The Jewish Community Center’s Department of Adult Jewish Learning is becoming the department of Jewish Life and Learning. It will be formally launched Sunday, June 12, when Rabbi Eli Kaunfer will be featured at three events.

Following Rabbi Kaunfer’s speech on June 12, (see below for details), Jill Maidhof, the JCC associate exectuve director, explained that the JCC will offer a taste of the education options it will offer this fall.
“We are providing modules, sort of like speed dating, where people can choose between 20 different modules and preview what learning opportunities will be offered in the fall,” she said.

Maidhof said the JCC is excited to be offering a larger variety of choices this fall. The class offerings reflect what was learned during surveys taken this past winter, including “the silos that we’ve identified as being spirituality and personal wellness.”

That includes Ayeka – which means in Hebrew where are you — and has already begun.

“It has to do with exploring our personal relationships with God and bringing God into our everyday lives,” Maidhof said. “We have formal adult education and informal experiences, family programs, current events and contemporary history, Israel and Hebrew on the agenda as well.”

That’s not all.

“In addition to Melton, we will be offering guided meditation, a cooking activity and we’re doing a current events. We’re excited to have Milton Katz, who is teaching a wonderful program about exploring the Holocaust through art,” she continued.

In addition to the “infomercials” participants will hear June 12, a brochure featuring all the class offerings will be mailed to members of the Jewish community, to both members and non-members of the JCC, at the beginning of August.

“We hope it will go out to anyone who has ever been serious about Jewish life and learning,” Maidhof said.

Following the taste of Jewish Life and Learning, Rabbi Kaunfeer will conduct a short question and answer period. As the afternoon winds down, he will meet with those who have made reservations to attend a dinner where he will continue to speak about empowered Judaism.

Beside his public presentations, arrangements have been made for Rabbi Kaunfer to meet with agency and congregational leaders as well as the local rabbis.

Maidhof said with the expansion of its Jewish education program, the JCC hopes to become more collaborative with other agencies and congregations. The coordination of conversations between the various organizations is one way to begin the collaboration.

“We think this is a great model and a very exciting series of conversations, which we hope will lead to future conversations and collaborations. This is just the beginning,” she said.

Maidhof, who is currently serving as the interim director of Jewish Life and Learning, said the JCC is currently conducting a nationwide search for a permanent director of the department.

“We are accepting resumes. There is no time frame for hiring that person. We are more committed to hiring the right person than to meet a convenient time frame,” she said.

Empowered Judaism events planned

Rabbi Elie Kaunfer will speak at three events sponsored by the Jewish Community Center’s Department of Jewish Life and Learning.

The first event will take place from 2 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, June 12, at the Jewish Community Campus. After Rabbi Kaunfer gives the keynote address, “How Can I Pray What I May Not Believe?, participants can choose from more than 20 interactive previews of fall programming, presented by the faculty of the new Department of Jewish Life and Learning. Topics will include Jewish spirituality, guided meditation, text study, history, books discussion, ethnic cooking, Israel, current events and more. For a listing of previews, visit jcckc.org. The program is free and child care is available on a space-available basis.

At 5 p.m. that same day, dinner with the rabbi begins. Rabbi Kaunfer will share remarks and respond to questions about his book, “Empowered Judaism: What Independent Minyanim Can Teach Us about Building Vibrant Jewish Communities.” Pre-paid reservations, at $10 per person, are required. No child care is provided for this event.

Monday, June 13, Rabbi Kaunfer will give the keynote address, “Cutting Class for Moral Reasons: When Jewish Texts Conflict with My Values,” followed by commencement exercises and dessert bar at the Community Celebration for 2011 Melton Graduates. The free event begins at 7:15 p.m. at the Jewish Community Campus and is open to the public. Child care is available on a space-available basis.

Reservations for any or all of these three programs, and childcare, may be made by contacting Gail Odgers at (913) 327-8002 or .