This fall, Wise will host two special guest speakers for Shabbat Evening Services in our historic Westwood Sanctuary. Thanks to the Friends of the IDF, Maj. Gen. (Res.) Nadav Padan will speak to our congregation on Friday, Nov. 3. One week later, Ben M. Freeman—founder of the Jewish Pride Movement—will give a d’var Torah on the importance of the weekly Torah reading.

Friday, Nov. 3 | 6:15 p.m. | Sanctuary | Welcome the New Month with a Special Musical Shabbat | In-Person or Watch Online

Please join us for a special musical Shabbat this Friday evening. The Hebrew month of Heshvan has no Jewish holy days, so we have a special invitation this month to focus on our Shabbat practice. Now more than ever, we need to be together in community, finding joy and meaning in the beauty of our musical tradition.  We will be joined by our Stephen Wise Temple band and quartet, featuring a number of special musical guests.In addition, Rabbi Yoshi will speak on his recent visit to Israel. We hope you’ll join us for this special evening of music followed by a festive dessert oneg.

Friday, Nov. 10 | Ben M. Freeman | WPA Speaker Series | Registration Required

On Friday morning, the founder of the modern Jewish Pride movement, Ben M. Freeman, will be interviewed by podcaster Cathy Heller in Zeldin-Hershenson Hall in an hourlong event put on by the Wise Parents Association. Coffee and refreshments will be provided, and the entire Wise community is invited to attend. Registration is required.

What Ben Will Discuss:

Jewish Pride must be the priority of all Jews. As our young people are being subjected to unprecedented levels of hate in their schools, colleges and in society more widely, we must continue to build a modern distinct Jewish Pride that inspires, empowers & educates Jews in the way other communities’ respective pride movements empower them.

Jews must reject the shame imposed on us by Jew-hate and we must reject non-Jewish definitions of Jewish identity. The only people who get to define Jewish identity are Jews. We must explore our history and experience through a Jewish lense in order to form and reinforce our identity as proud Jews today.

Stay tuned for RSVP information.

Friday, Nov. 10 | 6:15 p.m. | Sanctuary | Ben M. Freeman at Shabbat Evening Services | In-Person or Watch Online

Ben will deliver a 10-12-minute d’var Torah exploring the importance of the weekly parashah. The weekly reading of the Torah emerged as a way for all Jews to experience the laws and histories of the Torah while we were still living in the Land of Israel. That we do continue to do this—and so much more— today and in the Diaspora is an expression of Jewish indigeneity, which Ben will discuss.

About Ben M. Freeman

Founder of the modern Jewish Pride movement, a leader, thinker, and educator, Ben M. Freeman is the author of Jewish Pride: Rebuilding a People and Reclaiming our Story: The Pursuit of Jewish Pride. He is currently working on his third book and the finale of his Jewish Pride trilogy focusing Jewish indigeneity.

Educating, inspiring and empowering, Ben’s work focuses on Jewish identity and historical and contemporary Jew-hatred. A Holocaust scholar for over 15 years, he came to prominence during the Corbyn Labour Jew-hate crisis in the United Kingdom and quickly became one of his generation’s leading Jewish thinkers and voices against Jew-hate and in building Jewish Pride. He is also a columnist for The Jerusalem Post, writing every two weeks. He recently appeared on Rabbi Yoshi’s podcast, “Search for Meaning,” which you can hear by clicking HERE or on the graphic.