The Marin JCC will offer two events on Thursday. At 9:30 a.m., Lisa Katz will give a talk on "How to Choose Jewish Books for Your Children." Call Janet Harris, (415) 479-2000. In addition, Ory Sandel, a Torah scribe, will give demonstrations for kids and adults from noon to 6 p.m. Call Rachel Biale, (415) 479-2000.

Also in Marin, Sheila Jelen will give a talk titled on rabbinic midrashim and texts about the Hebrew letters, titled "Kotzo Shel Yod (The Tip of the Letter Yod)." The event takes place at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Congregation Kol Shofar, 215 Blackfield Road, Tiburon. Call Chaya Gusfield, (415) 388-1818.

At 12:30 p.m. Friday at the Marin JCC, Yiddish scholar Philip Kutner will discuss "Shmoozing with Chutzpah: Some Yiddish, Some English, and Some Yinglish." The event is for adults. Call Dini Freeman, (415) 479-2000.

In Sonoma, a daylong series of activities take place on Sunday, Feb. 13, beginning at 10 a.m. at the Hillel Foundation of Sonoma State University,1801 East Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park.

Participants will be able to attend workshops in the morning and afternoon as well as a lunchtime panel discussion on "The Alef-Bet of Jewish Spirituality."

Workshops include "Otiyot (Hebrew Letter) Tai Chi," led by Ellen Tobe; "The Making of a Sefer Torah," led by Rabbis George Gittleman of Congregation Shomrei Torah in Santa Rosa and Elisheva Sachs of Congregation Ner Shalom in Cotati.; and "The Power of the Letter and the Force of the Word in Jewish Tradition," led by Rabbi Jonathan Slater of Congregation Beth Ami in Santa Rosa and Rabbi Leah Sudran of Congregation B'nai Israel in Petaluma.

In addition, Slater will give a creative writing workshop, "The Three Mother Letters: Sizzle, Hum and Silence.," and Jessica Rosenfeld will lead a session on "The Power of the Letter and the Force of the Word in Jewish Tradition."

Cost, which includes lunch, is $10 for students, $15 for others. Call Carolyn Metz, (707) 528-4222, or Shawn Laing, (707) 526-5567.