lectures & workshops

The great snack debate

Which is the ultimate Jewish food: the latke or the hamantaschen? Are we like the pointed pastry — hard around the edges and geometric with sweetness only when one gets to the center — or are we an ebullient mixture of texture and oil like the latke? In 1946, the University of Chicago held the first-ever latke-hamantaschen debate among faculty members. Stanford University will continue the tradition with a four-way debate, moderated by Steve Weitzman, the Daniel E. Koshland professor of Jewish culture and religion. The Stanford klezmer band will perform before the main event. Come by. Just don’t bring up challah.

7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 21 at Stanford Law School, Room 209, 599 Nathan Abbott Way, Stanford. Free. http://hillel.stanford.edu

friday/15

Talks on Jews in the Arab world. By Middle East scholar and author Joseph Braude. Also Feb. 16 at 7 p.m. and Feb. 17 at 10:30 a.m. At Congregation Beth Israel, 5716 Carmel Valley Road, Carmel. 6:45 p.m. Also Feb. 19 at Stanford Hillel, 565 Mayfield Ave., Stanford. 7 p.m. Also Feb. 20 at JCC of San Francisco, 3200 California St., S.F. 7 p.m. All free. http://www.jimena.org.

“Harry and Zion.” Talk by Riva Gambert, director of the Partnership for Israel at the Jewish Federation of the East Bay, on President Harry Truman and the creation of the State of Israel. At Commonwealth Club, 595 Market St., S.F. 12 p.m. $20; students and members free. http://www.commonwealthclub.org.

sunday/17

“From DNA to Genetic Genealogy.” Talk on how DNA can help in genealogy research. San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society event. At Oakland FamilySearch Library, 4766 Lincoln Ave., Oakland. 1 p.m. Free. http://www.sfbajgs.org.

“Storytelling for Social Change.” Poet, scholar and activist Josh Healey leads an interactive arts workshop. In San Francisco, 10:30 a.m. Free. RSVP for location to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

tuesday/19

“Our Jewish Childhood in Wartime Shanghai.” Talk by siblings Deborah Strobin and Ilie Wacs on their experiences in Shanghai after fleeing Nazi Austria. In conversation with Leah Garchik of the San Francisco Chronicle. At JCC of San Francisco, 3200 California St., S.F. 7 p.m. Free. Reservations required. http://www.jccsf.org.

“Anti-Israel Activism and Anti-Semitism on California Campuses.” Talk by StandWithUs director of research and education Robert Seid. Also Feb. 26 “Israel in the Media” discussion with Gary Kenzer of Honest Reporting. Both at Missouri Street Theatre, 1125 Missouri St., Fairfield. 7 p.m. $10 each. http://www.jewishsolano.com/israelcourse.

Jewish ethical issues raised by scientific progress. Lecture by Rabbi Elliot Dorff, professor of Jewish medical ethics at American Jewish University. At Congregation Ner Tamid, 1250 Quintara St., S.F. 3 p.m. Small donation requested. (415) 661-3383.

wednesday/20

“The New War Against Israel.” Jonathan Carey of BlueStar discusses media representations of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. At Congregation Beth Emek, 3400 Nevada Court, Pleasanton. 7:30 p.m. $10. http://www.bethemek.org.

Interracial and intercultural couples’ discussion group. First in a seven-session weekly group led by Building Jewish Bridges. At Lehrhaus Judaica, 2736 Bancroft Way, Berkeley. 7:30 p.m. $120 per couple. http://buildingjewishbridges.org/?p=2224.

thursday/21

“Love, Hate and the Jewish State 2.0.” Dialogue on social justice in Israel for Jews in their 20s and 30s. At Swedish American Hall, 2174 Market St., S.F. 7 p.m. $5. Order tickets online at http://www.nif.org/lovehate.

monday/25

Talk on Western Jewish History Center archives. By Francesco Spagnolo, curator of the Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life. At Congregation Beth Am, 26790 Arastradero Road, Los Altos. 7:30 p.m. Free. http://www.jewishgen.org/sfbajgs.

tuesday/26

“Building the Jewish People While Repairing the World.” Avraham Infeld, a founder of Birthright Israel and former president of Hillel International, discusses Jewish identity and tikkun olam. At Beth Jacob Congregation, 3778 Park Blvd., Oakland. 7:15 p.m. Free. RSVP to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) by Feb. 22. http://www.jfed.org.

thursday/28

“Below the Belt.” Program on circumcision for men converting to Judaism. At Temple Sinai, 2808 Summit St., Oakland. 7:30 p.m. Free. http://www.lehrhaus.org.