November 18, 2020 - 2 Kislev 5781
JCA PROGRAMS
Heading Home – The Tale of Team Israel
Free film streaming as part of the Maine Jewish Film Festival  
Co-presented by the JCA 
Available starting Nov. 20th 

The underdog journey of Israel's national baseball team as they compete for the first time in the World Baseball Classic. With their ever-present 'Mensch on the Bench' mascot by their side, the team laughs, cries and does much soul searching, discovering the pride of representing Israel on the world stage. View the trailer here.
BOOK FESTIVAL IN YOUR LIVING ROOM - LIVE!
Presented by the JCA in partnership with
the JCC Literary Consortium and MJCCA - Atlanta*
*A portion of the proceeds benefits the JCA when you register through these links.
MICHAEL IAN BLACK - A Better Man: A (Mostly Serious) Letter to My Son 
& CLEO STILLER - Modern Manhood 
 Wednesday, November 18 8:00 PM 

Michael Ian Black, A Better Man: A (Mostly Serious) Letter to My Son 
A poignant look at boyhood, in the form of a heartfelt letter from comedian, actor, and author, and father Michael Ian Black to his teenage son before he leaves for college, and a radical plea for rethinking masculinity and teaching young men to give and receive love. 

Cleo Stiller, Modern Manhood: Conversations About the Complicated World of Being a Good Man Today  
Here are a few self-evident truths: Predatory men need to go, sexual assault is wrong, and women and men should be equal. If you’re a man and disagree with any of the aforementioned, then this book isn’t for you.

Tickets: $11 for one virtual ticket or $32 for one virtual ticket and copy of either book, or $50 for one virtual ticket and copy of both books:
The JCA also recommends
Every Mother’s Son - Documentary film streaming 
Available starting Nov. 17th 
This screening includes a Zoom discussion with director Tami Gold on November 18 at 7 PM. 
Presented as part of the Maine Jewish Film Festival 
Order tickets via MJFF at https://watch.eventive.org/2020mjff 
MICHAEL J. FOX - No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality 
In Conversation with Harlan Coben 
ZOOM Webinar Author Talk + Q & A 
Thursday, Nov. 19 | 8:00 PM EST 

From renowned actor and advocate Michael J. Fox comes a moving account of resilience, hope, fear and mortality, and how these things resonate in our lives. In No Time Like the Future, Michael shares personal stories and observations about illness and health, aging, the strength of family and friends, and how our perceptions about time affect the way we approach mortality. Thoughtful and moving, but with Fox’s trademark sense of humor, his book provides a vehicle for reflection about our lives, our loves, and our losses. 

Tickets: $36 for one virtual ticket and one copy of the book
MIMI LEMAY - What We Will Become: A Mother, Son, and a Journey of Transformation 
ZOOM Webinar Author Talk + Q & A 
Transgender Day of Remembrance 
Friday, November 20 2:00 PM EST  

Mimi Lemay recounts her memoir of her transgender child’s odyssey, and her journey outside the boundaries of the faith and culture that shaped her. 

Tickets: Free, or $35 for one virtual ticket and copy of book
RACHEL BLOOM - I Want to Be Where the Normal People Are 
Music and Multi-Media Presentation! 
ZOOM Webinar Author Talk + Q & A 
Saturday, November 21 8:00 PM EST  

From the charming and wickedly funny co-creator and star of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, a collection of hilarious personal essays, poems and even amusement park maps on the subjects of insecurity, fame, anxiety, and much more. 

Tickets: $11 for one virtual ticket, or $36 for one virtual ticket and copy of book
MELISSA CLARK - Kid in the Kitchen: 100 Recipes and Tips for Young Home Cooks 
ZOOM Webinar Author Talk + Q & A 
Sunday, November 22 1:00 PM EST  
 
Melissa Clark, the New York Times food columnist and beloved home cooking authority, spins 100 all-new recipes for a robust new audience of home chefs: kids ages 8-14! 

Tickets: Free for one virtual ticket, or $30 for one virtual ticket and copy of book
Interesting in kids and cooking? The JCA recommends
Abe - Film streaming 
Available starting Nov. 20th 
Presented as part of the Maine Jewish Film Festival 
Order tickets via MJFF at https://watch.eventive.org/2020mjff 
ADULT EDUCATION
Torah Conversations 
An online study group facilitated by Ellie Miller 
Thursdays, 10:00 – 11:00 AM 
Starting December 3, 2020 
Join the group each week by using the Zoom link below.

Last year, we started at the very Beginning (with the Creation story in Genesis) and engaged in a careful reading of every word of the text. We focused on language and structure along with the tales the text imparts. We’ll continue our journey beginning with the Torah portion Va-Yetzei, the story of Jacob and his complicated relationships with his wives, his uncle, and, eventually, his brother Esau. 

We will not be able to admit late arrivals to the meetings. To join the study group email list and to get schedule updates, contact Diane Newman
AMERICAN JEWISH HISTORY CLASS Part II 
A 4-session online course with Anna Wrobel 
Wednesdays, January 6, 13, 20, 27  | 10 - 11 AM 
Suggested tuition: $50 

This course examines American Jewish history in the last hundred years or so. Key themes are historically contextualized including, but not limited to, migration, labor, antisemitism, Israel, the Shoah, and cultural influence. 
 
The class has been adapted to a Zoom format; each session will last one hour, and while Anna will cite primary sources, there will be less focus on in-class analysis of documents. Time is divided between lecture-style presentation and inquiry-based discussion constructed upon the questions and commentaries of the group. Personal and family histories bearing on the discourse are welcome. Past participation in American Jewish History - Part I is not required. 

Advanced registration required by Weds. Dec. 30th  
Registered students will receive the Zoom class link on Monday, Jan. 4th. 
Why Moses’ Experiences in Leadership are Still Relevant 
A 6-session online course with Ellie Miller 
Tuesday mornings, Jan. 12, 19, 26, Feb. 2, 9, 16 
10:00-11:15 AM | Suggested tuition: $72 


How did Moses’ leadership of the Israelites evolve over 40 years in the Biblical narrative? What were the influences that impacted change in his leadership and style: External politics? Shifting dynamics among the people Israel? Competition for leadership roles from within? Changing demographics? In this class we’ll examine a number of incidents from Exodus through Deuteronomy that show how Moses responded to every day demands and to crisis. We’ll have the opportunity to analogize between realities of Moses’ time and our own through text and commentaries. A text of the Hebrew Bible is required - all translations are appropriate. 

Advanced registration required by Tuesday, Jan. 5th. Six student minimum will be needed to run the class. 
YOGA & FITNESS
Online Yoga Classes 
With JCA instructor Ashley Flowers 

Monday - 5:30 PM Evening Yoga 
Tuesday - 11:30 AM Midday Yoga 
Wednesday - 9:00 AM Rise & Flow Yoga 
Thursday - 10:15 AM Midday Yoga 
Friday - 9:00 AM Rise & Flow Yoga 
 
Classes are $5/session. 

Visit Ashley’s website for the complete class schedule and to register: https://www.ashleyflowersyoga.com/schedule/
COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
First Virtual Maine Jewish Film Festival 
November 7–22, 2020 

After 23 years, MJFF is thrilled to announce the launch their first Virtual Film Festival. Join us for two weeks of films and programming, specially curated by MJFF. Everything can be watched from the comfort and safety of your home. Thank you to our supporters — sponsors, foundations, donors and volunteers — who have made this possible! 

Tickets are on sale now. Visit our 2020 Virtual Festival welcome page to learn more, browse the films, and purchase tickets. 
AROUND THE JEWISH WORLD
Hartman@Home Online Learning - November Programming 
From the Shalom Hartman Institute, Jerusalem 
 
Including discussions and special events explore questions of Judaism and democracy, the role of religion in politics, Jewish identity and civic responsibility, and more, with leading thinkers and scholars including Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, Elana Stein Hain, Tal Becker and Yehuda Kurtzer. 

For the detailed schedule and to sign up visit:
WINE & WAR – Taste History in a New Way 
A Virtual Benefit in Honor of the 75th Anniversary of the Nuremberg Trials 
Presented by the Courtroom 600 Education Project 
Thursday, November 19, 2020 at 8:30 PM EST 

Don and Petie Kladstrup who will share stories from Wine and War, their best-selling book about how French winemakers secretly yet boldly planned their defiance to the Nazis during WWII. Master Sommelier Joseph Spellman will lead French wine tastings aligned with stories told, and Napa Valley Chef Brendan Byer will illustrate food pairings.  
ORCHESTRA OF ST. LUKE’S: COMPOSERS OF NOTE - BOLOGNE + MOZART 
A free online concert presented by the Temple Emanuel Streicker Center, NYC 
Monday, November 23 | 6:30 PM EST 

Orchestra of St. Luke’s returns to The Streicker Center for their 41st – 44th concerts, with four unique programs that bring together favorite works from the Classical era and music by living composers.  
 
String Quartet No. 4 in C Minor, by Chevalier de St. Georges, descendant of an enslaved Guadeloupean, who become one of the earliest French composers of string quartets and symphonies. 
 
Clarinet Quintet, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, composed in 1789 as a showpiece for his friend clarinetist Anton Stadler to demonstrate his technical aplomb and lyricism from its soloist. This is one of Mozart’s best-known works written especially for the clarinet. 
Hot Topics in Biblical Archaeology
Presented by the Temple Emanuel Streicker Center

The Evidence of the Bible as History 
With Dr. Yosef Garfinkel 
Wednesday, November 25 | 10:00 AM (EST) | Free 

There was long, serious debate over whether David and Solomon were historical kings or mythological figures since no clear archaeological remains had been uncovered to support the biblical tradition. But in 2008, Dr. Yosef Garfinkel and his team uncovered a fortified city at Khirbet Qeiyafa that shifted the argument. Radiometric dating of pottery, metal objects, stone vessels, animal bones, seals and inscriptions indicated that the city existed in the first quarter of the tenth century BCE, the time of David. Dr. Garfinkel will discuss Khirbet Qeiyafa and what it means for the use of archaeology to confirm biblical history. 
JCA ANNUAL CAMPAIGN
The JCA wouldn’t exist without the support of our incredible donors. When you donate to the J’s Annual Campaign, you’re ensuring the continuity of all the amazing programs the J offers. From our nationally accredited preschool and summer camp, our food and diaper pantries, to PJ Library and our amazing programs and events; your gift powers it all. Don’t forget — one quarter of all Annual Campaign support is also allocated to critical Jewish organizations and initiatives, locally and overseas. There truly is no better way to support the Jewish community, than with a meaningful Annual Campaign gift. Donate Today!
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