FIRST OPENLY GAY ORTHODOX RABBI TO SPEAK IN CLEVELAND AUGUST 9

Free Evening Lecture Part of 4-day Conference on Jewish Education

July 16, 2010 (Beachwood, OH) – On Monday, August 9, at 7:15 PM, the first openly gay Orthodox Rabbi, Rabbi Steve Greenberg, will speak in a free, public lecture at Siegal College on “Gayness and G-d.” The author of Wrestling with G-d and Men: Homosexuality in the Jewish Tradition, Rabbi Greenberg will share his radical and pragmatic solutions to the conflict between traditional Judaism and homosexuality and touch upon the recent legal responses offered by the Conservative Movement's Law Committee. Additionally, Rabbi Greenberg will be leading a series of classes during the Siegal College Summer Institute - a 4-day series of workshops, classes and special events exploring Eilu V’Eilu: The Tradition of Sacred Argument in Jewish Life.

During the conference, Rabbi Greenberg will be teaching “Eat, Drink and Change the World,” “Eden, Sodom, and the Laws of Leviticus,” and “Adam and Adamah: Biblical and Rabbinic Models of the Human-Earth Relationship.” While the evening program is free and open to the community, there is a fee associated with attending the daytime conference lectures which take place on Monday, August 9 and Tuesday, August 10. For those interested in attending the conference during the day, the cost is $75/day (includes lunch) or $225 for the full conference. For more information on the conference fees, or to register, contact Siegal College at 216-464-4050 x101 or visit www.siegalcollege.edu.

About Rabbi Steven Greenberg
Rabbi Steven Greenberg is a Senior Teaching Fellow at CLAL -- The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership based in New York City. He received his B.A. in Philosophy from Yeshiva University and his rabbinical ordination from Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary. Since 1985 Rabbi Greenberg has served as a senior educator for CLAL, a think tank, leadership training institute and resource center. He has conducted hundreds of programs for communal lay and professional leaders of Jewish Federations, synagogues and philanthropic institutions in over fifty cities in North America.

In 1993, while still in the closet, Rabbi Greenberg wrote a ground-breaking article entitled, Gayness and God: Wrestlings of a Gay Orthodox Rabbi, published in Tikkun Magazine. In response to this article, Greenberg received many supportive letters from Orthodox and non-Orthodox Jews, gay and straight, and was encouraged to begin the outline of a more serious treatment of the issue. In 1996, Rabbi Greenberg was recognized as a master educator and was awarded a prestigious Jerusalem Fellowship which provided him two years in Jerusalem to study educational policy issues and to research the biblical and rabbinic attitudes towards sexuality.

In addition to being featured in DuBowski’s award-winning documentary, “Trembling Before G-d,” Greenberg joined with the film maker to create a worldwide outreach project employing the film as an educational tool. Following the release of the film in 2001, the duo have conducted over 500 post-screening community dialogues in the US, Canada, Israel, UK, Germany, Mexico and South America. Under the direction of Rabbi Greenberg and Tanya Zion, the outreach project conducted screenings and dialogues in Israel’s religious school system, reaching over 2,000 principals, educators and school counselors and opening up a conversation that had not been previously entertained.

In November, 2003, Dubowski and Greenberg partnered with therapist Naomi Mark to organize the first Orthodox Mental Health Conference on Homosexuality. The Conference brought together Orthodox therapists from all over North America to address the issues faced by gay and lesbian clients and their families for the first time.

The culmination of ten years of struggle, research and thought has come to fruition in Rabbi Greenberg's recently finished book entitled: Wrestling with God and Men: Homosexuality in the Jewish Tradition, University of Wisconsin Press (February 2004).

About Siegal College
Siegal College is Cleveland’s higher education resource for classical Jewish learning and modern scholarship. Siegal College prepares Jewish educators and other communal professionals through degree programs, facilitates the Jewish journey of continuing education students, and provides a nondenominational environment for people of diverse backgrounds to explore Jewish life - past, present, and future. For more information visit www.siegalcollege.edu.

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A HEALTH CARE SYMPOSIUM FEATURING CONGRESSWOMAN MARCIA L. FUDGE AND

FRED ROTHSTEIN MD, PRESIDENT OF UH CASE MEDICAL CENTER

April 20, 2010 (Beachwood, OH) – On May 23 and May 24, Siegal College of Judaic Studies will present the Mt. Sinai Health Care Symposium: “Health Care in America, What is it and What Could it Be?,” an intensive look at the health care system and how it can be navigated today. This two-day event will be led by esteemed professionals in the medical, political, legal and Judaic fields and delve into the issues and concerns being raised by Americans everywhere. Held at Siegal College, 26500 Shaker Blvd, Beachwood on Sunday, May 23 from 6:30 – 9:30 pm and on Monday, May 24 from 8:45 am – 12:15 pm, the symposium will feature more than ten speakers including Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge addressing “The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: A Good First Step,” a keynote address by Fred Rothstein, MD, President of UH Case Medical Center, on “Health Reform: What will it take for a Healthier America?,” and Aaron Marinelli, Principal at Chapman & Chapman, addressing, “Health Care Reform – How the New Legislation will Affect Consumers and the Insurance Industry.”

This symposium will be moderated by Siegal College Professor, Ronald A. Brauner, Ph.D., and is open to anyone in the community. Costs are $36 for both days and $20 for one day. CEU’s for social workers and nurses are also available for an additional $18. To register, please call 216.464.4050 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

On Sunday, in addition to the keynote by Fred Rothstein, MD and talk by Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge, Rabbi Steven Denker from Temple Emanu El will discuss “Choosing Life: Health Care as a Jewish Value,” and Sharona Hoffman, Case Western Reserve University Professor of Law & Bioethics, Co-Director, Law-Medicine Center, will delve into Health Care and the Law.

Monday, the symposium will feature Joseph White, Ph.D, Professor and Chair of Political Science at Case Western Reserve University talking on “Compared to What? The Obama Compromise Compared to the International Standard for Health Care Finance,” Arthur Lavin MD, Advanced Pediatrics giving “A Jewish Doctor’s Perspective on Health Care in America,” and Diane Korman, MSN, CHPN, NCJW/Montefiore Hospice discussing “How Can I Decide What I Need if you won’t Talk to Me? The Role of Palliative Care and Hospice Services.” Additionally, Karil Bialostosky, Executive Director of MedWorks will discuss “MedWorks Health Clinics for the Uninsured and Underinsured: Why this Forum will Continue to Make Sense,” and Sally Ollerton, LSW, Alzheimer’s Association, Cleveland Area Chapter will interview Harold Scott on “A Caregiver’s Perspective.” Rounding up the two-day symposium will be an interesting look at Healthcare from the insurance industry perspective with Aaron Marinelli, Principal at Chapman & Chapman, as he addresses, “Health Care Reform – How the New Legislation will Affect Consumers and the Insurance Industry.”

About Siegal College
Siegal College is Cleveland’s higher education resource for classical Jewish learning and modern scholarship. Siegal College prepares Jewish educators and other communal professionals through degree programs, facilitates the Jewish journey of continuing education students, and provides a nondenominational environment for people of diverse backgrounds to explore Jewish life - past, present, and future.

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INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED ISRAELI AUTHOR AND PLAYWRIGHT, SAVYON LIEBRECHT COMES TO CLEVELAND AS THE SIEGAL COLLEGE 3RD ANNUAL ISRAELI VISITING AUTHOR

Free Public Lecture Scheduled for Thursday Evening, April 22, 2010
Liebrecht to Speak to Students at Heights High School

March 23, 2010 (Beachwood, OH) – Israeli best-selling author, Savyon Liebrecht will be at Siegal College of Judaic Studies on April 22, 2010, at 7:30 pm for a free, public lecture, book signing and reception, celebrating her intense, lyrical and emotionally complex stories. Liebrecht ‘s writings explore the everyday occurrences that emanate from strained relationships between Arabs and Jews, women and men, and older and younger generations in present-day Israel, as well as the Holocaust and its consequences for survivors and their offspring. Siegal College is continuing its annual tradition of bringing the finest of Israeli culture to our community with Liebrecht’s visit. The lecture is free and open to the community, but reservations are preferred to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 216.464.4050.

Prior to the evening lecture, Liebrecht will host a lunchtime seminar in Hebrew to advanced students of Hebrew and members of the Israeli community. In addition, during her visit to Cleveland, Liebrecht will be spending time with students from Heights High, Beachwood and Agnon at Heights High School, in a morning assembly in English, discussing, “The Challenges of Post-Holocaust Experiences.”

“The Israeli authors program greatly enriches the community in the area of Israeli literature and culture and attracts a diverse audience,” notes Nili Adler, Director of Hebrew Studies, Siegal College. “We are pleased to bring such a talented author to Cleveland to share her story with us.”

Savyon Liebrecht is a leading figure in contemporary Israeli literature. Born in Munich in 1948 to Holocaust survivor parents, she grew up in Israel and studied philosophy and literature. Today she is considered to be among the most productive and important authors in Israel. Her first short story anthology, Apples from the Desert, appeared in 1986, and numerous other collections and novels have been reworked into films and plays. Ms. Liebrecht has been awarded coveted literary and drama prizes and her books have been translated into several languages.

In anticipation of her visit, Siegal College will be hosting two free pre-lecture events. On Sunday, April 11 at 2pm at the Cuyahoga County Library Beachwood Branch, there will be a discussion of Liebrecht’s novel, A Man and a Woman and a Man, led by Cantor Ilana Wolpert, Ph.D. On Wednesday, April 14 at Noon at Siegal College of Judaic Studies, Room 302, and as part of the Reel Israel Films & Conversation Series, Nili Adler will hold a screening and discussion of Purple Lawns, a film based on Liebrecht’s novella. These events are free and open to the public, but reservations are preferred to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 216.464.4050.

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SIEGAL COLLEGE’S 2ND ANNUAL FILM & CONVERSATION SERIES, REEL ISRAEL, INVADES CLEVELAND APRIL 14 – 25, 2010

A Multitude of Events, Screenings and Locations Aim to Introduce all of Cleveland to Israeli Documentary Films and Emerging Israeli Artists

March 11, 2010 (Beachwood, OH) - For twelve days this April, Siegal College will be bringing a little bit of Israeli culture to Cleveland with its Reel Israel: Films & Conversations series, beginning April 14. These documentaries will be screened and discussed throughout the city, including the Cleveland Museum of Art, The Cleveland Jewish Community Center, Cleveland Hillel, Siegal College, and various synagogues, and all screenings will be free and open to the public. In addition, there will be special screenings targeting supplementary schools, day schools and public schools. Screenings will be followed by interactive discussions between viewers and facilitators. A list of film titles, times and locations can be found below and online at www.reelisrael.org.

This year, for the first time, Reel Israel will feature an emerging artist by showcasing her animated shorts at various screenings throughout the series. Israeli filmmaker, animator and illustrator, Asenath (Osi) Wald, was chosen as the 2010 Reel Israeli Artist because of her unique approach to filmmaking. A graduate of Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in 2006, she was the animator and head of 3D production in the acclaimed 2008 animated feature “Waltz with Bashir,” directed by Ari Folman, and currently works as a freelancer on international productions for various platforms.

“Reel Israel is our chance to showcase Israeli culture and its amazing emerging film industry, and a great way to show that Israel isn’t all about falafel, camels and regional conflicts,” said Amnon Ophir, @Akiva Director and Israel educator for the JECC “We are encouraging Jews and non-Jews to come and experience the real (reel) Israel.”

The series would not be possible without the sponsorship of other local organizations including the Jewish Community Federation of Cleveland, @Akiva, Write on for Israel, The Jewish Education Center of Cleveland, and the Cleveland Jewish News.

A full list of films are below.

Purple Lawns – Wednesday, April 14, Noon, at Siegal College, Beachwood
Based on a story by Savion Liebrecht, Siegal College’s speaker for the 3rd annual Israeli cultural lecture on April 22, the rift between the secular and religious worlds, the prejudices, the mutual ignorance and the resultant mistrust and suspicion are at the heart of PURPLE LAWNS. The film tells the story of women who decide to take fate into their own hands. Initially the possibility of any connection between them seems completely impossible. Yet, as the plot develops, they undergo changes that enable them to accomplish something and prove that the sisterhood of women is strongest of all.

Lone Samaritan – Thursday, April 15, 7:00 PM, at Green Road Synagogue, University Hts.
A touching father-daughter journey that follows Sophie, the youngest daughter, on a journey to uncover her family’s secrets in an attempt to understand who the real victim of their shattered home is, and forces them to confront the difficult isolation when chosing a personal path within a tribal world.

London at Ben Yehuda – Friday, April 16, Noon, Siegal College, Beachwood
A veteran journalist and self-proclaimed “Hebrew dinosaur” Yaron London explored the modern evolution of the language. This film does not have English subtitles.

Yes, Miss Commander! – Sunday, April 18, 1:30 PM, Cleveland Museum of Art, with panel of Israeli soldiers featured in the film
For 100 days the film crew of Yes, Miss Commander! has been following the unusual scenes in the Havat Hashomer military base in the Galilee. Soldiers there are no ordinary recruits. They come from a background of violence and abuse, crime, and drugs to a special training program designed to improve their self image and teach them discipline and military skills. Assigned to this task are young female soldiers from normative homes. With great patience, juggling between authoritative distance and emotional involvement, these young girls try to fulfill their mission. The encounter between the two worlds and the tension between the sexes produce constant collisions, verbal clashes, and emotional outbreaks. It is impossible not to be swept away by the intensive events and attractive characters as they develop towards the finish line. In a "fly on the wall" technique with no intervention or interpretation, Yes, Miss Commander! presents a compelling drama full of laughter and tears.

Arab Labor – Monday, April 19, 7:30 PM, As part of the Yom Haatzmaut festival at B’nai Jeshurun
Arab labor deals with the Arab status In Israeli society, the controversy surrounding issues of identity and the sensitivities of both populations. The series explores the daily conflicts that Arabs face between the desire to integrate and their own values and traditions.

Sayed Kashua – Forever Scared – Tuesday, April 20, 6:30 PM, Siegal College, Beachwood
Sayed Kashua always feels he doesn't belong. The Jews don't like him because he's an Arab. The Arabs don't like him because he's successful. The Arabs think he's a collaborator. The Jews think he's a drunk. He's always viewed as an Other, and he's always scared. Sayed Kashua – Forever Scared accompanies Kashua, an Israeli-Arab author and scriptwriter, for seven years through the upheavals and events that change his life. This is an intimate yet political portrait of a writer and publicist who is also a loving husband and father of two. His family pays a heavy price for the choices he makes and the perpetual wandering from place to place, from nation to nation, belonging neither here nor there.

The Worst Company in the World – Wednesday, April 21, 6:00 PM, Cleveland Hillel *includes dinner
Love and humor are plentiful, but success is scarce in a small Tel Aviv insurance agency where nothing runs as it should. Perennially on the verge of bankruptcy, the failing agency is run by three middle-aged, divorced, and not particularly successful men. They may be highly intelligent, well-educated, warm and good -humored, but they have no inkling about running a business. This award-winning and refreshingly entertaining documentary offers an amusing behind-the-scenes look at the operations of the firm over one fiscal year, as the manager’s son – also the film’s director – joins this motley crew in a last-ditch attempt to save his father’s collapsing business.

My First War – Wednesday, April 21, 7:00 PM, Mandel Jewish Community Center, Beachwood
A filmmaker’s personal account of the Second Lebanon War, where at the age of 28, he was drafted. This documentary recalls the lack of justice in this unnecessary war and the loss of valuable lives. This was my personal earthquake as well as the nations.

Lod Detour – Friday, April 23, Noon, Siegal College, Beachwood
''Amal 1 High School'' in Lod is the last opportunity for students who failed other educational frameworks to complete their high school education. The film follows three students’ stories through the eyes of the school’s principal Ilan Hakary.

A Musical Melave Malkah & Film Screening of The Worst Company in the World – Saturday, April 24, 8:45 pm, Siegal College, Beachwood
A unique havdallah service followed by a reprise screening of The Worst Company in the World

My Family Pizza – Sunday, April 25, 4:00 PM – The Temple Tifereth Israel, Beachwood
Maksim, a pizza wizard addicted to sleep, asks his parents to help him buy a pizza place he co-owns. As soon as he becomes the sole owner, his parents realize they will have to invest in it a whole lot more than just money. Soon enough the father becomes a delivery boy and the mother- an oven cleaner. Between taking care of the family, work, and maintenance of the pizza place, the parents ask themselves- is their role as parents a job for life? The film creates a true profile of the average Israeli family in the new millennium.

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For Immediate Release

Camp Judaea’s Hadracha Program to Receive College Credit
Siegal College to Award Accreditation to Leadership Program
ATLANTA, GA ‐ February 24, 2010 – Camp Judaea, the premier Jewish and Zionist camp in the southeast is embarking on an exciting new venture. Beginning this summer, Camp Judaea (CJ) will offer college credit for its Hadracha Leadership program.

The Hadracha Program, offered to campers entering 11th grade, is a leadership training course that focuses on team work and Jewish leadership while working with CJ’s younger campers. Participants will receive hands‐on training and experience in event planning, curriculum and activity building, public speaking, organization skills, child care and supervision.

In a first ever initiative, CJ will partner with the Laura and Alvin Siegal College of Judaic Studies based in Cleveland, Ohio to award college credit for the Hadracha Program. The credits earned could be eligible for transfer to the camper’s future university as an elective course. “We are building the leaders of tomorrow for Jewish communities all over the southeast”, said Sandra Bass, Director of Camp Judaea. “The Hadracha program is an incredible opportunity for these young adults to
learn how to be real leaders and instill Jewish values and education within their peers and fellow campers.”

The curriculum of the Hadracha program will teach the participants how to be informal Jewish educators and leaders and will emphasize the importance and impact that Jewish camping has on the community. Siegal College is one of a handful of higher education institutions in the U.S. training Jewish educators and is recognized nationally for its expertise in the field of informal education. Provost Brian Amkraut comments, “Siegal College recognizes the powerful role that summer camps play in educating the next generation of Jewish leadership and we believe that Camp Judaea will serve as an effective living laboratory for these students to explore fundamental issues of Jewish education in the 21st Century.” For more information on Siegal College, visit www.siegalcollege.edu or contact Jennifer Mirmelstein at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Running the course will be Lori Goldstein, Assistant Director of Camp Judaea. Lori is currently a Masters Degree candidate in Jewish Studies and Jewish Education at Siegal College. Lori will work directly with Dr. Jeffrey Schein, chair of the Education Department at Siegal College to ensure that curriculum meet the participant’s needs. Dr. Schein served as senior consultant to a major national project of the JCCA, training camp directors, and crafted a curriculum for experiential learning in summer
camps now being adapted to the unique culture of Camp Judaea.

Campers wishing to participate in the Hadracha Program must attend first session at Camp Tel Yehudah, Young Judaea’s national senior camp in New York and then second session at Camp Judaea. For more information on Tel Yehudah, visit www.camptelyehudah.org.

Camp Judaea places special emphasis on Jewish heritage and a connection to Israel. Each summer over 500 campers from the South and Mid‐Atlantic states participate in two, four, or eight week sessions. Located on 118 acres of lush, rolling terrain that offers clean air, blue skies, Camp Judaea is nestled in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Each age group has a themeoriented program consisting of informal educational activities programmed by the staff. Camp Judaea's programs also include
horseback riding, sports, challenge course, arts & crafts, environmental education, drama, swimming, canoeing, archery, and more. Camp Judaea is equipped with two kosher kitchens and provides an enriching Shabbat experience.

For more information on Camp Judaea and the Hadracha program please visit www.campjudaea.org or contact Lori Goldstein, Assistant Director at 404‐634‐7883 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
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