The best place to stay up to date on all events and programming at JSS! This calendar is always up to date and includes all the information you need to get involved.

Mar
24
Mon
Lechayim
Mar 24 @ 11:00 am – 1:30 pm
Lechayim @ Beth Israel Center

Join us for our weekly Lechayim series! Each event begins with yoga from a chair at 11am, followed by a lunch and a wide variety of programming that is different each week. The schedule for the week usually runs as below:

11:00 am -11:30 am: Yoga from a chair
11:00 am -12:00 am: Blood pressure screening with Lori Edelstein
11:30 am -12:15 pm: Roasted chicken w/ lemon rosemary, (Veg option: Tofu with risotto), turmeric rice, roasted veggies, fresh fruit
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm: Stolpersteine: Stones of Memory

If you would like a meal, contact us at (608) 442-4083 or email: paul@jssmadison.org by Wednesday preceding the meal.If you are 60 years or older, a minimum donation of $4.50 is suggested, but please only pay what is comfortable for you. The cost of the meal is $17.20 for those younger than 60 years old.

Masks are optional at our host site, Beth Israel Center. Some individuals will wear masks indoors, especially when in proximity to people they do not live with or know well. As members of a supportive, loving community, we respect that each of us will take precautions we deem necessary and encourage all to be sensitive to the needs of others.

Mar
31
Mon
Lechayim
Mar 31 @ 11:00 am – 1:30 pm
Lechayim @ Beth Israel Center

Join us for our weekly Lechayim series! Each event begins with yoga from a chair at 11am, followed by a lunch and a wide variety of programming that is different each week. The schedule for the week usually runs as below:

11:00 am -11:30 am: Yoga from a chair
11:30 am -12:15 pm: Roasted chicken w/ tomato Balsamic, (Veg option: tofu w/ Balsamic risotto), rice pilaf, tzimmes, fruit salad
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm: Program: The Double Double Reeders

If you would like a meal, contact us at (608) 442-4083 or email: paul@jssmadison.org by Wednesday preceding the meal.If you are 60 years or older, a minimum donation of $4.50 is suggested, but please only pay what is comfortable for you. The cost of the meal is $17.20 for those younger than 60 years old.

Masks are optional at our host site, Beth Israel Center. Some individuals will wear masks indoors, especially when in proximity to people they do not live with or know well. As members of a supportive, loving community, we respect that each of us will take precautions we deem necessary and encourage all to be sensitive to the needs of others.

Apr
7
Mon
Lechayim
Apr 7 @ 11:00 am – 1:30 pm
Lechayim @ Beth Israel Center

Join us for our weekly Lechayim series! Each event begins with yoga from a chair at 11am, followed by a lunch and a wide variety of programming that is different each week. The schedule for the week usually runs as below:

11:00 am -11:30 am: Yoga from a chair
11:00 am -12:00 am: Blood pressure screening with Lori Edelstein
11:30 am -12:15 pm: Braised rosemary lamb, (veg option: blackbean meatballs), garlic mashed potatoes, sautéed garden vegetables, challah rolls, fruit salad & cookies
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm: Program: Songs for the Soul – Jim and Beth

If you would like a meal, contact us at (608) 442-4083 or email: paul@jssmadison.org by Wednesday preceding the meal.If you are 60 years or older, a minimum donation of $4.50 is suggested, but please only pay what is comfortable for you. The cost of the meal is $17.20 for those younger than 60 years old.

Masks are optional at our host site, Beth Israel Center. Some individuals will wear masks indoors, especially when in proximity to people they do not live with or know well. As members of a supportive, loving community, we respect that each of us will take precautions we deem necessary and encourage all to be sensitive to the needs of others.

Apr
21
Mon
Lechayim
Apr 21 @ 11:00 am – 1:30 pm
Lechayim @ Beth Israel Center

Join us for our weekly Lechayim series! Each event begins with yoga from a chair at 11am, followed by a lunch and a wide variety of programming that is different each week. The schedule for the week usually runs as below:

11:00 am -11:30 am: Yoga from a chair
11:30 am -12:15 pm: Traditional brisket, (Veg option: squash stuffed w/ Quinoa), roasted potatoes, root vegetables, challah rolls, fresh fruit and dessert
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm: How to be an empowered health care consumer: You Have A Voice… Use it! – Lorrie Klemons

If you would like a meal, contact us at (608) 442-4083 or email: paul@jssmadison.org by Wednesday preceding the meal.If you are 60 years or older, a minimum donation of $4.50 is suggested, but please only pay what is comfortable for you. The cost of the meal is $17.20 for those younger than 60 years old.

Masks are optional at our host site, Beth Israel Center. Some individuals will wear masks indoors, especially when in proximity to people they do not live with or know well. As members of a supportive, loving community, we respect that each of us will take precautions we deem necessary and encourage all to be sensitive to the needs of others.

Apr
28
Mon
Lechayim
Apr 28 @ 11:00 am – 1:30 pm
Lechayim @ Beth Israel Center

Join us for our weekly Lechayim series! Each event begins with yoga from a chair at 11am, followed by a lunch and a wide variety of programming that is different each week. The schedule for the week usually runs as below:

11:00 am -11:30 am: Yoga from a chair
11:30 am -12:15 pm: Roasted chicken w/ lemon-rosemary, (Veg option: tofu w/risotto), rice pilaf, tzimmes, fruit salad & dessert
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm: Andrew Jackson Bovee and the Battle of the Wilderness: Rich Fronek

If you would like a meal, contact us at (608) 442-4083 or email: paul@jssmadison.org by Wednesday preceding the meal.If you are 60 years or older, a minimum donation of $4.50 is suggested, but please only pay what is comfortable for you. The cost of the meal is $17.20 for those younger than 60 years old.

Masks are optional at our host site, Beth Israel Center. Some individuals will wear masks indoors, especially when in proximity to people they do not live with or know well. As members of a supportive, loving community, we respect that each of us will take precautions we deem necessary and encourage all to be sensitive to the needs of others.

May
5
Mon
Lechayim
May 5 @ 11:00 am – 1:30 pm
Lechayim @ Beth Israel Center

Join us for our weekly Lechayim series! Each event begins with yoga from a chair at 11am, followed by a lunch and a wide variety of programming that is different each week. The schedule for this week is:

11:00 am -11:30 am: Yoga from a chair
11:00 am -12:00 am: Blood pressure screening with Lori Edelstein
11:30 am -12:15 pm: Smoked BBQ brisket, (Veg Option: Eggplant parmesan), garlic mashed potatoes, fried corn w/ sauteed onions and peppers, challah rolls, fresh fruit and dessert
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm: Donor and Volunteer Appreciation Day

If you would like a meal, contact us at (608) 442-4083 or email: paul@jssmadison.org by Wednesday preceding the meal.If you are 60 years or older, a minimum donation of $4.50 is suggested, but please only pay what is comfortable for you. The cost of the meal is $17.20 for those younger than 60 years old.

Masks are optional at our host site, Beth Israel Center. Some individuals will wear masks indoors, especially when in proximity to people they do not live with or know well. As members of a supportive, loving community, we respect that each of us will take precautions we deem necessary and encourage all to be sensitive to the needs of others.

Jun
4
Wed
2025 Levy Series – Rob Golub
Jun 4 @ 10:30 am – 1:30 pm
2025 Levy Series - Rob Golub @ Nakoma Country Club

Join us for the first event in our 2025 Levy Series, “Sustaining Journalism and Serving Jewish Wisconsin”! What are the major challenges that confront journalists? What can Rob Golub and other journalists do to fight for a better way forward? Rob will explain approaches sometimes referred to as “community journalism” and “community engagement.” He will also share experiences from his journalism career and all about the training programs he leads, which have been a launching pad for some great American journalists. We will learn about the Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle, its role in the community, and how you can connect with it.

Prior to Rob Golub’s position as editor of the Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle, he was the chief editor of The Journal Times in Racine, where he supervised both editors and news reporters. Golub has won multiple awards from the Milwaukee Press Club for his work, including a first-place award in 2022 for Best Long Hard Feature Story. For more than 15 years, he has run an internship program that trains the leading journalists of tomorrow. His “graduates” have become employees and interns at Facebook, CNN, Bloomberg, MSNBC, and other news organizations worldwide.

10:30-10:50 – Check-in

11:00-12:30 – Program

12:30-1:30 – Lunch

Lunch: Nakoma Golf Greens and Veggie Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette, assorted Artisan Rolls and Mini Muffins. Choice of entrée: Broiled Whitefish with Caper Piccata Sauce or Vegan Sweet Potato Curry, Barley Pilaf, French Beans and Baby Carrots. Dessert: Chocolate Mousse Sundae

Register by phone at 608-442-4081, or via mail / in-person at Jewish Social Services, 6300 Enterprise Lane, #309, Madison, WI 53719. You can print out the registration form here: Levy Registration Form

Jun
18
Wed
2025 Levy Series – Mark L. Louden
Jun 18 @ 10:30 am – 1:30 pm
2025 Levy Series - Mark L. Louden @ Nakoma Country Club

“Yiddish and Pennsylvania Dutch”

Today, about one-half of the world’s approximately 7,000 languages are in danger of losing their native speakers. However, a small number of languages associated with highly traditional Jewish and Christian groups are resisting the pressure of linguistic assimilation and are thriving. The two most widely spoken of these exceptional languages are, coincidentally, historically related to one another: Yiddish and Pennsylvania Dutch. In this presentation we will explore the success of Yiddish and Pennsylvania Dutch, which is connected to the demographic health of their main speaker populations, the Hasidim and the Amish.

Mark L. Louden is the Director of the Max Kade Institute for German American Studies, and an affiliate faculty member in the Mosse/Center for Jewish Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He received his undergraduate and graduate education at Cornell University. Professor Louden taught for 12 years at the University of Texas at Austin before joining the UW-Madison faculty in 2000. His research focuses mainly on heritage Germanic languages spoken in North America, especially Pennsylvania Dutch and Yiddish. He serves as a medical and legal interpreter, cultural mediator, and patient navigator for Amish and traditional Mennonites.

10:30-10:50 – Check-in

11:00-12:30 – Program

12:30-1:30 – Lunch

Menu: Caesar Salad, assorted Artisan Rolls and Mini Muffins. Choice of entrée: Pesto Crusted Sea Bass or Roasted Vegetable Napoleon, White and Wild Rice Blend, Steamed Asparagus Dessert: Tiramisu

Register by phone at 608-442-4081, or via mail / in-person at Jewish Social Services, 6300 Enterprise Lane, #309, Madison, WI 53719. You can print out the registration form here: Levy Registration Form

Jul
1
Tue
2025 Levy Series – Rachel Baum
Jul 1 @ 10:30 am – 1:30 pm
2025 Levy Series - Rachel Baum @ Nakoma Country Club

“How Jewish Wisdom Can Help Us Grow Older, Better”

The Jewish tradition is filled with practical wisdom that can help us age with more hope, resilience, and good humor. In this conversation, Holocaust scholar and certified life coach Rachel Baum shares three wise voices from different time periods of Jewish life. How can these voices be put to use today in giving us inspiration in creating a life of intention and joy? What are some essential tools for overcoming obstacles in this pursuit?

Rachel teaches courses on the Holocaust and American Jewish culture. She is also a certified life coach and host of the podcast, Making Midlife Magic, where she offers weekly insights on how to create a life of joy and meaning.

10:30-10:50 – Check-in

11:00-12:30 – Program

12:30-1:30 – Lunch

Lunch: Cream of Asparagus Soup, Assorted Artisan Rolls and Mini Muffins. Choice of entrée: Atlantic Salmon stuffed with Shiitake Mushrooms and Spinach, Wild Mushroom Cream Sauce or Tofu Poke Bowl with Veggies, Ginger Soy Sauce, and Sesame Seeds Honey Glazed Carrots, Dauphinoise Potatoes Dessert: Mango Sorbet with Pirouline Cookie

Register by phone at 608-442-4081, or via mail / in-person at Jewish Social Services, 6300 Enterprise Lane, #309, Madison, WI 53719. You can print out the registration form here: Levy Registration Form

Jul
22
Tue
2025 Levy Series – Rabbi Judy Greenberg
Jul 22 @ 10:30 am – 1:30 pm
2025 Levy Series - Rabbi Judy Greenberg @ Nakoma Country Club

“New Beginnings: Contemporary Re-Readings of the Genesis Narratives”

The creation stories in Genesis are foundational to our narrative as Jews in the world. They have been mined for meaning throughout the generations – each generation uncovering new layers that speak to their moment. Contemporary voices continue this practice. We will explore cartoonist Liana Finck’s graphic novel of Genesis and also Midrash written in recent years by Israeli women. What is novel in their interpretations? What new possibilities do they uncover? We will open such questions as: why keep returning to these narratives? How can these stories inform our relationship to the messy, ever-changing world that we inhabit?

Prior to her work at UW Hillel, Rabbi Judy spent a summer serving as rabbi of Moses Montefiore Congregation in Appleton, Wisconsin. Previously, she taught Jewish studies at Rochelle Zell Jewish High School in the Chicago suburbs. Judy was ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary, where she also received a master’s degree in Midrash. She has a BA from Harvard College. Judy loves reading and baking, but you can most often find her knitting. This week Judy and her family celebrate seven years of living in Madison.

10:30-10:50 – Check-in

11:00-12:30 – Program

12:30-1:30 – Lunch

Lunch: Vegetable Barley Soup, assorted Artisan Rolls and Mini Muffins. Choice of entrée: Baked Tilapia With Cucumber and Red Pepper Relish or Portabella Fettucine, Roasted Red Potatoes, Vegetable Medley. Dessert: Turtle Sundae

Register by phone at 608-442-4081, or via mail / in-person at Jewish Social Services, 6300 Enterprise Lane, #309, Madison, WI 53719. You can print out the registration form here: Levy Registration Form