The J - Detroit

Pushing Boundaries - Artist Talk
2025-02-16 13:00 - 15:00 (America/Detroit) | Janice Charach Gallery 6600 W Maple Rd,, West Maple Road 6600, Michigan, 48322, United States
Join us on Sunday, February 16 from 1-3pm to hear from the artists of Pushing
Boundaries.
Developed in conjunction with Nanci LaBret Einstein, “Pushing Boundaries”
features artists using diverse materials that are brought together in the
spirit of play and concept of challenging space. This immersive exhibit is a
collection of installations from seven artists: Jeanne Bieri, Boisali Biswas,
Terry Lee Dill, Nanci LaBret Einstein, Meighen Jackson, Jay Knapp and David
Velez Felix.
The Pushing Boundaried exhibition will be on view January 19 – March 5, 2025.
For more information about the exhibition and the gallery, (https://charachgallery.org)
Let us know you can make it. Registrations are not required, but they are
appreciated.
View event on Jlive: https://jlive.app/events/10010

Disney's Encanto with JKids and Families
2025-02-16 13:00 - 15:00 | The Berman Center For The Performing Arts 6600 W Maple Rd, West Bloomfield
Get ready for a magical adventure with Disney’s Encanto! JKids and Families
invites you to join us for a special showing, crafts and activities.
Tickets are $10 per adult, $7 per child and $9 per senior.
Concessions will be available for purchase!
Purchase tickets here: (https://tickets.thejdetroit.org/the-j-kids-family)
Note: This is not a drop off event. Children must be accompanied by
guardian.
Synopsis: “Encanto” tells the tale of an extraordinary family, the Madrigals,
who live hidden in the mountains of Colombia, in a magical house, in a vibrant
town, in a wondrous, charmed place called an Encanto. The magic of the Encanto
has blessed every child in the family with a unique gift from super strength
to the power to heal—every child except one, Mirabel (voice of Stephanie
Beatriz). But when she discovers that the magic surrounding the Encanto is in
danger, Mirabel decides that she, the only ordinary Madrigal, might just be
her exceptional family’s last hope.
Director: Jared Bush
Production year: 2021
Rating: PG
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
Runtime: 99 minutes
Cast: Stephanie Beatriz, Maria Cecilia Botero, John Leguizamo, Mauro Castillo,
Jessica Darrow
View event on Jlive: https://jlive.app/events/10450

Dads' Night Out with JFamily - February
2025-02-19 19:30 - 21:30 | Shield’s Restaurant Bar Pizzeria 1476 W Maple Rd, Troy
Dads deserve a night out, too! Take some time with the guys in a relaxed
environment while you schmooze, network and enjoy good company. See some of
your old friends and make some new ones!
View event on Jlive: https://jlive.app/events/10592

Salon Series Continues: A Talmudic Exploration Of Hillel’s Teachings On Ethics And Kindness
2025-02-20 09:30 - 11:30, 2025-02-27 09:30 - 11:00, 2025-03-06 09:30 - 11:00, 2025-03-13 09:30 - 11:00
SALON SERIES CONTINUES: A TALMUDIC EXPLORATION OF HILLEL’S TEACHINGS ON
ETHICS AND KINDNESS with Rabbi Tzvi Muller
ZOOM
THURSDAYS, 9:30 – 11 AM
Oct. 31; Nov. 7, 14, 21; Dec. 5, 12, 19; Jan. 9, 16, 23; Feb. 6, 13, 20, 27;
Mar. 6, 13, 20, 27; Apr. 3, 24;
May 1, 8, 15, 22
The genius of the Talmud, and the methodology of distilling its principles
toward application for Jewish ethical life, has been the hallmark of Jewish
scholarship throughout the ages. In this series, we analyze the teachings of
Hillel and his academy and examine them through the lens of the classic
commentaries. We will enlighten ourselves through the process of translating
these relevant Jewish teachings into everyday life while exploring the art of
practical Talmudic investigation. Class size is limited. Please contact the
office for registration.
Tuition : $525
View event on Jlive: https://jlive.app/events/8598
Click here to join the livestream. http://jlearn.online

The Book Of Exodus: Text And Texture with Rabbi Joseph Klein
2025-02-21 11:30 - 13:00, 2025-02-28 11:30 - 13:00, 2025-03-07 11:30 - 13:00
THE BOOK OF EXODUS: TEXT AND TEXTURE with Rabbi Joseph Klein
ZOOM
FRIDAYS, 11:30 AM – 1 PM
Jan. 17, 24, 31; Feb. 7, 14, 21, 28; Mar. 7
This course will be a close and careful reading of the better-known Exodus
narratives and their rabbinic and modern commentaries. The class will
incorporate a discussion of the Documentary Hypothesis as a means of better
understanding the purpose and intention of this foundation text of Torah, as
well as presentation of what archaeology and Egyptology can teach about its
historicity.
Tuition : $190
View event on Jlive: https://jlive.app/events/8602
Click here to join the livestream. http://jlearn.online

A Blue and White Challah Bake with JFamily and Aish Detroit
2025-02-23 10:00 - 11:30 | Aish Detroit 25725 Coolidge Hwy, Oak Park
Now SOLD OUT!
Join Aish Detroit and JFamily for a challah bake that brings us together in a
supportive environment when we need it most. At a time that we mourn for our
people, it is our Jewish connection and traditions that bring us strength.
Each family will make their own batch of challah – some to take home and some
to give to friends or family who could use an extra hug this week.
Bagels and coffee will be served. This is event is free of charge –
registration is required.
View event on Jlive: https://jlive.app/events/10905

Open Play at The J! Winter 2025
2025-02-24 09:30 - 11:30 | The J – Detroit 6600 W Maple Rd, West Bloomfield Township
Welcome to Open Play at the J! Join us in the JFamily Room inside The J every
Monday morning that schools are typically in session. We will be open from
9:30 AM until 11:30 for fun and play time! Each week, we may gather for a
circle and story time around 10:30 AM, but you are welcome to come and go
anytime during Open Play hours.
Open Play is geared toward families with children ages 0-4. Parents,
grandparents, and other caregivers are welcome! This is a drop-in program,
not a drop-off.
Cost: $10 per family per session. Register for as many Mondays as you
would like! Pre-registration is appreciated, but walk-ins are welcome!
Food: You may bring your own nut-free snacks, and additional children’s snacks
will be available for purchase in the JFamily Room. Coffee and other food
items may be purchased in The Porch cafe across from the JFamily Room.
All JFamily programs welcome the diversity we know exists in our community.
This includes, but is not limited to, multifaith families, Jews of Color,
single parent families, members of the trans and LGBTQ+ community, people with
disabilities, and people from various economic backgrounds.
If you or any family member needs accommodations in order to successfully
participate in the program, please reach out to our
team !
View event on Jlive: https://jlive.app/events/9144

Modern Jewish Medical Ethics With Jill Gutmann
2025-02-24 10:00 - 11:30
MODERN JEWISH MEDICAL ETHICS with Jill Gutmann
﻿ZOOM
MONDAYS, 10 – 11:30 AM
Monthly : Oct. 28; Nov. 18; Dec. 16; Jan. 27; Feb. 24; Mar. 24; Apr.
28; May 19; June 16
Take a deep dive into the hot medical issues of the day with bioethicist Jill
Gutmann. Whether the subject is public health or women’s rights to their
bodies, you will be guided through an engaging discussion while looking at the
science, politics, Jewish commentary and other relevant sources to frame your
opinion. Never knowing what the timely topic will be until class, this fun,
informative and engaging class is sure to make you think and want the
conversation to continue long after the class has ended.
Tuition:__$210
View event on Jlive: https://jlive.app/events/8564
Click here to join the livestream. http://jlearn.online

JGrand: Bubbies, Zaydies, and Grandbabies! February-April 2025
2025-02-25 10:30 - 11:45, 2025-03-04 10:30 - 11:45, 2025-03-11 10:30 - 11:45 | The J – Detroit 6600 W Maple Rd, West Bloomfield Township
The popular series Bubbies, Zaydies, and Grandbabies is ready for our next
series!
At Bubbies, Zaydies and Grandbabies, grandparents and grandkids play and
create art together, sing songs, enjoy an interactive story time, and meet new
friends. This series is taught by former West Bloomfield early elementary
teacher, Sarah Sherman.
Recommended for children ages 2 years – 5 years. This 6 week series will be at
The J in the JFamily Room. The classes will be held on Tuesdays 10:30 ​AM
-11:45 AM.

February 25th
March 4th
March 11th
March 18th
April 1st
April 8th

COST: $108 for the first child enrolled ($18 per class) and $30 for each
additional child in your family.
Please bring your own personal water bottle.
All JFamily programs welcome the diversity we know exists in our community.
This includes, but is not limited to, multifaith families, Jews of Color,
single parent families, members of the trans and LGBTQ+ community, people with
disabilities, and people from various economic backgrounds.
If you or any family member needs accommodations in order to successfully
participate in the program, please reach out to our
team .
View event on Jlive: https://jlive.app/events/10632

A Time to Mourn: A Supportive Group for Mothers
2025-02-26 20:00 - 21:00
In this time of immense loss, we invite you to join JFamily and Rebecca Starr
of the Shalom Hartman Institute for a supportive processing Zoom experience.
Using relevant readings, Rebecca will facilitate a meaningful discussion
around our mourning and our path forward.
This group is intended for mothers of children ages 0 – 18. This event is free
of charge. Registration is required.
View event on Jlive: https://jlive.app/events/10957
Click here to join the livestream. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84315538888

Open Play at The J! Spring 2025
2025-03-03 09:30 - 11:30 | The J – Detroit 6600 W Maple Rd, West Bloomfield Township
Welcome to Open Play at the J! Join us in the JFamily Room inside The J every
Monday morning that schools are typically in session. We will be open from
9:30 AM until 11:30 for fun and play time! Each week, we may gather for a
circle and story time around 10:30 AM, but you are welcome to come and go
anytime during Open Play hours.
Open Play is geared toward families with children ages 0-4. Parents,
grandparents, and other caregivers are welcome! This is a drop-in program,
not a drop-off.
Cost: $10 per family per session. Register for as many Mondays as you
would like! Pre-registration is appreciated, but walk-ins are welcome!
There will be no class on March 10th, March 24th and April 14th.
Food: You may bring your own nut-free snacks, and additional children’s snacks
will be available for purchase in the JFamily Room. Coffee and other food
items may be purchased in The Porch cafe across from the JFamily Room.
All JFamily programs welcome the diversity we know exists in our community.
This includes, but is not limited to, multifaith families, Jews of Color,
single parent families, members of the trans and LGBTQ+ community, people with
disabilities, and people from various economic backgrounds.
If you or any family member needs accommodations in order to successfully
participate in the program, please reach out to our
team !
View event on Jlive: https://jlive.app/events/10878

The Hearts Prayer, Exploring The Book Of Psalms with Rabbi Michele Faudem
2025-03-06 10:45 - 11:45, 2025-03-13 10:45 - 11:45
THE HEARTS PRAYER, EXPLORING THE BOOK OF PSALMS with Rabbi Michele Faudem
ZOOM
THURSDAYS, 10:45 – 11:45 AM
Jan. 23, 30; Feb. 6, 13; Mar. 6, 13, 20, 27; Apr. 3, 24; May 1, 8
﻿
Through the ages, Psalms have played a tremendous role in the lives of the
Jewish people. It is part of our liturgy, and many have repeatedly turned to
Psalms for encouragement and comfort in moments of crisis or despair. Delve
into and unpack numerous Psalms and see how they can help us articulate what
is occurring in our lives and how they help connect us to G-d and the
centuries of Jews who came before us.
Tuition : $185
View event on Jlive: https://jlive.app/events/8592
Click here to join the livestream. http://jlearn.online

Coffee With The Rabbis: Mussar Masters - Ethical Living with Rabbi Bennett and Rabbi Krakoff
2025-03-06 18:00 - 21:00
COFFEE WITH THE RABBIS: MUSSAR MASTERS – ETHICAL LIVING with
Rabbi Joshua Bennett and Rabbi Joseph Krakoff
ZOOM
MONTHLY – THURSDAYS, 10 – 11:30 AM
11/7/2024, 12/5/2024, 1/9/2025, 2/6/2025, 3/6/2025, 4/3/2025, 5/8/2025,
6/5/2025
﻿
Mussar is a Jewish spiritual practice that offers instruction and compelling
strategies for living a meaningful and ethical Jewish life. Mussar seeks to
aid in self-examination and character development by presenting thoughtful
strategies for becoming our best and truest selves while achieving peace of
mind. Join Rabbi Joseph Bennett and Rabbi Joseph Krakoff as they explore
Mussar topics that include humility, patience, honesty, lovingkindness,
tolerance, and purity. Come for Coffee with The Rabbis and leave being the
best person you can be!
Tuition : $195
View event on Jlive: https://jlive.app/events/8594
Click here to join the livestream. http://jlearn.online

Brad Meltzer
2025-03-06 19:00 - 21:00 | The J – Detroit 6600 W Maple Rd, West Bloomfield Township
" If you really want to shock the world, unleash your kindness."
—Brad Meltzer
Based on bestselling author Brad Meltzer’s viral commencement speech for his
son’s 2024 graduating class at the University of Michigan, MAKE MAGIC is the
little book of hope for anyone who has ever wished for more. More
authenticity. More empathy. More gratitude. A more fulfilling life.
With charming, thoughtful insights from his remarkable life and career,
Meltzer uses magic as allegory, sharing the secret that there are only four
types of magic tricks:
1) you make something appear,
2) you make something disappear,
3) you make two things switch places, and
4) you turn one thing into something else—the hardest trick of all,
transformation.
Embracing each of these easy-to-follow tricks—and unleashing your kindness and
empathy—will inspire you to craft a life filled with wonder and awe. MAKE
MAGIC is an uplifting message from one of today’s most inspiring voices.
Brad Meltzer is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of thirteen
thrillers, six nonfiction books, and the Ordinary People Change the World
series.
View event on Jlive: https://jlive.app/events/10617

Spring Fused Glass Yard Decor Workshop
2025-03-09 13:00 - 15:30 | The J – Detroit 6600 W Maple Rd,
Spring Fused Glass Yard Decor Workshop
Instructed by Katrina Ruby
Come to The J and make spring inspired fused glass art piece to decorate your
yard or garden. Working alongside experienced glass artist, Katrina Ruby, you
will learn the art of fused glass and create your very own masterpiece.
Sunday, March 9, 2025
1:00 – 3:30 pm
After the workshop your work will be fired and days will be scheduled for you
to pick up your finished piece.
Registration Deadline: Tuesday, March 4, 2025
*A minimum of 6 students are needed to run the class. If the class is unable to take place, you will be fully refunded.
View event on Jlive: https://jlive.app/events/10078

Film Screening and Talk Back with Eddie Rubin, Executive Producer of "OUT OF MY MIND"
2025-03-09 15:30 - 17:30 | The Berman Center For The Performing Arts 6600 W Maple Rd, West Bloomfield
Celebrating Jewish Disability Awareness Acceptance and Inclusion Month (JDAIM)
with Opening the Doors and JKids and Families departments.
Film screening and talk back with Eddie Rubin, Executive Producer of Out of
My Mind
Sunday, March 9 at 3:30 PM
Registration & Resource Fair at 3:00 PM
FREE event for adults and children 10 and up
Sensory family friendly activity room for children 10 and up – Must be
accompanied by parent.
﻿ASL Interpreter available
*Registration Required for film and activities
View event on Jlive: https://jlive.app/events/10405

Sensory Purim Pop-up with Julie Jacobs of Sensory Sprouts
2025-03-10 09:30 - 10:15 | The J – Detroit 6600 W Maple Rd, West Bloomfield
Join JFamily Parent Connector, Taylor Weintraub for some sensory fun! Sensory
Sprouts creator, Julie Jacobs will lead this special pop-up, featuring Purim
themed sensory stations!
$10 per child
Perfect for families with children ages 9 months – 4 years old!
Families are welcome to stay and play in the JFamily Room following the class
until 11:30 AM.
More info about Sensory Sprouts:
Sensory Sprouts is a center-based class that utilizes a variety of modes for
play and learning. My mission is to create a fun, hands-on learning
environment where babies and toddlers can explore and engage their senses
through playful, interactive experiences. I aim to foster curiosity,
creativity, and developmental growth by providing opportunities for sensory
exploration and play through various centers.
View event on Jlive: https://jlive.app/events/10959

Winter Community Blood Drive
2025-03-11 08:30 - 14:30 | The J – Detroit 6600 W Maple Rd, West Bloomfield
Give the greatest gift of all – the gift of life.
The J Detroit Community Blood Drive
Tuesday, March 11
8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
After our last blood drive, we were blown away by the support of our caring
community. Let’s keep the giving going! Sign up today to give the lifesaving
gift of blood.
Your donation supports the local blood supply and helps ensure Blood Centers
of America is ready to provide blood to Magen David Adom, Israel’s emergency
services system, whenever needed.
Spots are limited. Register today!
View event on Jlive: https://jlive.app/events/10281

Learn to play Canasta with Robin Kaufman
2025-03-11 13:00 - 16:00 | The J – Detroit 6600 W Maple Rd, West Bloomfield
To register, e-mail
([REDACTED]/) or call
(248) 432-5418
Learn to play Canasta with Robin Kaufman!
March 4 & 11 – 1 – 4 p.m.
Registrants must attend both sessions
This class requires a minimum of 4 people and maximum of 8 people.
To register, e-mail
([REDACTED]/) or call
(248) 432-5418
View event on Jlive: https://jlive.app/events/10094

NEXTGen Detroit & JKids and Family Present: A Character Brunch & Paramount's PAW Patrol: The Movie!
2025-03-16 09:30 - 13:00 | The Berman Center For The Performing Arts 6600 W Maple Rd, West Bloomfield
Join the Paw Patrol crew for breakfast, barks and big screen fun. Two of our
Paw Patrol favorites, Chase and Skye, can’t wait to meet you and your little
ones at the J. (in Handelman Hall)
Take photos and enjoy a short performance from our four-legged celebrity
guests from 9:45 to 10:30AM. We’ll be serving bagels, fruit and hamantaschen,
and we have a few Purim- themed projects planned.
Wearing pajamas or your cozy-comfies is encouraged! Stick around after brunch
for Paramount’s Paw Patrol movie playing in The Berman Theater at 11:45am.
$36 for the whole experience: brunch, crafts, performance and movie.
$25 per family includes the brunch, crafts and performance.
Individual tickets for just the movie are $5 each.
Dietary laws observed.
This event is intended for families with children ages 0 to 5, siblings of all
ages welcome too.
Thank you to our committee members: Marni Katz, Stephanie Lucker, Stephanie
Parzen, Lisa Gold, Lauren Sofen Soleimani, Alissa VanderKooi and Becca Weiner.
Synopsis : When their biggest rival, Humdinger, becomes Mayor of nearby
Adventure City and starts wreaking havoc, Ryder and the heroic pups kick into
high gear to face the challenge head on. While one pup must face his past in
Adventure City, the team finds help from a new ally, the savvy dachshund
Liberty. Together, the PAW Patrol fights to save the citizens of Adventure
City.
Director: Cal Brunker
Production year: 2021
Rating: G
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Runtime: 88 minutes
Cast: Yara Shahidi, Kim Kardashian, Randall Park, Dax Shepard
View event on Jlive: https://jlive.app/events/10692

Scholars in Session: Jews and Drag-An American Cultural History 1900-2020
2025-03-16 16:00 - 18:00 | The J – Detroit 6600 W Maple Rd, West Bloomfield
Golan Moskowitz, 2024-2025 University of Michigan Frankel Institute Fellow,
explores the Jewish American cultural history of the gender-transcendent
performance art of drag, from early twentieth-century Yiddish vaudeville
through contemporary Emmy-winning reality television. Professor Moskowitz will
discuss how marginalized Jewish artists, writers, and performers creatively
process legacies of embodied otherness, focusing especially on Jewish American
descendants of immigrants and Holocaust survivors, as well as on LGBTQ Jewish
creatives.
Presented by SAJE (Seminars for Adult Jewish Enrichment). Co-Sponsored by the
Frankel Institute for Advanced Judaic Studies, University of Michigan and
JLearn.
Seminars for Adult Jewish Enrichment (SAJE) programming is endowed by a
generous gift from Cis Maisel and supported by Carol & Ronald P. Fogel, Sheri
& David Jaffa, and Elaine & Michael Serling through The J’s Pillar of Light
Program. SAJE inspires meaningful connections and important conversations.
View event on Jlive: https://jlive.app/events/10051

Torah Line By Line with Rabbi/Dr. Mitch Parker
2025-03-18 10:00 - 11:30 | Max M. Fisher Federation Building 6735 Telegraph Rd, Bloomfield Twp
TORAH LINE BY LINE with Rabbi/Dr. Mitch Parker
HYBRID – this class is offered IN- PERSON at the Max M. Fisher Federation
Building,
and ON ZOOM
TUESDAYS, 10 – 11:30 AM
Monthly : Sept. 17; Oct. 15; Nov. 12; Dec. 10; Jan. 14; Feb. 4; Mar. 18;
Apr. 22; May 20
Sacrifices, laws of purity and holiness, societal expectations, rules and rule
breakers. These are just some of the topics we will explore in this third book
of the Torah. Join Mitch Parker to explore how our ancestors worshipped G-d
and how these 3,000 year old rules continue to impact our Jewish lives today.
You don’t want to miss this engaging conversation.
Tuition : $210
View event on Jlive: https://jlive.app/events/8574
