sunday/8
“Yitzhak Rabin: Life, Death and Legacy.” Symposium on the Israeli prime minister to mark the 20th anniversary of his assassination. Sponsored by Jewish Federation of the East Bay and Lehrhaus Judaica. At the Magnes, 2121 Allston Way, Berkeley. 1 to 5 p.m. Free. Also Nov. 9 at Kehillah Jewish High School, 3900 Fabian Way, Palo Alto. 7 p.m. Free, but reservations recommended. www.lehrhaus.org
“Kol-Ivrit” (Hebew in One Day). Hebrew-language workshop for beginners and anyone wishing to improve skills. Sponsored by Lehrhaus Judaica. At Congregation Kol Shofar, 215 Blackfield Drive, Tiburon. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. $18-$50. (510) 845-6420
“Are Our Children Jewish? The Reform Jewish Movement and Patrilineal Descent.” Discussion led by Dawn Kepler on intermarriage, multifaith children and the modern definition of a Jewish family. At Temple Beth Hillel, 801 Park Central, Richmond. 10:15 a.m. $5 suggested donation. wwwtbhrichmond.org
monday/9
“Diaspora and Group Rights: The Jewish Constitutional Moment.” Lecture by William Forbath of University of Texas Law. At 295 Boalt Hall, U.C. Berkeley. 5 p.m. Free. [email protected]
“Raphael Lemkin: Unsung Hero and the Concept of Genocide.” Presentation by philosophy professor Berel Lang of Wesleyan University. At CCSRE Conference Room, Building 360, Stanford University. 12 p.m. Free. http://jewishstudies.stanford.edu
wednesday/11
“Latkes of the Rich and Famous.” Hands-on cooking class featuring celebrity-inspired versions of the favorite holiday recipe. At JCCSF, 3200 California St., S.F. 7 p.m. $50-$55. www.jccsf.org
“Resurgent, Resplendent San Francisco.” Local historians Fred Rosenbaum, Frances Dinkelspiel and Ava Kahn discuss the role of Bay Area Jews in the Panama-Pacific International Exposition of 1915. Sponsored by Lehrhaus Judaica and California Historical Society. At Congregation Emanu-El, 2 Lake St., S.F. 7 p.m. Free. www.emanuelsf.org (See story, 4)
“American Jews and Their Urban Crises.” The postwar Jewish migration away from cities, by Lila Corwin Berman, history associate professor at Temple University. At Margaret Jacks Hall, Building 460, Stanford University. 4:15 p.m. Free. http://jewishstudies.stanford.edu
“Jewish Identity and the Role of Race and Ethnicity in Jewish Community Relations.” Ilana Kaufman of the JCRC discusses diversity and inclusion. Part 2 of “Anti-Semitism and Jewish Identity” series co-sponsored by Lehrhaus Judaica. At Temple Sinai, 2808 Summit St., Oakland. 7 p.m. $36 for the series. www.jcrc.org/news-events/events
thursday/12
“Songs From a Lost World: Singing as Resistance and Renewal.” Yiddish scholar Miriam Isaacs discusses an archive of songs by Holocaust survivors recorded three years after the war. Sponsored by U.C. Berkeley Center for Jewish Studies. At the Magnes, 2121 Allston Way, Berkeley. 6 p.m. Free, but RSVP requested. http://jewishstudies.berkeley.edu
“A Prayer for the Jewish State: Religion or Politics?” Rabbi Steven Chester examines the history and evolution of prayers for Israel. At Temple Sinai, 2808 Summit St., Oakland. 7:30 p.m. Free. www.oaklandsinai.org
friday/13
Rabbi Uri Regev. Advocate for religious liberty and former president of the World Union for Progressive Judaism gives several talks in the Bay Area. All are free unless noted. Nov. 13-15 scholar-in-residence at Temple Israel in Alameda, www.templeisraelalameda.org; Nov. 14 at 1:15 p.m. at Kol Shofar in Tiburon, www.kolshofar.org; Nov. 15 at 6 p.m. at Kehilla Community Synagogue in Piedmont, www.kehillasynagogue.org; Nov. 16 at 7 p.m. at Netivot Shalom in Berkeley, www.netivotshalom.org; Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. at Beth Chaim in Danville, www.bethchaim.com; Nov. 19 at 7 p.m. at B’nai Tikvah in Walnut Creek ($18 suggested), www.tikvah.org. For full schedule, see www.jweekly.com/article/full/76044.
sunday/15
Rabbi David Wolpe. The leader of Sinai Temple in Los Angeles will discuss how to maintain core Jewish values in the modern world in “Judaism in the 21st Century.” Co-presented by Oshman Family JCC, Taube Center for Jewish Studies at Stanford and Commonwealth Club. At OFJCC, 3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto. 4 p.m. $15-$40. www.paloaltojcc.org
“San Francisco’s Own Norton I.” Presentation on the colorful 19th century San Francisco character Emperor Joshua Abraham Norton I, played by Joseph Amster. Sponsored by San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society. At Rhoda Goldman Plaza, 2180 Post St., S.F. 1:30 p.m. Free. www.sfbajgs.org
“Behind the Headlines.” Panel of experts including HIAS president Mark Hetfield, JFCS East Bay resettlement leaders and others discuss current global refugee crisis. At Temple Sinai, 2808 Summit St., Oakland. 4 p.m. Free. www.jcrc.org
“Mah-Jongg: The Art of the Game.” Co-author Gregg Swain discusses his book about collectible mah-jongg sets and talks about the Jewish connection to the game. At Temple Isaiah, 945 Risa Road, Lafayette. 3 p.m. $5-$7, plus $5 for mah-jongg set appraisal. www.temple-isaiah.org/woimahjongg
“Latkas! Latkas! Latkas!” Workshop on making Hanukkah latkes and toppings, followed by a latke feast. At Urban Adamah, 1050 Parker St., Berkeley. 11 a.m. Free, but registration required. www.urbanadamah.org
“Yiddish Paris: Theater and Culture During the Interwar Years.” Nick Underwood of Sonoma State University’s Jewish studies program discusses the impact European Jewish immigrants had on Paris in the 1920s and ’30s. At Jewish Community Library, 1835 Ellis St., S.F. 1:30 p.m. Free. www.jewishcommunitylibrary.org
monday/16
“Israel at the Crossroads: Where Do We Go From Here?” Former head of the Shin Bet and the Israel Navy Ami Ayalon discusses Israel’s future. At Jewish Community Federation, 121 Steuart St., S.F. 5:30 p.m. $25. www.jcrc.org/news-events/events
tuesday/17
Dennis Ross. The former ambassador and Middle East adviser discusses “Doomed to Succeed,” his new book about the history of the U.S.-Israel relationship. At Peninsula Sinai Congregation, 499 Boothbay Ave., Foster City. 7 p.m. $24, preregistration required. www.pjcc.org/dennisross
wednesday/18
“Beyond Silence: A Jewish Professional Development Day.” Event for Jewish clergy, educators and other professionals to learn how to identify and respond to childhood sexual abuse in their communities. At Peninsula Temple Sholom, 1655 Sebastian Drive, Burlingame. 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. $54. www.jewishlearningworks.org
“Between Dialogue and Resistance: An Action Plan for Israel and Palestine.” Discussion with OneVoice Israel executive director Polly Bronstein and OneVoice Palestine executive director Samer Makhlouf. At S.F. State; address given with registration. 5:30 p.m. $10-$20, students free. www.tinyurl.com/onevoice-hillel-2015
“The Movement to Delegitimize Israel in the Bay Area.” JCRC associate executive director Abby Porth will discuss the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement in the Bay Area and what is being done to counter it. Part 3 of “Anti-Semitism and Jewish Identity” series co-sponsored by Lehrhaus Judaica. At Temple Sinai, 2808 Summit St., Oakland. 7 p.m. $36 for the series. www.jcrc.org/news-events/events
thursday/19
“From the Dung Heap to Ariel Sharon Park: The Lives of Iraqi Jews in Israeli Transit Camps.” Talk by Near Eastern studies professor Orit Bashkin of University of Chicago. At Center for Middle Eastern Studies, 340 Stephens Hall, U.C. Berkeley. 5 p.m. Free. http://cmes.berkeley.edu
saturday/21
“The Future of Our Jewish Homeland.” Rabbi Yoni Regev, Temple Sinai’s newest rabbi, leads a conversation with his father, Rabbi Uri Regev, and guest Rabbi Stanley M. Davids, followed by installation lunch. At Temple Sinai, 2808 Summit St., Oakland. 12:30 p.m. Free, but registration required. www.installationlunch.eventbrite.com