PROGRAM FOR JANUARY 2009

Monday January 5
RESTITUTION OF JEWISH ASSETS IN SWISS BANKS
FROM THE SHOAH
Who really represented the victims of the Shoah and their heirs? A look at a modern day scandal.
Eliora Herfroy-Mischler, PhD. Media Science, researcher

Monday January 12
Rabbi Benjamin Segal presents his new book
"THE SONG OF SONGS: A WOMAN IN LOVE"
a translation and commentary of Shir Hashirim,
(Gefen Publishing House)

Monday January 19
JEWISH PERSPECTIVES ON ISRAEL'S REFUGEE DILEMMA
Melanie Takefman, International Communication
and Development Coordinator,
The Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI)

Monday January 26
AFTER GAZA: WHAT'S NEXT?
Jim Lederman, political & economic analyst

PROGRAM FOR FEBRUARY 2009

Monday February 2
BARUCH’S ODYSSEY. AN ETHIOPIAN JEW'S STRUGGLE
TO SAVE HIS PEOPLE
Baruch was determined to get his people out of Ethiopia and into Israel, a harrowing journey of three years by
land, sea and air.
Baruch Tegegne tells his story with Phyllis Schwartzman Pinchuk (Gefen Publishing House)

Monday February 9
"THE VALUE OF JEWISH AND ISRAELI ART: KAUFMAN TO KAFRI"
Maxine Blendis, art historian

Monday February 16
IN THE SHADOW OF A BURNING BUSH: POEMS ON EXODUS Yaakov Azriel presents his new book.

Monday February 23
IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE "NON ELECTION" CAMPAIGN
Jim Lederman, political and economic analyst

PROGRAM FOR MARCH 2009

Monday March 2
WHO WERE THE AMALEKITES, ARE THEY AROUND TODAY?
WHAT DO THE SAGES SAY?
Rabbi Mordecai Silverstein, Sr. Lecturer,
Conservative Yeshiva and Project Oded

Monday March 9
Purim vacation: no forum

Monday March 16
Concert by "Shirat Machar",
the singing troupe of Noam - Masorti Youth Movement.
(at Moreshet Yisrael Synagogue, 4 Agron St.)

Monday March 23
LORD BYRON'S OAK:
PSHAT AND DRASH IN HIS HEBREW MELODIES 1815
Prof. Dan Vogel

Monday March 30
The Schechter Haggadah by author Josh Kulp, PhD.
Dr. Kulp presents a fascinating discussion and analysis
of the historical development of the Seder,
from the development of the Mah Nishtanah
to the use of horseradish as maror,
to the larger question of how new seder rituals
were established and infused with meaning.

PROGRAM FOR APRIL 2009

Monday April 6
THE QUEST FOR THE ANSWERS TO THE "FOUR QUESTIONS"
Rabbi Ed Romm, Director of Education,
Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center

Monday April 13
Hol Hamoed - No Forum

Monday April 20
Erev Yom Hashoah Presentation
THE OPENING OF THE INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS
HOLOCAUST ARCHIVE IN BAD AROLSEN, GERMANY.
Revelations and secrets uncovered from this major Holocaust archive.
With Dr. Rose Lerer Cohen, Genealogist, Researcher, Consultant

Monday April 27
Erev Yom Hazikaron - no Forum

PROGRAM FOR MAY 2009

Monday May 4
THE DEVIL, DON JUAN, AND JACOB-ISRAEL
The well-known stories of Faust and Mephistopheles,
the adventures of Don Juan, and the struggles of the
biblical Jacob-Israel - who wrestles his whole life with angels and demons. We will attempt to understand the eternal
conflict between good and evil.
Rabbi Avraham Feder

Monday May 11
CHIRI BIM BAM BAM.
A LIVELY CONCERT OF YIDDISH SONG FEATURING THE WORKS OF LAZAR WEINER,
PRESENTED BY JTS CANTORIAL STUDENTS.
This evening is in honor of Dr. Judith Tischler on her retirement. She will be interviewed by Prof. Edwin Seroussi.
At Moreshet Yisrael, 4 Agron St.

Monday May 18
SHALOM ALECHEM, A MASTER STORY TELLER
With Dr. Jenny Weil, Ph.D., N.Y. U., Lecturer, Machon Lander.

Monday May 25
AN EVENING WITH THE AUTHOR
Rabbi Dr. Reuven Hammer
talks about his new book
"ENTERING TORAH" ,Geffen press.

PROGRAM FOR JUNE 2009

Monday June 1
BIBI AND BARACK: CAN THE TWAIN MEET?
Jim Lederman, Economic & political Analyst

Monday June 8
THE EXPLOSION IN KOSHER COOKBOOKS: FROM THE EXOTIC (CHINESE/JAPANESE) TO TRADITIONAL CUISINE.
With Sybil Kaplan, Food writer and cookbook compiler of 9 Kosher Cookbooks, Jerusalem Post columnist.

Monday June 15
TWO JEWISH TEMPLES IN ANCIENT EGYPT
Dr. Stephen Rosenberg, Fellow of the Albright Institute of Archaeological Research, Jerusalem

Monday June 22
ISRAELITE LAWS, CUSTOMS AND RITUALS:
THE ANTHROPOLOGY OF EATING
Stanley M. Newman, Ph.D.Emeritus professor of anthropology

Monday June 29
INTERNET: A BLESSING OR A CURSE? ETHICAL,
MORAL AND HALACHIC ISSUES.
Rabbi Sid Slivko, educator & internet consultant

PROGRAM FOR JULY 2009

Monday July 6
JEWISH GENEALOGY:
HOW TO START DISCOVERING YOUR FAMILY ROOTS.
Dr. Rose Lerer Cohen, , Genealogist, Researcher, Consultant

Monday July 13
LORD BYRON AND THE FALL AND RISE OF JERUSALEM
Prof. Dan Vogel, Professor of Literature
at Yeshiva University and Michlalah of Jerusalem, retired,
author of three books and numerous articles on general and Biblical Literature.

Monday July 20
OBAMA'S POLICY OF DIALOGUE:
SUBSTANCE OR JUST HOT AIR?
Jim Lederman, economic & political analyst

Monday July 27
THE CONTROVERSY OF TISHA B'AV AND YOM HASHOAH:
WHY IS YOM HASHOAH A SEPARATE DAY?
Rabbi Yehiel Graineman, educator

PROGRAM FOR AUGUST 2009

Monday August 3
TU B'AV: BOY MEETS GIRL.
COURTSHIP IN ANCIENT ISRAEL,
EGYPT AND MESOPOTAMIA
Dr. Stephen Rosenberg, Fellow of the Albright Institute
of Archaeological Research, Jerusalem

Monday August 10
A NIGHT OF NEW JEWISH MUSIC
WITH RABBI MENACHEM CREDITOR
Menachem Creditor of Shirav, a renowned Jewish folk music group from the States, will present a night of 'unplugged' music, blending traditional lyrics and contemporary original melodies.

Monday August 17
IRAN AND THE PREPARATIONS FOR WAR
Jim Lederman, political and economic analyst

Monday August 24
CAN PUBLIC OFFICIALS DO TESHUVA?
Rabbi Mordecai Silverstein, Sr. Lecturer

Monday August 31
IMAGINATION AS THE PATHWAY TO GOD (RABBI NACHMAN)
with Dr Yakov Azriel,
teacher, author of three books of Poetry
based on the Torah and "student" of Rabbi Nachman of Braslov.

PROGRAM FOR SEPTEMBER 2009

Monday Sept 7
WHAT WE EAT FOR THE HIGH HOLIDAYS AND WHY!
Sybil Kaplan, food writer and cookbook compiler
of 9 Kosher Cookbooks, Jerusalem Post columnist.

Monday Sept 14
THEMES IN THE BOOK OF GENESIS
THROUGH ART AND THEIR MEANING.
Maxine Blendis, art historian

Monday Sept 21
WHO WAS GEDALIA (TZOM GEDALIA)
AND WHY SHOULD I CARE?
AN IMPORTANT STORY FOR TODAY
Rabbi Sid Slivko, educator

Monday Sept 28
Yom Kippur: No Forum

PROGRAM FOR OCTOBER 2009

Monday October 5
HOL HAMOED - No Program

Monday October 12
"HOW SINGLES MEET"
Dr. Leah Hakimian, columnist
shares insights from her Godsend column
published in the online editions of The Jerusalem Post,
The Jewish Week, and St. Louis Jewish Light.

Monday October 19
"THE PEOPLE OF THE BOOK"
the well-known speaker, Judy Clark, will review
the number-one best-seller "The People of the Book"
by the Pulitzer Prize novelist Geraldine Brooks.
This program is in conjunction with Moreshet Yisrael
and will take place at 4 Agron Street.

Monday October 26
THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE GOLDSTONE REPORT
ON THE BATTLE AGAINST INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM.
Jim Lederman, economic & political analyst

PROGRAM FOR NOVEMBER 2009

Monday Nov 2
MARCHING FORWARD TO THE PAST
Harley Braidman looks back and shares his experiences and observations as a journalist and broadcaster for over 30 years for the English News Section of Kol Israel Radio.

Monday Nov 9
EMBERS OF KRISTAL NACHT:
RETURN FROM A POLISH SHTETL-PAST AND PRESENT.
Dr. Pesach Schindler, Rosh Yeshiva , Conservative Yeshiva

Monday Nov 16
DOES THE MIDDLE EAST HAVE ROOM FOR THREE REGIONAL SUPER POWERS: ISRAEL, IRAN AND TURKEY?
Jim Lederman, political & economic analyst

Monday Nov 23
DIFFERENCE AS A KEY COMMITMENT IN
THE SPIRITUAL ETHOS OF THE TALMUDIC MASTERS
Dr. Steve Copeland, educator

Monday Nov 30
MOSLEM AND JEWISH CLAIMS TO THE TEMPLE MOUNT:
A LOOK AT THE FACTS
Aaron Greener, archaeologist

PROGRAMS FOR DECEMBER 2009

Monday Dec. 7
LATKES, SUFGANIYOT, JUDITH AND CHEESE:
WHAT WE EAT FOR CHANUKAH AND WHY
With Sybil Kaplan, food writer, Jerusalem Post columnist
and cookbook compiler of 9 Kosher Cookbooks,

Monday Dec. 14
A CHANUKAH CELEBRATION
MUSIC OF ISRAEL GOLDFARB
with holiday melodies, children's songs and chazzanut,
featuring the Cantorial Students from
Hebrew Union College
and the Jewish Theological Seminary of America.
Special Guest: Professor Eliyahu Schleifer.
This event will take place in the Kreutzer Auditorium
of the Fuchsberg/Agron Guest House/ Beit Tichnor.
co-sponsored with Congregation Moreshet Yisrael

Monday Dec. 21
DUBAI'S IMPLOSION: LOTS OF LESSONS FOR ISRAEL
Jim Lederman, political and economic analyst

Monday Dec. 28
RABBI ELIEZER BEN-YEHUDAH, grandson of the
Eliezer Ben-Yehudah of modern Hebrew language fame,
will talk about the life's work of his grandfather
and introduce his new book.
An evening not to be missed.
co-sponsored with Congregation Moreshet Yisrael