friday | 23
“Who is a Jew, and Why?” At Jewish Gateways, 409 Liberty St., El Cerrito. 6:15-9 p.m. Potluck dish or $7. RSVP to (510) 559-8140.
Jewish Humanist Forum with Dr. Carl Djerassi. At the Albany Community Center, 1249 Marin Ave., Albany. Free. www.kolhadash.org.
sunday | 25
“Italian Jewish Culture in the Age of the Ghetto.” Symposium in conjunction with “Il Ghetto” exhibit. At Museo ItaloAmericano, Fort Mason Center, S.F. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. www.museoitaloamericano.org.
“Sacred Text Revealed: The Oral Torah — Moral Evolution in the Talmud.” At Temple Beth Hillel, 801 Park Central, Richmond. 10:15 a.m. www.templebethhillelrichmond.org.
“Jewish Chefs Series.” Alice Medrich, founder of S.F.-based Cocolat and author, known as “The First Lady of Chocolate.” At Temple Israel, 3183 Mecartney Road, Alameda. 10:30 a.m. $25 at the door, or $100 for the five-part series. www.templeisraelalameda.org.
“P’tach Libeynu: Open Our Hearts — Beginning a Conversation About the Stigma of Mental Illness.” At Temple Isaiah, 3800 Mount Diablo Blvd., Lafayette. 12-5:30 p.m. Free. (925) 283-8573.
Will Eisner’s “A Contract with God.” With San Jose State professor David Mesher. Jewish Literature Discussion Series. At Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library, 150 E. San Fernando St., San Jose. 2-4 p.m. (408) 808-2357.
“The Holocaust Effect in Contemporary Art.” Symposium and reception. At California College of the Arts, Timken Hall, 111 Eighth St., S.F. 2-4 p.m. (510) 549-6950 ext. 337.
Akiva Tor, Consulate General of Israel, San Francisco. Presented by Kesher, a new singles group for ages 35-55. At Beth Jacob Congregation, 3778 Park Blvd., Oakland. 2:30 p.m. $10 donation. RSVP to office@bethjacoboakland.org.
monday | 26
“War Orphan in San Francisco.” With Holocaust refugee Phyllis Mattson. Part of Jewish Heritage Month. At Foothill College, Campus Center Lounge, 12345 El Monte Road, Los Altos Hills. 10-11:50 a.m. Free.
“Jews and Poetry.” With Doren Robbins. Part of Jewish Heritage Month. At Foothill College, 12345 El Monte Road, Los Altos Hills. 1:30-3 p.m. Free. www.foothill.edu.
“Choices.” With authors Letty Cottin Pogrebin and Abigail Pogrebin. Women’s Philanthropy Division of the Jewish Community Federation of the Greater East Bay. At Oakland City Center Marriot, Oakland. 5:30 p.m. www.jfed.org/choices2009.
Martin S. Indyk, former U.S. ambassador to Israel. At JCCSF, 3200 California St., S.F. 8 p.m. $15-$18. (415) 512-6203.
tuesday | 27
“The 60 Years War: What Gaza Shows Us About the Arab-Israeli Conflict.” With Riva Gambart. At Contra Costa JCC, 2071 Tice Valley Blvd., Walnut Creek. 10 a.m. $5-$8. (925) 938-7800.
“The Entire 613 Mitzvot Mentioned in the Bible, Including Those Which are Not in Practice Today.” At Beth Jacob Congregation, 3778 Park Blvd., Oakland. 8 p.m. Free. (510) 482-1147.
“1948: The First Arab-Israeli War.” With Benny Morris, history professor at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. At Congregation Beth Am, 26790 Arastradero Road, Los Altos. 7:30 p.m. (415) 512-6203.
“Anti-Semitism, Self-Hatred and the Jews.” David Mamet in a conversation with Rabbi Lawrence Kushner. At JCCSF, 3200 California St., S.F. 8 p.m. $20-$25. www.jccsf.org.
wednesday | 28
“Genetic Conditions Among Ashkenazi Jews.” With genetic counselor Gary Frohlich. Part of Jewish Heritage Month. At Foothill College, 12345 El Monte Road, Los Altos Hills. 10 a.m. Free. www.foothill.edu.
“Art, Politics, Judaism and the Mind of David Mamet.” Screenwriter and playwright David Mamet. At Stanford University, Memorial Auditorium, Stanford. 7 p.m. $20. (650) 736-1199.
“1948: The First Arab-Israeli War.” With Benny Morris, history professor at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. At Doe Library, Room 438, U.C. Berkeley. 7:30 p.m. Free. (510) 525-3582.
“The Emotional Needs of Animals.” With Temple Grandin. At JCCSF, 3200 California St., S.F. 8 p.m. $10-$18. www.jccsf.org.
thursday | 29
“Ashkenazim: The Early History of German Jewry.” With Ken Blady. East Bay Jewish Forum. At Temple Beth Abraham, 327 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland. 10 a.m. $10. (510) 839-2900 ext. 253.
“Alternative Energy: The Future is Now.” Presented by Silicon Valley Hillel. At Santa Clara University Library, 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara. 6 p.m. www.scu.edu/orradre.
“Back to Business in Unpredictable Times.” Career support seminar. At Congregation Beth Am, 26790 Arastradero Road, Los Altos. 6:30 p.m. $10. (415) 369-2875.
“Creating Northern California.” With Frances Dinkelspiel, author of “Towers of Gold: How One Jewish Immigrant Named Isaias Hellman Created California.” At Contemporary Jewish Muesum, 736 Mission St., S.F. 7 p.m. $5. www.thecjm.org.
“1948: The First Arab-Israeli War.” With Benny Morris, history professor at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. At JCCSF, 3200 California St., S.F. 8 p.m. www.jccsf.org.
friday | 30
“Scholar in Residence : Rabbi Tali Hyman.” Presentations on Jewish identity through Feb. 1. At Peninsula Temple Beth El, 1700 Alameda de las Pulgas, San Mateo. 7:30 p.m. Free. (650) 341-7701.
Ismail Khaldi, deputy consul general at the Israeli Consulate in San Francisco. At Temple Beth El, 3055 Porter Gulch Road, Aptos. 8:15 p.m. (831) 479-3444.
saturday | 31
“Feast of Jewish Learning.” Lectures, programs, community Havdallah. At Congregation Beth Am, 26790 Arastradero Road, Los Altos Hills. 7 p.m. (415) 512-6203.