October 2010 — Bagel Brunch
Our first bagel brunch of the new year was on upcoming election issues. It was led by our members Jean Safir and Helene Lecar, also of the League of Women Voter.We brought our questions and comments as well as our appetites. Lots of schmoozing and great food per usual.

October 2010 — Shabbat
Our humanistic shabbat was led by the Caspi-Lai family (Denise Lai, Eylon Caspi, and sons Joshua and Ross). Once again, we also collected contributions to donate to Berkeley's homeless families, as part of national Children's Sabbath activities; member Helene Lecar gave us an update. Music and song-leading was provided by Ben Brussell.

November 2010 —Bagel Brunch
Our bagel brunch topic was Spinoza, led by our member Bernie Rosen, Ph.D., Philosophy. It was the first in a series on Jewish Intellectual History meeting as an ongoing group. We brought our questions and comments as well as our appetites. Lots of schmoozing and great food per usual.

November 2010 — Shabbat
Our humanistic shabbat was led this evening by member Gladys Perez-Mendez. Music and song-leading provided by Ben Brussell.

December 2010 —Chanukah
Our Chanukah celebration was our annual potluck followed by a service led by Naomi Hatkin and family. Music and song-leading provided by Gerry Tenney. Potluck assignments included dessert, main dish, latkes and applesauce, salad, veggies, carbs, etc. We provided the drinks.

January 2011 Bagel Brunch
Our Bagel Brunch topic was Yiddish Civilization, led by member Harold Lecar. Yiddish, made up of Germanic, Hebrew and Slavic components, emerged as an international lingua franca for the Jews of Eastern and Northern Europe. Dr. Lecar led us on a journey spanning a thousand years--from medieval Europe to twentieth century New York City. In an age when only the educated could read written Hebrew, Yiddish was often dismissed as the language of women and the uneducated. Scholars wrote in Hebrew or Aramaic -- "loshn hakoydesh". Because of this social distinction, there has always been a kind of love-hate relationship with Yiddish. Particularly in the West, Yiddish was derided as the "zhargon" -- a folk dialect. However people realized that it was also the "mame loshn" -- the one language that united Jews all over the world. Thus Yiddish also became the vehicle for introducing modernity to the Jewish communities isolated in hostile environments.

January 2011 — Jewish Intellectual History Group
We showed two half-hour videos, each followed by a half-hour discussion: "Cultural Transformation in the Italian Ghetto," Dr. Marilyn Boxer, historian and discussion leader; and "Seventeenth -Century Marranism and Messianism," Dr. Bernie Rosen, philosopher and discussion leader. Both videos are of Prof. David Ruderman, University of Pennsylvania, and are part of the Teaching Company series on Jewish Intellectual History.

January 2011 — Tu B'Shevat Seder/Shabbat
We held a combination humanistic Tu B'Shevat Seder and shabbat led by member Alana Shindler.We shared tree fruits, nuts and charoset during this newly written humanistic mini-seder. Music and song-leading was provided by Ben Brussell.

February 2011 — Darwin Day Bagel Brunch
Our Bagel Brunch celebrated Darwin Day, with guest speaker Joshua Rosenau of the National Center for Science Education (NCSE) speaking on: "Leap of Faith: Intelligent design's trajectory after Dover." The 2005 judicial ruling that intelligent design is creationism, and not constitutional to teach in public school science classes, closed the door on an era in the creation/evolution conflict. But even before the trial, creationists were already preparing their successor strategy. NCSE Projects and Policy Director Josh Rosenau will report on the latest anti-evolution activity, from Texas and Louisiana to Turkey. He discussed the creationist textbooks being rolled out for use in classrooms nationwide, and on efforts by scientists and citizens to defend evolution

February 2011 — Jewish Intellectual History Group
We showed a one half-hour video followed by a half-hour discussion on "Moses Mendelssohn and His Generation." Discussants were Drs. Marilyn Boxer, historian, and Bernie Rosen, philosopher. Video lecturer is Prof. David Ruderman, University of Pennsylvania, and are part of the Teaching Company series on Jewish Intellectual History. Location: Albany Community Center.

February 2011 — Shabbat
Member Claudio Bluer led our February shabbat service. His commentary topic was the Jews of Argentina. Music and song-leading was provided by Ben Brussell.

March 2011 — Jewish Intellectual History Series
We showed a video followed by a half-hour discussion: Subject is "The Science of Judaism." Video lecturer is Prof. David Ruderman, University of Pennsylvania, and is part of the Teaching Company series on Jewish Intellectual History. Location: Albany Community Center.

March 2011 — Bagel Brunch
Our Bagel Brunch celebrated Women's History Month with guest speaker Prof. Edie Gelles of Stanford University, whospoke on "Abigaill Levy Franks and the Jews of Colonial America." Edith Gelles, PhD, is a senior scholar at Stanford's Clayman Institute for Gender Research. She is a historian of women and a biographer of Abigail Adams, including most recently "Abigail and John: Portrait of a Marriage." She edited the letters of Abigaill Levy Franks, a Jewish woman whose letters are the earliest known corpus by any woman in all of colonial America (north and south).

March 2011 — Shabbat
Our humanistic shabbat was led by member Sarita Mathiasen. Sarita's commentarywas on the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire in New York City, on the 100th anniversary of this tragic and important event. Music and song-leading was provided by Ben Brussell.

April 2011 — Jewish Intellectual History Series
We showed a video followed by a half-hour discussion: Subject: "Abraham Geiger and the shaping of Reform Judaism." Video lecturer is Prof. David Ruderman, University of Pennsylvania, and is part of the Teaching Company series on Jewish Intellectual History. Location: Albany Community Center.

April 2011 —Bagel Brunch
Our Bagel Brunch featured a wonderful documentary film about author and humanist Grace Paley called "Collected Shorts."

April 2011 — Passover Seder
Our annual community seder led by members of the Rituals and Celebrations Group was held on April 23rd, with the theme "Modern Exodus." We had a delicious meal with the main items catered by Scot Cardell Catering, and some potluck items. Albany Community Center.

May 2011 — Bagel Brunch
Our Yom Hashoah Bagel Brunch was led by guest speaker Prof. Lawrence Baron of San Diego State University, speaking on "From Frank Sinatra to Anne Frank: Hollywood's First Wave of Holocaust Films." Albany Community Center.

May 2011 — Shabbat
Our humanistic shabbat was led by member Gabie Berliner whose theme was Nature. Music and song-leading was provided by Ben Brussell. The Roy Calder Award was presented to member Alana Shindler by Michael Calder, Roy's son. Albany Community Center.

June 2011 — Jewish Intellectual History Series
We showed a video followed by a half-hour discussion: Subject: Reforming Reform Judaism: The Modern Orthodox Counterattack. Video lecturer is Prof. David Ruderman, University of Pennsylvania, and is part of the Teaching Company series on Jewish Intellectual History. Location: Albany Community Center.

June 2011 — Bagel Brunch
Our Bagel Brunch featured author Rabbi Edward Zerin whose topic was Jewish San Francisco. Albany Community Center.

June 2011 — Shabbat
Our humanistic shabbat was led by member Rosalind Leighton. Music and song-leading was provided by Ben Brussell. Albany Community Center.

July 2011 — Jewish Intellectual History Series
We showed a video followed by a half-hour discussion: Subject: Following Reform: The New Conservative Response (Zacharias Frankel). Video lecturer is Prof. David Ruderman, University of Pennsylvania, and is part of the Teaching Company series on Jewish Intellectual History. Location: Albany Community Center.

July 2011 — Shabbat
Our humanistic shabbat was led by Linda and Nina Fogel. Music and song-leading was provided by Ben Brussell. Albany Community Center.

July 2011 — Special Event: Russian Jewish History Presentation in Tiburon, CA
An afternoon of history and memory of Russian Jews. Speakers included Rabbi Gideon Sorokin, retired veterinarian, Holocaust survivor and former Israeli citizen. Born in Vienna to a Russian Jewish family, Dr. Sorokin participated in the events of modern Jewish European and Israeli history. He was joined by former Refusenik Sonia Melnikova-Raich, born in Moscow into a family of renowned linguists, now living in S.F. as an award-winning artist/photographer, certified Russian translator and interpreter. Russian and Hebrew songs by tenor Vladimir Zagatsky, with pianist Leslie Harlib. Location: private residence, Tiburon.

August 2011 — Jewish Intellectual History Series
We showed a one half-hour video followed by a half-hour discussion: Subject: Zionism's Answer to the Jewish Problem. Video lecturer was Prof. David Ruderman, University of Pennsylvania.Video is part of the Teaching Company series on Jewish Intellectual History. Location: Albany Community Center.

August 2011 — Bagel Brunch
Our Bagel Brunch was led by member and musician Bill Nemoyten, the "Horn Man." Assisted by his wife Barbara, Bill presented a very special program for families including performance on fifteen horns from around the world, costuming, and audience participation. Bill and Barbara have performed the show in hundreds of schools, libraries, retirement homes in California, Nevada, Arizona and Florida and this past winter presented twelve shows at the California Academy of Science. Albany Community Center.

August 2011 — Shabbat
Our humanistic shabbat was led by members Jill Alban and Bill Brostoff. Commentary topic: the Jews of Bukhara. Music and song-leading was provided by Ben Brussell. Albany Community Center.

September 2011 — Understanding Humanistic Judaism
There was a short presentation on Humanistic Judaism, and some film exerpts of Rabbi SHerwin WIne on how the humanistic judaism movement started and fit into modern American Jewish religious history. Albany Community Center.

September 2011 — Rosh Hashanah
Members and guests celebrated the New Year as one secular family atKol Hadash's member- led service. Were very pleased to have Dr. Naomi Seidman, Ph.D., Center for Jewish Studies Director, Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, deliver a most thoughtful commentary entitled "Mortality, Eternity and Sacred Time: Rosh Hashanah Beyond Belief." We then shared apples and honey and other sweet delights at the Oneg after the service. Albany Community Center.

October 2011 — Bagel Brunch
Our Bagel Brunchwas led by guest speaker Prof Mary Ann Irwin on "As SF votes, so votes California: Selina Solomons and the 1911 Woman Suffrage Campaign." Albany Community Center.

November 2011 — Jewish Intellectual History Series
We showed a one half-hour video followed by a half-hour discussion: "Three Zionist Visions." Video featured Prof. David Ruderman, University of Pennsylvania, part of the Teaching Company series on Jewish Intellectual History.

November 2011 — Bagel Brunch: ADULT CHILDREN
Our Bagel Brunch today was led by member Dr. Roberta Maisel on her book "All Grown Up: Living Happily Ever with Your Adult Children." Commentary featured Helene Lecar and Bill Nemoyten. Albany Community Center.

November 2011 — Shabbat
Our humanistic shabbat was led by member Bill Nemoyten, whose commentary was Jewish family history. Music and song-leading was provided by Ben Brussell. Albany Community Center.

December 2011 — Bagel Brunch: THE STORY OF STUFF
Our topic was materialism/consumerism and the environment, featuring the Story of Stuff video. Member Alana Shindler added commentary on "Jews and Stuff" as well as local recycling efforts, and led the discussion.

December 2011 — Jewish Intellectual History Series
We showed a one half-hour video followed by a half-hour discussion: "The Jewish Adventure with Socialism." Video features Prof. David Ruderman, University of Pennsylvania, part of the Teaching Company series on Jewish Intellectual History. Commentary and discussion led by Dr. Marilyn Boxer, historian and Dr. Bernie Rosen, philosopher..

December 2011 — Shabbat and Potluck Chanukah Celebration
Our humanistic Shabbat and Chanukah celebration was led by members Judith and MIchael McCullough, with a commentary by Michael McCullough. Music and song-leading was provided by Ben Brussell.

January 2012 — Bagel Brunch: JAPANESE-AMERICAN INTERNMENT DURING WWII
Bagel Brunch today featurde both a film and speaker: Forsaken Fields, about Japanese-American farmers in California; and a presentation by Dr. Joseph Yasutake who was interned with his family at several locations in the West.

January 2012 — Jewish Intellectual History Series
We showed a one half-hour video followed by a half-hour discussion: "Martin Buber's Jewish Existentialism." Video featured Prof. David Ruderman, University of Pennsylvania, part of the Teaching Company series on Jewish Intellectual History. Commentary and discussion led by Dr. Marilyn Boxer, historian and Dr. Bernie Rosen, philosopher.

January 2012 — Tu B'Shevat Seder and Shabbat
We held our Tu B'Shevat seder (our environmental holiday celebrating the "birthday" of the trees) and humanistic shabbat, led by member Alana Shindler, and shared tree fruit, nuts and charoset. Music and song-leading was provided by Ben Brussell. Albany Community Center.

February 2012— Jewish Intellectual History Series
We showed a one half-hour video followed by a half-hour discussion: "Mordecai Kaplan and American Judaism." Video featured Prof. David Ruderman, University of Pennsylvania, part of the Teaching Company series on Jewish Intellectual History. Commentary and discussion led by Dr. Marilyn Boxer, historian and Dr. Bernie Rosen, philosopher. Albany Community Center.

February 2012 — Bagel Brunch: DARWIN DAY
Our annual Darwin Day Bagel Brunch this year featured Professor Jere Lipps, UC Berkeley Dept. of Integrative Biology and Curator of Paleontology, UC Museum of Paleontology. He is a "hands on" paleontologist, as was Darwin himself. Lipps is an academic who advises environmental groups on how better to direct conservation efforts. Albany Community Center, Rms I and II.

February 2012 — Shabbat
Our special member-led humanistic shabbat was led by member Jane Freeman. Commentary was provided by guest speakers Laurie Williams and Allen Zabel on Climate Change and the Cap and Trade debacle. Additionally, we held a special Oneg afterwards to celebrate founding members Ada and Lee Spanier, who are moving to Chicago. Music and song-leading was provided by Ben Brussell. .

March 2012 — Bagel Brunch: CHARLOTTE SALOMON
Our Bagel Brunch today featured speaker Dr. Mary Lowenthal Felstiner on her book, "To Paint Her Life: Charlotte Salomon in the Nazi Era," about a remarkable young painter who perished in the Holocaust. Albany Community Center.

March 2012 — Shabbat - Commentary Theme: AGING WITH INDEPENDENCE
Our humanistic shabbat was led by member Gabie Berliner with guest speaker Marjorie Wolf, member of Ashby Village and past president of the Jewish Federation of the East Bay, to deliver the commentary. Music and song-leading was provided by Ben Brussell. Albany Community Center, Rms I and II.

April 2012

April 7 — PASSOVER SEDER: A Modern Exodus
Our unique and humanistic community seder was member-led with music provided by Ben Brussell.The meal was a partially-catered, partially-potluck event held at the Albany Community Center. The catered portion of the event was by Scott Cardel Catering of Oakland.

April 2012 — Jewish Intellectual History Series
We showed a one half-hour video followed by a half-hour discussion: "Abraham Heschel--Mystic and Social Activist." Video featured Prof. David Ruderman, University of Pennsylvania, part of the Teaching Company series on Jewish Intellectual History. Commentary and discussion led by Dr. Marilyn Boxer, historian and Dr. Bernie Rosen, philosopher. Albany Community Center, Rms I and II.

April 2012 — YOM HASHOAH Commemoration: Original Play
We were pleased to present an original play by member Rabbi Milton Matz entitled "Mischlings: Hiding in the Open," about the remarkable early life of Jutta Organek, wife, holocaust survivor and member of Kol Hadash until her death two years ago. Albany Community Center, Community Hall.

April 2012 — Shabbat - Commentary theme: MUSIC
Our humanistic shabbat was led by member Roberta Maisel. Music and song-leading was provided by Ben Brussell, with new songs by both Ben and Roberta. Albany Community Center. Rms I and II.