Adult Education Committee News Beth Sholom’s Scholar-In-Residence Rabbi Jonathan P. Slater Being and Doing: The Poles of Jewish Living Please join us for our scholar-in-residence program on Shabbat, November 21–22 as Rabbi Jonathan P. Slater, co-director of Programs for the Cantorial Program of The Institute for Jewish Spirituality, will speak on “Being and Doing: The Poles of Jewish Living” as our Alice Herald Cahn Scholar-In-Residence. On that Shabbat we will engage in a conversation about the traditional tensions in Jewish life between “being,” a felt sense of God’s presence, and “doing,” ritual observance and Tikkun Olam. What is it that Jews do and feel – and must do and feel – to identify ourselves as Jewish? What is required of us, as individuals and in the community, to communicate the unique and important contributions of Jewish tradition, practice, thought and experience to the larger world? Historically, these tensions gave rise to and defined Hasidism, a movement that affirmed traditional “doing” even as it explored the possibilities of Jewish “being.” We will study classical Hasidic texts – sources of unusually powerful language and imagery – to consider strategies for energizing traditional Jewish practice, for expanding the social potential of spirituality, and for negotiating the challenges that arise from a “normal” American life and a culture of self-gratification. Can we as Conservative Jews respond to these challenges without resorting to the temptations of “fundamentalism?" How did our Hasidic teachers balance the two poles – doing and being – and interweave spiritual goals and traditional practice? How might we bring these twin values into our own lives so that we can create a true community with each other and with the larger world based on how Hasidic sages negotiated the balance between practice and God’s felt presence? Rabbi Slater will speak after Shabbat dinner on Friday night, at services on Shabbat morning, and after lunch on Shabbat afternoon. Please call the synagogue office to make your meal reservations. Shabbat Dinner: Adults $18, children (age 12 and under) $8 Shabbat Lunch: Adults $15, children (age 12 and under) $8 Dinner and Lunch: Adults $30, children $18 Child care will be available if requested at the time that meal reservations are made. Please let the office know if you would like a vegetarian meal or have special dietary requirements. Introduction to Poetry Workshop Sunday, November 16 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Explore the world of poetry and stimulate your creative mind as you read, interpret, and create poetry with the guidance of published poet Daphna El-Roy. The workshop is open to all ages 12 and over. The workshop will be an interactive experience, where participants hear poetry read by experienced poets and learn some basic writing techniques that they can apply to their own work. All participants will be encouraged to share their creations for discussion with the group and will be challenged to sharpen their listening skills as well as their vocal skills. The workshop's instructor, Daphna El-Roy, is a published poet of Israeli descent and has organized a poetry reading series at Symposia Bookstore in Hoboken. Daphna has a Ph.D. in Psychology, is a certified behavior analyst, and is a clinical coordinator at a school for students with special needs. For additional information, contact Margo Moss at acephoto@verizon.net.