January 11, 2023
Missed an event this month? All virtual events that were recorded will be featured here.
Tax Wise Charitable Giving Tuesday, February 7
Tzedekah is an essential tenet of Jewish life. Regardless of how old you are or your stage in life, there are tax efficient ways to give to organizations that matter to you and easy ways to include philanthropy in your estate planning such as making a meaningful legacy gift to Beth Emet. Tax planning experts, Adam Prawer-Stock, Ted Froum and Steve Reiches will lead this informative session.
Discussion and Q&A moderated by Karen Isaacson.
Watch the recording here
Sponsored by Dor L’Dor, From Generation to Generation, Beth Emet’s Planned Giving Program. Learn more about Dor L’Dor.
Inside Look at the Abraham Accords with Israeli Ambassador to Bahrain, Eitan Na’eh Sunday, February 5
The historic Abraham Accords dramatically improved Israel’s position in the Middle East, normalizing Israel’s ties with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. In 2½ years, the Accords have led to a renewed relationship with Morocco, security agreements with Bahrain and Morocco, Saudi Arabia treating Israel “as a potential ally,” expanded trade and other business opportunities, and more.
Sponsored by the Israel Committee
EITAN NA’EH is Israel’s Ambassador to Bahrain. He headed the diplomatic mission (2020-2021) to implement the Abraham Accords normalization deal between Israel and three Arab countries, and served as Israel’s envoy to the United Arab Emirates until he was appointed in 2021 to be Israel’s first ambassador to Bahrain, after serving as Ambassador to Turkey, Deputy Ambassador in London, and Ambassador to Azerbaijan.
Rabbi London’s D’var Torah on Chapter 5 of Here All Along Friday, February 3
Rabbi London will give a D’var Torah on chapter 5 of Here All Along, “Becoming a Great Person: Self-Restraint and Self-Transcendence”.
The One Book, One Congregation programs are generously sponsored by the Judith F. Krug Fund, David and Florence Fingeret Fund, Solomon and Lillian Krug Fund, and the JELLO (Jewish Education: Lifelong Learning Opportunities) Funds in the Beth Emet Foundation.
D.C. 2023 Spotlight: Brunch with U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky Sunday, January 29
With a change in the House leadership, there will be much to discuss with the newly convened 118th U.S. Congress. Discussion will be moderated by Peter Slevin, Northwestern University Journalism Professor, former Chicago Bureau Chief of the Washington Post and author of Michelle Obama-A Life. Brunch will be served in-person or grab your favorite breakfast food and cozy up to the Zoom screen.
Rabbi London’s D’var Torah on Chapter 4 of Here All Along Friday, January 27
Rabbi London will give a D’var Torah on chapter 4: Mitzvot and the Spirituality of Doing
Murder on a Kibbutz: A Book Discussion led by Lisa Lieberman Wednesday, January 18
In a recent Guardian review, Lavie Tidhar called the late Israeli author Batya Gur’s Murder on a Kibbutz (1991) one of the top ten books of all time about Israel. The daughter of Polish Holocaust survivors, Gur had a special interest in how kibbutznikim who came from the death camps found solace in the rhythms of communal life. “Gur captured what it was like to grow up on a kibbutz in a way no one else did,” said Tidhar, “uncovering the simmering tensions beneath the sun-drenched communal ideal.”
This program is sponsored by the Israel Committee
LISA LIEBERMAN is a historian of postwar Europe and the author of a historical mystery series featuring blacklisted Hollywood people on the lam in dangerous international locales.
Current Politics with Dr. David Zarefsky Tuesday, January 10
A continuing lecture-discussion class on contemporary public issues of interest to Jews as citizens. Special attention will be given to the policy and political issues facing the Biden administration. Two additional classes will be offered in the Spring term. Participation in prior sessions is not required.
DAVID ZAREFSKY is the Owen L. Coon Professor Emeritus of Communication Studies at Northwestern University, specializing in argumentation and the analysis and criticism of American political discourse. He is a former president of the National Communication Association, the Rhetoric Society of America, and the Central States Communication Association. In 2012 he received the Lifetime Teaching Excellence Award from the National Communication Association. David is a past president of Beth Emet
