The Main Line

EKPHRASTIC CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP

Zoom! 3 Tuesdays June 13 – 27, 10 AM – 11 AM – $29

Click to Register for Ekphrastic Creative Writing Workshop

Instructor: Sara Wenger, MS, MFA, Adjunct Instructor, Arcadia University

‘Ekphrastic’ comes from the Greek word ‘description’. Ekphrastic writing invites participants to describe what they see in a piece of artwork. Through a series of writing prompts, participants will share their emotional and aesthetic responses to specific pieces of art. NO PRIOR WRITING EXPERIENCE IS NECESSARY. Participants should be prepared to write short responses to various works of art. This is a fun way to talk about art and write for fun.

AN OCEAN OF AIR AND 4.5 BILLION YEARS OF WEATHER

Zoom! 3 Tuesdays June 13 – 27, 11:15 AM – 12:15 PM – $29

Click to Register for An Ocean of Air

Instructor: Mike Kaczmarczik, Senior Cooperative Education Advisor, Drexel U

This three-part series will give a new perspective on daily weather, the history of our planet and some of the most extreme atmospheric events that occur. We’ll begin taking a swim through an ocean of air – our atmosphere. Discovering not only what is in the air we breathe, but what extraterrestrial forces drive its motion. Next, we will take a trip back in time, to the origin of Earth and the birth of our atmosphere. Making a few stops on our journey to present
day, we will examine past climates and how they inform our changing climate today. Our final discussion will focus on awe inspiring natural phenomenon driven by the weather. From supercell thunderstorms that spawn tornadoes to tropical cyclones and atmospheric rivers.

ONE BOOK ONE JEWISH COMMUNITY:
WHO BY FIRE: LEONARD COHEN IN THE SINAI

In Person & Zoom! 3 Wednesdays June 7 – 21, 10 AM – 11 AM – $29

Click to Register for One Book One Jewish Community

Instructor: Rabbi Eric Yanoff, Adath Israel Synagogue on the Main Line

Who By Fire: Leonard Cohen in the Sinai is this year’s One Book One Jewish Community for Philadelphia. At such a fraught time, it may offer a hopeful picture of how, in the crucible of the Yom Kippur War, one musician (himself at a critical moment in his life and career) responded to a moment of fear and concern in Israel’s history. Rabbi Eric Yanoff joins us once again this year, to reflect on lessons for today that we may draw from the book and to learn the history from forty years ago with a new chronicle by Israeli journalist Matti Friedman.

WHY WE SHOULD READ BANNED BOOKS

In Person & Zoom! 3 Wednesdays June 14 – 28, 11:15 AM – 12:15 PM – $29

Click to Register for Why We Should Read Banned Books

Instructor: Ellen Trachtenberg, Owner of Narberth Book Shop

During the past several years, there has been a steady increase in the number of books being banned by schools and libraries in different regions of the U.S. What themes do these books have in common? What is accomplished by preventing access to certain titles? Booksellers, teachers, librarians and advocacy groups agree that blanket bans are not an appropriate response to topics that some find controversial. Indeed, after a book has been banned, the demand for it seems to grow. In these sessions, we will discuss several books at the top of the most frequently banned list.

JEWISH MUSIC IN CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN
SOCIETY: DIVERSITY & UNPRECEDENTED
EXPERIMENTATION

Zoom! 3 Thursdays June 15 -29, 10 AM – 11 AM – $29

Click to Register for Jewish Music

Instructor: Pavel Roytman, Cantor, Conductor, Klezmer Music Performer

As far back as the 16th-century, Jewish music has adapted and transformed to changing musical interests and tastes. Today is no different, the emergence of technology has accelerated the process of change and triggered innovations in Jewish music. Over this course we will look at music created in experimental congregations, concert venues and youth groups. We will also explore new forms of media such as YouTube, showing the dynamic and evolving development of Jewish music.

POLITICAL AFFAIRS

Zoom! 3 Thursdays June 15 – 29 , 11:15 AM – 12:15 PM – $29

Click to Register for Political Affairs

June 15 – Instructor: Dr. Matt Kerbel, Interim Associate Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning, Professor, Department of Political Science, Villanova University

Dr. Kerbel will focus his talk on the peak of the debt ceiling crisis if no solution is found before then. He will include discussions on indictments of the organizers of the attempted coup, the 2024 presidential cycle and President Biden decision on running for re-election. Dr. Kerbel will also comment on the Republican field starting to take shape.

June 22 – Instructor: Charlie Day, M.A., Member Of The Speakers Bureau of Fair Districts PA

This class will focus on how a state legislature such as Pennsylvania’s can impact both state and federal government. We will discuss recent unfair electoral and legislative outcomes in PA and how little control the electorate has which leads to these results.

June 29 – Instructor: Buntzie Ellis Churchill, Speaker, President World Affairs Council of Philadelphia 1983 – 2006

Is America still a military superpower? Yes, but… China is our greatest economic competitor. Currently, the world’s two largest economies are at disagreement over issues ranging from trade, technology, national security, and Taiwan. Under its current leadership, China’s goal is to surpass the U.S. and be the global leader. How is it doing? With its investments in the military, China appears to be bracing for confrontation while we appear to be somewhat disinterested and not well prepared, even for our own defense.

• June 28, 3 PM

Join us for our discussion of the book Interior Chinatown, by Charles Yu.

Register for the Book Club  Here!

• July 26, 3 PM

Join us for our discussion of the book The Water Dancer, by Ta-Nehisi Coates.

Register for the Book Club  Here!

• August 23, 3 PM

Join us for our discussion of the book Hello Beautiful, by Ann Napolitano.

Register for the Book Club  Here!