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.

Jun
16
Mon
Al Anon Family Group @ Beth Israel Center
Jun 16 @ 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Al Anon Family Group @ Beth Israel Center

We are excited to announce this new weekly Al Anon Family Group, geared towards supporting those who are dealing with a loved one’s addiction. This open group is inclusive and open to anyone, and does not require a reservation or any sort of fee. Please join us at Beth Israel Center, every Monday, from 5 – 6pm.

Jun
18
Wed
2025 Levy Series – Mark L. Louden @ Nakoma Country Club
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

Jun
23
Mon
Al Anon Family Group @ Beth Israel Center
Jun 23 @ 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Al Anon Family Group @ Beth Israel Center

We are excited to announce this new weekly Al Anon Family Group, geared towards supporting those who are dealing with a loved one’s addiction. This open group is inclusive and open to anyone, and does not require a reservation or any sort of fee. Please join us at Beth Israel Center, every Monday, from 5 – 6pm.

Jun
30
Mon
Al Anon Family Group @ Beth Israel Center
Jun 30 @ 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Al Anon Family Group @ Beth Israel Center

We are excited to announce this new weekly Al Anon Family Group, geared towards supporting those who are dealing with a loved one’s addiction. This open group is inclusive and open to anyone, and does not require a reservation or any sort of fee. Please join us at Beth Israel Center, every Monday, from 5 – 6pm.

Jul
1
Tue
2025 Levy Series – Rachel Baum @ Nakoma Country Club
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
7
Mon
Al Anon Family Group @ Beth Israel Center
Jul 7 @ 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Al Anon Family Group @ Beth Israel Center

We are excited to announce this new weekly Al Anon Family Group, geared towards supporting those who are dealing with a loved one’s addiction. This open group is inclusive and open to anyone, and does not require a reservation or any sort of fee. Please join us at Beth Israel Center, every Monday, from 5 – 6pm.

Jul
14
Mon
Al Anon Family Group @ Beth Israel Center
Jul 14 @ 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Al Anon Family Group @ Beth Israel Center

We are excited to announce this new weekly Al Anon Family Group, geared towards supporting those who are dealing with a loved one’s addiction. This open group is inclusive and open to anyone, and does not require a reservation or any sort of fee. Please join us at Beth Israel Center, every Monday, from 5 – 6pm.

Jul
17
Thu
Memory Cafe @ JSS Main Office
Jul 17 @ 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.

Jul
21
Mon
Al Anon Family Group @ Beth Israel Center
Jul 21 @ 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Al Anon Family Group @ Beth Israel Center

We are excited to announce this new weekly Al Anon Family Group, geared towards supporting those who are dealing with a loved one’s addiction. This open group is inclusive and open to anyone, and does not require a reservation or any sort of fee. Please join us at Beth Israel Center, every Monday, from 5 – 6pm.

Jul
22
Tue
2025 Levy Series – Rabbi Judy Greenberg @ Nakoma Country Club
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