You are invited to join in a Casual Conversation sponsored by the Jewish Culture Group, and arranged by Group chair and classmate Bruce Alpert, with Rabbi Micah Greenstein, senior rabbi of Temple Israel in Memphis TN, to be held on Zoom on Monday, January 23, 2023, at 5 pm Eastern Time (US).
Our guest is Bruce’s Rabbi. The topic chosen is: “The Israel of today is NOT the Israel we knew."
The following column was written by Rabbi Greenstein and published in The Daily Memphian on Friday, December 23, 2022:
This is a (quick and dirty) list of our virtual Casual Conversations, including events that were done in collaboration with other Class initiatives like the Jewish Culture Group and Saturday Night at the Movies. They are in chronological order. The descriptions are minimalist. If you think an event is missing, please let us know.
Join us for a casual conversation with Professor Haslam, who will offer us a window into the Soviet Union and, through it, today’s Russia, on Sunday, January 8 at 3 pm Eastern Time (US).
Due to a family conflict for Arthur (playing with grandkids), the discussion of Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari has been moved from December 28 of this year to January 17 of next year and from 3 pm Eastern to 4:30 pm Eastern.
Thus far, the following have signed up: Peter Elias, Daniel Cooperman, Peter Schaeffer, Steven Horwitz, and David Abbott.
The change of date allows more people to have the time to read the book and join us. Please consider doing so.
Arthur
On Tuesday, December 20 at 4:30 pm Eastern Time (US), Jennifer Rauch will join us for a Casual Conversation. Ms. Rauch is Assistant Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst. Our Class President Jim Staros asked her to spend time with us, and she has generously agreed. Here is Jim’s email to me from October 21 placing the importance of her work in a context we can all appreciate:
“Where did I come from?”
We are fortunate that Alice Mathias, director and producer extraordinaire, has generously agreed to spend time with us at 3 pm Eastern on Sunday, December 4 in a Casual Conversation. As a short introduction to her work, you can read the short biographical sketch that
Time to sharpen our reading skills and get ready to discuss Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari. Classmates David Abbott and Tex Talmadge will be our docents on this tour through history, but as David writes, see below, the goal is to get your views in reacting to the book and at looking at the future of our species.
The date is January 17, 2023 and the time is 4:30 pm Eastern. You have plenty of time to obtain the book and read it.
Getting back on track(s) with a Casual Conversation after a short hiatus, on Sunday, November 20 at 3 pm Eastern Time, Bill Coulson will speak with us about passenger rail in the United States. Here is Bill’s outline and background. Get your old Lionels in tip top shape for the discussion and to circle your Thanksgiving turkey, Chanukah menorah, and Christmas tree.
From Bill...
"The Renaissance of Passenger Rail in the US"
Topics for discussion can include -
The next Casual Conversation is on Sunday, October 23 at 3 pm Eastern, and features classmate John Leavitt and his wife Sue. The topic is Management of the Family Forest in Northeastern United States, and is described below in detail. I hope that you will join us for what promises to be a terrific session.