Tuesday Night Learning at the Shaar
OCTOBER 24
OCTOBER 31
NOVEMBER 7
OCTOBER 24
Session 1: (7:30-8:20 PM)
THE ULTIMATE ACHIEVEMENT: THE NOBEL PRIZE with Dr. Joe Schwarcz
Joe Schwarcz has a PhD in chemistry and is Director of McGill University’s “Office for Science and Society” which has the mission of separating sense from nonsense. He is the recipient of numerous awards for teaching chemistry and for interpreting science for the public. “Dr Joe” has hosted a radio show on science for forty-three years, has appeared hundreds of times on television, writes a regular newspaper column and is the author of nineteen best-sellers.
ADAM AND EVE, CAIN AND ABEL: WHAT IS THE POINT OF THESE STORIES? with Rabbi Dr. David Harbater
Rabbi Dr. Harbater teaches “The Big Ideas of Jewish Thought” at different Jerusalem seminaries. He also teaches BA and MA level courses on the philosophy of education and on Jewish identity at Herzog College, and Jewish thought at the Gan Nachum high school in Rishon. Rabbi Harbater received his Ph.D. in education from the University of Haifa and his semicha from Rav Zalman Nechemia Goldberg in Jerusalem. He lives with his family in Efrat.
UNWELCOME CHANGE: MYTHS AND FACTS ABOUT MOURNING with Corrie Sirota
Corrie Sirota is a clinical social worker & psychotherapist who specializes in the area of grief and loss. She is the author of Someone Died…Now What? And Loss and Found - A Just Write Grief Journal for Children and Teens. Corrie manages a private practice, she is also a professor at McGill University, a sought after workshop presenter, a TEDx speaker and the Clinical Director of Myra’s Kids Foundation - a free program for bereaved children ages 6 -17.
ESSENTIALS OF JUDAISM: WHAT ARE JEWISH VALUES? with Rabbi Mark Fishman
Session 2: (8:30-9:20 PM)
HONEST AGING: AN INSIDER'S GUIDE TO THE SECOND HALF OF LIFE with Dr. Rosanne Leipzig
Healthy aging and positive aging are topics you’ll want to learn more about as you’re planning for retirement. Dr. Rosanne Leipzig, author of Honest Aging: An Insider’s Guide to the Second Half of Life, highlights what you need to know – and what you’ll want to do now that you’ll be glad you did later in life.
THE AMIDA OPENING THE GATES OF PRAYER with Rabba Briah Cahana
We will study the backbone of the Jewish prayer service, called the Amida. Why are these 19 blessings the centerpiece of our prayers? Are the words and categories fixed or malleable? Along with looking at its history and structure, we will get the opportunity to creatively engage with the words and categories of the Amida to open the gates of prayer anew.
EXPLORING THE SHAAR ARCHIVES: BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE ARCHIVES with Hannah Srour-Zackon
Hannah Srour-Zackon has been Congregation Shaar Hashomayim’s archivist since 2021. She holds a Bachelor’s in English Literature and Jewish Studies from McGill University, as well as a Master of Information (with a focus in archives and book history) from the University of Toronto.
In this opening lecture, participants will be introduced to the Congregation Shaar Hashomayim Archives and its significance as a repository of Canadian Jewish history. In this behind-the-scenes look, we'll explore the origins of the Archives and the efforts undertaken to preserve and maintain this treasure trove of historical materials. The lecture will set the stage for the series by highlighting the importance of archival work in preserving cultural heritage.
OCTOBER 31
Session 1: (7:30-8:20 PM)
COVID-19 AND THE CLIMATE CRISIS: LEARNINGS FROM A DECADE OF WORK ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH AND TWO LONG YEARS OF PANDEMIC RESPONSE with Dr. David Kaiser
Dr. David Kaiser is a public health and preventive medicine (PHPM) specialist, deputy medical director at Montreal Public Health, director of the PHPM residency training program at McGill University, and vice-president for continuing professional development at the Quebec association of preventive medicine specialists (ASMPQ). He also gives back to the community as a board member of Équiterre and as scientific advisor at Percolab Coop.
David has worked for nearly a decade in the domain of environmental health, leading public health initiatives in housing, environmental noise, air quality, extreme heat and climate change. During the pandemic, he managed the public health response in a variety of challenging contexts, including prisons and essential public services, while also developing innovative approaches to community engagement. Over the past year, he has led the creation of a new emergency planning and management unit at Montreal Public Health.
DOES JUDAISM STAND A CHANCE? with Rabbi Dr. Moshe Koppel
Moshe Koppel is a member of the department of Computer Science at Bar-Ilan University and serves as chairman of the Kohelet Policy Forum. He received his Ph.D. in mathematics from Courant Institute and did post-doctoral work in the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. Dr. Koppel has also published two books and many articles on Rabbinic literature, with special emphasis on logic and probability. Dr. Koppel’s political activity includes co-drafting two proposed constitutions for Israel, including a joint proposal with Michael Eitan, formerly chairman of the Knesset’s Constitution and Law committee. Several laws that Dr. Koppel drafted have been passed by the Knesset.
GENDER DIFFERENCES IN GRIEVING with Corrie Sirota
Corrie Sirota is a clinical social worker & psychotherapist who specializes in the area of grief and loss. She is the author of Someone Died…Now What? And Loss and Found - A Just Write Grief Journal for Children and Teens. Corrie manages a private practice, she is also a professor at McGill University, a sought after workshop presenter, a TEDx speaker and the Clinical Director of Myra’s Kids Foundation - a free program for bereaved children ages 6 -17
ESSENTIALS OF JUDAISM: WHAT ARE THE TEN COMMANDMENTS? with Rabbi Mark Fishman
Session 2: (8:30-9:20 PM)
Joel Chasnoff is an American-Israeli stand-up comedian and writer with stage and screen credits in eight countries, and author of the comic memoir The 188th Crybaby Brigade, about his year as a tank soldier in the Israeli Army.
Based on the authors' own experiences living in Israel a combined twenty-five years and interviews with Israeli A-listers like Fauda co-creator Avi Issacharoff, Olympian Yael Arad, and others, Israel 201 is a behind-the-scenes look at the magic, mystery, and chaos of one of the most fascinating, and misunderstood, countries on earth.
EXPLORING THE SHAAR ARCHIVES: TURNING BACK THE CLOCK: THE SHAAR HASHOMAYIM TIME CAPSULES
with Hannah Srour-Zackon
Between June and September 2022, the Shaar uncovered not one, but two time capsules: one from 1921 and another from 1967. In this second installment, drawing on the materials found in the time capsules, we will embark on a journey back in time, unraveling two key historical moments in the history of the synagogue and of Jewish Montreal.
Dr Liane Feldman is the Edward W. Archibald Professor and Chair of the Department of Surgery at McGill University and Surgeon-in-chief at the McGill University Health Centre.
Goldie Morgentaler is a Yiddish-to-English literary translator as well as well as a professor of English literature. She currently holds a professorship at the University of Lethbridge, where she teaches nineteenth-century British and American Literature as well as modern Jewish literature. She is the daughter of Chava Rosenfarb and Henry Morgentaler.
with Corrie Sirota
Corrie Sirota is a clinical social worker & psychotherapist who specializes in the area of grief and loss. She is the author of Someone Died…Now What? And Loss and Found - A Just Write Grief Journal for Children and Teens. Corrie manages a private practice, she is also a professor at McGill University, a sought after workshop presenter, a TEDx speaker and the Clinical Director of Myra’s Kids Foundation - a free program for bereaved children ages 6 -17.
ESSENTIALS OF JUDAISM:
HOW RESPECTING OTHERS TRANSFORMS LIVES
Anthony Knopf is the Rabbi of Congregation Beth Ora, having previously served at synagogues in London and Cape Town.
He is passionate about identifying the ways in which Judaism calls on us and empowers us to be better people and build a better world.
He was a member of Federation CJA's Passport to Jewish Life Fellowship run by M²: The Institute for Experiential Jewish Education.
EXPLORING THE SHAAR ARCHIVES - CULTURAL ARTIFACTS - STORIES BEHIND THE OBJECTS
with Hannah Srour-Zackon
The third lecture will focus on the invaluable cultural artifacts housed within the Archives. Through captivating anecdotes and intriguing stories, participants will discover the hidden narratives behind some of the most cherished items in the collection. From sacred religious artifacts to personal belongings of prominent community figures, this session will unveil the richness of Jewish life in Montreal.
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Past Programs
FALL 2022
FALL 2021
SPRING 2021 - MARCH
Tuesday Night Learning – SPRING 2022 Recordings
For those who may have missed one of the lectures, you can find the links here. If you would like to purchase any of the books that were featured, please visit Bibliophile on Queen Mary https://bibliophilemontreal.com. if you would like to purchase any of the books that were featured, including signed copies of Dara Horn's book, "People Love Dead Jews", they are also available in-store.
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Friday, September 22, 2023 7 Tishrei 5784