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Scroll down to see a list of classes. |
Learn about our classes offered and their presenters below.
Keynote: The Paradox of Self-Esteem: Understanding Our True Selves with Yael Kaisman
About Yael Kaisman: Yael Kaisman is a teacher, lecturer, life coach and outreach professional. She has been an educator for over 35 years, teaching high school students and lecturing as a scholar in residence at Sinai and Heritage Retreats. She runs a private life coaching practice, supporting clients with parenting, marriage, and self-development. Known for her ability to explain Jewish philosophical ideas, Yael combines humor, warmth and wit to captivate audiences of all backgrounds and levels of Jewish Knowledge.
Tradition Within Modernity with Yael Kaisman 10:40 AM - 11:40 AM
About this class: As a Jew committed to Torah ideals we can sometimes feel pulled in two different directions. The Jewish values that we hold dearly can feel in conflict with the secular values that feel comfortable to us. This workshop will address the issues that create that ambivalence; and give direction to how we might lead our lives as traditional Jews with Modern values.
Marriage: Mediocre or Magical with Sarah Felsen 10:40 AM - 11:40 AM
About this class: Join Sarah Felsen of the Jewish Study Network, as we look at marriage from a Jewish perspective. How pivotal are our husbands in our busy lives? How do we keep the spark alive when we are pulled from all directions and running with our hectic, stressful lives? Is there a special formula to create harmony in our home? We will discuss these ideas and more in this growth-oriented workshop.
About Sarah: Mrs. Sarah Felsen was born in San Francisco and spent her early childhood years in Berkeley before relocating to Queens, NY. She has an M.A. from Columbia University in Learning Disabilities. Sarah teaches 1st grade at the South Peninsula Hebrew Day School and courses in Jewish thought at Meira Academy in Palo Alto.
About Sarah: Mrs. Sarah Felsen was born in San Francisco and spent her early childhood years in Berkeley before relocating to Queens, NY. She has an M.A. from Columbia University in Learning Disabilities. Sarah teaches 1st grade at the South Peninsula Hebrew Day School and courses in Jewish thought at Meira Academy in Palo Alto.
Yehuda and Tamar: A Fitting Beginning to the Davidic Dynasty? with Devorah Lewis
10:40 AM- 11:40 AM
About this class: The Torah does not shy away from controversial narratives. The story of Yehuda and Tamar leaves many readers asking how and why this would be the precursor to the Davidic Dynasty. Devorah Lewis presents classic sources to unravel the mysterious text.
About Devorah: Devorah Lewis received her teaching degree from Torah U’Mesorah, and her Bachelor’s degree from Yavneh Teacher’s Seminary. In addition, she received certification in Special Education. Immediately after graduating, Mrs. Lewis accepted a teaching position in Bais Yaakov of St. Louis. There she displayed a passion for teaching adolescents and a dedication to their education. After a year in St. Louis, she and her husband relocated to Israel where she attended the Ner Le’Elef training program. As part of the program, she spent two years in Santa Barbara opening her home to the Jewish college students there. Her previous residence was Dallas, TX, where she spent five years teaching in Mesorah High School for Girls. She is currently the Principal of Jewish Studies of Meira Academy in Palo Alto and taken a small start-up school to a fully accredited, four-year high school for girls.
About Devorah: Devorah Lewis received her teaching degree from Torah U’Mesorah, and her Bachelor’s degree from Yavneh Teacher’s Seminary. In addition, she received certification in Special Education. Immediately after graduating, Mrs. Lewis accepted a teaching position in Bais Yaakov of St. Louis. There she displayed a passion for teaching adolescents and a dedication to their education. After a year in St. Louis, she and her husband relocated to Israel where she attended the Ner Le’Elef training program. As part of the program, she spent two years in Santa Barbara opening her home to the Jewish college students there. Her previous residence was Dallas, TX, where she spent five years teaching in Mesorah High School for Girls. She is currently the Principal of Jewish Studies of Meira Academy in Palo Alto and taken a small start-up school to a fully accredited, four-year high school for girls.
Introduction to Essential Oils with Caitlin Fisch 10:40 AM - 11:40 AM
About this class: Have you heard of essential oils but aren’t sure what the fuss is about? Have you tried a few but wonder what else you can use them for? Join us for an introduction to essential oils to learn how to use them easily and safely to support your family’s health! We will make sample roller bottles and soothing bath salts with personalized blends.
About Caitlin: Caitlin Fisch is a mom of four who has been on a natural health journey for the past 15 years, Through trying many different methods she has discovered the simple, user friendly, healing power of essential oils, and is excited to share them with you! Caitlin is an independent distributor with Young Living essential oils, and currently lives in Mountain View, by way of Miami, Jerusalem, and the Bronx.
About Caitlin: Caitlin Fisch is a mom of four who has been on a natural health journey for the past 15 years, Through trying many different methods she has discovered the simple, user friendly, healing power of essential oils, and is excited to share them with you! Caitlin is an independent distributor with Young Living essential oils, and currently lives in Mountain View, by way of Miami, Jerusalem, and the Bronx.
Reproductive Issues and Halacha with Racheli Shandrovsky 10:40 AM - 11:40 AM
About this class: The issue of women's reproductive rights is at the forefront of today's political scene. Join Racheli Shandrovsky as she presents the Jewish legal perspective on contraception using Talmudic and other Rabbinic sources, including modern-day responsa.
About Racheli: Mrs. Racheli Shandrovsky teaches Jewish text studies at Kehillah. Her passion for learning spans several disciplines. She holds a Bachelor of Education and majored in biology and minored in chemistry at Michlalah College in Jerusalem. She is currently finishing her Masters in Education at Bar Ilan University. Her focus is on the interaction between Science, Jewish Law and Education. Mrs. Shandrovksy has experience teaching science in various middle schools and high schools in Israel. Since arriving in the Bay area in 2013, she has taught Science, Jewish studies, and Hebrew language. In addition to formal teaching, she has worked with teens at risk as a dorm counselor and program director.
About Racheli: Mrs. Racheli Shandrovsky teaches Jewish text studies at Kehillah. Her passion for learning spans several disciplines. She holds a Bachelor of Education and majored in biology and minored in chemistry at Michlalah College in Jerusalem. She is currently finishing her Masters in Education at Bar Ilan University. Her focus is on the interaction between Science, Jewish Law and Education. Mrs. Shandrovksy has experience teaching science in various middle schools and high schools in Israel. Since arriving in the Bay area in 2013, she has taught Science, Jewish studies, and Hebrew language. In addition to formal teaching, she has worked with teens at risk as a dorm counselor and program director.
Affect vs. Effect; A World of a Difference (Teen Class) with Ayelet Tuchman
10:40 AM - 11:40 AM
About this class: Have you ever confused Affect and Effect? Don’t worry, I do it all the time! Join me as we analyze advertisements, critique conversations, and study scenes in order to identify the difference between the two. In this workshop, we will look at pop culture and Jewish sources to analyze the complexity of peer pressure and the impact we have on our community.
About Ayelet: Ayelet Tuchman is a graduate student at Cal State. The interface of science and religion has always fascinated Ayelet, her senior thesis focused on the Jewish approach to teaching evolution to students. She currently teaches at the South Peninsula Hebrew Day School.
About Ayelet: Ayelet Tuchman is a graduate student at Cal State. The interface of science and religion has always fascinated Ayelet, her senior thesis focused on the Jewish approach to teaching evolution to students. She currently teaches at the South Peninsula Hebrew Day School.
A Case Study of One Individual in the Holocaust with Dr. Anna Rubin 11:50 AM - 12:50 PM
About this class: A survivor of WWII, Dr. Halberstam-Rubin will share some of her experience from her journey toward survival. She grew up in the First Czechoslovak Republic, the only democratic state in Central Europe prior to WWII, which was destroyed by the Nazis along with its Jews. She will present an inspiring and awesome account of her life. She will also share many details from her manuscript "Just a Little Girl," a case study of one individual in the Holocaust, soon to be available in book form.
About Dr. Rubin: Anna Halberstam Rubin was born 1926 in Stropkov, Slovakia. She entered the United States in 1947 and has been a citizen since 1954. She received her PhD in history in 1982 and was a Historical Researcher at CWR University, Cleveland, Ohio and a Professor of History at Kent State University Kent, Ohio. Dr. Halberstam Rubin has been a resident of Palo Alto since 2012.
About Dr. Rubin: Anna Halberstam Rubin was born 1926 in Stropkov, Slovakia. She entered the United States in 1947 and has been a citizen since 1954. She received her PhD in history in 1982 and was a Historical Researcher at CWR University, Cleveland, Ohio and a Professor of History at Kent State University Kent, Ohio. Dr. Halberstam Rubin has been a resident of Palo Alto since 2012.
Woman on a Mission with Laeya Grossman 11:50 AM - 12:50 PM
About this class: We women were granted special gifts that are both a privilege and a responsibility. These gifts enable us to fulfill a unique mission, and connect us to our destiny. Learn about these special strengths and how we can use them in our modern lives to elevate ourselves, our families, and our careers.
About Laeya: Laeya Grossman was raised in Cincinatti and then Atlanta. Her family has been involved in Jewish education for several generations and she has inherited their passion for sharing the wisdom of the Torah. Laeya is no stranger to Silicon Valley and the industry of high tech. She continues to work as the Director of Sales of PriceManager, a software company based in New Jersey that allows companies to track online pricing.
About Laeya: Laeya Grossman was raised in Cincinatti and then Atlanta. Her family has been involved in Jewish education for several generations and she has inherited their passion for sharing the wisdom of the Torah. Laeya is no stranger to Silicon Valley and the industry of high tech. She continues to work as the Director of Sales of PriceManager, a software company based in New Jersey that allows companies to track online pricing.
The Tower of Bavel and Our Quest for Control with Yael Kaisman 11:50 AM - 12:50 PM
About this class: We live in a society that encourages us to take charge, and we often feel that are in control. And yet, there is so much frustration when things don’t work out our way. Whether we’re stuck in a traffic jam, looking for a soulmate, or interviewing for jobs, our perspective of control can be confusing. From time immemorial humanity has struggled with this issue. In this workshop, we’ll be going through Judaic sources to help us define the parameters of our control and help shed light on where we should keep our focus.
The Versatility and Magic of the Humble Vinaigrette with Julie Thomas
11:50 AM - 12:50 PM
About this class: Learn how the basic vinaigrette can spawn hundreds of recipes for salads, grains & proteins. Understanding the ratios and elemental components can help you become 'That Chef' that doesn't need to follow a recipe. After the lesson we can enjoy the fruits of our labor. Kosher dietary laws observed.
About Julie: Having logged over thousands of hours in the kitchen, Julie is always on the hunt for innovative flavors to keep this life task interesting and fresh. Her personal culinary exploration has lead Julie to avidly watch the Food network, collect a vast library of cookbooks, coordinate numerous cooking demos and even contribute and edit the popular kosher cookbook, “The Open Kitchen”. The latest trend of Kosher foodie and cooking blogs has been the newest source of her culinary inspiration.
About Julie: Having logged over thousands of hours in the kitchen, Julie is always on the hunt for innovative flavors to keep this life task interesting and fresh. Her personal culinary exploration has lead Julie to avidly watch the Food network, collect a vast library of cookbooks, coordinate numerous cooking demos and even contribute and edit the popular kosher cookbook, “The Open Kitchen”. The latest trend of Kosher foodie and cooking blogs has been the newest source of her culinary inspiration.
Fostering Kids' Creativity with Rachelle Doorley 11:50 AM - 12:50 PM
About this class: In this interactive workshop we’ll discuss methods for organizing supplies, how to establish a self-serve maker station, tools for saving and documenting a child’s work, and clean-up tips. Attendees will walk away with a list of basic creative supplies, ideas and methods to get started right away.
About Rachelle: Rachelle Doorley is an experienced arts educator and community builder with a background in non-profit administration. She's the founder of the popular creativity blog, Tinkerlab (http://tinkerlab.com/), founding member of 20 Moms, host of the Instagram party #creativetable, founder of Bay Area Bloggers, and mom to two creative kids. To find more interesting and creative activities and experiments for kids, check out the Tinkerlab Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/tinkerlab) and Pinterest boards (http://pinterest.com/tinkerlab/).
About Rachelle: Rachelle Doorley is an experienced arts educator and community builder with a background in non-profit administration. She's the founder of the popular creativity blog, Tinkerlab (http://tinkerlab.com/), founding member of 20 Moms, host of the Instagram party #creativetable, founder of Bay Area Bloggers, and mom to two creative kids. To find more interesting and creative activities and experiments for kids, check out the Tinkerlab Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/tinkerlab) and Pinterest boards (http://pinterest.com/tinkerlab/).