tuesday/4
“Chasing Portraits.” Elizabeth Rynecki discusses her book about her efforts to track down the lost paintings made by her great-grandfather Moshe Rynecki, who perished in the Holocaust. At Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Blvd, Corte Madera. 7 p.m. Free. www.chasingportraits.org
“Do We Humans Really Have Free Will?” Philosophical panel discussion led by Rabbi Moshe Levin as an alternative to second-day Rosh Hashanah services. At Congregation Ner Tamid, 1250 Quintara St., S.F. 10 a.m. Free. www.nertamidsf.org
wednesday/5
“The Spiritual Practice of Good Actions.” Book talk by modern Mussar practitioner Greg Marcus. At Books Inc., 2712 Augustine Drive, Santa Clara. 7 p.m. Free. Also Oct. 13 at Books Inc., 1491 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. 7 p.m. Free. www.booksinc.net
thursday/6
“The Grammar of God.” Presentation by author and translator Aviya Kushner about the challenges of biblical translations and their present-day impact. At Jewish Community Library, 1835 Ellis St., S.F. 7 p.m. Free. www.jewishcommunitylibrary.org
thursday/13
Naomi Seidman. Professor of Jewish culture in conversation about her new book, “The Marriage Plot, or How Jews Fell in Love with Love, and with Literature.” At Graduate Theological Union, 2400 Ridge Road, Berkeley. 5:30 p.m. Free. www.gtu.edu/events