(Unless otherwise noted, all events are free and open to the community.)
IBD support group
Living Your Best Life IBD Support Group will meet at 6:30 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 25, in room 201 at The J. Michelle Bush Blanton of Durango, Colorado, and a mother of a Crohn’s patient, will speak on coping, nutritional experiences and other ideas. The group will begin regular meetings at The J the second Tuesday of every month starting Sept. 10, at 6:30 p.m. Anyone who is afflicted with Crohn’s Disease or Colitis (IBD) or family members of patients may attend. Email president@templeshalomky.org for details.
Love Sings Louder
The community sing-along, Love Sings Louder, a Louisville response to recent violence in America, will be held from 2 to 4 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 15 in the Iroquois Amphitheatre. The event is a community-wide, multi-faith, multi-cultural, intergenerational program, inspired by the popular “mass singing initiatives” facilitated by Israel’s Koolulam and Canada’s Choir!Choir!Choir!, which bring together a wide range of people to stop everything for a few hours and just sing together.
In partnership with a diverse group of community leaders, groups and organizations, the Federation and The J will bring this experience to Louisville, enabling participants to enjoy the feeling of togetherness through a deep communal experience – voices coming together to create a social choir, full of hope and optimism.
Homeless Outreach
Keneseth Israel will make sandwiches and care packages for the homeless from 5:15 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 1. Bring your own supplies (bread, peanut butter and jelly, blankets, underwear, socks, flashlights) At around 6:15 p.m., the group will caravan downtown to give out food and supplies. RSVP to gkahn@kenesethisrael.com or 502-459-2780.
Bagels and Belonging.
The Temple will hold its semi-annual Bagels and Belonging: Membership Matters breakfast from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., Sunday, Sept. 8 – the first day of Religious School – in the Heideman Auditorium. The program is for new, prospective and current members. Religious School will hold a brief worship service in the Waller Chapel after breakfast. The Temple also requests volunteers for its tikkun olam project helping the homeless. RSVP at 502-423-1818 or at thetemplelouky.org.
Meal Making for the Homeless
The Temple will make sandwiches for Louisville’s homeless community from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 8 in the Heideman Auditorium. Please bring donations to The Temple to help us with the project, including sample-size toiletries, bottled water, individual snack bags of chips, peanut butter, grape jelly and loaves of bread. Bagels and Belonging will be held that same morning.
Art show director speaks
Howard Rosenberg, director of the 63rd Annual St. James Court Art Show in Old Louisville, will be the next speaker at the Temple Shalom Men’s Club Breakfast Lecture Series, at 10 a.m., Sunday, Sept. 8. The art show, which draws more than 700 artists from around the country, will run from Oct.4 to 6 this year. A $5 donation to the breakfast is appreciated.
Family Fall Festival
Family Fall Festival, hosted by Keneseth Israel Preschool and KI, will be held from 3 to 5 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 8. The festival includes bounce houses, carnival booths and music.
RSVP to sluggercallam@att.net or 502-458-0687.
Chailands talks Israeli politics
Temple Shalom’s new lay-led discussion and social group, Chailands Chavurah, will meet at 6 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 18, at Kaelin’s 80/20 Ice Cream Shoppe, 1801 Newburg Road, to discuss the results of the latest election in Israel and what it means for American Jews. Email chailands@templeshalomky.org to RSVP.
Temple Shalom Book Club
The Temple Shalom Book Club is reading two books ahead of its next meeting at 2 p.m., Thursday Oct. 3, at Barnes & Noble, 801 S. Hurstbourne. The titles are You Think It, I’ll Say It by Curtis Sittenfeld and Cry of the Peacock: A Novel, by Gina Nahai.
‘Jest A Second!’ rescheduled
Adath Jeshurun’s new Shema Theatre Group has rescheduled the opening production, Jest A Second! The new dates are Nov. 17 at 3 and 7 p.m., and Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $3 each and are available at adathjeshurun.com/play.
Bridge Club
The Keneseth Israel Bridge Club meets Mondays from 1 to 3 p.m. in the small chapel. RSVP to gwishnia@gmail.com.
Adult Education
Lunch and Learn
Rabbi Michael Wolk’s next Lunch and Learn class will be at noon, Thursday, Sept. 5, at The Bristol on Main Street. The food is sold separately. RSVP to mwolk@kenesethisrael.com.
Pragmatic Spirituality Discussion Group
Marty and Dr. Courtney Snyder lead a discussion group at Adath Jeshurun that addresses universal themes inspired by spiritual thinkers. The group meets on Sundays at 10 a.m. The Sept 8 topic will be “Caring for Our Inner Child Like a Bridge Over Troubled Water.” The Sept. 15 topic, “Letting Go What Needs to Go and Letting Come What Needs to Come.”
Kabbalah Month by Month
Cantor Sharon Hordes teaches a kabbalah class based upon each Hebrew month’s holidays, Torah portions, healing areas and astrological connections. The class meets every second Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Next date is Sept. 12. RSVP to gkahn@kenesethisrael.com or 502-459-2780.
Torah Yoga
Cantor Sharon Hordes and Lisa Flannery will lead their next Torah Yoga class at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 19, at Keneseth Israel. Temple Shalom and Louisville Hadassah are co-sponsors. RSVP to 502-459-2780 or gkahn@kenesethisrael.com.
Jews and Brews
Rabbi Michael Wolk leads a Torah study session over coffee Wednesdays at 11 a.m. in The J library.
Worship
No Shush Shabbat
Temple Shalom’s next No-Shush Shabbat, an interactive family service, will be held at 6:30 p.m., Friday, Sept. 6. Rabbi Beth Jacowitz Chottiner and guitarist Benji Berlow will lead. Afterwards, parents and children will go out to dinner at a neighborhood restaurant. RSVP to information@templeshalomky.org.
Celebration Shabbat
All who are celebrating a birthday or anniversary in the month of September may participate in a group Aliyah at Adath Jeshurun during its morning Shabbat service beginning at 9:30 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 7.
Connect to G-d
Chabad will celebrate Shabbat with three Connect to G-d programs in September at the Chabad House, 1654 Almara Circle.
It will hold an interactive prayer service followed by a New York-style deli luncheon at 10 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 7. Questions about G-d and prayer will be addressed.
The second program will be at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Sept 13, with a Kabbalat service that addresses separating from the work week to Shabbat. A three-course traditional Shabbat dinner will follow.
The third program will be a Havdalah service and audio-visual presentation at 8:15 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 21. The program will prepare participants for the High Holy Days.
All three programs are partly sponsored by the Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence. Call 502-459-1770 for details.
Children’s Shabbat
Keneseth Israel will hold a children’s Shabbat service from 10:45 to 11:45 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 7. The service, led by Miriam Bird and Rabbi Michael Wolk, is geared to children through second grade. It is in addition to the regular service. RSVP to gkahn@kenesethisrael.com or 502-459-2780.
Rabbis’ Shabbat Dinner
The Temple’s September Rabbis’ Shabbat Dinner, featuring smoked salmon with vegetarian option, will be held at 5:30 p.m., Friday, Sept 13. Services and an oneg will follow. Cost for the dinner is $10 for adults, free for children 12 and under, $5 for reservations made before Tuesday, Sept. 10.
RSVP at thetemplelouky.org or 502-423-1818.
Imagine Shabbat
Imagine Shabbat, a new Keneseth Israel initiative, will be held on Saturday, Sept. 14. The program will experiment with innovations in the service while retaining its core values of traditional, egalitarian participation. The day includes breakfast at 9:15 a.m., followed by Torah study, an “abridged” traditional service and an “enhanced” kiddush lunch Contact KI at gkahn@kenesethisrael.com or 502-459-2780 for more details and to RSVP.
Shabbat Scholars
Frank Schwartz will be Adath Jeshurun Shabbat Scholar at 12:15 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14, following the kiddush lunch. His topic will be, “How can I love Israel if I disagree with her policies?” Shelly Gilman will be the Oct. 12th scholar, speaking on the subject “Antisemitism: Here and Now.”
Torah study
Rabbi David Ariel-Joel leads Torah study on Saturdays from 9 to 10 a.m. in the Fishman Library before the morning services. Coffee, bagels and cream cheese, and other treats are included.
High Holy Days
Preparing for the High Holidays
Rabbi Michael Wolk and Cantor Sharon Hordes will lead a class, “Preparing for the High Holidays,” at 4:30 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 15, at Keneseth Israel. RSVP to gkahn@kenesethisrael.com or 502-459-2780.
Selichot in Louisville/Saturday, Sept. 21
Adath Jeshurun – AJ will host a “Night of Hope,” a musical pre-Selichot program, at 7:30 p.m. The program will highlight the work of the St. John Center and its mission to help homeless men address barriers to self-sufficiency and housing. Jonathan Wood and Cantor David Lipp will provide the music. The traditional Selichot service will begin at 9:30 p.m. The AJ Stuart A. Handmaker L’Dor Vador Fund is sponsoring the program.
Anshei Sfard – The service will be held at midnight.
Keneseth Israel – Cantor Sharon Hordes will lead services at 10 p.m..
The Temple – Novelist Ayelet Gundar-Goshen will lead a discussion on her critically acclaimed third novel, The Liar, at 7 p.m. The Liar is a satirical exploration of the ways that society fuels gossip and the nature of lies and truth telling in the #MeToo era. The service will begin at 8 p.m. in the Waller Chapel. Gundar-Goshen’s visit is co-sponsored by the University of Louisville’s Jewish Studies Program.
Temple Shalom – An outdoor family Selichot program will be held at 6 p.m. Bring your own lawn chairs and picnic gear. The Men’s Club will grill hotdogs, followed by a service about forgiveness. Torah covers will be changed to holiday white.
Cemetery visits
Keneseth Israel – Sunday, Sept. 22 at the KI cemetery, 719 Locust Lane. Cemetery beautification projects begin at 10 a.m.; gravesite prayers, 10:30 a.m. Breakfast will be served.
Pre-holiday service
Chabad will hold a special pre-High Holiday service at 8:30 a.m., Sunday, Sept. 29 at 8:30 a.m. Apples and honey will be distributed with the hope and prayer of a sweet new year for all. This Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence is partly sponsoring the program. Call 502-459-1770 for details.
Tashlich in Louisville
Here is a rundown of where Tashlich, the symbolically casting of sins into a stream of water, will be held on Rosh Hashanah, Monday, Sept. 30:
Adath Jeshurun will have two Tashlich services following Rosh Hashanah services on Monday, Sept. 30. Rabbi Robert Slosberg will lead the traditional service, and Rabbi Laura Metzger will lead an intergenerational family service. Both services will be held at Beargrass Creek at the corner of Millvale Road and Park Boundary Road.
Keneseth Israel will hold its service at Big Rock Park along Beargrass Creek at 6 p.m. Afterwards, KI will stay at Big Rock for a New Year’s party with cake and champagne, followed by afternoon services. The entrance to the park is at the north end of Valletta Lane. RSVP to gkahn@kenesethisrael.com or 502-459-2780.
Temple Shalom will meet at Brown Park in St Matthews immediately following its morning service and oneg at the synagogue on Lowe Road.
The Temple will meet at Captain’s Quarters Docks immeidately following services.
Sukkot/Simchat Torah
Elegant Dinner in the Sukkah
Adath Jeshurun will host an elegant dinner in its sukkah on Friday, Oct. 18, following the 5:45 p.m. service. The dinner is geared toward adults, and the cost is $15 per person. Visit adathjeshurun.com/sukkotdinner or call 502-458-5359 by Oct. 11 for reservations. The limit is 55 diners.
Shared Simchat Torah
Adath Jeshurun and Keneseth Isarel are hosting a shared-synagogue Simchat Torah Celebration on Monday, Oct 21, at AJ. Mincha/Ma’ariv services begin at 5:45 p.m., followed by a dinner at 6:15 p.m. and dancing with the Torahs at 7 p.m. The Violins of Hope will be participating. Reservations for dinner are required by Oct. 11. Visit adathjeshurun.com/Simchat or call 502-458-5359.