The 2012 Day of Discovery will be the 13th in this annual series of communal Jewish learning events — and that, of course, means it has to celebrate its bar mitzvah.
And so it will during the event, to be held at the Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center on Sunday, Jan. 15, 8:30 a.m.-3:15 p.m. In fact, according to Alice Jacobson, director of the Creativity Center of the Coalition for Jewish Learning, DOD 2012 will do so in several ways.
The main celebration will be the concluding program, at 2:15 p.m. There will be, said Jacobson, “a big sheet cake;” a toast; remarks by Rabbi Marc E. Berkson, who is marking his 13th year at Congregation Emanu-El B’ne Jeshurun; music; and each guest will receive a commemorative pen.
But Jacobson also said that each of the three time slots of educational sessions — 9-10 a.m.; 11 a.m.-noon; and 1-2 p.m. — will include among its selections one offering that relates to b’nai mitzvah ceremonies.
The b’nai mitzvah items won’t be the only new or distinctive features, said Jacobson. “For the first time in probably many years, we’re going to have special programming for kids,” she said, both for families with pre-school children, and for children 7- to 12-years-old.
That is in addition to the varied and new educational offerings during the three sessions, all presented by members of the Milwaukee-area Jewish community, and ranging in subject from politics to culture, religion to sports, mysticism to music.
And some features of the 2012 DOD are common to them all, like the teacher recognition awards.
This year, Sherry Blumberg, Ph.D., will receive the Educator of the Year award. Blumberg teaches at Congregations Beth Israel and Sinai, and is an adjunct professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Cardinal Stritch University, and Sacred Heart Seminary.
Day of Discovery is sponsored by CJL, the education program of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation; the JCC; and the Wisconsin Council of Rabbis. It is co-sponsored by many local organizations and synagogues. Susie Fono and Judy Wolkenstein are the co-chairs.
Admission is free, but donations are appreciated. Meals and babysitting are available by pre-registration and, in the case of meals, by advance payment of $10 by Jan. 9. (There will be limited quantities of lunch available for order during registration on Jan. 15 for $11.) A shuttle bus will be available to transport people from all the Karl Campus parking lots.
For more information and to make reservations, contact the JCC, 414-964-4444, or CJL, 414-963-2710.
At 9 a.m., he will lead a sports program for children 7 to 12 years old. At 1 p.m., he will present a program for teens that will include a basketball clinic.
In both sessions, Goodman will discuss how he has combined sports with his love of Judaism and Israel.
Goodman, 29, grew up in Baltimore to an Orthodox family. While on the basketball team of the Talmudical Academy of Baltimore, he acquired a national reputation, and became known as “the Jewish Michael Jordan.”
He played in the United States and Israel until 2009, when injuries compelled him to retire from the game. He now coaches, does inspirational speaking, and leads seminars and clinics.
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