BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//wp-events-plugin.com//7.4.2//EN TZID:America/New_York X-WR-TIMEZONE:America/New_York BEGIN:VEVENT UID:1316@tign.org DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250508T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250508T140000 DTSTAMP:20250508T164538Z URL:https://www.tign.org/events/jewish-community-scholars-program-87/ SUMMARY:Jewish Community Scholars Program DESCRIPTION:The Jewish Community Scholars Program began in 2001 in Orange C ounty California to provide high level adult Jewish education. Technology has given CSP a global reach with partner synagogues in Israel\, Europe an d all of North America. As a partner synagogue\, Temple Israel members hav e access to CJP's vast array of live presentations from top notch scholars . CSP also has an extensive archive of past programs on You Tube.\n\nThurs days - May 8th\, 15th\, 22nd &\; 29th from 10:00-11:00 a.m. (PT) and 1: 00-2:00 p.m. (ET) live on zoom from Barcelona\, Spain\nThe Jewish Legacy o f Bulgaria and Greece led by Evgenia Kempinski\nJoin us for a captivating four-part series with Jewish heritage educator Evgenia Kempinski as we exp lore over two thousand years of Jewish history in Bulgaria and Greece—la nds where Jewish communities have contributed richly to cultural and spiri tual life for centuries. From ancient settlements to vibrant Sephardic cen ters\, this journey will trace a powerful legacy of resilience and creativ ity. On May 8\, we’ll uncover the deep historical roots of Jewish life i n these regions\, from antiquity through the Ottoman era. On May 15\, we ’ll explore traditions\, daily life\, and the unique Sephardic heritage that flourished there. On May 22\, we’ll turn to the 20th century to exa mine the rise of modern Jewish communities\, their cultural impact\, and t he tragedy of the Holocaust. Finally\, on May 29\, we’ll reflect on the post-war experience and the state of Jewish life in Bulgaria and Greece to day. Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with a rich\, lesser-known ch apter of Jewish history and identity. \; \;CLICK HERE TO REGISTER. \n\n \;\n\n"Exploring Jewish Cuba: History\, Heritage\, and Personal E ncounters" featuring Dr Sharon Keller &\; Rabbi Elie Spitz\nSunday\, Ma y 11th from 4:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. (PT) and 7:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. (ET)\nJoin us for a special CSP online conversation with Dr. Sharon Keller and Rabbi El ie Spitz\, who recently returned from a powerful weeklong visit to Cuba’ s Jewish community. In a country where time seems to have stood still—Co ld War-era slogans still hang alongside vintage American cars and crumblin g colonial buildings—Jewish life persists with resilience and hope. Part icipants in the recent Cuba trip met with community leaders\, visited syna gogues in Havana\, and witnessed firsthand how\, after decades of religiou s repression\, Cuban Jews are once again celebrating their heritage openly and joyfully. Alain Bastow\, the man who at age 24 (30 years ago) escaped Cuba in an inner tube will join the conversation to tell his personal sto ry. With fewer than 1\,300 Jews remaining in a nation of 11 million—many of them elderly\, isolated\, and struggling with severe shortages of food \, medicine\, and basic supplies—they encountered stories of incredible perseverance\, dignity\, and community spirit. In this program\, we'll lea rn about the rich and often overlooked history of Jewish life in Cuba\, ga rner insights into the challenges facing the community today\, and explore meaningful ways we can offer support and solidarity. Don’t miss this un ique opportunity to connect with a Jewish story that is both deeply rooted and urgently unfolding. \; \;CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.\n\n \;\n \nTuesdays\, May 6th\, 13th\, 20th &\; 27th from 10:00-11:00 a.m. (PT) and 1:00-2:00 p.m. (ET) live on zoom from London\, England\n"Creation\, Re taliation\, Choseness and Faith: Four Challenges to the Bible" led by Rabb i Dr. Raphael Zarum\nJoin us for a compelling four-part series with Rabbi Dr. Rafi Zarum\, based on his recent award-winning book\, Questioning Beli ef. In this thought-provoking series\, Rabbi Zarum tackles some of the mos t pressing and challenging questions at the intersection of tradition\, et hics\, and contemporary thought. Drawing deeply from classical Jewish sour ces while engaging with modern sensibilities\, he offers surprising\, prov ocative\, and energizing insights that speak to today’s Jewish experienc e. Over four sessions\, we’ll explore: what the Creation story teaches u s if it’s not taken literally\; the ethical dilemmas raised by King Davi d’s actions and their relevance to modern warfare and shared responsibil ity\; the complex and often misunderstood notion of the Jewish people as " chosen"\; and what belief means in a Jewish context—even for those who q uestion or reject the idea of God. Whether you're a seeker\, a skeptic\, o r a committed believer\, this series will invite you into a rich and hones t conversation about faith\, identity\, and meaning in the modern world.&n bsp\;CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.\n\n \;\n\nSunday\, May 18 from 10:00-11:0 0 a.m. (PT) and 1:00-2:00 p.m. (ET) live on zoom from Israel\n"The Religio us Turn: Israeli Art and Judaism" led by Shirel Horovitz\nIn recent years\ , the Israeli art scene has been buzzing with a renewed fascination for Je wish tradition\, spirituality\, and religion. But is this resurgence merel y a passing trend\, or does it signal a deeper cultural and social transfo rmation? As artists increasingly engage with religious themes—whether th rough reverence\, critique\, or reinvention—they are reshaping the visua l and conceptual language of contemporary Israeli art. To unravel the intr icate relationship between Jewish and Israeli identity\, we’ll start wit h a historical backdrop before diving into the key artistic shifts of the past 15 years. Through this journey\, we’ll uncover the powerful stories these works tell about the evolving soul of Israeli society today. \;  \;CLICK HERE TO REGISTER. ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.tign.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ Jewish-Community-Scholars-Program-2024_25_hero-image.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/New_York X-LIC-LOCATION:America/New_York BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20250309T030000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT END:DAYLIGHT END:VTIMEZONE END:VCALENDAR