Weekend Course On Jewish Holidays

WESTPORT — A weekend course, “Celebration of the Jewish Calendar and Holidays,” is coming to Connecticut on September 10–12, taught by leader and author Rabbi Sherwin Wine.

The course is an exploration from the humanistic viewpoint of the origins and historic development of both the solemn and festive holidays that lie at the heart of Jewish ritual observance. The premise is that Jewish holidays are human creations that have evolved over time.

The program is sponsored by the Congregation for Humanistic Judaism of Fairfield County, in cooperation with the Fairfield University Judaic Studies Program.

The course is an offering of the International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism (IISHJ), the official body providing training to the Humanistic Jewish movement. Responding to popular demand, the IISHJ began about four years ago providing courses at sites throughout the United States. This is a Connecticut first.

It will be held Friday, September 10, at 7 pm, and Saturday, September 11, at 9 am to 4 pm at Loyola Hall, Fairfield University and Sunday, September 12, 9 am to noon, at Bedford Middle School, Westport.

The Friday evening session is open to the public at no charge. There will be a brief Shabbat observance and refreshments will be served before Rabbi Wine’s opening lecture. Saturday morning, Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning sessions are free to Fairfield University students. The charge for morning or afternoon sessions is $40 each for nonmembers of the Society for Humanistic Judaism or its affiliated communities. Price for all three sessions is $100. Advance registration is suggested since classroom seating may be limited.

To learn more about the Congregation for Humanistic Judaism and its program, check the website www.humanisticjews.org or call 203-226-5451. For information and registration on the course “Celebration of Jewish Calendar and Holidays” call Saul Haffner at 203-226-1710 or Robert Ginsberg at 203-866-8815.