Lecture series explores Jewish identity

The Sholem Community of Los Angeles and the Workmen’s Circle/Arbeter Ring are offering an adult education program, "Finding the Keys to a Secular Jewish Identity," open to the community at large.

The monthly series will explore many issues facing secular Jews and will be moderated by Hershl Hartman, author, scholar and educator.

"The keys to the secular Jewish idea can best be found in its stories, poems, novels and essays," Hartman said.

"The literature of a people reflects its essence, even beyond the facts of the historical record or the thoughts of philosophers."

Classes will be 10:15 a.m. at Culver City Middle School, 4601 Elenda St., Culver City. The cost is $10 per class or $40 for the series.

Fall 2000 classes are:

Sun., Oct. 15: "The Secular Roles of All Diaspora Jewish Languages and the Origins of Yiddish." Highlighted in this discussion will be the many languages of the Jewish people and their functions in cultural development, and three theories of how Yiddish began, including some of the earliest literature.

Sun., Nov. 12: "How Secular Jewish Life Created Modern Yiddish and Hebrew Literature."

For registration and more information on these and 2001 classes in the series, please call (818) 760-6625.