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2020-2021 Program Guide

Hazak programming is currently ONLINE ONLY.

Hazak @ Home events are broadcast via Zoom. Event invitations and login information are sent to all registered Hazak members via email prior to the event.

Hazak First Semester 2020-21

View the hard copy Program Guide >

OCTOBER 12, 2020: Opening Day

10:00am SPECIAL PROGRAM "BAND is More Than a 4 Letter Word"

Stephen Piazza, Director, LA Symphonic Winds 

Stephen Piazza, Professor Emeritus and past Chair of the Music Department, Los Angeles Pierce College, and Music Director of the Los Angeles Symphonic Winds. Stephen will provide an overview of the evolution of band music in America, and his presentation will be illustrated using live demonstrations and exciting video excerpts of classic band performances.

1:00pm Afternoon Sessions

Torah Study with Rabbi Ed Feinstein

 -OR-

Oracle Discussion Group

This year’s topic is “Jewish History in America.” Each week a group member will present and discuss a different subtopic. Contact Marv Leon for information and to sign up: lawyermarv@hotmail.com

OCTOBER 19, 2020

10:00am SPECIAL NEW HAZAK PRE-ELECTION EVENT "Election 2020 - What's On Your Ballot?"

Mona Field, League of Women Voters

Come hear about the issues facing us with our ballot propositions, including labor in the gig economy, property tax reform, criminal justice reform, and much more. Bring your sample ballots so can follow the discussion.  More than ever, most people will vote by mail. Be sure not to throw away your ballot thinking it is a duplicate or a sample ballot.

OCTOBER 26, 2020

10:00am "Rabbi at Sea: A Unique Spiritual Journey -- Stories and Discussion from 5 Years as a Guest Rabbi on Cruise Ships"

Rabbi Corinne Copnick

Rabbi Corinne shares her five years of travel experiences as a guest rabbi on cruise ships. On every journey and in every country visited, she uncovered and explored Jewish life—from Hawaii to Australia, the Mediterranean, Central and South America, Mexico, Southeast Asia, and everywhere in between. Offering a global perspective, she presents a host of insights about the cultures and the people she encountered throughout her travels.

11:15am Making Hazak Connections - Group Discussion

1:00pm Afternoon Sessions

Torah Study with VBS Clergy

-OR-

Oracle Discussion Group

This year’s topic is “Jewish History in America.” Each week a group member will present and discuss a different subtopic. Contact Marv Leon for information and to sign up: lawyermarv@hotmail.com

NOVEMBER 9, 2020

10:00am "From Covid to Israel, What's Happening on College Campuses Today?"

Rabbi Aaron Lerner, Executive Director, UCLA Hillel

Rabbi Aaron will address how campuses are attempting to open in a hybrid model, and what that means for student engagement, Jewish life, and pro-Israel activities. He will also speak about attempts by Israel's opponents to use the current crises as opportunities to attack the reputation and legitimacy of our Jewish homeland.

11:15am "The Fall of the Berlin Wall 31 Years Ago and Its Consequences for East Germans"

Richard Campbell, PhD, Historian, VIP Guide for the U.S. Mission/Embassy in Berlin

The Berlin Wall ended on November 9, 1989 - 31 years ago today.  Richard will address the causes leading to its 'breach' and how it affected the lives of almost 17 million  East Germans.  Included will also be an overview of the most important events in German history that took place on this day.

1:00pm Afternoon Sessions

Torah Study with VBS Clergy -OR-

Oracle Discussion Group

This year’s topic is “Jewish History in America.” Each week a group member will present and discuss a different subtopic. Contact Marv Leon for information and to sign up: lawyermarv@hotmail.com

NOVEMBER 23, 2020

10:00am "Klezmer Revival and its Renaissance in America"

Dr. Mark Kligman, Mickey Katz Endowed Chair in Jewish Music at UCLA

The 1920s 78 rpm recordings of klezmer music was “revived” in the 1970s by American Jews.  In the 1980s and the following decades klezmer music grew in new ways.  This presentation will show this exciting history with audio and visual recordings show the trends and exciting directions of this unique genre of Jewish music.

11:15am "The Future of Political Polling: A Case Study from the 2020 Election"

Ken Gross, Founder, California Survey Research Services

Political polling has come a long way from the Literary Digest Poll of 1932 to the polling confusion surrounding the 2016 election. While the mathematics behind polling remain solid, many factors are at work to frustrate those who look at political polls as a good predictive tool. Using the 2020 election as a case study, Mr. Gross will address the future of political polling.

1:00pm Afternoon Sessions

Torah Study with VBS Clergy -OR-

Oracle Discussion Group

This year’s topic is “Jewish History in America.” Each week a group member will present and discuss a different subtopic. Contact Marv Leon for information and to sign up: lawyermarv@hotmail.com

DECEMBER 7, 2020

10:00am SPECIAL PROGRAM

"Carl Laemmle - The Film: Feature Documentary about the Extraordinary Life Story of Movie Producer Carl Laemmle" with Commentary by James L. Freedman, Filmmaker

James L. Freedman, Filmmaker in conversation with Carl Laemmle’s Great-grandniece Antonia Carlotta

James L. Freedman produced Marty Glickman’s late night sports radio show on WNEW as a senior in high school. Mr. Freedman went on to produce UNICEF commercials before becoming a working writer and producer in Hollywood for over 25 years. Among the many episodic television shows he has written for are Coach, Zoe, and Golden Globe winner Cybill. In addition, he has penned over one dozen pilots for ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, and UPN –- as well as feature scripts for Warner Brothers and 20th Century Fox. Mr. Freedman wrote, produced and directed the critically acclaimed HBO documentary, Glickman, which was executive produced by Martin Scorsese. Carl Laemmle (made with a grant from Steven Spielberg’s Righteous Persons Foundation) is his second film.

Carl Laemmle, is the extraordinary life story of the German Jewish immigrant who, as much as anyone, invented the modern motion picture business. Creating Universal Pictures in 1912, Laemmle would go on to give many Hollywood legends their starts, including Walt Disney, John Ford, William Wyler, Irving Thalberg, and others. He also hired many women directors and made Lois Weber the highest paid director on his lot. When he sold Universal in 1936, Carl would go on to do something far more important than any movie or studio he had created: battling Adolph Hitler’s government and a notoriously anti-Semitic U.S. State Department, Laemmle ultimately rescued over 300 Jewish refugee families from Nazi Germany.

This film will be available for online viewing by Hazak members starting on Monday, November 30.
Link to view the film at home will be provided via email to members prior to November 30.

1:00pm Afternoon Sessions

Torah Study with VBS Clergy -OR-

Oracle Discussion Group

This year’s topic is “Jewish History in America.” Each week a group member will present and discuss a different subtopic. Contact Marv Leon for information and to sign up: lawyermarv@hotmail.com

DECEMBER 21, 2020

10:00am "Hearing Loss and Hearing Aids: A Bridge to Healing"

Beverly Dcunha, Au.D. Doctor of Audiology

Dr. Dcunha will discuss how we hear, the degrees and the types of hearing loss, differences in hearing care professionals, and ways to identify difficulties of hearing among family and friends.  She will focus on the effects of hearing loss and auditory deprivation on cognition and aging; and describe the types of hearing tests and the audiogram.  We will then identify solutions to helping individuals with hearing loss through hearing aids and aural rehabilitation.

11:15am "Exploring the Link Between Nutrition and Mental Health"

Art Kress, RD

We know that poor nutrition contributes to physical diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular problems, and hypertension.  But what about the effect of nutrition on mental health? It appears that our microbiome (or gut bacteria) is affected by what we eat and by our lifestyle, and it may send messages to the brain which affect our mental state. So can a healthy diet prevent or help to reduce the effects of anxiety, depression, mood disorders and so many other common mental complaints? We will explore in this talk.

1:00pm Afternoon Sessions

Torah Study with VBS Clergy -OR-

Oracle Discussion Group

This year’s topic is “Jewish History in America.” Each week a group member will present and discuss a different subtopic. Contact Marv Leon for information and to sign up: lawyermarv@hotmail.com

JANUARY 11, 2021

10:00am "Healthy Living, Positive Aging with Grace and Independence"

Maureen Feldman, Instructor, Pierce College ENCORE Program

As modern technology allows us to live longer, the study of “Positive Aging” is gaining in popularity. Beyond simply practicing good nutrition and exercise, there are other issues on the minds of seniors today: the desire to thrive independently in one’s own home, staying connected to friends and loved ones, and not being left behind technologically to name a few. This discussion will explore how to combine physical, emotional and social well-being into a practice of positive aging.

11:15am "Volunteering for Meaningful Living: Each of Us Has Something Special to Offer the World, Come Explore the Possibilities"

Nitzan Barlev, Volunteer Engagement & Community Organizing Coordinator, VBS

Scientific studies from Harvard show that volunteering as an older adult is beneficial for both the body and mind. And if you ask any Rabbi, they'll tell you it's also good for the soul.  Each of us have something special to offer this world, so join in exploring the possibilities! Find our personal strengths and motivations for doing good, and look at some current opportunities for getting involved within and outside of Valley Beth Shalom.

1:00pm Afternoon Sessions

Torah Study with VBS Clergy -OR-

Oracle Discussion Group

This year’s topic is “Jewish History in America.” Each week a group member will present and discuss a different subtopic. Contact Marv Leon for information and to sign up: lawyermarv@hotmail.com

JANUARY 25, 2021

10:00am "Is There An (Operatic) Doctor in the House?"

Steve Kohn, Community Educator, LA Opera

Join Steve Kohn for our annual Opera series. Whether you love opera or not, these sessions are captivating. Doctors have had a long and interesting connection to opera. And we are referring to all kinds of doctors. Real and fictional, medical and otherwise. Let’s learn together.

11:15am "Who Is In the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame and Why?"

Randy Rosenbloom, Sports Broadcaster

Randy will discuss the history of the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame; Who Is In the HOF and Why.

1:00pm Afternoon Sessions

Torah Study with VBS Clergy -OR-

Oracle Discussion Group

This year’s topic is “Jewish History in America.” Each week a group member will present and discuss a different subtopic. Contact Marv Leon for information and to sign up: lawyermarv@hotmail.com


QUESTIONS?

Email vbshazak@vbs.org

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Thu, March 28 2024 18 Adar II 5784