Synaplex Shabbat

November 2nd, 2012
Alan Morinis - We are all Spiritual Orphans -- what the Jewish tradition of Mussar offers to make life fulfilling
Alan Morinis is an anthropologist, filmmaker, writer and student of spiritual traditions. For the past fifteen years the nearly-lost Jewish spiritual discipline of Mussar has been his passion, and he is now a leading interpreter of Mussar teachings and practices. Born and raised in a culturally Jewish but
non-observant home, he studied anthropology at Oxford University on a Rhodes Scholarship, earning his doctorate at that university. His journey to discover the Mussar teachings is recorded in the book Climbing Jacob’s Ladder (2002). His guide to Mussar practice, entitled Everyday Holiness: The Jewish Spiritual Path of Mussar, was published in 2007 and his Mussar handbook, Every Day, Holy Day, came out in 2010. He is currently the Dean of the Mussar Institute, which he founded.

December 14th, 2012
Hanukkah Synaplex
A spectacular family art project with Avi Zukerman, (our own "Art with Avi"). The dedication of the ark-a Hanukkah miracle. Ark designer and glass artist, Maura Smolover. The journeys of the Jewish people, and the mystery of glass making, meet in the new sanctuary and ark of our congregation.

January 11th, 2013
Dog Saves Man – 12 Minutes you will never forget!
Screening of David and Goliath, a short film written and directed by George Azverdas.
Set in 1943, Czechoslovakia, David a Jew fleeing for his life from Nazis finds refuge and ultimately a ferocious German Sheperd becomes his savior. The film is based on a true story of resitance fighter David Bako. Screening will be followed by a discussion of the film led by Briggite Baco, a relative of David Bako.

February 8th, 2013
Unorthodox 
Deborah Feldman was born and raised in the Hasidic Community of Williamsburg in Brooklyn, New York. She is the author of the New York Times Bestselling memoir, UNORTHODOX: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots. Currently, she is working on a follow-up memoir, which finds her embarking on independence as a single woman and mother, finding a new kind of Jewish life for herself, and discovering the far-flung yet familiar community of many like-minded "religious refugees" of all faiths around the world, due out from Blue Rider Press, Penguin, in October of 2013. Deborah attended Sarah Lawrence College and lives in New York City with her son.

March 15th, 2013
My Journey to Freedom: One Girl’s Survivor Story”  
Through WCC’s “Conversation Partners,” two lives came together to embark on a journey of discovery. My Journey to Freedom: One girl’s Survivor Story” is an amazing story by an inspiring young woman. A story of sacrifice, hope, risk and courage experienced by a twelve- year- old girl and her eleven year old friend, who escaped from Tibet. This book is her story. It begins in Tibet in a small nomadic village and continues through Nepal, India and the United States of America in an extraordinary quest for freedom. The story was told to Kol Ami member, Sanford S Zevon, by the author,Tsering Keyzom. The evening’s presenters: Sanford S. Zevon and Tsering Keyzom

April 12th, 2013
Deaf Jam: Muslim, Jewish, Hearing, Deaf Deaf Jam, A Film by Judy Lieff
In Deaf Jam, Aneta Brodski seizes the day. She is a deaf teen introduced to American Sign Language (ASL) Poetry, who then boldly enters the spoken word slam scene. In a wondrous twist, Aneta, an Israeli immigrant living in the Queens section of New York City, eventually meets Tahani, a hearing Palestinian slam poet. The two women embark on a collaboration/performance duet – creating a new form of slam poetry that speaks to both the hearing and the Deaf. Teens from our community slam their own poetry compositions – inspired by the film.

Watch the video trailer 

Read Rabbi Shira's blog article