Elderhostels
 June 1-5, 2008 (Course #14782)
June 29-July 3, 2008 (Course #16409)
September 1 - 5, 2008 (Course #15082)
September 8 – 12, 2008 (Course #16657)
Take an exciting journey into Jewish life and culture by attending
one of Elderhostel’s dynamic and stimulating programs in our
beautiful New England country setting. Every course is varied and
covers a range of topics in Jewish Humor, Music, Literature, Film,
and Jewish History.
An
Elderhostel course features three lecture series over a six-day period.
(A lecture series consists of five, 1 hour sessions presented over
the week.) You will have the opportunity to attend three different
lectures each day. And because programs are kept small (50-60 people),
you can develop warm and personal relationships with the lecturers
and other participants.
 Participants arrive for dinner on Sunday and depart after lunch on
Friday. While class is not in session, enjoy Isabella Freedman’s beautiful grounds and activities, including tennis, nature walks,
fishing, swimming, and boating. Or you can visit any of the numerous
nearby cultural and natural attractions the Berkshires has to offer, from museums to theater and antiquing. A varied program
of professional entertainment will also be offered in the evening.
We offer a single occupancy upgrade for an extra fee, and all rooms have
private bathrooms. For more information, contact Olga at (212) 242-5586 or . To register, contact Elderhostel directly by
going to their web site at www.elderhostel.org or by calling Elderhostel at
(877) 426-8056.
2008
Elderhostel Courses
June 1-5, 2008
(Course #14782)
Andree Brooks
Untold Stories in Jewish History
Learn about the cradle of Jewish life in Europe; the incredible story of Dona Gracia Nasi – a prominent 16th century woman banker; the lost Jewish settlement in the Amazon rainforest; the birth of Ashkenaz; the first Jews in the Americas and more.
Laura Wetzler
Great American Songmakers: Blues, Ragtime and Tin Pan Alley
This concert/lecture series focuses on the music, artistry, lives and legacies of such great American songmakers as W.C. Handy, Scott Joplin, Eubie Blake, Irving Berlin, George Gershwin and Duke Ellington.
Yitzhak Buxbaum
Into the Mystic: Kabbalah and Consciousness
We study the essential teachings of Kabbalah-- God as Infinite and
Presence, the map of divine reality, the ten sefirot (emanations), the
five worlds, and five aspects of soul. We read mystic texts to open our
imagination to perceive the One in the many and discover our own divinity.
We learn about spiritual practices by which adepts reach transformed
states of consciousness, return to the Garden of Eden, and
become chariots of God.
June 29-July 3, 2008 (Course #16409)
Arthur Kurzweil
Secrets of the Talmud
The Talmud contains wisdom and insight on every topic imaginable. In this humorous, quick-paced, eye-opening course, enter the world of the Talmud and participate in this quintessential Jewish learning experience.
Ken Libo
Life on the Lower East Side
Explore the Lower East Side in its heyday: a world of a half-million speakers of Yiddish, its clothing industry, vibrant newspaper and theater culture, and the meeting of old world and new world.
Laura Wetzler
Hitmakers in Hollywood
Explore great songs from classic American films and celebrate their creators. Includes Berlin, Gershwin, Kern, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Hamlish, Bacharach, the Bergmans, Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, & others.
September 1 - 5, 2008 (Course #15082)
Ken Libo
Yiddish Humor in US Culture
From Bialystok to Broadway, Jews have left their mark on American English by adding hundreds of Yiddish words and expressions. Learn how Yiddish language and culture have impacted five major areas of America’s entertainment industry: motion pictures, popular music, radio/TV, theatre and comedy.
Abraham Gittelson
Society and Jewish Wisdom
On almost every contemporary issue, Judaism has a moral and ethical approach. Such areas as cloning and stem cell research, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the individual and the community/government, immigration and others – will be considered.
Laura Wetzler
Fabulous Showbiz Divas
Explore the artistry, life and legacy of four of America’s most famous and influential Jewish performers: Fannie Brice, Sophie Tucker, Barbra Streisand, and Better Midler. Learn what made them great stars of American entertainment.
September 8 – 12, 2008 (Course #16657)
Abraham Gittelson
From the Shtetl to the Condominium
Eastern European immigration to the United States brought a transformation of American Jewry. From Ellis Island to the sweat shops, Anti-Semitism to staring on the stage and screen, creating new religious forms to supporting Israel - all reflected seeking a way to live in two cultures.
Gloria Goldreich
A Legacy of Laughter in the Jewish Literary Tradition
Emphasis will be placed on the pedagogic aspects of Jewish humor and the lessons intrinsic in jokes and anecdotes. Special focus will be centered on how the Jewish legacy of laughter enabled a beleaguered people to keep their problems in perspective.
Sheldon Horowitz
Great Persons and Periods in Jewish History
Take a journey to 19th century France, the early Zionist movement, the birth of the Israel Defense Forces and the dynamic immigrant society of the lower east side. Explore the complex personalities of Chaim Weizmann, Zeev Jabotinsky, Abraham Cahan, Madeleine Levy and others who helped change the course of Jewish history.
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