The Busy Soul: How Can I Bring Jewish Spirituality, Learning and Ritual into My Full-to-Bursting Life?
3 sessions: 11:15 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Nov. 23, Dec. 7, 14
Free time has become the most precious commodity of our times, and those of us who want to deepen our connection to Jewish practice and thought often find it hard to make space for these in our lives. In this class we will study from a variety of Jewish texts, ancient and modern, that guide us in ways to incorporate Jewish values, learning, prayer and ritual into everyday actions at work, in our homes and at leisure, in every time and season of life. In lieu of the originally scheduled class on November 9, the course will be extended by 15 minutes for the remaining three sessions. No class 11/16, 11/30.
Cost is $10 for Temple Isaiah members; $25 for non-members. Click here to download the Adult Education brochure and registration form, or pay at the door.
The Busy Soul: How Can I Bring Jewish Spirituality, Learning and Ritual into My Full-to-Bursting Life?
3 sessions: 11:15 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Nov. 23, Dec. 7, 14
Free time has become the most precious commodity of our times, and those of us who want to deepen our connection to Jewish practice and thought often find it hard to make space for these in our lives. In this class we will study from a variety of Jewish texts, ancient and modern, that guide us in ways to incorporate Jewish values, learning, prayer and ritual into everyday actions at work, in our homes and at leisure, in every time and season of life. In lieu of the originally scheduled class on November 9 the course will be extended by 15 minutes for the remaining three sessions. No class 11/16, 11/30. Cost is $10 for Temple Isaiah members; $25 for non-members.
Y.E.S., We Have It in the Can - Ellen Bernstein-Ellis, WOI Co-president
Dear Temple Isaiah Community,
On Tikkun in the Community day, all of Temple Isaiah will reach out with willing hands and giving hearts to help our community. Come join fellow congregants as we work together on community service projects across the East Bay. Tikkun in the Community is for all Temple Isaiah members, from the youngest religious school students to senior citizens; from active teens to busy adults. There’s something for everyone!
Please read the project activity descriptions in this booklet and choose three projects that excite you, in order of preference. Complete the enclosed registration form and return it to the Temple. Or, you can save postage and sign up for projects via the Temple Isaiah website, right here on this site, or use the mailing you received (or download a copy here. Please note that registration via the website is limited to Temple Isaiah members only.
Please also remember these important details: All children must be accompanied by an adult. The details of a particular project may change based on the current needs of the benefiting organization. Check the website for the most up-to-date project descriptions. A few activities may be added after the publication of this brochure, so please check the website for additional activities.
Once you’ve registered you should hear from your project coordinator no later than September 30th.
Assignments are on a first-come, first-served basis (unless otherwise indicated), so the sooner you return your form or sign up online, the better your chances of getting your first choice! For more details about a particular project, please contact the project coordinator listed. For general information, please call one of us, your Tikkun in the Community Co-Chairs.
Whether you participate in an activity related to children and education, adults and the elderly, the homeless and needy, advocacy, or health and healing, there’s sure to be something for you. Trust us; you won’t want to miss this gratifying experience!
Anita Weil and Nadav Rave
(Phone numbers and email addresses are available from the Members Only online directory)
Schedule
Sunday, October 12, 2008
9:00 a.m. Light breakfast at Temple Isaiah Includes orientation, and an opening ritual. Please join us on time.
9:45 a.m. Volunteers meet with project coordinators and depart by 10:00 a.m. for projects that will last into the afternoon.
Registration Instructions
Registration via the website is limited to Temple Isaiah members only. Confirmation of requests made electronically will be sent to you via e-mail.
If you want to participate with another family or group, please send all of your registration forms together.
Projects are filled on a first come, first served basis. Some projects will fill quickly. To get your first choice register early! When you register be sure to give three choices, in order of preference.
Please print clearly and fill out the form completely. You should be notified of your placement by September 30th.
Sign up today for exciting new year of Havurat D’vash lunch programs. Click here to download our schedule and registration form.
Please RSVP each month
Chaverim (friends) – In order for us to plan enough seating and food for all our wonderful programs, we depend on your prompt RSVP’s for our programs. For any program, involving a meal or a fee, please respond to Mary Anne Winig, Adult Program Coordinator, in the office at 925-283-8575, ext. 301 or e-mail to:mawinig@temple-isaiah.org” at least seventy-two hours (3 days) before the scheduled program. If you are replying by e-mail, please put the name and date of the program in the subject line. Your diligence with this RSVP procedure will be greatly appreciated and make meal preparations and set-up easier for us all. Todah rabbah! (Thank you!)
We believe that Jewish learning is a lifelong endeavor, that education is at the core of what it means to be a Jew. We therefore offer opportunities for Jewish learning to people of all ages, at all stages of life. Whether you have been involved in Jewish education for many years, or you are brand new to Jewish learning, we welcome you to a new and exciting year of education at Temple Isaiah.
We invite you to explore our website to learn about the variety of educational opportunities available at Temple Isaiah. We offer Jewish learning for young children, kids and families, teens, and adults. We also encourage you to learn more about the Temple Isaiah library, which has an abundance of resources available at your fingertips.
Our Sages teach us that when two or more people sit together and engage in the study of Torah, the Shechinah (Divine Presence) dwells among them (Pirkei Avot 3:2). Through our experiences of Jewish learning at Temple Isaiah, may each of us – child and adult alike – come to sense God’s presence dwelling in our midst.
Coming soon - an all-new version of the WOI pages!
Expected to launch in August 2008, the new Women of Isaiah website will include up-to-date information on all of the activities and functions of WOI, as well as photos and audio/video clips from past events. The new site will include a calendar specifically for WOI events as well as resource pages on Jewish holidays and other topics of educational interest to our community.
Watch for announcements in late summer when we launch this new website.
The 2008 Religious School Registration Packet has been sent out. If you did not get it or need a blank copy Click here
Religious School Calendar 2008-2009
November’s Youth Group Events
Simcha(5th and 6th graders): Join us on Saturday, November 15th as we travel to Emeryville for a giant movie experience! We’ll head into the theater to see Madagascar 2 on the IMAX screen before enjoying a delicious dinner at Fuddruckers. Click here for the flyer!!
Anachnu(7th and 8th graders): Join us on Sunday, November 16th for a San Francisco adventure! We’ll head into the city, hitting up some of the coolest spots around including (but not limited to) Ripley’s Believe It or Not and the Wax Museum! Click here for the flyer!!
LAFTY (9th-12th graders): Join us on December 6th for a night of crazy-Broomball fun. What is Broomball? Broomball is hockey - with shoes instead of skates, brooms instead of sticks, and a ball instead of a puck. Come join LAFTY as we summon our stellar inner-players to form the best broomball team ever! (If you’re not so stellar, that’s cool too - no one’s really that good at broomball anyway!) We’ll have dinner at the Emerybay Public Market before heading to the rink. Click here for the flyer!!
Click here to download the NFTY Fall-Inter application.
Code of Conduct and Emergency Forms
Simcha Form
Anachnu Form
Lafty Form
Access to one year’s worth of back issues of the Ruach is available here.
Temple Isaiah’s youth group events provide an enjoyable, enriching and safe environment for all participants. They include a wide variety of social and adventure-oriented activities with a Jewish infusion. Our intention is to allow young people to socialize, take responsibility for themselves and each other, and have new experiences within a Jewish peer community that emphasizes social action and ethical decision-making. For more information about any of our youth groups call 284-9191 and ask for Dan Lange.
Coordinator: Deb Phillips
Sunday Teachers
Steve Steinberg, Jerry Frantz
The seventh grade curriculum at Temple Isaiah consists of five components: the Parent/Clergy Sessions, the Weekday Hebrew School, the Sunday Mitzvah Corps, the Seventh Grade Fund, and the youth group, Anachnu. Deb Phillips is our seventh grade coordinator and should be contacted if there are any questions.
THE PARENT/CLERGY SUNDAY SESSIONS are designed so that the B’nai Mitzvah process includes the parents and creates a close community of families who are going through the same life cycle event. The program encourages parents and their 7th grader to discuss the meaning of becoming Bar/Bat Mitzvah, engage in dialogue about the nature of prayer and Mitzvot, and delve into the levels of Torah interpretation. The parent component of the 7th grade consists of four Sunday sessions during Religious School on October 7th, 14, 21 and 28. Rabbi Shanks, Rabbi Graetz, Rabbi Forrest, and Cantor Korn will be involved in teaching these sessions. At least one parent is required to attend these sessions with his/her 7th grader.
THE WEEKDAY HEBREW SCHOOL component has three objectives: in preparation for becoming Bar/Bat Mitzvah, the students will engage in the study of the Torah portion of the week, and do a weekly Prayer Service. The service is led by Cantor Korn and consists of the central prayers in the Shabbat morning service, and discussions of their meanings. Class discussions will also include how the mitzvot are derived from the Torah text, and how they are relevant to our world today.
THE SUNDAY MITZVAH CORPS will go off site every other week and give students the opportunity to engage in social action projects throughout the Bay Area. Before going on a particular community service project, the students will study the specific mitzvah that they will be fulfilling.
THE SEVENTH GRADE FUND is an exciting program that helps Temple Isaiah’s students actively learn about philanthropy and take part in Tikkun Olam through Tzedakah. The Fund was initiated by the Seventh Grade class of 1998 1999, when students agreed to forego buying each other Bar and Bat Mitzvah gifts. Instead, each family chose to donate the money that would have been spent on these gifts into the Fund. With matching grants from individuals and foundations, the class established itself as a charitable foundation. The class then engaged in a short term grant giving cycle, which included learning about philanthropy, choosing an issue, researching potential grant recipients, and distributing all of the collected money to social service organizations. Each seventh grade class has an opportunity to discuss and vote on its participation in this voluntary program at the beginning of the seventh grade year.
OUR SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE YOUTH GROUP, Anachnu, adds an informal component to our students’ Jewish experience. We seek to create a supportive community of adolescents who are committed to each other, the Temple community, and the Jewish tradition. All students in the Seventh Grade will be receiving mailings about all of the Anachnu programs. Please see the Youth Groups section on page 21-22 of this brochure for additional information.
SEVENTH GRADE STUDENTS AND PARENTS, begin the year with a “Getting to Know You Havdalah and Potluck Dinner” on Saturday, September 8th from 5:30-7:30 at the Abeles’s house at 3947 Happy Valley Road in Lafayette. On this occasion, our 7th grade families will have a chance to meet our new Rabbi Alissa Forrest, our 7th Grade Coordinator and weekday teacher, Deb Phillips, and our wonderful team of Sunday seventh grade teachers. Please R.S.V.P. to the Education Office if you can not come at 925-284-9191.
Teacher: Genia Ruzer
The sixth graders meet once during the week and one session on Sunday. The Judaic curriculum is divided into two semesters. The first semester focuses on Jewish life cycle events and Jewish values exemplified by historic “Jewish heroes”. During the second semester the students will be investigating a family hero. The “historical heroes” project will culminate in our Heroes Café on April 13. The family heroes project will culminate in a “Family Reunion” on May 14th. Students will present stories, recipes, artifacts, and pictures that tell the narrative of their family hero.
Hebrew studies focus on understanding basic Shabbat Tefillot with a concentration on prayers that the students will lead during the Friday evening and Saturday morning services when they become Bar/Bat Mitzvah.
Our clergy is continuing the parent mentoring program with meetings scheduled for October 11 and November 27. In addition, our Rabbis and Cantor will be involved in a Shabbat morning learners’ minyan on November 3 and a Friday night and Saturday “Shabbaton” study on February 29 and March 1.
6th graders are also invited to jopin the Simcha our 5th and 6th grade youth group. Watch out for flyers about this year’s kick off event!!
6th grade calendar of important dates and meetings 2007
Teacher: Charna Schakow 
The fifth graders come to Religious School once during the week and one session on Sunday. The students study the sweep of Jewish history in America and then going back in time to review the travels of Abraham and Sarah, their children and grandchildren up to the creation of the modern state of Israel. Fifth Grade families will go on a tour of Jewish Gold Rush country on October 28 with Charna as their guide. After learning about the local travels of the Jewish people the students will be looking at the four major routes taken after the destruction of the Temple by the Romans in 70 C.E. The four routes correspond to the four major “edot” (geo-ethnic groups of the Jewish people): Sephardi, Mizrachi, Ashkenazi, and Romani. The Jewish holidays will be experienced in the style of Spanish, Yemenite, Polish, and Ethiopian Jewish groups. The year will include an Ashkenazi style “Shabbat Seder” on February 8; and a Sephardic “Crypto-Seder” on April 12 at 4:30 PM.
5th grade Hebrew studies will focus on the mastering the tefillot of the Shabbat evening Service. The students will be learning the basic “roots” (“shorashim”) of the Hebrew language that are used most frequently in Jewish religious texts.
Our Rabbis and Cantor will be mentoring the 5th grade parents. Each family will have a meeting with one of the Rabbis or Cantor during the Fall and will have group sessions together on November 14th and January 22nd at 7:30 pm.
5th graders are also invited to join the Simcha our 5th and 6th grade youth group. Watch out for flyers about this year’s kick off event!!
Teacher: Sharon Graetz
The fourth graders attend class twice per week, once during the week and on Sunday morning. The children will take a close look at the Exodus story, and the narratives about the creation of the Jewish people. The exploration of each story will involve close reading of the text, discussion, searching for significant words, figuring out the lesson and it’s relevance for us today. Students will create their own midrashic (interpretive) version of life before and after the people entered the Promised Land. The year’s Torah study will end with a Torah Fair in which the students will share what they have learned.
The Holiday curriculum is focused on teaching the history and traditions connected with each holiday. We want the students to see themselves as an important link in a long chain of holiday traditions.
In Hebrew studies, fourth graders will review the letters and vowels and then go on to read simple Hebrew stories and prayers. The fourth graders will also begin looking at the basic Hebrew roots (shorashim) found most frequently in Jewish texts.
Teacher: Erin Bloom
Our third graders come to Isaiah twice per week, once during the week and on Sunday morning. The students will begin an in depth study of the Torah by closely reading the book of Genesis. Their study will consist of discussions of the plot, character and motivation, and the Jewish values inherent in the text. Parents and third graders will write questions about each of the stories which they will share with the rest of the class. The culmination of the third graders’ Torah Study will be putting together their questions and comments in a bound Torah book.
Our third graders will learn how to decode Hebrew and will develop a basic Hebrew vocabulary. In addition they will be learning simple prayers and blessings with a focus on the Friday evening service.
Teacher: Leah Kleinman 
The 2nd grade curriculum’s main focus is the study of the Synagogue as a Jewish community home. The students will become synagogue detectives and explore the parts of the sanctuary, the different people what work in the synagogue, and the various types of events and holiday celebrations that take place there. The 2nd graders will have the privilege of taking a virtual trip to Israel. They will create passports, take an airplane to Israel (from the Temple Isaiah Airport), and explore Jerusalem, a kibbutz, Masada, and Eilat. The Hebrew curriculum will focus on key Hebrew Synagogue words and their initial letters, and the students will learn some key modern Hebrew vocabulary words before embarking on their trip to Israel.
2nd grade families are invited to a Shabbat Dinner and service especially for them on November 16th at 6:00. We’ll have dinner in the adult lounge and have an appropriate singing and storytelling service immediately following
Teacher: Aya Gonen 
The curriculum of the first grade focuses on the Jewish home. The students will create their own miniature Jewish homes and will make small ritual objects to add to them as they learn about the holiday and Shabbat home celebrations. There will be family programs which are designed to provide families with the tools they need to bring Jewish ritual into their homes. Throughout their study of the Jewish home the first graders will explore key Hebrew vocabulary words and their initial letters. Jewish holidays will be experienced through ritual, stories, and special projects.
Kindergarten and first grade families are invited to a Shabbat Dinner and service especially for them on October 19th at 6:00. We’ll have dinner in the adult lounge and have an appropriate singing and storytelling service immediately following
Kindergarten
Teacher: TBA
The celebration of Shabbat is a focal point of the kindergarten year. Kindergartners will create their own Shabbat ritual objects and learn the songs and blessings used during home celebrations. Students and parents will be taken through a “mock Shabbat” of blessings and songs, preparing them to participate in Friday night and Havdalah home rituals. The students will be introduced to key Hebrew Shabbat and holiday vocabulary words and the letters with which they begin, through hands-on exploration.
Family sessions are designed to help families incorporate Judaism into their lives. Kindergartners and new students are formally welcomed to the world of Jewish study at the Consecration that takes places during the Simchat Torah Service on October 5th. At this service our Kindergartners will be given a miniature Sefer Torah.
Kindergarten and first grade families are invited to a Shabbat Dinner and service especially for them on October 19th at 6:00. We’ll have dinner in the adult lounge and have an appropriate singing and storytelling service immediately following
Our New Social Hall is the Perfect Choice for Your Next Celebration
Whether your Simcha celebration is an anniversary or retirement party, Bar or Bat Mitzvah, wedding or other special occasion, Temple Isaiah provides the ambiance, beauty and professional experience with every detail to make your event truly memorable.
Temple Isaiah offers a compelling alternative to dark, windowless hotel ballrooms or restaurant venues. Our spacious new ballroom has vaulted ceilings and tall windows, adding beauty to any celebration.
Temple Isaiah’s new, fully equipped modern kitchen can handle all types of catering requirements.*
Seating is available in flexible table configurations to accommodate up to 300 people. We also provide an attractive, in-laid dance floor for your convenience.
Carefully designed to incorporate outdoor beauty with a bright and airy indoor space, Temple Isaiah’s synagogue and social hall enhance our guest’s enjoyment while celebrating any special occasion.
From our hilltop setting, the outdoor courtyard areas offer views of the Lafayette Reservoir. These areas may be used for photo sessions, small receptions, cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.
To discuss your event, reserve a date or tour the facility, please call:
Michael Liepman, Executive Director: 925.283.8575
*Temple Isaiah observes the dietary laws of Biblical Kashrut which prohibits all pork and shellfish, as well as the serving of dairy and meat products in the same course. Dairy substitutes are available.
Men’s Retreat—March 14th, 2008—Join Us in Alamo
As this January Ruach appears, we’re turning the corner into a new (secular) year. I hope all of you, your loved ones and friends made it through the winter break without any broken bones (if any snow has materialized) or auto accidents. I would like to warmly thank Harry Strout and Michael Swernoff for leading our two December events: Bowling Night (12/3) and our main contribution to Winter Nights (“graveyard shift”), respectively. I also take this opportunity to welcome new members Michael Brent, Gary Cohn, Morris Collen, Michael Drumm, Bruce Farber, Steve Gordon, Marvin Jasper, Jon Kalan, Mike Prilutsky and Arthur Scharlach.
Take a close look at the Men’s Retreat. You should know that the retreat is the raison d’etre of Anshei Isaiah—which only got started because we wanted to replicate the feeling of our retreat on a more frequent basis throughout the year. The retreat will run from Erev Shabbat on Friday, March 14th through breakfast on Sunday, March 16th, at the Westminster Center in Alamo. For men that are new to the temple or Anshei Isaiah, the retreat is a remarkable Jewish experience that brings us closer to our faith and our temple brothers including Rabbi Graetz, Cantor Korn and Joel Siegel. The retreat makes it easy to enter Shabbat time and stay there throughout the day, with a Shabbat minyan, Torah study, hiking, nap, horseshoe, eating, discussion, havdallah….and maybe some poker (after havdallah—of course!).
Please don’t hesitate to contact me at with any questions or comments on any aspect of Anshei Isaiah. Are you getting the e-newsletter? What do you think of the programming? I sometimes hear that guys are afraid to join because they don’t want to be “roped in” to a long-term commitment. That’s understandable; we do want you to be involved. Truth be told, some guys come to one event per year, some to eight. For most of us, our lives are more scheduled and hectic than we would like them to be, and we can’t do it all. If you don’t want to join right now, come to an event anyway—we’d love to see you there. See you at Yoshi’s on the 27th!
L’shalom v’l’hitraot.
Feel free to contact me at Pete at
-- Pete Bluford
If you know of a Temple member who is ill or in the hospital, call the Temple and give us the information. That way the Rabbis can visit, and Angel Network can provide support. Don’t assume that we know—we will only know if you tell us!
Do you sometimes need a ride to services?
Are you willing to drive fellow congregants to services on occasion? Call Mary Anne (283-8575) to sign up. The Angel Network will match drivers with those in need of an occasional ride.
Listed below are five main areas of focus with the ongoing volunteer opportunities. We encourage you to get involved with Social Action and help make a difference. For each contact listed below, please use the Members Only membership database call the Temple office for phone numbers and/or e-mail addresses.
Temple Isaiah’s committees lead the Temple’s activities and efforts in everything from social action to the Temple grounds, from education to religious practices, from personnel and leadership development to Isaiah’s relationship with the land of Israel. Follow the “Read More” link below for an overview of all of Temple Isaiah’s committees and the current committee chairs and co-chairs.
Mission Statement
The Library at Temple Isaiah supports the ongoing pursuit of Jewish learning for all members of our community and the surrounding Jewish community in a welcoming atmosphere with a broad range of Judaic books, media and educational materials.
Library Hours and Information
Our professional librarian, on hand during hours of opening, will be happy to assist you. Gan Ilan children are invited to regular pre-school storytimes with the librarian; and Religious School teachers may schedule storytime with the librarian for Primary School age children. Volunteers may open the Library at additional times for your convenience.
Fall/Winter Hours begin Oct. 2nd, 2007:
- Sun - 8:45 a.m. - 1 p.m.
- Tue - 1:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
- Wed - 1 p.m. - 9 p.m.
- Thu - 8:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
If you plan to come especially to visit the Library, please telephone to verify hours: 925-283-8575, ext. 322. Voicemail is available.
Goals
- To educate students in philanthropy and to teach about the power of educated charitable giving.
- To emphasize the value of Tzedakah as an integral part of adult Jewish life.
- To provide a meaningful alternative to the materialism that is often a large part of the B’nai Mitzvah experience in contemporary America.
- To relieve some pressure on families by agreeing voluntarily and collectively that donations to the Seventh Grade Fund will replace customary gifts to B’nai Mitzvah.
- To provide targeted financial gifts to advance the cause of one or more charitable service organizations.
- To foster a sense of responsibility and effectiveness within the Seventh Grade Community by giving them the power to make positive change in the world.
6-1-09
7:30 pm
Adult Lounge
Karen Marriner - contact info in members only section or through the office - 925-283-8575
5/16/2009
Off Site - Ralston White Retreat - Mill Valley
5-15-09 5-16-09
4:00 pm
Off-Site - Ralston White Retreat - Mill Valley, CA
Karen Marriner - contact info in members only section or through the office - 925-283-8575
Dec.9, 2008
7:15 pm
Beit Knesset and other locations as reserved
4-27-09
7:30 pm
Beit Knesset
Karen Marriner - contact info in members only section or through the office - 925-283-8575
3-30-09
7:30 pm
TBA
Karen Marriner - contact info in members only section or through the office - 925-283-8575
March 2, 2009
7:30 pm
Beit Knesset
Jeanette Gross
An open chanting session meets once each month on a Monday, from 7:30 to 9:15 p.m. in the Beit Knesset.
No prior knowledge of Hebrew or singing experience is necessary. For more information, please contact Jeanette Gross at SacredHebrewChant.com
2-23-09
7:30 pm
Beit Knesset
Karen Marriner - contact info in members only section or through the office - 925-283-8575
February 16, 2009 (Off-Site)
7:30 pm
(Off-Site - Contact Jeanette at SacredHebrewChant.com for details)
Jeanette Gross
An open chanting session meets once each month on a Monday, from 7:30 to 9:15 p.m., usually in the Beit Knesset.
THIS SESSION WILL BE HELD OFF-SITE DUE TO THE PRESIDENT’S DAY HOLIDAY. Contact Jeanette at SacredHebrewChant.com for details.
No prior knowledge of Hebrew or singing experience is necessary. For more information, please contact Jeanette Gross at SacredHebrewChant.com
Feb.1, 2009
11:00 am
Social Hall
Jan. 31, 2009
4 PM Reception in the Sanctuary Foyer
5 PM Lecture in the Sanctuary
Sanctuary Foyer and Sanctuary
Jan.31, 2009
10:30 AM
Sanctuary
Jan. 31, 2009
8:45 AM
Adult Lounge
Jan. 30, 2009
8:00 PM
Scholar In Residence Weekend Runs Jan. 30-Feb. 1, 2009
Sanctuary
2009 Scholar-in-Residence Beatrice J.W. Lawrence will speak at services. Ms. Lawrence grew up in Moscow, Idaho. She received her BA in Religion from Carleton College, her MA in Jewish Studies from Emory University, and is currently completing her doctoral dissertation at Emory. Her research focuses on the presentation of non-Israelites in the Bible, and the treatment of non-Jews in rabbinic literature. In addition, she is interested in gender as an interpretive lens. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two daughters.
Gan Ilan classes for 2,3,4 and 5 year olds are in the Library for storytime every other week.
See list of dates below.
10:30 AM
Library
Contact Gan Ilan at 284-8453.
Young children meet the bumbling big bird Ziz, Sammy Spider, Hershel, the King of the Goblins, and more wonderful literary characters through the magic of storytime with Librarian Val Morehouse. Storytime and class visits by advance arrangement with the Librarian (click here to hear a story podcast on your computer). To subscribe to the email newsletter Book Links Isaiah for educators and parents of children Pre-K-Grade 12 send your preferred email to with the subject line SUBSCRIBE BOOK LINKS ISAIAH.
Jan. 29-Feb. 1, 2009
Begins the evening of Thursday, Jan. 29, and continues until the return flight on Feb. 2, 2009
offsite in Washington, D.C., at the Sheraton National Hotel and other venues
Contact Clergy Secretary Nina at 283-8575, ext. 314. Rabbi Forrest and Rabbi Graetz will lead the group.
This unique Washington, D.C. opportunity lets students hear from experts from both inside and outside of the Jewish Community. During the weekiend we will cover several different issues in a variety of interactive formats. We will tour the U.S. Holocaust Museum, sample the vibrancy of Georgetown, and experience Havdalah at one of the national monuments.
Jan. 29-30, 2009
No classes these days due to parent conferences.
Gan Ilan Classrooms
Contact Gan Ilan at 274-8453
Jan. 27, 2009
7 PM
Adult Lounge
1-26-09
7:30 pm
Beit Knesset
Karen Marriner - contact info in members only section or through the office - 925-283-8575
January 25, 2009
12:00-5:30 p.m.
Temple Isaiah
3800 Mt. Diablo Blvd.
Lafayette, CA
Beginning a Conversation about the Stigma of Mental Illness
Join us for an afternoon of discussion and learning as we work to create a climate of acceptance, caring and compassion regarding mental illness in our community. P’tach Libeynu will include workshops, discussions, and the distribution of resource materials for those who live with mental illness and their loved ones. We will end the afternoon with a healing service.
Presenters Include:
Rabbi Judy Shanks, Temple Isaiah
Rabbi Eric Weiss, Executive Director, Bay Area Jewish Healing Center
Keynote Speaker:
Dr. Johanna Ferman, Medical Director, Adult System of Care, Contra Costa County Mental Health Division
Also Featuring:
Rebecca Woolis, M.A., MFT, Berkeley Creative Living Center, Author of When Someone You Love has a Mental Illness
Rebecca Schwartz, MSW, URJ Department of Jewish Family Concerns
Save the Date! Registration information will be coming soon.
Questions? Email us at
P’tach Libeynu is sponsored by Temple Isaiah and Women of Isaiah, Congregations B’nai Tikvah, Beth Chaim, B’nai Shalom, Contra Costa JCC, Jewish Community Federation of the Greater East Bay, Jewish Family and Children’s Services of the East Bay, the Bay Area Jewish Healing Center, and the Union of Reform Judaism’s Department of Jewish Family Concerns. The afternoon is supported, in part, by the generosity of the Telecare Corporation.
Download our save the date flyer here.
Jan. 24, 2009
5pm
Adult Lounge and Beit Knesset
Contact the Education Dept. at 284-9191
Jan. 24, 2009
10:30 AM
Sanctuary
Jan. 24-25, 2009
Times TBA
Location TBA
Contact Dan Lange at 284-9191
See event dates below
7:30 PM
Oneg
Contact Mary Anne Winig at 283-8575, ext. 301
Dinner this year is $20 per person, payable with your advance reservation or at the door. Please be sure to reserve your space by Tuesday of the week of the dinner. Contact Mary Anne Winig in the Temple office in order to give an accurate count to the caterer.
Jan. 23, 2009
6:30 PM
Sanctuary
Meshorerim performs.
Jan. 23, 2009
6:00 PM
Oneg Area
Jan. 23, 2009
4 pm
Offsite
January 23, 2009 - January 25, 2009
For details see: WRJ Sisterhood Leadership Conference
Jan. 22, 2009
7 pm
Social Hall
RSVP to Stan at
Anshei Isaiah Board member Stan Pollack will moderate a Financial Planning Seminar.
Jan. 21, 2009
8:45 AM
Library
Contact Val Morehouse at 283-8575.
Jan. 18, 2009
All Day
All Campus
Jan. 17, 2009
10:30 AM
Sanctuary
Jan. 15, 2009
10:30 AM
Adult Lounge
The group will discuss Geraldine Brooks’ novel People of the Book on Jan. 15, at 10:30 AM in the Adult Lounge. Brooks has turned the intriguing but sparely-detailed history of the beautifully illustrated Sarajevo Haggadah, into an emotionally rich story that retraces its turbulent journey through history and through lives touched by it. In the hands of Hanna Heath, an impassioned rare-book expert, who in 1996 is restoring the manuscript of this early Jewish religious volume in Sarajevo, the book begins to yield clues to its guardians and its whereabouts. Highly recommended in Temple Isaiah Library News, “Gemlike,” this title spent weeks on the bestseller list.
Open Thursdays. Consult list below of dates open.
8:45 am until 1 pm
Llibrary
Contact the Librarian at 283-8575
See dates below
Zero Hour Class begins at 5:45 PM
Noar Night 9-12 begins at 6:45 PM
Social Hall, Talmud Torah Classrooms, and other venues as assigned
Contact Rabbi Forrest at 284-9191 for more information
Jan. 12, 2009
7:00 PM
Adult Lounge
Jan. 11, 2009
1:15 PM
Social Hall
Jan. 11, 2009
10:40 AM
Social Hall
Contact the Education Dept. at 284-9191
Jan. 11, 2009
8:45 am to 1 pm
Library
Contact Librarian Val Morehouse at 283-8575
Jan. 10, 2009
12 noon
Social Hall
For family and invited guests.
Jan. 10, 2009
10:30 AM
Sanctuary
Jan. 9, 2009
8:00 PM
Sanctuary
For more information contact Librarian Val Morehouse at 283-8575.
Local Author Dylan Schaffer will speak about his book Life, Death, and Bialys: a father son baking story. When Schaffer’s dying father telephoned him in California to invite him to take a baking class with him in New York, he was less than enthusiastic, but he accepted. This was the man who had abandoned him and his siblings to be raised by his clinically depressed mother. To Schaffer, his father was obnoxious, but to the other students, he was charismatic. Though the author still saw all that his father had not been to him, he began to see a more complete picture of the man as others saw him, and he realized that, in his own way, his father was asking for forgiveness. The book moves quickly; it is clever, funny, and poignant as Schaffer reveals some basic human truths that will resonate. Meet the author and peruse the traveling library at the Temple Library Table at the Oneg after services.
Jan. 9, 2009
6pm
Adult Lounge and Beit Knesset
Contact the Education Dept. at 284-9191
Jan. 9, 2009
9:15 AM Toddler
10:45 AM Baby
Adult Lounge
Every other Thursday generally.
See list of dates below.
First storytime begins 10:30 AM. Others follow.
By advance arrangement with the Librarian.
Library
Contact Gan Ilan at 284-8453.
January see dates below
7:00 PM
Adult Lounge
To register and for more information contact the Education Dept. at 284-9191
This course titled Israel Diversity - Melting Pot or Salad Bowl? will be taught by Vavi Toran. 4 Sessions: 7-8:30 pm, Weds. Jan. 7-Jan. 28, 2009. Cost is $55 members; $65 non-members.
Israeli society is made up of many groups and ethnic sub-groups (edot), which together form the country’s social fabric. The background, traditions, expertise, and culture brought by each wave of immigration, or carried on by generations who remained in Eretz Israel, have been of immeasurable value in the development of Israel’s pluralistic, democratic society. We will explore a few distinct groups and experience their history, heritage culture and traditions as they congregate and coexist in a multicultural environment.
Jan. 6, 2009, Jan. 7, 2009, Jan. 8th 2008 [follows the weekly Relgious School days]
Jan.6 at 4:15 PM
Jan. 7 at 3:45 PM
Jan. 8 at 4:15 PM
Beit Knesset
Contact the Education Dept. for More information, 284-9191.
All students in our Religious School are exposed to Hebrew: they learn key Hebrew words, phrases, songs, prayers, and of course, the Hebrew Alphabet (which is called the “Aleph-Bet"). We encourage you to support your children as they learn Hebrew by learning the language alongside them. This session will give you tips about how you can take the first few steps into the aleph-bet as an adult. Join us for this convenient introduction.
Jan. 6, 2009
4:00 PM
Talmud Torah Center generally.
Contact the Education Department at 284-9191.
Jan 6, 2009
1:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Library
Contact Librarian Val Morehouse at 283-8575, ext. 322.
Jan. 6, 2009
8:15 AM
Sanctuary
January 5, 2009
7:30 pm
Beit Knesset
Jeanette Gross
An open chanting session meets once each month on a Monday, from 7:30 to 9:15 p.m. in the Beit Knesset.
No prior knowledge of Hebrew or singing experience is necessary. For more information, please contact Jeanette Gross at SacredHebrewChant.com
Jan. 5, 2009
9:00 AM
Talmud Torah Center Gan Ilan Classrooms
Contact Director Denise Moyes-Schnur at 284-8453.
Jan. 4, 2009
All Day
1/3/2009
10:30 am
Sanctuary
See dates listed below
8:45 am
Beit Knesset
Jan. 2, 2009
Dinner at 6:00 PM
Service at 6:30 PM
Oneg follows.
Social Hall and Sanctuary
Jan.2-6, 2009
No Religious School
Jan.1, 2009
All Day
All Campus
12/28/08
12/27/08
10:30 am
Sanctuary
Dec. 29, 2008
9:15 am
Beit Knesset
12/27/08
12/26/08
12/25/08
Dec. 24, 2008
6pm
Adult Lounge
Contact the Education Dept. for more information
12/24/08
12/23/08
December 22, 2008
7:30 - 9:15 pm
Beit Knesset
An open chanting session meets once each month on a Monday, from 7:30 to 9:15 p.m. in the Beit Knesset.
No prior knowledge of Hebrew or singing experience is necessary. For more information, please contact Jeanette Gross at SacredHebrewChant.com
12/22/08