From King Tut to Stem Cell Research: A Jewish Perspective

In the North Peninsula, a new study group is forming with five of the most dynamic Bay Area Jewish scholars at the helm. In this provocative series, partnered with Lehrhaus Judaica, participants will explore an eclectic collection of topics, from Israel’s foreign policy to cutting-edge explorations of genetic therapies to the golden age of Tutankhamun in the time of the Patriarchs. Each evening promises to be unique, as the group shares the pleasures of Jewish learning and build community with an all-star lineup. The study group includes the four following sessions:

Akiva Tor, Consul General, State of Israel

In 1979, Anwar Sadat and Menachem Begin signed the Egyptian-Israeli Peace Treaty, making Egypt the first Arab nation to officially recognize the Jewish State. How was this diplomatic miracle achieved, and what are the implications and manifestations of this agreement today? Consul General Tor will re-visit this dramatic moment in time, and assess the current relationship as part of Israeli foreign policy.

Arnold Kreigstein, M.D., Ph.D., Director – Institute for Regeneration Medicine, University of California, San Francisco

Rabbi Dorothy Richman, Executive Director – Berkeley Hillel Foundation

Regenerating injured tissues and organs might sounds like science fiction, but today, UCSF's program in regeneration medicine is at the threshold of developing cell-based approaches and therapies to treat prevalent and chronic conditions including Parkinson's Disease, Diabetes, cancer, heart disease and more. Dr. Kriegstein will outline the exciting potential of this research and share in dialog with Rabbi Richman regarding its implications from the perspective of Jewish values.

Marc Dollinger, Ph.D, - The Rhoda and Richard Goldman Chair in Jewish Studies and Social Responsibility, San Francisco State University

Professor Dollinger will examine the rise of American Jews from the margins of society to the center of social welfare policy and debate. With Franklin D. Roosevelt's election in 1932, Jewish social workers helped redefine the nature of poverty and crafted many of our nation's most important social reform measures. With our nation confronting many of the same challenges today, we will have an opportunity to compare and contrast Jewish responses to poverty - then and now.

Jehon Grist, Ph.D, Executive Director – Lehrhaus Judaica

Discover the history and culture of Egypt’s 18th Dynasty, culminating in the nine year reign of the Boy King. Along the way, we’ll ask a number of intriguing questions, only recently answered by Egyptologists: who were Tut’s parents? Who was his wife and did he have children? Was he murdered? Our virtual tour of the exhibit will also introduce you to Tut’s empire in Canaan, the land that would later become Israel. Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs opens June 27, 2009 at the de Young Museum.

This program is a unique collaboration between Lehrhaus Judaica and the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties. It is made possible through the generous support of the Federation’s Jewish Community Endowment Fund. Study groups will meet evenings from 7:00pm to 9:00pm in private homes in the North Peninsula area. The program tuition is $80 per person for all 4 sessions, which includes as course reader with introductions to each assignment. Participants will be asked to make a gift to the Jewish Community Federation 2009 Annual Campaign. A similar 4-part study group will also be offered in the South Peninsula. For further information, and to register, please contact Denise Ron at (650) 349-1523 or northpen@sfjcf.org