&C Arts & Culture
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Peoplehood, History & Sociology
Text Study
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Paradigm A&C Shift: Three transformational life-teachings of the Tanya A&C
We always hear about Judaism’s response to poverty or tragedy, but what is Judaism’s response to great fortune and wealth? I struggle but seem to get nowhere, what is my life worth if I am not progressing? What is the theme that underlies Chabad’s work around the world? The Book of Tanya is the foundational philosophical work of the Chabad movement. It also underlies the mission and unique world view of Chabad ambassadors. Get a rare glimpse into this book and the treasures it holds, presented in an accessible and personally relevant form. Rabbi Mendel Bluming As director of Chabad Shul of Potomac, an affiliate of Chabad Lubavitch of Maryland, Rabbi Bluming has taught The Book of Tanya to a broad spectrum of ages and backgrounds for the past 15 years. From a young age, the Tanya was central to Rabbi Bluming’s upbringing and many of its chapters were memorized. As an active member of the community, he served on the Federation Board of Directors for six years and in 2011 received the Matthew H. Simon Rabbinical Award.
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A&C Angelology in Jewish Tradition A&C
This session brought to ROUTES by The Jewish Studio A&C Angels appear in song, dream, imagery, memory and hope—and also regularly in Torah—but rarely are angels the subject of scholarship and public discussion. What are Jewish views of angels? How does the Jewish canon understand the roles of angels in human life? When and how did Jews evolve angels’ names and what does that teach about how spiritual and religious life evolves? What do we make of angels in Jewish liturgy? How can we moderns, in our diverse kaleidoscope of belief and experience, make meaning of “angels” in Jewish life? Come for text study, history, philosophy and a few spiritual surprises. Rabbi David Evan Markus Rabbi David Evan Markus is co-chair of ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal and co-rabbi of Temple Beth-El of City Island (NYC). He earned rabbinical ordination and a second ordination as mashpia ruchani (spiritual director), from ALEPH. He is a Rabbis Without Borders fellow and syndicated blogger for My Jewish Learning and The Jewish Studio. Rabbi David holds appointments as spiritual direction faculty and adjunct rabbinics instructor in the ALEPH Ordination Program. Rabbi David’s scholarship and liturgical writings have appeared in academic journals, siddurim, Kveller, Shma and T’ruah. In secular life, David serves as Judicial Referee in New York Supreme Court. Rabbi David earned his BA summa cum laude from Williams College, his MA in Public Policy from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government (where he was history’s first student to win Harvard’s Innovator in Public Service designation)and his Juris Doctor magna cum laude from Harvard Law School.
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A&C Challenges Await Students on What Campus and How May We Prepare Them? A&C
Room 1336
The college campus can be a complicated place for Jewish students. Participants will learn about the community’s efforts, as well as what families can do, to prepare teens for the challenges regarding Israel on campus. Participating in a teen Israel engagement program can strengthen their connection to Israel, provide them with an understanding of several ways of being pro-Israel and contribute to their motivation to be active in Jewish organizations on campus. Pnina Agenyahu For Pnina’s bio, please see page 9.
Noa Meir Noa Meir is the Director of the Israel Action Center at the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington. Prior to this position, Noa, who holds both American and Israeli citizenship, completed a one year appointment as a Jewish Agency Israel Fellow at George Washington University’s Hillel. She served three years in the Foreign Relations Department of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) as Head of the North American Desk, holding the rank of Major. As a Captain, she served as a spokesperson for the IDF and as Deputy Head of the Military Strategic Information Section. Noa holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Bar Ilan University in Social Sciences and a Master’s Degree in Diplomacy and Security from Tel Aviv University.
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Finding Our Jewish Response to Climate Change
A&C
Study vs. Action: How to get your community to stop talking and start doing Do you feel like your community spends too much time talking about taking action, but when push comes to shove nothing gets done? If so, come hear from the experts at Jews United for Justice (JUFJ) and learn some proven tips on how to use community organizing to go from just talking about challenges to taking meaningful action that resolves them. These are tools that can be useful in a multitude of settings, from your congregation to the successful campaigns of JUFJ, which has expanded the base of support for a broad array of economic, social and racial justice issues. JUFJ has played key leadership roles in protecting critical safety net services, impacting the lives of hundreds of thousands of DC and Maryland residents. Rabbi Elizabeth Richman
Join Joelle NoveyA&C for a discussion of climate change and how our Jewish community can respond. Participants will reflect A&C on what is happening to our world and study Jewish texts that may guide us in responding to the challenges. We should also discover the hopeful and encouraging stories of local congregations taking action together. Joelle Novey Joelle Novey directs Interfaith Power & Light (DC, MD, NoVA), through which hundreds of local congregations of many faith traditions are saving energy, going “green,” and responding to climate change. She is the co-author of “Green and Just Celebrations,” a purchasing guide distributed by local synagogues for assisting families in making greener purchasing decisions around weddings and bar/bat mitzvah celebrations. She davens at Tikkun Leil Shabbat and Minyan Segulah and is a 2008 recipient of the Abraham Joshua Heschel Vision Award from Jews United for Justice.
Rabbi Elizabeth Richman is Program Director and Rabbi in Residence at Jews United for Justice. She also serves on the board of Interfaith Worker Justice. A trained community organizer and teacher, Rabbi Richman has taught about Judaism and justice around the world, from Quebec to Qatar. She was ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, where she was a Wexner Graduate Fellow and where she led KeshetJTS, the organizing campaign for the full inclusion of LGBTQ Jews in the Conservative Movement.
Andy Kirschner Andy Kirschner is founder, coach and trainer at 100 Reasons to Win. He specializes in helping professionals and organizations that want to make a change. He has worked with leaders at several Jewish organizations, including PresenTense, Challah for Hunger and Gather the Jews. Andy has volunteered with Jews United for Justice, contributing to three successful social action campaigns in Maryland. He is currently a part of the JOIN for Justice Online Institute, learning to master his community organizing skills along with other Jews around the country.
Rafi Glazer Rafi Glazer joined American Jewish Society for Service (AJSS) in 2009 following a fellowship at PANIM: The Institute for Jewish Leadership and Values. AJSS pioneered service-learning programs that empower high school students to engage in meaningful service opportunities rooted in Jewish tradition. Rafi graduated from the University of Rochester with dual degrees in Political Science and Middle Eastern studies. In 2010, Rafi was named one of 20 emerging Jewish educators in the D.C. Jewish Community and was recently awarded a PresenTense fellowship.
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Jewish Aspects of Arlington National Cemetery More than 5,500 Jews are buried at this beautiful cemetery overlooking Washington. This slide presentation recounts the accomplishments of Jewish soldiers, Supreme Court Justices, U.S. Senators, Congressmen, Ambassadors and astronauts buried at Arlington. Additional highlights include Jewish history associated with the Confederate Memorial, USS Maine and the Columbia and Challenger space shuttle monuments. Join us for this virtual walking tour in the comfort of your chair. Les Bergen Les Bergen has led annual walking tours of Jewish sites at Arlington National Cemetery since 2007. He served as treasurer for the Jewish Historical Society of Greater Washington and also for the Southern Jewish Historical Society.
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A&C Session 3 A&C
A&C
The Golden Age of the Jews of Turkey
As the award winning author of 26 delectable cookbooks, cooking instructor (from Alaska to Hawaii and Maine to Mexico), culinary lecturer and food editor for more than 40 years, Sheilah has shared her great passion of history and cooking with thousands. She has spoken at the Library of Congress, numerous embassies, the Smithsonian Institution and on cooking shows. In her books “The Turkish Cookbook Regional Recipes and Stories” and “A Taste of Turkish Cuisine,” she shares with her readers the deeply beautiful tapestry of Turkish food and culture, offering a multitude of recipes easily recreated in homes and kitchens.
Room 1511
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We Made a Religion! The start of Judaism in the Second Temple Period This session brought to ROUTES by The Jewish Studio. There is no Jewish Religion in the Torah. An organized system of practice blended with theology does not happen until the destruction of the First Temple. The religion we practice today does not coalesce until the destruction of the Second Temple. We’ll survey five hundred years of Jewish history to figure out how we came to have the Jewish religion we practice today. Rabbi Evan Krame Rabbi Evan J. Krame was ordained in 2015 by ALEPH, the Alliance for Jewish Renewal. Together with educator JoHanna Potts, Cantor David Abramowitz and Rebittzen Jodi Krame, Krame helped establish the Jewish Studio, to experiment with creative ways of being a Jewish adult. Evan also continues in his law practice of estates and trusts. Evan has served on various organizational Boards, including The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington’s, where he was recognized as a Campaigner of the Year.
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Room 1202
What is the Role of Miracles A&C in the Bible…and Today? A&C
Born in Holland to Holocaust survivors who went to Israel in 1947, Gideon grew up in Jerusalem and eventually joined the IDF as a paratrooper. He received a BSc in Mathematics from the Hebrew University and MSc in Computer Science from the Weizmann Institute. Gideon moved to the U.S. in 1980, working as a computer scientist and manager. In 1999, he enrolled in a full-time graduate program at Baltimore Hebrew University, receiving an MA with honors in Jewish Studies in 2001. He has now redirected his passion for teaching science to teaching biblical subjects at adult education outlets, area synagogues and churches.
Repeat Speakers
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We will explore what the Tanakh has to say about miracles, what the text really says (and doesn’t say). From there we will ask: does Judaism allow for reliance on miracles? What do modern interpretations say about miracles and, do miracles still occur even today? Gideon Amir
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You may have heard about the Golden Age of the Jews in Spain, but did you know that Jews in Turkey had a Golden Age as well? This session traces the history of Jewish life in Turkey, which dates back to biblical times and flourished all the way until the early 1900’s. Learn about their special relationship with the Sultans, leading to the development of the golden age, yet tragic times as well. Sheilah Kaufman
A&C Israel
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Ukraine in Crisis: How can we continue to help its Jewish population? This session brought to ROUTES by The Jewish Studio. On-the-ground experts from the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) will discuss the shifting needs of one of the world’s largest and most endangered Jewish communities in the midst of prolonged instability and political violence. This will be a briefing/update for individuals interested in how our community can join in efforts to protect Ukraine’s Jewish community. Shaun Goldstone Following two years of rigorous volunteer service with JDC, Shaun Goldstone joined professionally in 2013 as an FSU Program Specialist. In 2012, Shaun co-chaired a JDC young professional’s trip to Haiti to participate in JDC’s post-earthquake relief work. As the 2012–2013 Ralph I Goldman Fellow in International Service, Shaun’s involvement in JDC’s global work intensified. Throughout the fellowship Shaun resided in NYC, St. Petersburg, Shanghai and Tallinn and traveled to Israel, Istanbul, London, Finland, Latvia, Poland and Hungary. Currently based in New York, Shaun is responsible for raising the profile of JDC’s humanitarian programming, fostering collaboration between JDC and its partner organizations.
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Jerusalem: Two halves and A&C a three-part ending A&C
This session is a historic and textual exploration of the creation and division of Jerusalem throughout the ages. Travel on a 4,000 year journey to Jerusalem through Jewish history dispersed throughout the 24 books of TaNaKH, the Hebrew bible. No prior text analysis experience is necessary, but a willingness to learn, study, grapple and explore our rich Jewish heritage will go a long way. Rabbi Ari Israel
A&C Media as the Third Party to the Conflict: The AA&C comparative view of media coverage
In discussing events in Israel and the Middle East, who is portrayed as David and who is Goliath; who is the victim and who the victimizer; how are terms like apartheid and Nazism thrown into media coverage? This interactive presentation will provide a glimpse, using several examples “plucked from the headlines,” of the negative portrayal of Israel (perhaps at times crossing the line into Anti-semitism) in the international media and the U.S. Examples from still pictures and videos will illustrate the challenge. Noa Meir For Noa’s bio, please see page 13.
Rabbi Israel is in his twentieth year as a Hillel Executive Director. Since 2003, he has been at the University of Maryland after spending seven years in Rochester, NY. In addition to rabbinic ordination, Ari has Masters Degrees in Medieval Jewish History and Secondary Education. An adjunct professor at the University of Maryland, teaching Jewish leadership, Ari has also taught for the Melton mini-school for ten years.
Room 1330 A&C
Room 1303
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Radical Amazement in a Box of Raisins
A&C
Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel invited us to be “amazed,” but at what and A&C why and what for? And what does all this have to do with a box of raisins? Explore together how vital A&C Heschel’s teaching is for the sake of healthy relationships and genuine religious practice. WARNING: This session may involve hands-on contemplative spiritual practices, including the consumption of a raisin and meditative song. Rabbi Uri Topolosky
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The World Can Use a Few More “HandyMensch:” How our community can engage in hands-on work to keep housing affordable and livable The Jewish community should care about the lack of affordable housing and diversity in our communities. A family’s home is the foundation for everything from lifecycle events, to education, to basic sustenance. We have a responsibility to do more. Learn about current housing trends in lower income neighborhoods, the concern about gentrification and the need to preserve affordable housing. We will present why this is a Jewish concern and ways that our community can address the problem in very concrete and meaningful ways. Audrey Lyon
Rabbi Uri is the spiritual leader of Beth Joshua Congregation of Aspen Hilland Rav HaKehillah of the Berman Hebrew Academy, where he is an alumnus (Class of ‘96). He is a graduate of UMD ‘00 and received ordination from Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School. He served previously as the Rabbi of Beth Israel in New Orleans, helping to rebuild the community in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Room 1333
Audrey Lyon is the Executive Director of Yachad, whose mission is to bring communities together by preserving affordable homes and revitalizing neighborhoods throughout the District and greater metropolitan area. Yachad means “together,” and that is how we do our work, through partnerships with homeowners, houses of worship and nonprofits. We mobilize skilled and unskilled volunteers and invest financial resources to transform people and properties. Audrey is an attorney with an expertise in housing and community development.
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Text Study
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Speaking A&C Truth to Power
Tricks of the Mentalist’s Trade: Powerful, tested methods to improve memory
This session will focus on a passage from the Talmud that A&C addresses the issue of whether or not one is obligated to speak out in the face of wrongdoing, even at personal risk. A colorful set of anecdotes develops guidelines of how to behave when confronted with a difficult decision. Whistle blowers welcome. Rabbi Steven Rein
Participants will A&C learn various proven methods of retaining vast amounts of information. Everyone can use a few A&C strategies for remembering things and over 20 years as a hypnotherapist and mentalist, Ronnie Baras has learned ways to optimize memory. These skills are also useful for teachers, presenters and students of all ages. Ronnie Baras
Rabbi Steven I. Rein received his rabbinic ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary where he also earned an MA in Talmud and Rabbinics. He is currently the rabbi at Agudas Achim Congregation in Alexandria. Previously he was the Assistant Rabbi of Park Avenue Synagogue in Manhattan. Outside of his synagogue responsibilities, Rabbi Rein is a reserve chaplain in the U.S. Air Force, commissioned in 2005. He was promoted to Captain in 2010 and has served the 11th Wing at Joint Base Andrews since 2014. He has also served since 2011 as a member of the Religious Leadership Advisory Board of JTS.
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A&C Israel
Ronnie Baras is a certified hypnotherapist and has been a recognized expert in matters of the conscious and unconscious mind for over 20 years. He is a highly sought after lecturer and is well known as a comic hypnotist that performs regularly around the world, including Las Vegas.
Room 1411
A&C
The Glory in Creation: Valuing biodiversity
A&C
We live in an amazingly diverse world, with approximately 8.3 million unique species described by scientists and likely A&C twice that number yet to be discovered. According to our A&C is an expression of God’s glory, a sages, this biodiversity testament to the extraordinary creativity of our Creator. Yet, in our times, human actions are driving a tremendous decline in biodiversity. What is our responsibility to other species, according to Jewish tradition and how may we act to make a difference? Evonne Marzouk Evonne Marzouk is the founder and former director of Canfei Nesharim, an organization which teaches about the importance of protecting the environment from the perspective of Torah wisdom and tradition. Evonne was also the founding leader of the Jewcology project. Currently, Evonne works as a Communications Specialist at the Environmental Protection Agency. Room 1412
The Jewish A&C “Satan”: The devil we know This session brought to ROUTES by The Jewish Studio. A&C This session will trace the historical and textual evolution of Judaism’s “Satan” from merciful angel of divine redirection, to God’s loyal prosecutor, to manifestations of duality, to angelic personification of evil. Along the way, we’ll observe how Jewish legend and liturgy are porous to other faiths’ historical and doctrinal influences and consider the spiritual implications for us 21st century moderns. Come for text study, history, philosophy and hopefully a few spiritual surprises. Rabbi David Evan Markus For Rabbi Markus’ bio please see page 13. Room 1336
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Judeo-Italian Music: A workshop/lab for all A&C
A&C
The Nights of the Round Table
Throughout the centuries Italy received Jews from around the world. They renamed it “I-Tal-Yah” (Island of God’s Dew). Since the 16th century, the impact of Italian art and popular music, opera and bel canto had a solid imprint on Jewish music. During this session, Hazzan Tasat will sing and show examples of Judeo-Italian music. Hazzanim, music teachers and music lovers will learn melodies to enhance the Shabbat and life cycle events and be exposed to melodies largely unknown to the outside world. Hazzan Dr. Ramon Tasat
November is Interfaith Family Month. How can we embrace diversity within our families and model a positive experience of Judaism for non-Jewish family members? How can we create more inclusive and meaningful family rituals around holidays and life cycle events? Participants will walk away with ideas and inspiration about creating more inclusive family gatherings and rituals especially around the holiday table and learn about the resources of the newly launched organization InterfaithFamily/DC. Rabbi Sarah Tasman
Hazzan Dr. Ramon Tasat serves at Shirat Hanefesh Congregation. He is also the Musical Director of the Kolot Halev Community Choir and the President of Shalshelet: The Foundation for New Jewish Liturgical Music. Born in Buenos Aires, Hazzan Tasat was trained in five countries, receiving a Doctoral degree at UT Austin. He has published numerous CD’s and books and participated in festivals on both sides of the Atlantic. Appearances include the Kennedy Center, Israel Embassy, Harvard University, France, Italy, England and Spain. Dr. Tasat’s awards include a National Endowment of the Arts grant.
Rabbi Sarah Tasman is the Director of InterfaithFamily DC, working in partnership with The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington. She recently served as Senior Jewish Educator at The University of Maryland Hillel, has led events at Sixth & I Historic Synagogue and has taught yoga for the Jewish Mindfulness Center at Adas Israel. Sarah has spent many years as a mikveh guide and educator at Mayyim Hayyim Living Waters Mikveh Education Center, where she created new mother-daughter educational workshops. She was ordained by the Rabbinical School of Hebrew College in 2012 and holds a Masters in Jewish Education.
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Ask the Rabbis Live! What is Food A&CJustice: Solving our nation’s most pressing problem through entrepreneurship our Responsibility as Jews Toward Syrian Refugees? Six billion pounds of produce go to waste every year—
A panel sponsored by Moment Magazine In each of its issues, Moment asks a panel of distinguished rabbis—spanning the spectrum from Renewal to Reform to Chabad—about a pressing issue of the day. Hear a live preview of this question from the November/December issue featuring a debate among distinguished local rabbis representing many diverse streams of Jewish life. Moderator: Amy Schwartz, Opinion Editor, Moment Magazine
enough to fill up 4 NFL-sized stadiums! Meanwhile, 50 million Americans are hungry. We will discuss how this problem has evolved and how we can do very simple tasks to solve it. Participants will hear captivating stories, aweinspiring statistics and innovative solutions to the problem of food distribution in the U.S. Evan Lutz Evan is an enthusiastic entrepreneur with a passion towards business and food justice (working with Hungry Harvest). He graduated from the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business in 2014 and is an active member of the Smith’s School Baltimore Alumni Club.
Moment Magazine is a national magazine of Jewish politics, culture and religion, founded by Elie Wiesel and Leonard Fein in 1975. It appears six times a year in print and daily online.
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Session 4
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JDC’s Work in Ethiopia: Tikkun Olam at its core
Martin Buber: True community and Havurah Judaism
This session brought to ROUTES by JDC. Having spent thirteen months volunteering in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with acclaimed Dr. Rick Hodes, JDC’s Ethiopia Medical Director and recognized CNN hero, Shaun worked directly with Dr. Rick to further JDC’s mission of delivering life-saving medical care. In addition, Shaun saw first-hand how JDC has been responding to the poor conditions and infrastructure when it comes to water and education. Come hear how JDC started operating in Ethiopia and how the work has progressed into what it is today. Shaun Goldstone For Shaun’s bio, please see page 15.
Participants will A&C be given insights into the philosophy of Martin Buber, one of the great Jewish thinkers of the 20th A&C century. His writings on community, relationships and spirituality have inspired the creation of the Havurah and Jewish Renewal movements. We will explore the teachings that helped give birth to a number of local Jewish communities including Fabrengen, Kehila Chadasha and Am Kolel and Kehila Chadasha Havurah. Rabbi David Shneyer Rabbi David Shneyer is the spiritual leader and director of the Am Kolel Jewish Renewal Community of Greater Washington. As the spiritual leader of the Kehila Chadash Havurah, Reb David is a singer, song writer, musician and a founder of the Fabrengen Fiddlers. A pioneer in the movement for Jewish Renewal, he is also a founder of Jews United for Justice, the Jewish Folk Arts Festival and the Martin Buber Youth Kibbutz. Active with Rabbis for Human Rights, Rabbi David is also a member of the Faith Community Advisory Board of Montgomery County and the Montgomery Countryside Alliance.
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Be in the A&C Text with Bibliodrama In this fully experiential session you will leap into the Tanakh A&C (Hebrew Bible) and experience the texts first hand. This will be a very interactive, fun and engaging learning session where you will experience Torah “from the inside.” Participants will truly become the people of the book. Marcus Freed
Room 1202
The Prostitute that Saved the Israelites: A&C The incredible story in Joshua 2 A&C
Marcus J. Freed is the author of The Kosher Sutras: The Jewish Way in Yoga and Meditation and The Kabbalah Sutras: 49 Steps to Enlightenment. An actor, writer and teacher, Marcus lives in Los Angeles and London. Marcus J Freed is a guru-trained yogi, yeshiva-trained educator, published author, BBC broadcaster and classically-trained actor. He presents outstanding one-man Biblical plays, Jewishly-inspired yoga and powerful educational sessions.
Rahab the prostitute is one of the most intriguing female characters of the Bible. In the Book of Joshua she survived the attack of the Israelites on Jericho due to her intelligence and precaution, but mainly because of her brilliant plan. Reading her story carefully, you will be able to discover one of the most hilarious chapters of the Bible. Rabbi Fabian Werbin
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Rabbi Werbin is the Associate Rabbi at Beth El of Montgomery County. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he attended elementary and Jewish high school there. He received his two undergraduate degrees, in Bible and in Jewish Thought, from Haifa University. Rabbi Werbin received his rabbinic ordination in 2003 from the Seminario Rabinico Latino Americano in Buenos Aires, Argentina. While pursuing his studies, Rabbi Werbin led a 350 family congregation in Parana, Argentina, for three years. After rabbinical ordination, he was the rabbi of a 130 family congregation in Barranquilla, Colombia. Most recently, he served for seven years as Rabbi of Beth Israel Synagogue in Roanoke, Virginia, before coming to Beth El. Rabbi Werbin holds certification as an Elementary and High School teacher. He is conversant in Spanish, Hebrew, Italian and English.
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Clocks and Clouds and the Spirituality of Uncertainty Do you think thatA&C “religion” and “openness” cannot coexist in the same framework? Dr. Karl Popper’s celebrated paper A&C in 1965 drew distinctions between “clock” and “cloud” problems—a reminder that most questions don’t have simple answers. Our discussion, open to all, will explore various texts that point to the spiritual value of uncertainty in Jewish tradition and the secrets to developing a healthy theology in our modern world. This session will offer a text study and discussion about creating a healthy theology that can lead to inclusivity, accessibility and world peace. Rabbi Uri Topolosky For Rabbi Uri’s bio, please see page 16. Room 1307 A&C
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Sex, Love, Relationships: 2015 edition Part of Maryland Hillel’s “Not Your Mama’s Judaism” series—How can one combine Jewish values and ideas with the reality of love, sex and relationships on a college campus and beyond? Join participants in their 20’s and all those who want to gain insight into 2015 relationships for a conversation infused with ideas from Jewish texts, virtues and experience. No preaching, no soapboxes—just honest reflection and conversation! Maiya Chard-Yaron Maiya Chard-Yaron is the Assistant Director of Maryland Hillel. She loved college so much she never wants to leave! She has worked for Hillel for six years, both at UMD and at UC Davis in Northern California. Maiya received her BA in Sociology from Columbia University and an MA in Experiential Education from the Jewish Theological Seminary. Previously she has worked as an educator at Camp Alonim of the Brandeis-Bardin Institute, Camp Ramah in New England and Congregation Habonim in NYC.
Room 1330
A&C Jewish Arab Relations and Community Development in the Negev A&C
This class is being offered in both sessions 4 and 5. This session is made possible through the cooperation of the Greater Washington Forum on Israeli Arab Issues and the Inter-Agency Task Force on Israeli Arab Issues. Israel’s Negev desert region is home to approximately 650,000 people, 200,000 of whom are Bedouin Arab. The Bedouin Arab citizens of Israel are the poorest of the country’s population groups. As the Negev region’s population grows and programs are implemented for its social and economic development, many leaders are working to ensure this development includes stronger Jewish-Arab relations and closing gaps between Jewish citizens and Bedouin Arab citizens. Join us to hear from representatives of the largest NGO serving the Bedouin society to learn about regional initiatives that are bridging social and economic opportunities in the region, with efforts to forge a more shared society among Bedouin and Jewish communities. Ariel Dloomy Ariel Dloomy, Co-Executive Director of the Arab Jewish Center for Equality, Empowerment and Cooperation—Negev Institute for Strategies of Peace and Development (AJEEC-NISPED), the largest NGO in the Negev, dedicated to strengthening active citizenship through education and economic empowerment. Ariel has extensive experience in the field with more than a decade of work with the Arab Bedouin community. He is Founding Chairman of the Israeli branch of the Society for International Development, a forum of the Israeli government to include NGOs in the field of international aid and development. Ariel is the winner of the JDC Ashalim prize for Excellence in Working with At Risk Children in the Negev Beduoin Community. He is an alumnus of the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London, as well as the U.S. State Department’s Middle East Partnership Initiative.
Wafaa Eben-Beri Wafaa Eben-Beri is the Director of AJEEC-NISPED’s Arab Bedouin Volunteer Tent, established to strengthen communal responsibility and active citizenship. As the first female director, Wafaa oversees multiple programs to promote social change and empower the community as an integral part of Israeli civil society. She is a graduate of Ben-Gurion University with both a BA and MA. She has been recognized for her leadership as an alumna of the U.S. State Department’s Middle East Partnership Initiative, the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Mandel Foundation.
Room 1333
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Klezmer A&C Dance
Come learn the spirit, style and steps of klezmer dance. Gain skills at leading Jewish dancing at simchas. Have some fun! Dr. Jay McCrensky Dr. Jay McCrensky, Ph.D. in Jewish Studies, is the founder of the famed Machaya Klezmer Band and leads the Klezmer dancing at Machaya weddings and concerts. His dances and style have helped revive Eastern European traditional dance throughout the USA.
Room 1335
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Criticizing from Within Jewish journalism, which has a responsibility to build and strengthen Jewish community, also has a responsibility to ferret out the truth. So how should it approach scandal? The arrest and recent apology of Rabbi Barry Freundel offers an interesting test case. This class will also examine the precarious future ahead for Jewish news outlets in an ever-changing media landscape. Joshua Runyan Joshua Runyan is the Editorial Director of Mid-Atlantic Media, a premier full-service custom communications firm and a growing media company with projects stretching across the Mid-Atlantic region, publishing, among many others, the Washington Jewish Week. With more than 18 years of experience in journalism, he was the editor-in-chief of Chabad.org News and has served as news editor at the Jewish Exponent in Philadelphia. Joshua was profiled in The New York Times in 2008 and has received numerous awards in journalism for hard news, reporting, feature writing and editing. Joshua studied political science at the University of Pennsylvania and received rabbinical ordination from the Central Lubavitcher Yeshiva.
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Finding A&C Inspiration: Now THAT’S something to dance about Have you ever found yourself feeling inspired to move during the Shema, or while listening to the shofar? Where in your Jewish life do you find your inspiration? Where in your body do you feel your inspiration? In this session you will explore where in your daily Jewish life you draw inspiration. Through participation in a series of structured exercises you will be guided to share your stories and memories through movement and dance, conversation and writing. No prior movement or dance experience necessary! Orit Janco-Golan
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A&C Israeli and Palestinian Historical Narrative: Why A&C they can’t be ignored in peacemaking
Orit Janco-Golan is a specialist in Creative Movement and a Yoga teacher for preschool and elementary school. She graduated from Antioch New England Graduate School, Antioch University with a Master’s degree, Dance Movement Therapy, Counseling Psychology.
Using a handout that compares the historical narratives from ancient times to 1948 side by side, participants will develop a better understanding of what Palestinians and their supporters understand the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to be about and how it starkly contrasts with how Israeli Jews and their supporters understand it. How has the understanding of history changed on all sides since 1948, and why have the narratives not been addressed in peace negotiations? We hope to get a clear picture of why they are important, how they fit into history and how they can be a part of peacemaking. Dr. Paul Scham
Jody Wager Jody Wager, MS, BC-DMT, is the Director of the Expressive Therapy Department at Dominion Hospital and is currently serving as the President of the American Dance Therapy Association. She has been a dance/ movement therapist since 1980, after receiving her Masters Degree from Hunter College in NYC. She also maintains a private practice in massage therapy in Falls Church, VA. She especially loves sharing dance and movement of all kinds with people of all ages.
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Paul Scham is Research Associate Professor of Israel Studies and Executive Director of the Gildenhorn Institute for Israeli Studies at University of Maryland. He teaches courses on the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He is co-editor of “Shared Histories” and “Shared Narratives,” and has authored a number of articles, blogs and op-ed pieces on the conflict. From 1996–2002 he coordinated Israeli-Palestinian joint research projects at the Truman Institute for Peace of the Hebrew University. He is Managing Editor of the Israel Studies Review, an interdisciplinary academic journal.
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ROUTES Session 5 Jewish Ethics: Who has custody of the embryo?
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This session will A&C look at Jewish perspectives on who “owns” a frozen embryo. We will consider the case of a husband and wife who undergoA&C fertility treatment leading to a birth through in-vitro fertilization. An embryo, conceived in a laboratory, was successfully implanted into the wife’s womb. After the birth of the first child, the marriage ends in divorce. The lab maintains additional embryos frozen for future use. The husband wants custody of the embryos in case he remarries and wants to use them to bear another child. The wife wants the embryos destroyed. Who should have custody of the embryos? Rabbi Gary Fink Rabbi Gary S. Fink, DMin is Senior Vice President of Counseling and Family Support at Montgomery Hospice in Rockville. After serving more than 25 years in the congregational rabbinate, he was named Rabbi Emeritus of Oseh Shalom Congregation. Rabbi Fink teaches in the Thanatology/ Psychology Graduate Program at Hood College. For more than a decade, he taught courses in Ethics and in Jewish Thought for the Florence Melton Continuing Education Program. Rabbi Fink was ordained at Hebrew Union College and earned a doctorate at Howard University Divinity School, concentrating in end-of-life care. He holds a Graduate Certificate in Thanatologyand completed Dementia Care Certification training through the Copper Ridge Institute.
Room 1511
The whole Torah can be represented by tzitzit, the fringes which are tied onto a tallit (a Jewish prayer shawl), because the Torah is about learning to make distinctions. Holiness is found in separation. Come be surprised and see the difference between blue and white, purple and orange, or whatever contrast of colors may exist in tzitzit. In this session you will learn about the laws guiding the making of a tallit, tying tzitzit and see (and try on) creative examples of how these laws may be applied. Rabbi Elyssa Joy Auster Rabbi Elyssa Joy Auster is the Director of Jewish Life at the JCC of Greater Washington. She is a graduate of Brandeis, BU School of Theology and the Rabbinical School of Hebrew College. She has been published in print as well as electronic media, contributing twice to Moment’s “Ask the Rabbis” feature. She is a trained mikveh guide, led services with Women of the Wall in Jerusalem and was “Rabbi on the Road” with the Institute of Southern Jewish Life. Rabbi Elyssa is a Rabbis Without Borders Fellow and was named one of America’s 33 most inspiring rabbis of 2015 by The Forward.
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What Does A&C the Sh’ma Say and What Does it Mean? A&C
The Sh’ma is a biblical text most famously used in liturgy. Most of us can recite it in Hebrew or in English…. But there are actually many ways of understanding this statement and what it means and what it teaches us. By asking, “How do we translate the Sh’ma into English?” we will reveal many answers that impact its meaning. We will realize how much depends on who is the translator and to whom does he/she translates. Gideon Amir For Gideon’s bio, please see page 15.
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Adventures in the First Amendment: A Jew among the nations Participants will gain insight into the consonance of Jewish values with a progressive interfaith agenda, including some of what motivates our partners and some of the challenges we face working together. Rabbi Moline will discuss the challenges and victories of collaborative work with communities of faith, especially those with whom the Jewish community often finds itself in conflict, among them Muslims, Hindus, Catholics, atheists, denominations with difficult Middle East policies and some in the LGBT community. Rabbi Jack Moline Rabbi Jack Moline is President of Interfaith Alliance, a national organization that celebrates religious freedom by championing individual rights, promoting policies that protect both religion and democracy and uniting diverse voices to challenge extremism. Prior to assuming this role, he spent almost 35 years as a pulpit rabbi, including 27 years at Agudas Achim in Alexandria, where he is Rabbi Emeritus.
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Soul Joy: Psalm songs from Rock Creek
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For decades the shanda (shame) of addiction kept the subject taboo from all polite discussion. The world has moved on and we now realize that somewhere “out there” there are Jews with addictions. The issue now is how to be aware and helpful to those addicts and their families that are part of our community, congregations and even families. The shrinking universe no longer allows us to view this issue from afar. We have met the addict and it is us! Join in an informative presentation and discussion regarding this difficult issue. Rabbi Hirsh Chinn
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Conversations and Caponata: A&C Food and reflections at a Jewish and Italian crossroads This session will explore Marcia’s personal journey converting to Judaism and how exploring the foods of her inherited Italian heritage and her adopted Jewish one brought great meaning (and good food) to the endeavor. Participants will be inspired by how food connects us to our past and future as well as to our cultures and our families. Marcia Friedman Marcia Friedman is the author of “Meatballs and Matzah Balls: Recipes and Reflections from a Jewish and Italian Life.” The book features more than 100 classic and new Jewish and Italian recipes. Marcia also shares reflections on her childhood, family and exploration of Jewish and Italian culture that made her the person and cook she is today. Marcia serves on the Advisory Council for The Jewish Food Experience®, and her food writing has been featured in Tablet and other outlets.
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Jewish Junkies: Who knew? We should!
Rabbi David, with guitar in hand, will lead participants through a davvenen A&C(prayer) experience based on the liturgy of the early morning service and pesukay dezimrah, the psalms of praise.A&C Attendees will learn about some of the innovations in new Jewish liturgical music and interpretive liturgy. Participants will also experience a new model for contemplative and devotional davvenen and gain insight into the process of Jewish renewal. Rabbi David Shneyer Rabbi David’s bio, please see page 18.
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Rabbi Hirsh Chinn, LGSW is a nationally recognized expert on addiction in the Jewish community. While serving as a congregational rabbi in Columbus, Ohio, he was recruited into this work by his long-time friend, colleague and co-author, Rabbi Dr. Abraham Twerski. Moved by his experiences helping addicts, he pursued formal training at the Ohio State University as a Wexner Fellow. Over the past thirty years, Rabbi Chinn has played a leading role in J.A.C.S., Zehayom and numerous other initiatives in the Jewish Community. He also serves as Rabbi at Minchas Yitzchak, Judaics instructor for Kemp Mill Montessori School and Ashreinu Educational Program For Girls. Rabbi Chinn also offers consulting in matters of addiction and family dynamics.
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21st Century Polish Jewry: A story of community and revival Prior to World War II, there were 3.3 million Jews in Poland—a land of rich Jewish culture and history dating back centuries. While the destruction of the Holocaust left but a small percentage of those who lived in what was once a vibrant Jewish mecca, in recent decades, with the emergence of democracy in Poland, there has been an inspirational revival of the Jewish community in cities such as Warsaw and Krakow. Hear first and accounts of Maryland students who participated in cultural exchange trips to Poland with the Jewish community and learn about what this revival can teach all of us about the power of community and strength of identity. Maiya Chard-Yaron For Maiya’s bio, please see page 20.
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came here steeped in a cultural identity dreaming of new lives in the golden medina. Their homes were Jewish and their drive was to become successful Americans. Today our context is proudly and fluently American within which we are searching for ways to live lives of meaning. How can we encourage our children to embark on a journey to find a Judaism that offers meaning for their lives? Do we have the open hearts necessary for welcoming their Jewish expressions? JoHanna Potts
A&C Jewish Arab Relations and Community Development in the Negev A&C
This class will be offered in both sessions 4 and 5. For a description of this session, please see page 20. This session is made possible through the cooperation of the Greater Washington Forum on Israeli Arab Issues and the Inter-Agency Task Force on Israeli Arab Issues. Ariel Dloomy For Ariel’s bio, please see page 20.
JoHanna’s passion is to bring enjoyment to Jewish learning. Her current work is as Educational Consultant to Advancing Wisdom and Education, Inc. JoHanna’s most recent roles are CEO of the Partnership for Jewish Life and Learning, Director of Education for Temple Shalom and Solel, Director of the Primary School at Washington Hebrew and Middle School Director at Gesher Day School. She also facilitates professional development workshops for educators and served as co-chair of the Conference for Alternatives in Jewish Education (CAJE) at Duke University. In community life, JoHanna has served as vice-president of the former Board of Jewish Education, as well as chair of the Educator’s Council of Greater Washington. She holds a degree from Washington University in St. Louis in Art and Archaeology and earned a Master’s in Education and Human Development and Jewish Studies from The George Washington University.
Wafaa Eben-Beri For Wafaa’s bio, please see page 20. Room 1333
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Why “Black Lives Matter” to Us: Race, poverty and Jews
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This session will explore why racial justice is an important issue for all Jews and the role that the Jewish community can and is playing on these issues currently. Participants will leave this session with a deeper understanding of how the racism and the fight for racial justice are impacting the Jewish community and resources and inspiration for how they might individually engage in these issues. Suzanne Feinspan Suzanne Feinspan is the Deputy Director at AVODAH. Suzanne got her start as a Jewish social justice activist when she participated in AVODAH’s Jewish Service Corps in 2003. Her vision is of a Jewish community where issues of poverty and justice and taking substantive action to address these, are key to how we see ourselves as a community.
David Wolkin David Wolkin is the Director of Communications at AVODAH, as well as an educator, facilitator, writer and storyteller. He has worked in the Jewish world in a diverse range of settings since 2002, more recently as Executive Director of Limmud NY.
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Are our (Grand) Children “Immigrants” to Judaism?
Is there such a thing as “Business Ethics?” A&C Is there such a thing as “Business Ethics”? If there is, what A&C is the basis for them? Is it a corporate responsibility or an individual responsibility? Are there different business ethics in different cultures? Are business ethics different from “life” ethics? Come explore these and other questions and get yourself thinking about how they apply in today’s business environment. Learn what traditional Jewish texts and sages have to say that are relevant and meaningful today. Rick Zitelman, ROUTES 2015 Co-Chair Rick Zitelman is a life-long Washingtonian who has come back to his Jewish roots. He has been learning Jewishly for the last 25 years and shares what he has learned as discussion leader and teacher to students on college campuses, at CESJDS and business and community groups in the U.S. and Israel. Topics include Jewish perspective on charity (tzedekkah), Jewish Business Ethics, making Jewish prayer meaningful and lessons learned from investing in early stage companies in the U.S. and Israel. Rick and his wife Cindy are active in the local and international Jewish community and committed to the unity and continuity of the Jewish people through relevant and meaningful education.
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This session brought to ROUTES by The Jewish Studio. Our grandparents were Jewish immigrants to America. They
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Texts on A&CInclusion in an Inclusive Study Session A&C
Join an inspiring study group with residents of the Jewish Foundation for Group Homes. We will explore Jewish texts that define and guide a community’s goal of creating a more inclusive society. Participants will share how values such as dignity, diversity of creation and image of God impact individuals and our neighbors. Linda Yitzchak Linda Yitzchak is a Chaplain at the Jewish Foundation for Group Homes (JFGH), which supports 200 adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities. One hundred of the residents live in one of 23 group homes. The other participants live independently at 70 locations or are part of our Meaningful Opportunities for Successful Transitions for young adults who have maxed out of the school system. She has over 40 years of experience in Jewish education and Jewish communal services through working in a wide variety of synagogues and community programs and specializing in Jewish Family Education.
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The Literature of Borges and A&C the Kabbalistic Motifs South American literature remains a hidden treasure for most readers and there are important “jewels” to be found by Jewish readers. Jewish motifs appear throughout in the works of Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges, one of the best known writers even beyond the Western world. Kabbalistic references led to an initial study and later to a joint project with Argentine artist Mirta Kupferminc. This session will present some of the work that will soon be published in a facsimile edition in Spain. Professor Saul Sosnowski
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My Personal Exodus: Leaving Iran and the Revolution In 1976, at the age of twenty-three, Farideh Goldin left Iran in search of her imagined America. She sought an escape from the suffocation she felt under the cultural rules of her country and the future her family had envisioned for her. While she settled uneasily into American life, the political unrest in Iran intensified and in February of 1979, Farideh’s family was forced to flee Iran on the last El-Al flight to Tel Aviv. They arrived in Israel as refugees, having left everything behind, including the only home Farideh’s father had ever known. Farideh translated her father’s memoir along with other documents she found in a new book called “Leaving Iran.” This session will knit together her father’s story of dislocation and loss with her own experience as an Iranian Jew in a newly adopted home. Writ large, Farideh will share an intimate portrait of displacement and the construction of identity, as a story of family loyalty and cultural memory. Professor Farideh Dayanim Goldin Farideh was born in 1953 in Shiraz, Iran, to a family of dayanim, judges and leaders of the Jewish community. Farideh’s family moved out of the mahaleh, the Jewish quarter, to a Moslem neighborhood when she was eight years old. There, she experienced both friendship and anti-Semitism. Later, attending an American-style university in Iran, she was torn between her loyalty to her family, who obeyed strict social, cultural and religious mores and her western education that promoted individualism and self-reliance. Farideh is the author of two memoirs, “Wedding Song: Memoirs of an Iranian Jewish Woman” and “Leaving Iran: Between Exile and Migration.”
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Dr. Sosnowski is Professor of Latin American Literature and Culture and Senior Faculty Advisor for International Initiatives at The Graduate School. He was previously Chair of the Department of Spanish and Portuguese, Director of the Latin American Studies Center (which he founded in 1989) and the University’s Associate Provost for International Affairs. He is the author of “Julio Cortázar: Una búsqueda mítica,” “Borges y la Cábala: La búsqueda del Verbo,” of over 80 articles published in journals and collective volumes and editor or co-editor of over 15 volumes. In addition to his work with an Argentine artist, that led to several major exhibitions and his ongoing literary interests, his lectures and publications for over a decade have centered on issues of civic education and cultural politics with a focus on Latin America.
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Justifying A&C Israel’s Wars in Jewish Law: Challenges and solutions A&C
When the State of Israel was founded in 1948, it was immediately thrust into war and religious Zionist rabbis were confronted with the challenge of constructing a body of Jewish law to deal with this turn of events. Jewish law developed mostly during centuries in which Jews had no state and no army. In consequence, rabbis in the religious Zionist camp had to use great creativity and ingenuity to create laws dealing with this issue. This talk will focus on the problems these rabbis encountered in constructing laws for war and how they were dealt with. Professor Robert Eisen Robert Eisen is Professor of Religion and Judaic Studies and Chair of the Department of Religion at George Washington University in Washington, DC. The focus of his most recent research is approaches to peace and violence in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. He is currently conducting research on how war has been treated in Jewish law since the creation of the State of Israel. He has also been investigating the role that religion plays in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He served on the Board of Directors for the Foundation for Jewish Studies and has previously participated in a number of high-level dialogues and consultations. He serves on the Middle East Advisory Board for Search for Common Ground and sits on the advisory board of the Center for World Religions, Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution at George Mason University.
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“ETTY”: A&C A Conversation, or The Thinking Heart of The Barracks
This session is an interactive performance; session 6 is the talk-back discussion. This two-part session brought to ROUTES by The Jewish Studio. “ETTY” is a one-woman played, adapted and performed theatrical piece by Susan Stein, directed by Austin Pendelton. Joined only by her suitcase, Etty sits alone on a bare stage. Her honesty is unflinching and we watch as she writes the life she is living—her loves, her work, her wry sense of humor, her knowledge of self and the moment in history. Act II moves beyond its historical context, engaging the audience in a discussion on human nature and its complexity. Etty asks us to consider our own responsibility today, in a world where the promise of “never again” has not yet been realized. Susan Stein Susan Stein has been touring “Etty” for the past three years to theaters, universities and prisons throughout the U.S., Europe and Israel. She leads workshops on Etty Hiiesum and “Recovering Lost Voices—diaries and literature of the Holocaust.” Recent performances include Yad Vashem, Cambridge University and 59E59 Theaters in NYC. This fall she will be an artist/scholar in residence at Duquesne University, Milwaukee HERC and a speaker in the Vanderbilt Lecture Series. Stein was on the faculty of Princeton Day School for thirteen years and studied acting at NYU Graduate School and SUNY.
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Chanukah music: A&C We’re not just spinning dreidels! While the story of Chanukah is well-known, the music of Chanukah is not. Beyond Maoz Tzur and a few children’s ditties is a treasure trove of fascinating texts, haunting melodies and majestic choral arrangements. These songs give us a glimpse into the minds and hearts of those who came before us—their passionate determination not only to survive, but to thrive as Jews in a largely hostile world. In the spirit of ROUTES/roots, this is an opportunity to take a look at some of these texts and listen and sing along! Zemer Chai Zemer Chai (“Living Song”) is dedicated to preserving and sharing the rich musical heritage of the Jewish people at the highest level. Founded by conductor Eleanor Epstein in 1976, Zemer Chai today is one of the nation’s leading Jewish choirs. The choir sings the full range of Jewish choral repertoire, from classical and liturgical pieces to world Jewish folk music in multiple languages and new works composed especially for the choir. The concerts offer a breadth of Jewish music that is rarely heard—giving life to
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A&C music that had been hidden away in dusty archives over decades or even centuries and also giving contemporary composers the opportunity to have their works performed with respect for their vision. Zemer Chai has performed at the White House, Library of Congress, Strathmore and the Kennedy Center. The choir has traveled to New York City, Philadelphia, Boston, the Catskills, the West Virginia mountains—and the hills of Jerusalem.
Hillel Multipurpose Room
Session 6 Lights A&C in Transition: Why the increasing numberA&C of Chanukah lights?
Participants will experience a text-based learning of the talmudic discussion on how we light the menorah and why. We will analyze some of the reasons given in the Talmud and how they apply practically. This step by step Yeshiva (the Jewish academy) discussion will provide attendees with a glimpse of how the Talmud/Halakha (Jewish law) systems operate. A good entré for new-to-talmud students. Rabbi Eli Backman
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LOVINGA&C & WAITING: A Talmudic perspective on relationships A&C
The rabbis of the Talmud had strong opinions about romantic love. We will explore some extreme examples of marriages portrayed in the Talmud. What is the connection between loving and waiting? What can these stories teach us about how to balance competing loves? This session is offered today in the spirit of Rabbi Steinsalt’s “Global Day of Jewish Learning,” the overall theme of which is: LOVE: Devotion, Desire & Deception. Rabbi Jack Luxemburg Rabbi Luxemburg came to Temple Beth Ami in 1981 as the congregation’s first full-time Rabbi. Before coming to Temple Beth Ami, Rabbi Luxemburg worked extensively with Jewish youth movements and on college campuses. The Rabbi has served on the Executive Committees of the Jewish Community Council, the Jewish Social Service Agency, the Charles E. Smith Day School, the Mid-Atlantic region of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, the National Rabbinic Cabinet of the United Jewish Appeal and the Washington Board of Rabbis. The Rabbi has also been honored by the local Federation and the Council of Jewish Federations in recognition of his leadership in the Jewish community. He is also a founding member of ARZA, the Association of Reform Zionists in America.
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Rabbi Eli and Nechama Backman have been running the Chabad Jewish Student Center at UMD since 1995. Rabbi Eli Backman Is also one of the recognized University of Maryland chaplains.
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DCA&C Dessert Startup, A “Piece of Cake:” Pops by Haley
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What Are Jews Talking About? There’s more diversity of thought and opinion in the Jewish community today than ever before. We have all heard the anecdote “2 Jews=3 opinions,” but now let’s start talking about the topics that make us tick! Using Eli Talks, video presentations on a wide range of ideas on Jewish engagement and identity, we will have a conversation about “hot topics” being discussed in the community today. Samantha Vinokor
Young entrepreneur Haley Raphael has started a new business based out of Union Kitchen in Washington D.C. that creates gourmet cake push pops for a variety of audiences in the region. What motivated her to get out of line at the other gourmet bakeries and start her own? Why push pops? Learn what it takes to start your own DC food business from this recent college-grad and Jewish female entrepreneur. Haley Raphael Haley Raphael is originally from Baltimore and now lives in DC. She attended the University of Maryland Smith School of Business and graduated in May 2014 with a Cum Laude double major in Marketing & Supply Chain Management. After a short period in the corporate world, Haley decided to pursue a career in the culinary arts, her true passion. She combined both her culinary and business skills by launching Pops by Haley in November 2014.
Samantha Vinokor is a native New Yorker and a recent transplant to Washington (by way of Jerusalem). She is an alumna of the University of Pittsburgh, the Jewish Theological Seminary and the Pardes Experiential Educators Program. Samantha has recently joined the staff at The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington as the Jewish Teen Engagement and Philanthropy Associate. Samantha is a passionate Jewish educator whose interests include Israel education, Jewish Peoplehood education and Jewish history.
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What Ashkenazim Can Learn from Their Responding to Secularism: Creating a Sephardic Brethren (besides rice on Pesah) compelling Jewish conversation from Have you ever wondered why there are no Reform or millennials to baby boomers and beyond
Conservative denominations among Sephardim? Unlike the Ashkenazim, Sephardim in most cases define themselves as “traditional.” Is it a result of ignorance or an established theology? What are the philosophical differences in interpreting Jewish law and the effect they can have on the future of the Jewish people? Where is the Sephardic world heading and what lessons can we learn from its recent history? A surprising case study of a man’s affair with a married woman will illustrate the texture of Sephardic halakhik (law) process. Join us in discussion and perhaps you will agree with the revival and preservation of Sephardic values because these values are important now more than ever, as we face the great challenge of making Judaism relevant and meaningful. Rabbi Haim Ovadia
Rabbi Haim Ovadia is Senior Rabbi at Magen David Sephardic Congregation and teaches via telecast at the Allegra Franco College for Women in Brooklyn, NY and the Academy for Jewish Religion in Los Angeles, CA. Rabbi Ovadia was born and grew up in Israel; he is of Iraqi descent. He has built communities in Israel, Columbia, New Jersey, New York and California, working as rabbi and hazzan. He has a BA in Talmud from Bar Ilan University and an MA in Near Eastern Languages and Culture and Hebrew Liturgy from UCLA. His rabbinic ordination is from the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu, z“l.
Room 1333
In a secular age, how do we go beyond ethnicity to create a Jewish religious language that translates the Jewish story to our age—a language of obligation, faith and covenant? This session will explore elements of a twenty-first century American Jewish theology. Rabbi Daniel G. Zemel Rabbi Daniel G. Zemel, Temple Micah’s rabbi since 1983, says that much of the model of organized Jewish life in America is broken, but too much of the establishment doesn’t realize it. Temple Micah has come to embrace his ways which are reflected in the congregation’s restlessness, willingness to grow in ways tangible and intangible and open minded approach.
Shira M. Zemel Shira M. Zemel grew up surrounded by these ideas, after receiving her Master’s degree in secondary education, she now seeks to infuse them at the Religious Action Center in her role as Assistant Program Director.
Room 1335
A&C A&C
Uncovering the Female Counterpart to A&C “The Lonely MAN of Faith” A&C
This session brought to ROUTES by The Jewish Studio Rav Soloveitchik introduced many of us to “Adam One” and “Adam Two,” two archetypes for how man understands himself and his role in the world. This session will explore whether there is a framework that can be applied to the first female human to help us progress in our understanding of the human condition, especially as it applies to how we engage with the world and God. JoHanna Potts For JoHanna’s bio, please see page 24. Room 1336
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A&C Arts & Culture
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Body & Spirit
Peoplehood, History & Sociology
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What Losing a Lung Taught Me about Greatness Learn about howA&C my struggle with lung cancer helped me figure out what it means to be a “GREAT” Jew. I will share A&C the five steps I discovered that can take you on a path that will help you to overcome anything: Gratitude, Responsibility, Action, End game and Torah. Learning the discipline of implementing these five characteristics will help you handle anything thrown your way in life. Daniel Ratner Daniel Ratner is a rare coin dealer, known as a world class grader. His knowledge of coins is constantly taking him around the country evaluating deals. He has become a prolific speaker on spirituality. He has spoken for the Jewish Women’s Renaissance Project in Jerusalem, The Palm Beach Shul, the Palm Beach Gardens Jewish Experience and for Aish HaTorah in Rockville.
Room 1411
Jewish Values, the Papal Encyclical and the Planet A&Cnatural religion, begun as indigenous Judaism is a deeply wisdom from the Levant, amplified by farmers and natureA&C watchers (many of them rabbis) along the way. In the last generation, ecological approaches to Jewish tradition have risen to the fore, even as the ecological and climate reality have become direr. Pope Francis recently brought religionand-ecology into the headlines, ahead of critical climate negotiations in Paris. This timely session will explore how ancient and modern Jewish wisdom aligns with papal pronouncements “On Care of Our Common Home.” Rabbi Fred Scherlinder Dobb Rabbi Fred Scherlinder Dobb has served Adat Shalom Reconstructionist Congregation for nearly two decades, since well before his 1997 ordination from Philadelphia’s Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. A Magna Cum Laude graduate of Brandeis University and a Wexner Graduate Fellow with a Doctorate of Ministry from Wesley Theological Seminar, he is a Past President of the Washington Board of Rabbis. He currently serves as Chair of the national Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life and as immediate past chair of Maryland and Greater Washington Interfaith Power & Light. A co-chair of the DC Metro Rabbinic Council for J Street, Fred has written adult education curricula about Israel; writes and teaches widely on eco-Judaism; and contributes regularly to Moment Magazine among other publications.
Room 1412
A&C Israel
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Jews in the Amazon Basin: from early boaters to “saints” to present day entrepreneurs The Amazonian basin covers nine countries in Latin America, its bulk being in Brazilian territory. This session will address Jews in those countries with emphasis in the Brazilian region. A thriving Jewish community comprised mostly of Moroccans and their descendants established itself along the Amazon basin as salesmen in boats by the beginning of the 19th century. Participants will hear about Jewish contributions to the society and, among other items, about a Jewish miracle worker praised by non-Jews. Professor Regina Igel Professor Regina Igel was born and raised in Brazil where she graduated with a degree in Romance Languages. As a graduate student she came to the US where she earned an MA in Spanish American Literatures and a PhD in Literatures in Portuguese Language. She is the author of many articles on Jewish Brazilian literature and of two books on the Brazilian writer Osman Lins and another on Jewish migrants/Brazilian writers. Her essays include “The Haquitia Language by Moroccan Jews” and “Jews in the Amazonian Basin.”
Room 1415
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Overcoming Gender: The impact of the Persian language on Iranian women’s confessional literature Is it possible that the Persian language could have impeded Iranian women’s literary aspirations, especially in the genre of life narratives? Many feminist critics argue that language is structured according to patriarchal thought processes, resulting in the silencing of women. Language gives privileged or exclusive rights to selected members of the society to speak and to exercise control over discourse. Throughout Iranian literary history, modesty and secrecy prevented Iranian women from recording their life narratives. Writing about self can also be frightening; it has consequences. In this session we will look at both the social and linguistic elements that conspire to limit women’s literary expression—and why we all should care about this loss. Professor Farideh Dayanim Goldin For Professor Goldin‘s bio please, see page 25.
Room 1505
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ROUTES A&C
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A&C Torah Comes Forth From Zion: The most revolutionary ideas we learned A&C at the Shalom Hartman Institute
Torah Yoga
How has an Orthodox rabbi with roots in the Chasidic world who moved from Canada to Israel changed the lives of Reform, Reconstructionist and Conservative Jews in the United States, without most of them even knowing it? Come hear some of the insights and inspiration North American Rabbis have derived from their study at the Shalom Hartman Institute, a pluralistic center of Torah and activism in Jerusalem, founded by Rabbi David Hartman. Discover a new way of looking at traditional texts and the contextual insights of some of the most exciting teachers in the Jewish world today. Rabbi Michael Feshbach Rabbi Michael L. Feshbach is the Senior Rabbi of Temple Shalom. A native of Silver Spring, Maryland, he returned to the Washington area after having served congregations in Buffalo, New York, Erie, Pennsylvania and Boca Raton, Florida. An author and columnist, his numerous publications and articles include “Obedience to Which Commander: An Examination of a Jewish Soldier’s Right to Disobey Immoral Orders” (with Peter Schaktman); “In God’s Image: Judaism and Homosexuality;” “A Name for Ourselves: On Infertility, Meaning and Hope;” and “In Every Generation: A Jewish Approach to Questions of Genetic Research, Testing and Screening and Gene Therapy.” He is a Senior Rabbinic Fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute.
Rabbi Eric Cytryn Rabbi Eric Cytryn is the Rabbi of Beth El Temple in Harrisburg. Eric also served congregations in Metairie, Louisiana and Creve Coeur, Missouri. He teaches Jews of all ages and is also engaged in interfaith education opportunities in the Harrisburg area. Eric plays guitar at Friday night services and leads guided meditation musaf each month. His favorite summer activities include visiting the Hartman Institute in Jerusalem and Camp Ramah in Wisconsin, where his son is the director.
Room 1511
There is an ancient wisdom in the body and in the Torah. Through Torah Yoga A&Cwe explore both, combining the physicality of yoga with the joy of Jewish text study. Through the body, breath A&C and word, we will open our souls, align our spines and awaken to wisdom without and within. Sara Shalva Sara Shalva is the Director of Jewish Innovation for the DCJCC. She graduated cum laude from Mary Washington College with a BA in Political Science and, as a Taub Fellow, from NYU with a dual Masters in Nonprofit Management and Judaic Studies. Over the last ten years Sara has split her time between Israel and the United States, working in formal and informal educational settings serving teens and adults. She has also combined her passion for movement, breath work and stretching as a certified Bikram Yoga instructor.
Hillel Multipurpose A&C Room A&C
Yoga & Kabbalah: Two traditions, one path Yoga and Kabbalah provide us a path to wholeness through the connection ofA&C body, mind and soul. An embodied exploration of these two ancient traditions, participants will discover, throughA&C integrated Yogic and Kabbalistic practices, the benefits of melding these two traditions. Rabbi Benjamin Shalva Rabbi Shalva is an ordained rabbi, certified yoga instructor, meditation teacher, spiritual guide and musician. He received ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary and leads musical prayer services for Adas Israel, Sixth & I Historic Synagogue and Bet Mishpacha. Rabbi Shalva teaches Jewish mindfulness, meditation and yoga workshops throughout the DC area and beyond. His first book, “Spiritual Cross Training: Searching Through Silence, Stretch and Song,” will be published in 2016.
Hillel Social Hall
A&C
“ETTY”: A&C A Conversation, or The Thinking Heart of The Barracks (cont.) This session is the interactive discussion that follows the performance in session 5. This two-part session brought to ROUTES by The Jewish Studio. For a description of this session, please see page 26. Susan Stein For Susan’s bio, please see page 26 Room 1524
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A&C Arts & Culture
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Body & Spirit
Peoplehood, History & Sociology
Text Study
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Session 7
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A&C Israel
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GettingA&Cto Know Your Ancestors: A deeper look atA&C the lives of Rachel and Leah
Hannah, A&CHysteria and the Roots of Jewish Prayer A&C
Delve into the individuals, Rachel and Leah, who were chosen to be our foremothers. What was their relationship with each other like? What was their relationship with their husband, Jacob like? What does it mean that Leah was “hated?” What was the significance to Leah being able to have children while Rachel remains childless? Between the lines we indeed find remarkable women and worthy ancestors. Devorah Buxbaum
The Talmudic sages elevated the enigmatic biblical character of Hannah into a central paradigm for Jewish prayer. In the process, they transformed her from an anguished-butquietly-demur figure of pious devotion into a searing social critic filled with righteous indignation against her husband, the High Priest and God. Her critique ultimately resonates as a self-critique by the rabbis of their own authority to suppress and marginalize the voices of less powerful groups by stereotyping and stigmatizing classifications—in an intriguing parallel to the “hysteric” throughout Western medical history. Rabbi Charlie Buckholtz
Devorah and her husband Shlomo, run the Aish of Greater Washington Outreach and Learning Center. Devorah specializes in reaching out to women of all ages and backgrounds, learning with women one on one, teaching Torah to groups of women, preparing young brides for their wedding day and learning with girls for their Bat Mitzvahs. Devorah received her MSW from the University of Denver, her hometown and moved to the DC area six years ago from Jerusalem.
Charlie Buckholtz is the Senior Jewish Educator at UMD Hillel. A rabbi and writer who has coauthored books on topics ranging from pop-culture history to Jewish thought, his personal essays have been featured in The Washington Post and Tablet.
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Learn A&CHow to Caffeinate Responsibly with the Founder of JAVAZEN
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“Solomon: King, Poet & Lover” A&C interactive play This session is a high-engery, interactive play. When King Solomon receives a visit from a charismatic woman, his world is plunged into chaos. Despite having 700 wives he realizes the need for a meaningful relationship and that extreme wealth cannot buy love. He takes the wisest man on earth and sets him on the ultimate path of discovery. This is a hilarious one-man play that explores the roller coaster life of the man who wrote The Song of Songs, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes and built the first Temple in Jerusalem. Marcus Freed For Marcus’s bio, please see page 19. Room 1212
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During this high energy presentation, we will explore the different sources of energy from both coffee and tea. We will focus on the global impact of coffee and tea from a Jewish perspective. Aaron will share the story of how Javazen was founded, compiling the themes of entrepreneurship advice, farming ethics, health benefits of coffee and tea and the world of super foods. Aaron Wallach Aaron is a bit of a (health) nut. As the Executive Officer of Javazen, Aaron’s mission is to inspire people to eat and drink the best foods. With a degree in Kinesiology and as a personal trainer, Aaron is ready to optimize anyone’s health. Aaron’s first experience with entrepreneurship began online with a web service for personal trainers. Javazen is the second company Aaron has founded in the consumer health world.
Room 1307
ROUTES A&C A&C
Modern Midrash: What can we learn from A&C the lives of our biblical characters? A&C
Kabbalah and Tefilah (Prayer) This introduction to Kabbalah, the theological foundation for Jewish mysticismA&C and spirituality, will explain the symbolism that brigs life and meaning for many to traditional Jewish liturgy and ritual.A&C We shall explore how Kabbalah’s teachings can enhance the spiritual essence of benedictions (Baruch Atah), the Shema, the Torah Service, Lecha Dodi, the Kabbalat Shabbat service and other core prayers of the Siddur. Dr. Jay McCrensky
Participants will study biblical stories and examine how the interactions of our ancestors can positively and negatively inform and improve our lives. Since we all deal with family relationships, we will focus on how our texts and tradition portray the interactions of Abraham and Sarah, the dynamics between Abraham and Isaac and Joseph’s interactions with his brothers and with his father. Informed by these texts, we will ask “How do we relate to the people with whom we are close and how may we improve our relationships? Rabbi Bruce Aft
Jay McCrensky holds a Ph.D. in Jewish Studies, concentrating in Kabbalah and Jewish philosophy from the Baltimore Hebrew University/Towson University. He is author of the books Understanding Evil and Ethics through Kabbalah and Receiving Holiness: Understanding Judaism through Kabbalah. Dr. McCrensky teaches Introduction to Judaism in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at St Mary’s College of Maryland, the honors college of the University of Maryland system. He is a Board member of The Jewish Study Center in Washington, DC, where he also teaches adult education courses on Kabbalah and conducts a drop in weekly Zohar and Kabbalah study group, open to all.
Bruce Aft is in his 25th year as a rabbi of Congregation Adat Reyim. He has been an adjunct professor at Marymount University, the University of Mary Washington and George Mason University. Active as a teacher in many different adult education settings, he brings together his rabbinic and social work education to offer unique insights to ancient biblical stories.
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The Blessings (or not) of A&C Vulnerability and Authenticity A&C
A&C A&C
Climbing Your Family Tree: Jewish genealogy in the nation’s capital
It is a paradox: showing vulnerability is an imperative for leading a meaningful life, but in our social-media-obsessed world revealing that we are fundamentally imperfect may feel unacceptable. Rabbi Shira will lead a discussion that dives into sacred Jewish texts—and a few secular ones— to explore this conundrum. Rabbi Shira Stutman Rabbi Shira Stutman, Director of Jewish Programming at Washington, DC’s innovative Sixth & I Historic Synagogue, was named one of “America’s Most Inspiring Rabbis” by the Jewish Forward in 2013, a “Woman to Watch” by Jewish Women International in 2014and most recently in 2015 by Tablet Magazine as one of “10 American Rabbis You Haven’t Heard of But Should.” When not at Sixth & I, Rabbi Stutman serves as the scholar-inresidence for National Women’s Philanthropy of The Jewish Federations of North America. She teaches for the Wexner Heritage Program and is a board chair of Jews United for Justice. She speaks nationally on programming for people in their 30’s and 40’s, working with and supporting interfaith couples and creating welcoming communities. Rabbi Stutman graduated from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in 2007, where she was a Wexner Graduate Fellow.
Room 1333
Perhaps commercial advertisements or TV shows like “Who Do You Think You Are” and “Find Your Roots” have made you wonder about your own ancestors. You may have pondered how you can research your own family history. Jewish genealogical research poses special challenges. Where can you find resources on the internet or in local repositories? What are the sources of particular interest and value to the researcher of Jewish ancestry? Join us for an overview and jump-start. Marlene Katz Bishow Marlene Katz Bishow is the immediate past President of the Jewish Genealogy Society of Greater Washington (JGSGW). She was Co-Chair of the 31st IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy held in Washington, DC in 2011. The 6-day conference was host to 1300 genealogists from 18 countries. In addition to lecturing and doing private research, Marlene is the coordinator of the Facebook page for JGSGW. She is the editor of three books: “Capital Collections: Resources for Jewish Genealogical Research in the Washington, DC Area,” “Jump-Start Your Jewish Genealogical Research: A Beginner’s Guide,” and “Jump-Start Your Jewish Genealogy Research: Intermediate Topics.”
Room 1336
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A&C Arts & Culture
A&C
Body & Spirit
Peoplehood, History & Sociology
Text Study
A&C A&C
A Hospice A&C Rabbi’s Reflection on Death and Life A&C
In the Talmud and other rabbinic texts there are many enigmatic passages about dying. Through varied experiences with Hospice patients and their families, this Hospice rabbi has come to a new understanding of these texts. These experiences, coupled with rabbinic texts, teach not only about death, but also about living meaningful lives. Rabbi David Rose Rabbi David Rose provides spiritual care and support to people of all faiths and backgrounds through his pastoral presence with patients and family members at JSDSA Hospice. He joined the JSSA Hospice team in 2012 after serving as a congregational rabbi and as an interfaith hospital chaplain at the NIH Clinical Center, the Hebrew Home and Goodwin House. He was ordained as a rabbi by the Jewish Theological Seminary and has trained as an interfaith chaplain under the auspices of the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education.
Room 1412
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The demographics in America are changing and the Jewish community is increasingly diverse through heritage, marriage, conversion and adoption. The choices made by individual Jews and their families present a challenge—to create a positive vision of the Jewish future that transcends differences in race, ethnicity, geography, class, ritual practice and beliefs. Young people are growing up with unlimited access to information and are discovering an unprecedented sense of agency in developing their identities. Using Camp Be’chol Lashon as a model, we explore how inclusion, diversity and connection can strengthen our Jewish community. Dr. Janaki Kuruppu Dr. Janaki Kuruppu is an infectious disease physician who works in Baltimore, Maryland. She and her husband have one grown daughter and adopted two boys from Ethiopia. They are active members of Tikvat Israel, a Conservative congregation.
A&C
Room 1511
A Feminist A&C Tzedakkah? The Case of Ms. Ukba A&C
Room 1505
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The Changing Landscape of American Jewish Life: Exploring identity, race and family
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Before Maimonides’ articulated his Eight Levels of Tzedakkah and since, Jews have struggled with the practice of anonymous giving. How important is anonymity? How can one maintain anonymity in a small community? Are modern communal organizations “doing the right thing” by publishing lists of givers and categories? Learn from Mar Ukba’s wife why anonymity is important and how a “feminist Tzedakkah” can transform our lives. Rabbi Eric Cytryn For Rabbi Eric’s bio, please see page 29.
A&C Israel
A&C A&C A&C A&C
Mapping Our Jewish Journeys No two Jewish journeys are alike. Where we come from, the Jewish paths we’ve taken until now, continue to influence our decisions and directions. Join us for an enlightening workshop as we map our Jewish journeys and explore how the Jews we’ve been will shape the Jews we become. Rabbi Benjamin Shalva Sara Shalva For Rabbi Ben’s and Sara’s bios, please see page 30.
Hillel Multipurpose Room
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Inspired by Tradition. Delivered with a twist.
jewishfoodexperience.com Jewish Food Experience is made possible through a generous grant from The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington’s United Jewish Endowment Fund.
presents
The Sara & Samuel J. Lessans
On April 10 we are pumping up the volume of GOOD in the world. Join the Jewish community of Greater Washington, along with over half a million volunteers from around the world, in a day of service.
Volunteer projects include: ■ ■ ■
■
Making and delivering food for the homeless Planting trees and cleaning up parks Sorting donated sports equipment for kids in need Creating food packages for Holocaust survivors
GoodDeedsDayGW.org Good Deeds Day is made possible by Drs. Ellen & Stuart Lessans, in loving memory of Sara & Samuel J. Lessans.
2016 Chairs: Toni & Dr. Ronald Paul
Sunda y
, 0 1 il r p A 016 2 Doing A World of Good Good Deeds Day is produced in partnership with Federation’s Jconnect, the local Jewish Community Centers, Federation partner agencies, congregations and other organizations.
The Jewish Federation would like to
thank
Maryland Hillel for partnering on
GO Terps!
ROUTES 2015 www.marylandhillel.org
THANK YOU for supporting:
Adam K. Bernstein Cyna & Paul Cohen Nava & Menachem Ely Catherine & Michael Gildenhorn Ana & Javier Goldin Nancy & Paul Hamburger
ROUTES: A Day of Jewish Learning 2015
Nancy & Steve Jacobson Kay Klass & Mark Levitt Connie & Erik Lindenauer Audrey & Richard Mandell Sharon & Jeremy Zissman Cindy & Rick Zitelman Media Sponsor:
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UPCOMING
Adult Learning and community events The Jewish Federation encourages you to continue to fuel your passion for Jewish learning. Here is a sampling of ways to Make it Yours: November 2015 NOV. 18 n Global Jewish Cultures: Latin America Jewish Study Center jewishstudycenter.org
NOV. 23 n Operation Embrace 13th Annual Event Operation Embrace operationembrace@gmail.com
DEC. 10 n Home and Homelessness: European Jews in 1948 Foundation for Jewish Studies foundjs.org
DEC. 19
n
Drama on Shabbat
Ongoing B’nai Mitzvah/L.I.F.E. Lecture Series B’nai Israel Congregation bnaiisraelcong.org
Tikvat Israel Congregation tikvatisrael.org
Israel Engagement Fellowship for Teens 2015
January 2016
Presented with the JCRC of Greater Washington shalomdc.org/teenfellowship
NOV. 29 n Film: The Strange Queens
JAN. 23 n Sephardic Journeys Music Concert
Jewish Community Center of Northern Virginia jccnv.org
Congregation Beth El of Montgomery County bethelmc.org
myjli.com
JAN. 30
The Jewish Federation shalomdc.org
Congregation Beth El of Montgomery County Bethelmc.org
April 2016
Washington Jewish Professionals Forum
NOV. 30 n An Evening with Dr. Daniel Gordis American Israel Public Affairs Committee aipac.org
December 2015 DEC. 3 n Early Childhood Education Conference: Nekudot Mabat B’nai Tzedek bnaitzedek.org
n
APRIL 10
Sayin’ Thanks
n
Good Deeds Day
The Jewish Federation gooddeedsdaygw.org
June 2016 JUNE 5
n
Israel@68
Jewish Learning Institute Rabbi Samuel Scolnic Adult Institute
The Jewish Federation diane.cutlergreen@shalomdc.org
WHC Academy Washington Hebrew Congregation whctemple.org
JCCGW and JCCNV with The Jewish Federation shalomdc.org
To access our community’s full calendar and to post your events, visit Jconnect.org.
Thank you for joining us at
Routes!
We hope you leave the day feeling inspired to continue to “refuel your think tank” by exploring the many facets of Jewish education in our community.
The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington addresses the critical needs of our local and global Jewish community.
Last year... JEWISH EDUCATION
2,653 children
attended one of six Federation-supported Jewish day schools.
JEWISH IDENTITY
19,000 Jewish
students on 11 campuses in Greater Washington were connected to Jewish life.
Together we
VULNERABLE POPULATIONS
46,776 trips on the
Elder Buses took seniors to appointments and errands.
EMERGENCY RESPONSE
20,000 pounds of medical and shelter supplies provided life-saving support to those impacted by the earthquake in Nepal.
ISRAEL AND OVERSEAS
700,000 jobless
Israelis received the tools and confidence to enter the workforce.
INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY
2,250 individuals with special needs and their families received services and support.
are making a measurable impact with immeasurable heart.