Friday 9:00 PM–10:15 PM
"I'm Not White, I'm Jewish": Jewish Identity Through Rap
Bible Raps
Friday 9:00 PM–10:15 PM
Laguna Beach 1
Arts and Performance,
Identity and Responsibility,
Teen Approved
What does it mean to be Jewish? How did important biblical figures like King David or Moshe relate to their "Jewishness"? Do Maimonides' thirteen principles of faith still resonate for Jewish student and young adults today? How does a modern midrashist relate his relationship to Judaism through the medium of rap? Through text study, discussion, and performance, participants will explore different ways figures throughout history have connected to Judaism.
Chavruta Learning With the Masters
Monica Osborne,
Scott Perlo
Friday 9:00 PM–10:15 PM
Catalina Ballroom 1
Text and Thought
Chavruta is the traditional Jewish method of one-to-one learning. Chavruta means "friendship" or "partnership" and involves two people exploring texts together. Follow along and join in as two master educators learn in chavruta on the topic of "One." Interact, ask questions, and pick up key techniques that you can bring to Chavruta Learning sessions throughout the Conference. No prior knowledge of Hebrew or Torah study is required.
Choose Your Attitude: How Screaming, Crying, Singing, and Talking Can Improve Your Prayer Experience
Shep Rosenman
Friday 9:00 PM–10:15 PM
Laguna Beach 2
Ritual and Prayer
How can we use our emotional states and the things going on in our lives to make prayer meaningful? Challenge yourself to improve your prayer experience –- it may improve your neighbor’s experience too.
Choosing Jews: Conversion in the 21st Century
Michael Melchior
Friday 9:00 PM–10:15 PM
Catalina Ballroom 2
Global History and Culture,
Identity and Responsibility,
Teen Approved
Over the last year, the issue of conversion has rarely left the headlines both in Israel and in the UK. Michael Melchior, former Chairman of the Israeli Government's Ministerial Committee on Conversion, will provide a window into the halachic and political basis on which decisions regarding conversion have been made over the last forty years, and offer his ideas for the future.
Ethics, Responsibility, and Clinical Decision-Making
Stuart Finder
Friday 9:00 PM–10:15 PM
Emerald Bay 2
Health and Healing,
Identity and Responsibility
Deciding what is best for another, especially for one who is seriously ill or injured, is a complicated and delicate matter. In the context of healthcare decision-making, identifying what is actually at stake and imagining and then articulating the possible consequences of our actions form the core for making decisions that we call "good." For patients, their families, and even healthcare providers, religious language often becomes the means to speak directly about such deliberations, and thus serves as an opportunity to discover deeper commitments.
Gossip Is Called "Evil Tongue" for a Reason
Jonathan Aaron
Friday 9:00 PM–10:15 PM
Emerald Bay 3
Identity and Responsibility,
Text and Thought
Learn the ins and outs of the rules concerning gossip (lashon hara). Study the ideas of the 19th century thinker the Chofetz Chayim and curb your lashon hara. Jewish tradition says that it's as bad as murder itself -- come find out why.
The Innovation Ecosystem: Values and Visions of the Emerging Jewish Community
Joshua Avedon,
Melissa Balaban,
Dov Gartenberg,
Sam Yebri
Friday 9:00 PM–10:15 PM
Emerald Bay 1
Identity and Responsibility,
Teen Approved
The landscape of new Jewish organizations has multiplied the opportunities to build community and live Jewishly. They include new spiritual communities, social justice organizations, learning initiatives, and cultural collectives. The new organizations are not just important because they provide new entry points to Jewish life for individuals and families that otherwise would not be engaged; they are also the source of many of the ideas that will transform Jewish life in the 21st century. This session is about the strategies, principles and approaches of social entrepreneurs who have launched new organizations in both creative and systematic ways to develop a community that is innovative, engaging, fiscally responsible and sustainable. Meet emerging thought leaders and hear how they integrate their values and their vision to make a difference.
Twice Blessed: 100 Years of LGBT Jewish History
Gregg Drinkwater
Canceled, sorry
Additional schedule
- Sunday 7:00 PM–8:15 PM
Newport Beach 2
Global History and Culture,
Identity and Responsibility
From 1920s Berlin to 1970s San Francisco and beyond, we’ll explore the rich history of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Jews in a multimedia format. We’ll visit the world’s first gay synagogue, a gay Zionist assassinated by the Haganah, transgender pioneers and the lesbian Chief Rabbi of Modernism—with detours for Annie Sprinkle, Harvey Milk, Susan Sontag and dozens of others. Come find out why LGBT Jews have always been at the forefront of social change.
