Frank memories
Like her stepsister Anne Frank, Eva Schloss went into hiding in Holland during World War II and was then betrayed, captured and sent to a death camp. Schloss survived and has become active in Holocaust education as a speaker and an author. She will give talks in the Bay Area on her experiences and the discovery and printing of her stepsister’s famous diary.
7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 12 at Orinda Theatre, 4 Orinda Theatre Square, Orinda. $20-$90. www.jewishcontracosta.com. Also 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 13 at Congregation Chevra Thilim, 751 25th Ave., S.F. $10-$360. www.sfshul.org. Also 7:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 14 at Amador Theater, 1155 Santa Rita Road, Pleasanton. $15-$90. www.jewishtrivalley.com
sunday/6
“Saadia Gaon and His World.” Video lecture and discussion about the ninth-century Jewish biblical scholar’s life and work. At Albany Community Center, 1249 Marin Ave., Albany. 4 p.m. Free. www.kolhadash.org.
Philosophers’ Café. Discussion of ethical issues. Hosted by Tri-Valley Cultural Jews. At Café Rumi, 4799 Heyer Ave., Castro Valley. 10:45 a.m. $5 suggested donation. www.tri-valleyculturaljews.wordpress.com.
Genealogy clinic. With Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society. At Jewish Community Library, 1835 Ellis St., S.F. Noon. Free. www.jewishlearningworks.org.
“Typical Israeli? No Such Thing.” Talk by Jewish LearningWorks’ Vavi Toran on the multiple identities of Israelis as seen through arts and culture. At Congregation Shir Hadash, 20 Cherry Blossom Lane, Los Gatos. 9:30 a.m. Free. www.shirhadash.org.
tuesday/8
“A Summing Up.” Lecture and workshop led by artist Susan Duhan Felix in conjunction with the exhibit “A Retrospective: Then and Now”. At Jewish Heritage Museum at the Reutlinger, 4000 Camino Tassajara, Danville. 1:30 p.m. Free. (925) 648-2800.
“Open Sources.” Monthly night of interdenominational Jewish learning. This month’s educator is rabbi and legal expert David Kasher. At Jewish LearningWorks, 639 14th Ave., S.F. 7 p.m. Free. www.opensourcesjanuary.eventbrite.com.
wednesday/9
“Israelis at the Polls: Short-Term Prospects, Long-Term Developments.” Talk by San Francisco State Israel Studies professor Eran Kaplan. At Addison-Penzak JCC, 14855 Oka Road, Los Gatos. 8 p.m. Free. RSVP required to [email protected]. www.jvalley.org/jcrc.
Jeremy Ben-Ami. President and founder of J Street on the role Israeli and U.S. Jews can play in protecting Israel and keeping it Jewish and democratic. At Temple Isaiah, 945 Risa Road, Lafayette. 7 p.m. Free. www.temple-isaiah.org.
“The War of Independence and the Birth of the Modern State of Israel.” Talk by scholar Ken Cohen. At Congregation Beth Emek, 3400 Nevada Court, Pleasanton. 7:30 p.m. $10. www.bethemek.org.
thursday/10
“The Drama of Yiddish on the Hebrew Stage.” Presentation by scholar Donny Inbar on Yiddish theater in Israel and Zionists’ fears that Yiddish would hinder their efforts to revive Hebrew. At Jewish Community Library, 1835 Ellis St., S.F. 7 p.m. Free. www.jewishlearningworks.org.
Rabbi Naomi Levy. Author of the national bestseller “To Begin Again” gives 12 talks from Jan. 10-22 throughout the North Peninsula on topics ranging from spiritual parenting to discovering one’s purpose in life. For complete listings, see www.pjcc.org/jewishlife/culture/scholar.html.
friday/11
Scholar-in-residence Rabbi Sharon Brous. Talks throughout the weekend by the founder of Ikar, the progressive egalitarian community in Los Angeles. At Congregations Rodef Sholom and Kol Shofar and Osher Marin JCC. Free. Listings at www.marinjcc.org/weekend.
sunday/13
“Biblical Heroes in Opera.” Conversation and screening of video excerpts with opera expert Peter Grunberg of the San Francisco Opera and Rabbi Yoshi Fenton, associate director of Jewish LearningWorks. At Oshman Family JCC, 3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto. 7 p.m. $10-$15. www.paloaltojcc.org.
“Digging the Bible: Archaeology and Biblical History.” Professor Aaron Brody, director of the Bade Museum at the Pacific School of Religion, discusses archaeological discoveries relating to biblical accounts. At Albany Community Center, 1249 Marin Ave., Albany. 11 a.m. $10. www.kolhadash.org.
“Anti-Semitism and Anti-Israelism in the 21st Century.” Talk by Seth Brysk, Central Pacific regional director of Anti-Defamation League. At Rossmoor Hillside Club House, 3400 Golden Rain Road, Walnut Creek. 4 p.m. Free. RSVP to (925) 938-4738 or [email protected].
monday/14
“Who’s Afraid of Assimilation? Rethinking the Purposes of Jewish Education for the 21st Century.” Talk by Jon Levisohn, professor of Jewish education at Brandeis University. At Stanford University, Levinthal Hall, 424 Santa Rita Ave., Palo Alto. 7:30 p.m. Free. www.stanford.edu/dept/jewishstudies.
thursday/17
“Jewish Eastern Europe: A Family Journey.” Marc Dollinger, professor of Jewish Studies and Social Responsibility at S.F. State, discusses his family’s journey last summer through Eastern Europe. At Jewish Community Library, 1835 Ellis St., S.F. 7 p.m. Free. www.jewishlearningworks.org.
“Israel: the Complex Road Ahead.” Talk by Israeli Consul General Andy David. At Temple Beth Abraham, 327 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland. 7:30 p.m. Free. RSVP required. www.tbaoakland.org.
“Cooking Jewish: Baking and Braiding Challah.” Class taught by Chana Scop. At Osher Marin JCC, 200 N. San Pedro Road, San Rafael. 9:30 a.m. $20. www.marinjcc.org/challah.