A calendar of events throughout Connecticut and parts of Massachusetts.

Local Jewish community organizations are invited to submit events to the calendar. Events must be received one week prior to the bi-weekly publication of the Ledger. Send submissions to Ledger editor Judie Jacobson at judiej@jewishledger.com. We reserve the right to edit calendar items.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6

Northampton, Mass – Mak’hela, the award-winning Jewish Chorus of Western MA, begins rehearsals for the 2022-2023 season. New members are welcome to join at this time. Rehearsals are Tuesday evenings from 7:15 – 9 p.m. and are located at the Lander-Grinspoon Academy, 257 Prospect St, in Northampton, MA.  For more information, please contact MakhelaWMA@gmail.com or go to https://makhela.org. Note: vaccinations and masks required.

Statewide (Zoom) —Inside the Middle East: Entering A New Era,” a briefing with Avi Melamed, foundation and CEO of Inside the Middle East: Intelligence Perspective; 7-8:15 p.m. Presented by the Jewish Community Relations Councils of the Jewish Federations of Greater New Haven and Greater Hartford.FREE, advance registration required at bit.ly/AviMelamed96.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7

West Hartford, Conn. (virtual)— The Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford will hold its 2022 Annual Meeting at 5 p.m. The Zoom webinar will recognize incoming and outgoing leadership and present the Henry M Zachs Spirit of Judaism Award to Ronit Shoham and Kathy Fishman. For more information, visit jewishhartford.org.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10

Greenwich, Conn.—Backyard Havdalah Service led by Rabi Levi of Congregation Shir Ami will be held at the home of the Cohen family at 6 p.m. (receive the address upon registering). Service will include song and reflection  Rabbi Levy will be accompanied by Oren Neiman on guitar. Register at: https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07ejbsenpif8be5ca0&oseq=&c=&ch=

Sherman, Conn.— From This Broken Hill I Sing to You: God, Sex and Politics in the Work of Leonard Cohen,” a conversation with Prof. Marcia Pally, New York University and Humbolt University in Berlin, and Rabbi Ari Rosenberg, Rutgers University and Hebrew Union College, at the JCC in Sherman, 9 Rte 39 South, at 7 p.m. With live music performed by local artists. In her 2021 book of the same name, Pally traces a consistent theology of covenant in Cohen’s work and in his provocative songs on women and politics, making both his Jewish heritage and his (our) struggles with it transparent. Cohen’s commitment to covenant–and his anger at the God who made us so prone to disregard it–provide the basis for Cohen’s faith, frustration, and sardonic wisdom from his earliest writing to his final theology, You Want It Darker. Prof. Marcia Pally is author of 14 books, including From This Broken Hill I Sing to You: God, Sex, and Politics in the Work of Leonard Cohen,  published in 2021. Rabbi Ari Rosenberg served as rabbi of Temple Sholom from 2015-2020. A ewaiswnr od New Milford, he is now executive director of the Association of Religious Communities,. For information or to purchase tickets: jccinsherman.org, info@jccinsherman.org., (860) 355-8050 to purchase your tickets.     

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11

Easthampton, Mass. – Get ready for Rosh HaShanah with fall activities and apple picking. Learn to blow the shofar, hear a story, do a craft, and pick apples. This free event is a program of Lander-Grinspoon Academy and PJ Library, 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m., at Park Hill Orchard, 82 Park Hill Road, (Families who want to pick apples will need to purchase a bag.) For more information, contact Deborah at dseltzer@LanderGrinspoon.org or call (413) 584-6622.

Willimantic, Conn. (virtual)— Looking Backward: Facing Forward:  “The History of Antisemitism in the United States.” A Zoom forum sponsored by Temple tai Israel in Willlimantic featuring Avinoam Patt, chair of Judaic Studies and director of the enter for Judaic Studies and Contemporary Jewish Life at UConn, and Susan Herbst, UConn professor of political science and president emeritus, that will focus on events in the late 19th and 20th centuries as well as America’s response to Nazism and the Holocaust. Strategies to confront the current upsurge in antisemitism will be examined in a follow-up forum on Nov. 13. Participants may want to watch the film “Gentlemen’s Agreement prior to this forum. Free links available here For Zoom link, email office@templebnaiisrael.org (use “September Antisemitism Zoom Request” as subject line.

West Hartford, CT – Descendants of Shoah Conference, sponsored by Voices of Hope, at Mandell JCC, 335 Bloomfield Ave., 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.; To register and for additional information about sessions, go to www.ctvoicesofhope.org or call (860) 470-5591.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15

Orange, Conn. (virtual)—A new book club presented by Congregation Or Shalom  at 7 p.m. will feature a discussion of Old New York, a new, beautifully laid-out edition of Edith Wharton’s classic 1924 tetralogy of novellas, revolving around upper-class New York society in the 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, and 1870s, and published under one title. This collection includes all four Old New York novellas: False Dawn, The Old Maid, The Spark, and New Year’s Day. Edith Wharton (1862-1937) was an American novelist and short story writer. In 1921, she became the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for her novel, The Age of Innocence. The discussion will be led by Rachel Ranis. Call for Zoom information: (203) 799-2341.

SEPTEMBER 15

Southbury, Conn. (virtual)— Adeena Susan in Conversation with Michael W. Twitty, 12:30. p.m. An African-American Jewish writer, culinary historian, and educator, Twitty is the author of The Cooking Gene, which won the 2018 James Beard Foundation Book Award for Book of the Year award. Presented by the Jewish Book Council; hosted by UJA-JCC Greenwich. For more information nor to register, visit: jewishbookcouncil.org.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18

Greenwich, Conn. (virtual)—Davis Film Festival: “Forgiveness.” At 5 p.m. through Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 9 p.m. Presented by the Greenwich UJA-JCC. 104 minutes. Synopsis: In the south of Israel near the Gaza border, a place where the beleaguered citizens live with incoming rocket fire, longtime pals Shaul and Nissan attempt to pull off a heist. But they bungle the job and Shaul ends up behind bars. Years later, upon his release, Shaul is less than pleased to be greeted by the newly religious Nissan seeking his forgiveness during the Days of Awe. A warm-hearted and slightly zany buddy caper. $9. For information: ujajcc.org.

Greenwich, Conn.— The Challah Prince, Idan Chabasov, th Israeli Instagram sensation and challah braiding artist, teaches you how to braid your very own 20-rand round challah in time for Rosh Hashanah; 7:30 p.m.; at Temple Beth El., 350 Roxbury Road.Light bites and drinks provided. Hosted by United Jewish Federation’s NextGen, in partnership with UJA-JCC Greenwich, Bi-Cultural Hebrew Academy, Temple Sinai, Temple Beth El, Congregation Agudath Shalom,Young Israel of Stamford, Chabad of Stamford.  $18/before Sept 2; $25/after Sept. 2. No walk-ins. For information, contact Melanie Vorm at melanie@ujf.rg.

Holden, Mass. – The Greater Worcester Chapter of Hadassah’s annual Donor Event at 11 a.m. at Val’s Restaurant in Holden, 75 Reservoir St., with guest speaker Scott E. Casper, president of the American Antiquarian Society, who will speak on “Rebellious Immigrant: A Jewish Woman Writer of The Early 20th Century.” Jody Fredman, Organizational Vice President of the Southern New England Region of Hadassah, will provide an update on Hadassah’s life-saving work in medicine and child rescue. For more information, contact Barbara Patashnik, Donor Chair, at bbpatashnik1346@gmail.com.

Southbury, Conn.  Author Marc Gellman will discuss his book, Seven Days of Shiva.about his experience dealing with grief in the aftermath of the loss of his wife, Barbara, after a thirty-year battle with breast cancer. This unique memoir is much more than a tribute to a departed love. Their story shows how a cancer journey seamlessly entwines through a four decades-long love story. At 1 p.m. Jewish Federation of Western CT., 444 Main St, N. For information, visit jfed.net.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20

Springfield, Mass. – Event to honor Rachel’s Table volunteers, featuring dessert, speakers, gifts and gratitude, 7-9 p.m., at Sinai Temple, 1100 Dickinson St. Send in Rachel’s Table volunteer photos from past years for a planned video montage to be presented at the event. For information: Jodi at jfalk@jewishwesternmass.org or call (413) 733-0084.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 29

Windsor, Conn.— “Tosh & Nosh,” at 6 p.m.; Join the Emerging Leadership Division of the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford for Tashlich, to cast your transgressions of last year into the water and welcome the new Jewish year; beverages and snacks provided. FREE. To register and receive location access, email Rebecca Lenkiewicz at rlenkiewicz@jewishhartford.org.

West Hartford, Conn.— “Jews of the Forest:  A Story of Holocaust Resistance and Survival” with author Rebecca Frankel, 4-5:30 p.m., in the University of Hartford’s Wilde Auditorium; co-sponsored by the Greenberg Center for Judaic Studies at the University of Hartford and the Center for Judaic Studies and Contemporary Jewish Life at the University of Connecticut.  New York Times best-selling author and West Hartford native, Rebecca Frankel, is best known locally for recording the inspiring story of the Rabinowitz family who narrowly escaped the Nazi ghetto in their Polish town by fleeing to the forbidding Bialowieza Forest. Into the Forest:  A Holocaust Story of Survival, Triumph, and Love was named a 2021 National Jewish Book Award finalist and one of Smithsonian Magazine’s “Ten Best History Books of 2021.”

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6

Bloomfield, Conn.—50th Anniversary Celebration of the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford, at Tumble Brook Country Club, 376 Simsbury Rd., 6 – 8:30 pm. For more information, email Elana MacGilpin, emacgilpin@jcfhartford.org

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29

Orange, Conn.—Eight houses of worship in Orange will host “Tour De Faith,” a unique program that gives people an opportunity to experience the town’s religious diversity and learn from clergy about different faiths. A program of Congregations of Orange Collaborative, it will feature “tours” of two houses of worship — Congregation Or Shalom (12 noon- p.m.) and St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church (1:15 – 2:15 p.m.). For more information, contact Nancy Kline at nancykline@gmail.com.  See the full story about the newly formed Congregations of Orange Collaborative in the Around SNE section of this issue.

SAVE THE DATE!

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 14

Greenwich, Conn.— From Actress to Activist: Noa Tishby in Conversation with Bryanna Kallman, hosted by UJA-JCC Greenwich at Indian Harbor Yacht Club; 6:30 p.m. cocktails, 7:30 p.m. program. Noa Tishby, author Israel: A Simple Guide to the Most Misunderstood County on Earth, was appointed as Israel’s first special envoy for combatting antisemitism and delegitimization of Israel. After her army service, she became an actress, appearing in TV shows, films and more. She is executive producer of the Israeli show “In Treatment, which was sold to HBO, making it the first Israeli show to become an American series. A major Israel advocacy influencer, TIshby has over 250,000 Instagram followers. Registration opens August 30. For information: info@ujajcc.org.