friday/1
Scribal arts. Curator Zachary Baker presents rare books and manuscripts from the Judaica and Hebraica Collections of Stanford University Libraries. In Barchas Room, Green Library, Stanford University. 2 p.m. Free. www.stanford.hillel.org
sunday/3
“Curating Culture, Making Memory.” Day of presentations about Jewish life in Poland, including lectures by Jeffrey Shandler of Rutgers University and Polin Jewish museum curator Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett. At the Magnes, 2121 Allston Way, Berkeley. 1:30 to 6 p.m. Free. www.magnes.org
“The Power of Art and Music in the Lives of Those Living with Alzheimer’s or Dementia.” Seminar on helping people with memory loss through creative activities and Jewish cultural experiences. Presented by Jewish Family and Children’s Services. At Contemporary Jewish Museum, 736 Mission St., S.F. 2 p.m. Free, but registration requested. (415) 655-7856
Edwin Black lectures. Series of talks by author and investigative journalist. Sponsored by ZOA. “BDS: From Label to Libel,” April 3 at Covenant Winery, Berkeley. 4 p.m. $18. “Financing the Flames,” April 5 at Rossmoor Event Center, 1099 Stanley Drive, Walnut Creek. 7 p.m. Free with RSVP. “Confronting Israel’s Place in International Law,” April 6 at Oshman Family JCC, 3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto. 7 p.m. $10. www.zoawestcoast.com
“Jewish Adventure with Socialism.” Half-hour video lecture by David B. Ruderman of University of Pennsylvania on the Jewish attraction to Marxian socialism, followed by Q&A. At Albany Community Center, 1249 Marin Ave., Albany. 3 p.m. Free. www.kolhadash.org
“How to Talk About Israel.” Community symposium on how to support Israel and prevent misinformation in debate and casual conversation. Speakers include Rabbi Menachem Creditor and SFSU professor Eran Kaplan. Israeli-style lunch included. At Temple Isaiah, 945 Risa Road, Lafayette. 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. $10-$45. (925) 935-9355
“Leaving Home/Seeking Home: The Refugee Crisis on Lesbos.” Three IsraAID officials and a Bay Area-based Jewish global photographer discuss the crisis and humanitarian response. At Grace Cathedral, 1100 California St., S.F. 9:30 a.m. Free. www.gracecathedral.org
“Drawing Attention to the Sacred: Scribal Arts in Religious Traditions.” Lecture by Rabbi Patricia Karlin-Neumann, senior associate dean for religious life at Stanford. Part of Hillel at Stanford 50th anniversary. At 450 Serra Mall, Stanford. 10 a.m. Free. www.tiny.cc/hillelcelebrates50
monday/4
Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett. Chief curator of Polin Museum of the History of Polish Jews in Warsaw shares behind-the-scenes stories. At Contemporary Jewish Museum, 736 Mission St., S.F. 12:30 p.m. Included with museum admission. www.thecjm.org. Also at JCCSF, 3200 California St., S.F. 7 p.m. $27-$37. www.jccsf.org. Also April 5 at the Terrace Room, Margaret Jacks Hall, Stanford University. 5 p.m. Free. (650) 725-2780
“Religion After Religion.” Rabbi Aubrey Glazer discusses the use of sacrificial religious imagery in the Leonard Cohen songbook. At Congregation Beth Sholom, 301-14th Ave., S.F. 7 p.m. Free. www.bethsholomsf.org
tuesday/5
A French Jewish spy in Nazi Germany. At a time when many Jews were fleeing Nazi-occupied Europe, Marthe Cohn stayed and became a member of the Intelligence Service for the French army, posing as a German nurse. Join her for a discussion about her life and her autobiography, “Behind Enemy Lines.” Book signing follows. Sponsored by Chabad of North Peninsula.
7 p.m. Tuesday, April 5 in Hillsborough; location given with RSVP. $15. [email protected]
Building Jewish-Muslim relations. Yehuda Kurtzer, president of Shalom Hartman Institute of America, in conversation with Al-Jazeera America journalist Wajahat Ali. At Osher Marin JCC, 200 N. San Pedro Road, San Rafael. 7 p.m. Free. www.marinjcc.org. Also April 6, Kurtzer and Ali join panel discussion with Imam Abdullah Antepli, senior fellow on Jewish-Muslim relations at the Hartman Institute, and JCRC’s Karen Miller. At Congregation Beth Am, 26790 Arastradero Road, Los Altos. 7:30 p.m. Free. www.betham.org
wednesday/6
“Confronting Extremism in the Middle East.” Lecture by Tal Becker of the Shalom Hartman Institute. Presented by Jewish Federation of the East Bay and JCRC. At the Magnes, 2121 Allston Way, Berkeley. 7:30 p.m. Free. www.jcrc.org/news-events/events
thursday/7
“From the Heart of Jerusalem: Politics, Human Rights and the Hip-Hop of Israel.” Multimedia conversation with Shaanan Streett of Israeli hip-hop funk band Hadag Nahash. Co-presented by New Generations and Reboot. At Chez Poulez, 3359 Cesar Chavez St., S.F. 7 p.m. $25-$36. www.nif.org/streett
“A Look in the Mirror: Reflections on the Social and Economic Issues Facing Israel Today.” Avi Weiss, executive director of Taub Center for Social Policy Studies in Israel, talks about education, labor market, cost-of-living issues and more. In Warren Room, 295 Boalt Hall, U.C. Berkeley. 5:30 p.m. Free, but registration required. www.tinyurl.com/law-berkeley-IJLIS
“A Perfect Storm — Anti-Semitism in South Africa 1930-1948.” Lecture by professor Milton Shain of University of Cape Town. At Taube Center for Jewish Studies, 450 Serra Mall, Stanford. 12 p.m. Free. http://jewishstudies.stanford.edu
friday/8
Marin Jewish community scholar-in-residence. Weekend of events on “Visions of Zion” with Rabbi Tamar Elad Applebaum, founder of ZION, a congregation of diverse Israeli Jews. At Congregation Rodef Sholom, 170 N. San Pedro Road, San Rafael. 6:15 p.m. Also April 9 at Congregation Kol Shofar, 215 Blackfield Drive, Tiburon. 9:15 p.m. Also April 10 at Osher Marin JCC, 200 N. San Pedro Road, San Rafael. 10 a.m. Free. www.tinyurl.com/marinscholar2016
sunday/10
“Jewish Identity.” Stanford Jewish studies Ph.D. candidate Jonah Hassenfeld discusses historical and contemporary challenges to identity. At Congregation Beth Jacob, 1550 Alameda de las Pulgas, Redwood City. 10:30 a.m. Free. www.bethjacobrwc.org
“Poets Turned Smugglers.” Jewish history professor David Fishman on how two Yiddish poets from Vilna hid Jewish cultural treasures from the Nazis. At Taube Center for Jewish Studies, 450 Serra Mall, Stanford. 5 p.m. Another lecture on April 11, on author Chaim Grade (in Yiddish). Free. http://jewishstudies.stanford.edu
tuesday/12
“Jewish Scholars and the Study of Islam: Reflections on Modern Jewish Identity.” Lecture by Jewish studies professor Susannah Heschel of Dartmouth College. Berkeley Institute for Jewish Law and Israel Studies event. At Bancroft Hotel, 2680 Bancroft Way, Berkeley. 5:30 p.m. Free, but registration required. www.tinyurl.com/law-berkeley-IJLIS
thursday/14
“Navigating the Current Political Climate in Israel.” Lecture by Stav Shaffir, social justice activist and youngest female member of the Knesset. At Temple Isaiah, 945 Risa Road, Lafayette. 7 p.m. Free. RSVP at www.temple-isaiah.org/knesset
“A Sephardic Seder.” Learn to make traditional Middle Eastern dishes for Passover, including dolmas de verduras, baba ghanoush and baklava. At JCCSF, 3200 California St., S.F. 7 p.m. $50-$55 www.jccsf.org