Starting the New Year Off Right
Friday, January 4th — 6:30-8:30 p.m. @ Adath Jeshurun Congregation, Minnetonka. Free.
“Makom,” the Hebrew word for “space,” reanimates ancient Jewish wisdom for today. Join Adath Jeshurun for Makom Fridays, celebrating Shabbat with new and familiar faces through soulful prayer, delicious food, a space to unwind, and the sweet ruach [energy] of community. All are welcome to this “everybody friendly” event.
While they’re known to have a few gourmet cooks and bakers [and some take-out pros who know how to order], they do ask attendees to bring a dairy or vegetarian dish to share — after all, what better way to break ice, than to break bread to go with it? Challah, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided, but additional details on what to bring are on the Makom Facebook page & website.
Practical Hebrew with Tal Dror Shalicha
Saturday, January 5th — 10 a.m. @ Temple of Aaron, St. Paul. Free [no RSVP].
Chances are, if you’ve studied Hebrew, you learned exactly as much as you needed to become a bar/bat mitzvah… and that’s about it. Get ready to impress your friends on your future Birthright/Honeymoon Israel trip [or just bring a l’il tear to your Bubbe’s eye] and learn some conversational Hebrew. No Hebrew speaking or writing experience necessary — just come on out ready to learn! Ongoing through February 23rd.
Moishe House and Some Knowledge
Wednesday, January 9th — 6:30 p.m. @ Moishe House. Free.
For those who love alliteration almost as much as blockbuster movies. The good people at Moishe House are hosting a free movie night… with snacks provided, no less. If you want to meet some great, new people — and get exhausted easily by social settings but still want to hang out — this could be everything you’ve ever wanted. (Let’s be honest. It is.)
Friday, January 11th — 7 p.m. @ Moishe House. Free.
A free Shabbat dinner… catered by Noodles + Co.! The lovely people at Moishe House will be hosting an open, not-so-traditional Shabbat dinner. They bring the food, you bring the drinks, Shabbat brings relaxation & reflection. Win-Win-Win.
Moishe House Twin Cities details can be found here.
Legal Aspects of the Arab-Israeli Conflict
Wednesday, January 16th — 7 p.m. @ Beth El Synagogue, St. Louis Park. Free [RSVP requested]
Community Learning @ The WELL and the Twin Cities Cardozo Society presents the first installment of their 4-part series. Here, Prof. Oren Gross will look at the Balfour Declaration; Jerusalem as the capital of Israel; the legal status of the Territories; and Refugees and the Right of Return. Not only is CLE credit eligible, but the class will run weekly in the Learning Center at Beth El Synagogue. No prior legal knowledge is required… but, please do register on Eventbrite by clicking here.
NextGen Winter Party & Food Drive [21+]
Thursday, January 17th — 6-9 p.m. @ Can Can Wonderland, St. Paul. $10 donation.
Come to donate your wares, stay for the games, hummus platters, cocktails & socializing! NextGen & YALA are teaming up to help PRISM’s ongoing food & donation drive.
All attendees/donors receive food and a $5 game card for the arcade, but pre-registrants also get a free drink ticket — good for highball cocktails, rail drinks, draught, and canned beer, plus anything on their tap wall [beer, wine, cocktails, kombucha, and cold press]. Also also, Can Can Wonderland has an artist-designed, 18-hole mini-golf course. Additional fees may apply, but absolutely worth exploring!
DONATING GOODS: Bring your cans to Can Can! They’re asking for canned goods, non-perishable food items, and hygiene products for PRISM. [Pro tip: almost everyone thinks of donating cans of beans — still, a good choice. But things like canola/olive oil, peanut butter, spices & herbs, toothpaste/oral care, and feminine products go a long way, too, and are always in demand].
Laughter, parties, and Trees
Twin Cities Jewish Humor Festival
Saturday, January 19th through Saturday, January 26th. $12-20 [depending on event]
A whole series of can’t-miss events, celebrating the time-tested culture and perspectives of Jewish humor. Curated by Sabes JCC, there’s a slew of fantastic shows on the docket, including stand-up from Julie Goldman, Ophira Eisenberg, Scott Blakeman… and even a special evening with Mike Reiss, one of the masterminds behind the golden-age years of The Simpsons and that short-lived bastion of Jewish humor, The Critic. Hachi machi!
Check out the full lineup, including ticket pricing and locations, by clicking here at the Sabes JCC event page.
Tu B’Shvat Wine and Paint Night
Sunday, January 20th — 4:30 p.m. @ Uptown Chabad, Minneapolis. Free.
Moishe House and Uptown Chabad (YJP) have partnered up for a pre-Tu B’Shvat Wine and Paint night. Drink some wine, paint some pictures of trees, and even watch some football [they’ve assured us the game will be on]. It’ll be completely like every crafting circle you’ve ever been to or dreamed of… except far, far better.
Monday, January 21st — 6-10 p.m. @ Beth El Synagogue.
$125 per person w/ very limited seating. RSVP by Jan. 13th if interested!
A fine-dining experience celebrating the 7 agricultural species of Biblical Israel, 4 of the Twin Cities’ finest chefs come together to create one-of-a-kind courses… complete with wine pairings, flown in exclusively for this event. Take a look at the full breakdown here — this promises to be one incredible evening!
Sunday, January 27th — 7-9 p.m. @ Keg & Case Market, St. Paul. $27.
We’ll go ahead and call this one a must-go: now in its 4th year, Temple of Aaron’s Crossriver Kosherfest isn’t just for people who keep Kosher — in fact, this year, they’re going international, bringing in some incredible vendors from all over the world. Even better: this year, the event will be a progressive* meal hosted at St. Paul’s fantastic Keg and Case market. Limited tickets are available, so we suggest clicking here to get yours in advance.
*Progressive, as in, you eat at our own pace. No political discussions required.
Thursday, January 31st — Volunteering + Happy Hour DOUBLE FEATURE! [separate events, both 21+]
5 p.m. — 7 p.m.: NextGen Thursday Thrifting @ PRISM + Moishe House Happy Hour @ Blackstack Brewery [starts at 6 p.m.]
Starting January 31st, NextGen volunteers will be helping PRISM Food Shelf and Thrift Shop curate and process its thrift shop donations on the last Thursday of every month from 5-7 p.m. Bring yourself, your keen eye for fashion and quality goods, and, if you want, your own thrift shop donations!
…then, celebrate your altruistic self with the Moishe House Happy Hour. Cap off your January with fellow members of the Tribe, hosted at Blackstack Brewery by those fantastic folks at Moishe House. Snacks and/or beverages will be sponsored by our hosts at one of the Cities’ best new breweries — just in time to finalize plans for Tu B’Shvat in the place it was truly meant to be celebrated: the dead of winter in Minnesota.
**These are separate events, hosted by separate groups. Contact David Lauer at 952-417-2124 or [email protected] with questions about PRISM; contact Moishe House with questions about their Happy Hour event.
STAY WARM OUT THERE!
Ian Fishman is a local, Jewish comedy writer & essayist. Ian has been writing professionally since adulthood, contributing essays, jokes, and reviews for publications. Currently, he is the copy editor and a contributing writer to the Hard Times, an internationally-recognized satire publication rooted in punk rock; as well as a joke writer and contributor for 30Watt — a local gag-gift company that, amongst other party products.
Charley Smith works for both the Minneapolis and Saint Paul Jewish Federations as the Young Adult Engagement Manager.
YALA is a project of the Minneapolis and Saint Paul Jewish Federations.
