Panel Discussion on the Conflict in Gaza

Join Or Emet members and guests for a panel discussion on the current Israeli – Hamas conflict in Gaza on Sept. 5 at 7:30 in the Beit Knesset of the Sabes JCC.  We intend to have guests who are authorities on aspects of this tragic situation, such as the rise in anti-Semitism in Europe in the wake of Israel’s Gaza incursion, who is winning the “image war” between Israel and Hamas,  the ethics of war, who bears more blame for deaths of civilians in Gaza,  and the like  We do have an initial commitment from Prof. Alejandro Baer, the new chair of the Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies at the U. of Minnesota. We will also have panel members from Or Emet. This will be an important conversation and a painful and complex subject about which reasonable people can disagree. It is the kind of topic that Or Emet, with our commitment to human rights, ethics, reason, and evidence, should embrace. Richard Logan

Special Or Emet Event!! Preview of New Comedic Play on Intermarriage

The Or Emet community will be the special guests of the very first preview of a new comedic play about intermarriage, “A Christmas Carol Passover”, by David Morris. The play will be staged at 7 PM July 23 at the St. Paul JCC. It is FREE to Or Emet, although donations will be much appreciated. David Morris has a long interest in the phenomenon of intermarriage and treats the subject with great good humor. It is out of this interest that he attended our Sunday program on “Interfaithless” families and his play is much in keeping with the theme of that program.

Play Synopsis: “Jarred Goldstein and Christina Christiansen are getting married. The Goldsteins and Christiansens are about to become in-laws. They are meeting for the first time at the Goldsteins’ Passover Seder. Marvin—Jarred’s father—wants the Christiansens to be able to truly participate and feel right at home. But how? The answer: Marvin creates a “Christmas Carol Haggadah” so they will instantly know how to sing all the Seder songs even though they’re not Jewish! When the greatest “holiday story” is put together with the greatest “holiday music”, Presto! Passover never sounded so good!”