If an event title is underlined you can click on the title to open a link to more information. 

Saturday, April 27  ·  10 am - 2 pm 

Take Back programs are the safest way to dispose of unused pharmaceuticals. Find a participating location or call (888) 869-4233. Help protect our kids, families and environment by taking action this Saturday.  

Sunday, April 28  ·  2 pm  ·  Seattle Jewish Community Center (3801 E Mercer Way, Mercer Island)   

At the piano, composer Charles Fox will share how he came to write his award-winning music. This Grammy and Emmy winner and Songwriter Hall of Fame inductee wrote some of TV's most memorable themes such as Happy Days, Love Boat, Laverne and Shirley, plus countless others. Mr. Fox will also give his personal insight into the recent documentary, 100 Voices: A Journey Home, which explores Jewish cultural history in Poland. Register and watch videos here.

Sunday, April 28  ·  5:30 - 7 pm  ·  SJCC Mercer Island Kesher Community Garden  

Meet in the Kesher Community Garden for a dinner picnic, music and s'mores around the fire. Baked potato bar, fruit, popcorn made over the fire, and s'mores.

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Tuesdays, April 30, May 7 & May 21  ·  6:15 - 8:45 pm  ·  Jewish Family Service (1601 16th  Ave, Seattle) 

Whether it's learning new tools, reminding yourself of classic strategies that work, or just renewing your confidence, this class is a must for parents with kids 2-12 years old! If you pay in advance for the series, you get one session for free! Bring a friend, and you'll receive a thank you coupon, too.

April 30: Routines Reduce Conflict: Using Them Effectively
May 7: Reducing Power Struggles with Positive Discipline
May 21:Family Meetings: Finding Solutions Together

$20/session per person.Advance registration required. Financial assistance available. A limited amount of  baby sitting may be available by advance reservation. familylife@jfsseattle.org. 

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Thursdays, May 2, May 9, May 30 & June 6  ·  6:30 - 8:30 pm  ·  Jewish Family Service (1601 16th  Ave, Seattle) 

This series of workshops focuses on patterns of communication that facilitate being supportive and accepting of each other. Drawing on research from the Gottman Institute, Theresa Epstein, LICSW, will share specific tools and ideas. YouTube preview here. Couples of all ages and backgrounds are welcome! $80/couple for the series; scholarships available. RSVP: Leonid Orlov at (206) 861-8784, familylife@jfsseattle.org or on facebook.

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Saturday, May 4  ·  Knatvold Room at University Unitarian Church (6556 35th Ave NE, Seattle)

Congregation Eitz Or Shabbat Morning Service and Afternoon Torah Study  

10 am: Shabbat service
Vegetarian potluck lunch following the service
1:00 - 2:30 pm Torah Study led by Reb Arik Labowitz - Knatvold Room 

On Shabbat morning Reb Arik Labowitz will share his unique music, broad knowledge and love of Jewish liturgy. We will explore Parsha Behar-Behukotai, participating in Reb Arik's blessings that access the deeper meaning of the Parsha.

Torah study -- Meta-Torah: The Teachings of Reb David Wolfe-Blank z"l
Jewish Renewal is a hard concept to describe, yet there have been several Jewish leaders in our time that exemplify the breadth of knowledge and spiritual depth for which the Renewal movement is known. Reb David Wolfe-Blank (of blessed memory) is high on that list. Reb David had a unique, yet wholly universal way of bridging some of the challenging and obscure aspects of Jewish life with concepts that resonate to a modern spiritual seeker and explorer. He was never bashful about stretching normative Jewish thinking to include a larger, and even cosmic worldview. He left a legacy of written materials on many aspects of Jewish life and Jewish sacred texts. We will explore some of these materials, bringing his spirit and memory to life. 

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Saturday, May 4  ·  8 pm  ·  Temple B'nai Torah (15727 NE 4th St, Bellevue) 

Stephen Tobolowsky is one of the leading character actors in film today, having appeared in more than 100 films and 200 television shows. Stephen is also an accomplished writer, filmmaker and master storyteller. His popular podcast, The Tobolowsky Files, has been picked up by Public Radio International and KUOW in Seattle and will be broadcast across the country this year. In his recent book, The Dangerous Animals Club, Stephen tells stories of love, loss, near-death experiences and the entertainment industry. Come hear him share some of these stories live at Temple B'nai Torah. 

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Sunday, May 5  ·  1 - 4 pm

SJCC Mercer Island (3801 E Mercer Way, Mercer Island) 

Learn culture and traditions and have a blast on a 24-foot rock climbing wall and inflatable surf rider. Grab a passport and travel through Israel -- Make chocolate in Natzrat Illit -- Hit the big waves in Haifa -- Take your photo in Kibbutz Dgania -- Face paint in Tel Aviv -- Write notes to put in the Kotel in Jerusalem -- Crush grapes in Rishon Lezion -- Make bath salts in Yam Hamelach -- Climb Mount Masada -- Work out IDF-style in Ktziot -- Make herbal tea and pita bread in a Bedouin tent in the Negev -- Make colored sand bottles in Eliat. At 3:10 pm singing sensation Meshi Kleinstein, accompanied by Avi Avliav, will give a concert of Israeli music. Israeli food for purchase. More info and register here.

Wednesdays at noon: May 8, May 22, and June 5  ·  at Amazon 

Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto wrote his magnum opus The Way of G-d in the 1730s, revolutionizing Jewish thought and introducing the "new" system blending traditional Jewish philosophy with the kabbalistic approach. This series will use The Way of G-d as a springboard to plumb the depths of many of the great philosophical questions:
    - What is the purpose of Creation?
    - Why do bad things happen to good people?
    - How are we to understand the relationship of the Jewish people and the nations of the world?
    ...and more!

With inspiring commentaries and lively discussion, you are sure to leave with a new refreshed perspective on life! Kosher lunch provided. Suggested donation $10. Address and more details: lunchandlearn@amazon.com. Here's a link to the book on Amazon: The Way of G-d.

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Tuesday, May 14  ·  7:30 pm  ·  Benaroya Hall
6:45 pm: Meet the Composer & Librettist: Jake Heggie & Gene Scheer 

MOR's third commission from composer Jake Heggie and librettist Gene Scheer returns to the incredible-but-true life of Polish Resistance member and poet Krystyna Zywulska. Their sequel to Another Sunrise puts music to her poems, offering a kaleidoscopic view of existence in Auschwitz through the eyes of someone whose survival depended on making unimaginable choices. In addition, a song cycle version that Heggie and Scheer have created from their path-breaking musical drama For a Look or a Touch, featuring baritone Morgan Smith, will be performed. You'll also hear music from Kurt Weill's Three Penny Opera, and a trio by László Weiner, a Hungarian composer whose life ended at age 28 in a concentration camp.  Purchase tickets. 

Sunday, May 19  ·  11:00 am - 12:30 pm  ·  Temple B'nai Torah (15727 NE 4th St, Bellevue) 

Mindfulness -- it's a practice that can improve your family life! Explore how parents can express emotions and beliefs in balanced ways as role models and leaders, helping children develop good values and character. We'll look at both traditional Jewish writings and contemporary research and literature in social work, psychology and more. Facilitated by Rabbi Kinberg and Marjorie Schnyder, LICSW. Best for parents of children up to 12 years old. FREE. Advance registration encouraged. Some babysitting is provided with advance request. Parents and others from all backgrounds welcome! Contact Marjorie Schnyder at (206) 861-3146 or familylife@jfsseattle.org. 

Sunday, May 19  ·  6 - 8 pm  ·  Klondike Museum (319 2nd Ave So, Seattle) 

If you love technology, movies, and you have a creative spirit, you'll want to participate in the Washington State Jewish Historical Society's teen movie contest. Create a movie on whatever device will work for you that can eventually be played on a computer. Your movie should illustrate the history of your community, your family, the holidays, or anything that has to do with residents of the state of Washington and Judaism. This could be the story of your parents or grandparents, interesting holiday stories, a project you've worked on at school, whatever you deem appropriate. Content, language, and themes must be G rated and share a piece of history of a friend or family member. Maximum length of the video is five minutes. Cost of May 19 event to be determined. 

Sunday, June 2  ·  2 pm (doors open at 1:30)

Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute (17th Ave So, Seattle)

June 12 and August 18  ·  6 pm  ·  SJCC Mercer Island (3801 E Mercer Way)    

Gardening Workshops 

Register now for summer or fall - or both:
The Summer Garden: Birds & Bees, Tomatoes & Potatoes
Wednesday, June 12, 6 pm.
The Fall Garden: Eat Your Veggies, Put Your Beds to Rest
Wednesday, August 18, 6 pm.

Saturday, June 15  ·  2 pm  ·  Seattle Art Museum (1300 First Ave, Seattle) 

One woman's true story of Holocaust survival. Composer Jake Heggie & Librettist Gene Scheer. Corinna Quilliam, sorpano. Laura DeLuca, clarinet; Mikhail Shmidt, violin; Walter Gray, cello; Jonathan Green, double bass; Mina Miller, piano. FREE admission.  

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If an event title is underscored you can click on the title to open a link to more information.

Now thru June  ·  Seattle Art Museum Third Floor Galleries (1300 First Ave)

The Great Depression, fascism in Europe, America's entry into world war--the dark forces that changed the western world forever in the decade from 1930 to 1940--upended America's art establishment as artists channeled moral outrage into a new sense of social purpose. Some of the most radical artists of the day were those who organized on behalf of workers' rights and civil rights, and the ideals of a free society, including freedom of artistic expression. This installation features works by these socially and politically engaged artists, and the works are drawn entirely from SAM's collection.