Shavuot Night Live
May 16th, 7:00-9:30 PM
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Schedule
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10:00 – 11:30 AM Pick up cheesecake
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7:00 - 7:25 PM Welcome and launch of our very own, new community TORAH!
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7:30 - 8:10 Session One
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8:15 - 8:55 Session Two
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9:00 - 9:30 Closing Remarks and Minyan
Our community members are some of the most interesting, thoughtful, and impressive experts in all kinds of diverse fields, and we can’t think of a better way to enrich our community than to learn from each other and grow!
Please join us virtually on Sunday, May 16 at 7:00 pm! See our own beloved soferet Linda Coppleson begin writing a unique Torah for COS, kicking off the 14 month process that will make this Torah personal to each and every one of us.
Then stay to plot your own Shavuot adventure! Pick one class per session from terrific choices led by our members (and friends!).
And though we can’t yet be in the same room, we are taking every opportunity to flex our wonderful sense of community - so we are delighted to order a mini cheesecake for you to enjoy. Pick up will be on Sunday, May 16 from 10 - 11:30.
Welcome to Shavuot Night Live
Gathering 7:00-7:25
Nothing was more important to the rabbis of the Talmud than ensuring that the Tradition was passed down from one generation to the next. Toward that end, the Talmud preserves the following teaching from the 4th Century CE: “Rava says: With regard to the obligation for all Jews to write themselves a Torah scroll, even if a person’s ancestors left them a Torah scroll, it is a mitzvah to write a scroll of one’s own, as it is stated: ‘Now, therefore, write for yourselves this song and teach it to the children of Israel (Deuteronomy 31:19).’”
The truth is that we don’t all have the ability to write an entire Torah scroll on our own. It takes a skilled scribe about a year to write one. However, thanks to our member Linda Coppleson – who IS a trained soferet or scribe – our community has the opportunity to take part in this amazing process. Linda will start writing the first few words of our new Torah scroll and explain to us all how we can be a part of this exciting (in-person!) project.
And don't miss the special musical element, specially designed to launch our Torah and set the spirit for our evening, led by our own beloved Cantor Roth!
A number of states are considering laws to limit the rights and opportunities for people who do not identify as either male or female. These laws are based on the assumption that there are only two genders and everyone has to belong to one of those two categories. However, the Talmud actually identifies SIX different genders. Surprised?? Come find out about those other four genders!
Your very own Rabbi, Avi Friedman!!!!
You Say ‘Two’ – The Talmud Says ‘Six’
Mimi Zukoff will lead this interactive, discussion-based session with a “show and tell” of various products that she uses in her day to day life to cut down on waste and single use plastic. We will talk about strategies to reduce your family’s “footprint” on the Earth. Participants are encouraged to share and ask questions.
Mimi Zukoff is the “Chief Sustainability Officer” of Congregation Ohr Shalom. She is a founding member and leader of the Summit Area GreenFaith Circle. An active member of the Summit Environmental Commission (EC), Mimi represents the EC on the Summit Recycling Advisory Committee and the Regional Pollinators Working Group. Mimi is passionate about sustainability and caring for the Earth as a core Jewish value. A retired Jewish educator, she has developed and taught courses on Jewish Environmentalism, Zero-Waste living, and Recycled material crafts. She is back by popular demand, having led sessions at both Shavuot Night Live 2019 and 2020, and was the featured speaker at Beth Hatikvah’s Social Action Shabbat.
Tips for Sustainable Living - We CAN do it
The EU’s recent announcement that vaccinated Americans will be able to visit Europe this summer has made post Covid travel a near reality. What will it look like and what role, as travelers, do we play in its return? How can tourism's future be re-imagined, not only as one which enriches the traveler, but as a positive force beyond our reach? Join Tailored Tours founder Jonathan Lerner for an insightful conversation about travel’s impact as a model for regeneration: of local economies, age old customs and innovation.
Originally from New Jersey, Jonathan Lerner has lived in Spain for the last 14 years where he founded and runs Tailored Tours, an award winning travel design company specialized in culinary & cultural experiences. He has been featured on NPR Weekend and VinePair.com, the largest digital platform in the US for millennial wine & beer enthusiasts. He is particularly interested in post Covid travel as an endeavor bridging urban and rural cultures, promoting local craft and celebrating a sense of place. In short, how to travel meaningfully.
The Future of Travel
Session One 7:30-8:10
Session Two 8:15-8:55
The Dead Sea Scrolls: A Tale of Intrigue
The finding of the Dead Sea Scrolls opened a window to the spiritual world and the life of the Second Temple period – one of the most conflicted eras in Jewish history. They shed light on the process by which various Jewish sects sprang up during that time, one of which would morph into Christianity. But - even today these archaeological finds continue to raise more questions than answers. When Israel built the Shrine of the Book to house the Dead Sea scrolls thousands of people come to visit the Israel Museum each year. They don't come to see the Crown Jewels, or military hardware - they come to see our text, the Jewish People's national treasure.
Stacey David has pioneered new programs and innovative projects as Education Director at COS-SJCC since 1998. Stacey studied in the U.S. and Israel and has degrees in Hebraic Studies and Early and Elementary Education. She graduated in the first cohort of the Leadership Institute for Congregation Principals and the first cohort of the Center for Israel Education at Emory University. She holds a certificate from the Congregational Learning Leadership Initiative at the Jewish Education Project.
God, Grades, and Graduation: Religion's Surprising Impact on Academic Success
Religion is a powerful social force - it influences how Americans vote, where they choose to live, who their friends are, how much time they spend with family and how happy they are. Yet, when it comes to education, the role of religion is typically ignored. In this session, Dr. Horwitz will discuss how adolescents' religious commitments shape their educational journeys both in the short and long term.
Ilana Horwitz is a sociologist of religion and education driven by the following question: How do life course patterns differ based on people’s gender, ethnicity, race, social class, and religious upbringing? She has a PhD in Sociology of Education & Jewish Studies from Stanford University and beginning fall 2021 will join the Jewish Studies faculty at Tulane University as the Chair of Contemporary American Jewry. Her forthcoming book, "God, Grades, and Graduation: Religion's Surprising Impact on Academic Success" is being published by Oxford University Press.
Not the Usual Suspects: Tasty and Refreshing White Wine Alternatives for Summer Enjoyment
With warmer weather on the way, wine lovers tend to turn their affections toward white wines. A cold, tasty, and refreshing glass of white wine can be perfect for light summer meals as well as savory Asian dishes, or sitting, reading, schmoozing, or entertaining outdoors on a warm afternoon or evening. But when it comes to which white wine to buy and enjoy, many of us are stuck in a lane. When we shop, somehow, we often end up more or less with the same white wine: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, or perhaps another popular favorite. While there’s nothing necessarily wrong with these choices, maybe it's time to get unstuck, change lanes, and try an alternative. Ever consider Grüner Veltliner from Austria, Roero Arneis from Italy’s Piedmont, Chenin Blanc from South Africa, or Alvarinho from Portugal? At Shavuot Night Live we’ll discuss these and other delicious, crisp, and zesty white wines, how to shop for them, and what foods they pair with. We’ll even taste a few. (We’ll make available a small selection of the tasting wines for purchase beforehand at a nearby retailer.)
David Ehrenfried has been buying, tasting and keeping notes about wines from around the world for over 35 years and now writes a monthly column about enjoying wine. David makes a point of trying different kinds of wines, but he has a soft spot for Italian, Portuguese and German Riesling wines as well as wines made in many places with Syrah or Pinot Noir grapes.