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.

Feb
3
Mon
Lechayim
Feb 3 @ 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. Here is the schedule and menu for this week:

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, fried corn w/ sauteed onions and peppers, fruit salad
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm: Birding in WI Update – Chuck Henrikson

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.

Feb
9
Sun
2025 Blockstein Memorial Lecture
Feb 9 @ 9:30 am – 11:45 am
2025 Blockstein Memorial Lecture @ Temple Beth El

Wisconsin Department of Administration Secretary Blumenfeld will share how Jewish values in action have inspired her personal and professional journey to become the first Jewish cabinet member under Governor Evers, and how state government has been a vehicle for making a positive impact for Wisconsin communities.

Secretary Kathy Blumenfeld is a proven leader in the financial services industry, business, and government.

She was appointed by Governor Tony Evers to lead the Department of Administration in January 2022, and previously led the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions.

As secretary, she leads the state’s flagship agency, where she has helped oversee Wisconsin’s multi-billion-dollar pandemic recovery and serves on the boards of the State of Wisconsin Investment Board (SWIB), the Wisconsin Center District, and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC). She began her career as a Certified Public Accountant and spent 26 years of her financial services career with CUNA Mutual Group. She is passionate about community service, financial literacy, philanthropy, and tennis.

Remembering the social activism and public service record of Liesl M. Blockstein, Temple Beth El and Jewish Social Services annually co-sponsor this lecture honoring the accomplishments of a Wisconsin woman who has made a significant impact on our community and our state.

  • 9:30 am Brunch
  • 10:30 am Speaker
Feb
10
Mon
Lechayim
Feb 10 @ 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: Smothered fried chicken, (Veg option: vegan chicken), sweet potatoes, greens, cornbread, fresh fruit
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm: Tu Bishvat – Rabbi Renee Bauer

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.

Feb
16
Sun
Weaving The Fabric: Discussion and Film Screening
Feb 16 @ 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Weaving The Fabric: Discussion and Film Screening @ JSS Main Office

Join us for a discussion and film screening presented by JSS, Open Doors for Refugees, Dr. Fran Kaplan, and Catholic Multicultural Center. We will watch Dr. Kaplan’s film, “Can We Make A Home Here?’, featuring stories and information on several different refugee families living in Milwaukee. Then, Dr. Kaplan, Kai Mishlove, Zabi Sahibzada, and Jason Mack, Director of ODFR, will present a panel discussion. This event is free and open to the public – please join us!

Feb
17
Mon
Lechayim
Feb 17 @ 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: Lasagna, (Veg option: Mac n Cheese), roasted veggies, garlic bread, fruit salad
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm: Great Composers – Dan Barker

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.

Tables Across Borders
Feb 17 @ 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Tables Across Borders @ Amilinda

Tables Across Borders is a powerful community-driven dining series founded by Kai Gardner-Mishlove, Gregory Leon, Caitlin Cullen, & Christie Melby-Gibbons. This initiative highlights the culinary traditions of Milwaukee’s refugee and immigrant chefs, celebrating the diverse cultures and cuisines that enrich Milwaukee. JSS is proud to sponsor this series of events!

Each event gives guest chefs a platform to share their stories through food, offering a menu that reflects the chefs’ heritage & personal journeys. This time we welcome Syrian cuisine from Chef Tahani.

TAB fosters connections, cultural exchange, and an appreciation for the vibrant diversity within our community and is a celebration of resilience, creativity, and the transformative power of food to bring people together.

Feb
19
Wed
AA Group
Feb 19 @ 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
AA Group @ Beth Israel Center
Jewish Social Services is proud to announce the formation of a new Alcoholics Anonymous group hosted at Beth Israel Center. Hosting a recovery group in a Jewish space is an important step for the Jewish community’s work to destigmatize substance use disorder and welcome individuals and families facing this illness.
The group will be open to anyone in recovery or with the desire to stop drinking or using, whether or not they are part of the Jewish community. It will be listed at MAICO as “The Mound Street Meeting” – you can visit their website at https://aamadisonwi.org/
No registration required. Contact Rabbi Renee with any questions at rabbi@jssmadison.org.
Feb
20
Thu
Memory Cafe
Feb 20 @ 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Memory Cafe @ JSS Main Office

Join JSS social workers Maya Garbuz and Kate Shenker for our monthly Memory Cafe! A meeting place for designed for people experiencing memory issues, dementia, or Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers. Socialize, find support and build community without the stigma associate with dementia. Each month, we have a different presenter come in to lead activities with the group, plus snacks and a short stretching/movement activity. All are welcome at this free event.

Feb
24
Mon
Lechayim
Feb 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: Traditional brisket, (Veg option: pesto risotto w/ tofu), sweet mashed potatoes, challah rolls, roasted herb snap peas and carrots, fruit salad
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm: Greenbush Neighborhood

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.

Feb
26
Wed
AA Group
Feb 26 @ 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
AA Group @ Beth Israel Center
Jewish Social Services is proud to announce the formation of a new Alcoholics Anonymous group hosted at Beth Israel Center. Hosting a recovery group in a Jewish space is an important step for the Jewish community’s work to destigmatize substance use disorder and welcome individuals and families facing this illness.
The group will be open to anyone in recovery or with the desire to stop drinking or using, whether or not they are part of the Jewish community. It will be listed at MAICO as “The Mound Street Meeting” – you can visit their website at https://aamadisonwi.org/
No registration required. Contact Rabbi Renee with any questions at rabbi@jssmadison.org.