What’s Happening
SATURDAY, SEPT. 8
Worcester – Tot Shabbat, a Shabbat experience for children and their parents with singing, storytelling, play and puppetry; 11 a.m., Congregation Beth Israel, 15 Jamesbury Drive, (508) 756-6204.
SUNDAY, SEPT. 9
Worcester – YAD First Night Rosh Hashanah Dinner, 6:30 p.m., mhall@jfcm.org.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 12
Longmeadow – Veterans Benefit Workshop for veterans and their families, 4-6 p.m., Ruth’s House at JGS Lifecare, 770 Converse St., Register: (413) 567-6212, ext. 3105. FREE
THURSDAY, SEPT. 13
Longmeadow – JGS LifeEd program, “Hope & Help: What You Need to Know about Alzheimer’s Disease,” 5-7 p.m., Gloth Family Auditorium, Leavitt Family Jewish Home, 770 Converse St., Register: (413) 567-6212, ext. 3105 or lpayson@JGSLifecare.org. FREE & open to the public.
Springfield – Jewish Family Service, “Cocktails for Citizenship,” celebrating Jewish Family Services’ citizenship program, with food, drinks, music, 5:30-8 p.m., 9th Floor Art Gallery, 1350 Main St.; Tickets: (413) 737-2601. $75/pp
FRIDAY, SEPT. 14
Longmeadow – Shabbat dinner at Congregation B’nai Torah; open to the community; 2 Eunice Drive, (413) 567-0036. ALSO: Oct. 19 & Nov. 9
SUNDAY, SEPT. 16
Longmeadow – “Create Your Own Pizza…and NCSY chapter,” 5-7 p.m., Congregation B’nai Torah, 2 Eunice Drive.
Shrewsbury – “Come Under Our Sukkah”, a Jewish Federation of Central Mass., Shalom Newcomer event for all children (and their families) new to PJ Library over the past 18 months, 10:30 a.m.-12 noon, Dean Park Pavillion, mhall@jfcm.org.
Springfield – “Flick ‘N Float,” movie (“Moana”) and a swim at the Springfield JCC, 7-9 p.m., 1160 Dickinson St. (children 11 and under must be accompanied by an adult), (413) 739-4715, ext. 382.
Worcester – Dinner honoring Hadassah Worcester Life member The Honorable Sen. Harriette Chandler, with special guest Dr. Janice Weinman, CEO and Executive Director of Hadassah, 6-9 p.m., Union Station.
MONDAY, SEPT. 17
Worcester – BI Mah Jongg — learn, play or teach; 7:30 p.m., Congregation Beth Israel, 15 Jamesbury Drive, (508) 688-7926.
SUNDAY, SEPT. 23
Springfield – CHEERS Block Party to support Kehillah program for individuals with special needs at the Springfield JCC; with games, a D.J., and food for sale from the Holyoke Hummus Co. food truck, and beer and wine garden; 2:30-5:30 p.m., Springfield JCC, 1160 Dickinson St., (413) 739-4715.
Springfield – Sukkah-Raising and Chili-Cookoff at Temple Beth El, help decorate the sukkah and learn how to shake lulav; perform mitzvah of eating in the sukkah, 3 p.m., 979 Dickinson St., RSVP: Marie at sklc@tbespringfield.org or (413) 737-0170. *to participate in the chili cook-off contact Caryn at cresnick@tbespringfield.org. $10/adults; $6/kids 10 and under; kids 3 and under/FREE
Springfield – Sukkot Sandwich-making (for the Springfield Rescue Mission), service and pizza dinner in the sukkah, at Sinai Temple; 4 p.m., 1100 Dickinson St., (413) 736-3619.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 25
Amherst – “Sephardic Civilization,” three-lecture series with Ilan Stavans; first lecture: “The Wound of Expulsion,” 7-9 p.m., Jewish Community of Amherst, 742 Main St., Register: (413) 256-0160, www.jcamherst.org. $54/suggested donation.
Springfield – Jewish War Veterans Post 26 Assembly, 2 p.m., at Jewish Community Center, 1160 Dickinson St.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 26
Longmeadow – Cabaret Concert: “In the Wee Small Hours,” songs from the Great American Songbook with vocalist Mary Jo Maichack and keyboardist Bob Shepherd, 2-3 p.m., Leavitt Family Jewish Nursing Home at JGS Lifecare, Gloth Family Auditorium, 770 Converse St., (413) 567-6212.
Northampton – “Jewish Family Jam” with Felicia Sloin, for young children and their parents/caretakers, sing, drum, dance and explore musical play, 10:30-11:15 a.m., LGA Library, 257 Prospect St., r.torrey@jfswm.org.; $25/registration fee. ALSO: Oct. 3, 10, 17 & 31; Nov. 7, 14 & 28; and Dec. 5, 12 & 19.
Worcester – Interfaith Celebration in the Sukkah, 5:30 p.m., join Rimon students as they welcome members of other faiths into the sukkah at Congregation Beth Israel, 15 Jamesbury Drive, (508) 756-6204.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 27
Longmeadow – “Sushi in the Sukkah,” at Congregation B’nai Torah, 2 Eunice Drive, (413) 567-0036.
Springfield – Kick-off event for Life Lessons and Literatour featuring Matthew Polly, author of Bruce Lee: A Life, 7:30 p.m., Springfield JCC, 1160 Dickinson St., Register: (413) 739-4715 or at front desk.
SUNDAY, SEPT. 30
Worcester – Jewish War Veterans Post 32 assembly with screening of WGBH movie, “Jewish GI’s of WWII,” 9 a.m., at Worcester Jewish Community Center.
TUESDAY, OCT. 2
Amherst – “Sephardic Civilization,” three-lecture series with Ilan Stavans; second lecture: “Unity and Dispersion,” 7-9 p.m., Jewish Community of Amherst, 742 Main St., Register: (413) 256-0160, www.jcamherst.org. $54/suggested donation.
FRIDAY, OCT. 5
Worcester – TGIF Torah Goodness its Friday, weekly Torah study at Worcester JCC with Rabbi Aviva Fellman of Congregation Beth Israel, 10 a.m.; 633 Salisbury St., FREE & open to the public* Takes place every Friday
TUESDAY, OCT. 9
Amherst – “Sephardic Civilization,” three-lecture series with Ilan Stavans; third lecture: “Adios Espana,” 7-9 p.m., Jewish Community of Amherst, 742 Main St., Register: (413) 256-0160, www.jcamherst.org. $54/suggested donation.
Springfield – “Standing with Israel in 2018: Challenges and Opportunities,” Hadassah Northeast program, with presenters from StandWithUs, Israel Advocacy Alliance and Israeli American Council, 7 p.m., Temple Beth El, 979 Dickinson St., Register in advance: (781) 455-9055 or hne@hadassah.org.
Springfield – Information meeting for “A Civil Rights Journey from Atlanta to Alabama: What Really Happened in the 1960s?” a trip to be led by Rabbi Mark Shapiro April 7-12, 2019, 7 p.m., Springfield JCC, 1160 Dickinson St., (413) 739-4715, ext. 355.
SATURDAY, OCT. 13
Worcester – Tot Shabbat, a Shabbat experience for children and their parents with singing, storytelling, play and puppetry; 11 a.m., Congregation Beth Israel, 15 Jamesbury Drive, (508) 756-6204.
SUNDAY, OCT. 14
Amherst – “Meet me at the Well: The Girls and Women of the Bible,” a book reading with authors Jane Yolen and Barbara Diamond Goldin, 11 a.m. – noon, Jewish Community of Amherst, 742 Main St., (413) 256-0160;
www.jcamherst.org.
Worcester – Famous Brotherhood Breakfast, 9:30- 11 a.m., (minyan at 9 a.m.), Congregation Beth Israel, 15 Jamesbury Drive, (508) 756-6204.
MONDAY, OCT. 15
Amherst – Prayerbook Hebrew Literacy, classes designed to help people become more comfortable in service and tines of prayer, with Janis Levy, 7-8:30 p.m. Jewish Community of Amherst, 742 Main St., Registration required: (413) 256-0160;
www.jcamherst.org.ALSO: Oct. 22, & 29; Nov. 5, 12, 19, & 26; and Dec. 3. $36/suggested contribution.
Worcester – BI Mah Jongg — learn, play or teach; 7:30 p.m., Congregation Beth Israel, 15 Jamesbury Drive, (508) 688-7926.
Worcester- BI BITES (BI Teen Engagement Series), an ongoing series taught by Rabbi Aviva Fellman that helps teen in grades 9-12 with pressing social issues informed by Jewish values and perspectives, 6-7 p.m., Beth Israel, 15 Jamesbury Drive, (508) 756-6204.
TUESDAY, OCT. 16
Amherst – Israeli dancing with Randi Stein, 7-8:15 p.m., Jewish Community of Amherst, 742 Main St., Registration required: (413) 256-0160; www.jcamherst.org. ALSO: Oct. 23 & 30. $36/suggested donation.
Holyoke – Congregation Rodphey Sholom Sisterhood Tea and afternoon meeting, with The Golden Blue Ribbon Singers performing “Fiddler on the Roof” songs, 1 p.m., 1800 Northampton St., (413) 534-5262; *men and friends welcome; please bring canned goods for food drive.
WEDNESDAY, OCT 17
Worcester – “What Does the Talmud Say?” a discussion of the Talmud with Rabbi Aviva Fellman, 7:30 p.m., Congregation Beth Israel, 15 Jamesbury Drive, (508) 756-6204.
SUNDAY, OCT. 21
Amherst – Contemporary Israeli Film Series, “The Band’s Visit,” with an introduction by Jesse Ferris, vice president of strategy at the Israel Democracy Institute in Jerusalem, 2 p.m., Jewish Community of Amherst, 742 Main St., (413) 256-0160; www.jcamherst.org.
SUNDAY, OCT. 28
Holyoke – Congregation Rodphey Sholom Men’s Club Donor brunch, 11 a.m. deluxe dairy brunch, RSVP: (413) 534-5262.
Westborough – “Standing with Israel in 2018: Challenges and Opportunities,” Hadassah Northeast program, with presenters from StandWithUs, Israel Advocacy Alliance and Israeli American Council, 10 a.m., Beth Tikvah Synagogue, Register in advance: (781) 455-9055 or hne@hadassah.org.
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 31
Amherst – “Greatest Hits of the Talmud,” a class for beginners and beyond, seekers and lovers of Jewish learning, led by Rabbi Devorah Jacobson, 6:30-7:45 p.m., Jewish Community of Amherst, 742 Main St., Registration required: (413) 256-0160;
www.jcamherst.org. ALSO: Nov. 7, 14 & 28; and Dec. 5 & 12. $90/pp
SUNDAY, NOV. 4
Amherst – “Creating a Jewish Home,” a discussion series facilitated by Melanie Lewis, 10:45-11:45 a.m., Jewish Community of Amherst, 742 Main St., (413) 256-0160;
www.jcamherst.org. ALSO: Dec. 9
