Sunday, April 29, In This Day and Age?! A Community at the Crossroads of Religion and Homosexuality, a book reading & discussion with Isaac Namdar, MD at 3 pm.

 Isaac Namdar a physician who lived and worked in New York City, received a message from his nephew in 2010 telling him not to come to synagogue that weekend and to stay away from the Sephardic Jewish community he’d grown up in. When Isaac received that message he realized that his on-line wedding album with pictures of him and his husband Andrew had been discovered by his close-knit community. Everyone Knows Uncle! He was then excommunicated by his rabbi. Isaac had previously led a secret life hoping to keep his homosexuality separate from his family and religious community. He is now presenting his story and experiences at temples and spiritual conferences. Join us on Sunday, April 29 at 3pm for a powerfully personal testimony and presentation.

 Isaac Namdar’s book In This Day and Age?! A Community at the Crossroads of Religion and Homosexuality, will be available for purchase.

We are delighted to invite you to attend a very special service at BCC on Friday February 10, 2012 beginning at 8pm (please arrive a little early).

Rabbi Rick Jacobs, newly installed President of the URJ (Union for Reform Judaism), on his first “official” visit to Los Angeles as new president of the Reform Movement, has honored us by choosing to attend Shabbat services at BCC. Rabbi Jacobs will give the d’var Torah. His visit will be one of our 40th Anniversary celebrations throughout the 2012 year.

Additionally, Cantor Juval Porat will be joined by joined that evening by guest Cantor Lance Tapper & pianist Jeanelle LaMance (who will be playing the organ as well as the piano) for a tour of sacred music reflecting the history of Reform Jewish music from its earliest days through the present.

We ask that you RSVP for this very special evening to Victoria and let us know if you are planning to attend. We want to make sure we have enough seats for everyone! 

 We look forward to sharing this special evening with you!

Wednesday, February 8th at 7:00 pm We Were Here, The AIDS Years in San Francisco, special screening, BCC Co-sponsor, screening at Congregation Kol Ami, FREE

 “Of all the cinematic explorations of the AIDS crisis, not one is more heartbreaking and inspiring than WE WERE HERE… The humility, wisdom and cumulative sorrow expressed lend the film a glow of spirituality and infuse it with grace.” We Were Here is the first documentary to take a deep and reflective look back at the arrival and impact of AIDS in San Francisco. It explores how the City’s inhabitants were affected by, and how they responded to, that calamitous epidemic.

 Co-sponsored by Congregation Kol Ami, BCC, IKAR, MCC-LA, and West Hollywood Presbyterian, 1200 N. La Brea Avenue, West Hollywood, CA, Admission is free.

 God vs Gay?  The Religious Case for Equality by Jay Michaelshon, 7pm.  Meet author Jay Michaelson for a conversation on & reception for his newest book release. 

February 4, “The Tree of Life” Film Screening  followed by Questions & Answers with Director starts at 7pm

BCC presents Jewish Life in Distant Lands the first installment in a series.  Meet film-maker Hava Volterra in a special screening of her moving documentary, “The Tree of Life.” This film takes the viewer on her personal tour of centuries of Italian Jewish history including her “roots” trip to Italy with her elderly aunt, a Holocaust survivor. Q &A to follow. Light refreshments. Suggested donation $5. RSVP by Jan 27 to bcc4films@gmail.com

On Friday night Feb 10 join us at BCC for a Friday night service honoring BCC and the Reform Movement.  Special guest speaker: Rabbi Rick Jacobs, newly installed President of the URJ (Union for Reform Judaism) will help celebrate BCC’s 40th Anniversary.

Rabbi Rick Jacobs

That evening Rabbi Lisa Edwards & Cantor Juval Porat will also be joined by noted cleric Cantor Lance Tapper & pianist Jeanelle LaMance (also playing the organ this night) for a classical musical service reflecting the history of Reform Jewish music.   This is Rabbi Jacobs first “official” visit to LA as new president of the Reform Movement, and he has chosen to visit BCC!!!! 8pm

Please help us give him the warmest welcome.

Sunday, January 22, The BCC Professional Series with Attorney Diane Goodman at 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm.

As part of BCC’s Professional Series, Attorney Diane Goodman, well respected specialist in LGBT Family Law will speak at 1PM on Sunday, January 22. She will cover special issues affecting the LGBT community such as the differences in state and federal recognition of our family units. BCC Member Diane Goodman has been an attorney and mediator for over 23 years. She has helped couples successfully create parenting plans and divide their assets. Her special expertise is in working with gay and lesbian clients. Diane is the Past President of the Academy of California Adoption Lawyers/Academy of California Family Formation Lawyers  and a member of SCMA (Southern California Mediation Association).

But First! Belgian Waffle Brunch at 11:30 am to 1:00 pm. Prior to the BCC Professional Series join us for a home-made waffle brunch!  RSVPs helpful! Let Richard know if you will be joining. Free to members and non-members.

BCC’s 40th Anniversary Year Begins! It’s 40 years since BCC was founded in 1972–the first LGBT synagogue! All year, the BCC community will be celebrating with events, entertainment and programming that honors our past while looking forward to BCC’s future.

The kick-off event for BCC’s 40th Anniversary Year will be a screening of two short films by BCC member Pam Postrel about BCC, followed by filmmaker Glenne McElhinney’s award-winning exploration of Los Angeles queer history. 

In “On These Shoulders We Stand” 11 elders, including Lesbian, Gay, Bi and Trans Angelenos tell their own stories against a background of images and events chronicling LGBT life in LA from the 1950s through the 1980s. Of special interest is BCC member Marsha Epstein, one of the 11 who narrates her own part in our story. The film-maker and others in the documentary will be on hand for Q&A afterward.  Films start at 7pm on Saturday January 21st at BCC. 

Light refreshments served.  This is a free screening.  No need to RSVP.  Mark your calendar!

View Trailer

On Wednesday January 11, 2012 “What’s so Jewish About the Occupy Movement?” A Panel of experts sponsored by Progressive Jewish Alliance + Jewish Funds for Justice. Refreshments/schmooze 6:30pm, panel promptly at 7pm.   Rabbi Edwards will be moderating, and we hope to see you there as well as at lots of other January/February BCC events!

 What’s so Jewish About the Occupy Movement?  

Wednesday January 11, 2012
6:30 pm Nosh
7:00 pm Panel
at BCC Synagogue

Inspired, in part, by the Occupy Movement, Time Magazine named “The Protester” the person of the year for 2011. With the movement set to make more waves this year, it’s time to examine the relevance of the Occupy Movement to Jewish progressives and our relevance to the movement.  

Join us on January 11 as we bring together some of the nation’s most respected rabbis, activists and scholars to address the question: What’s so Jewish about the Occupy Movement? Bring your questions and curiosity about what the movement is and where it’s heading in 2012.

 Panelists will include:

• Rabbi Jill Jacobs, Executive Director of Rabbis for Human Rights-North America and author of the new book “Where Justice Dwells: A Hands-on Guide to Doing Social Justice in Your Jewish Community”

• Professor Peter Dreier, Director of the Urban & Environmental Policy Program at Occidental College and author of “The Next Los Angeles: The Struggle for a Livable City”

• David Levitus, Jeremiah Fellowship Alumnus, PJA & JFSJ, Southern California Regional Council member, and Ph.D. Candidate in History at USC

The discussion will be moderated by Rabbi Lisa Edwards of Beth Chayim Chadishim, the world’s first synagogue founded by, and with an outreach to, lesbians and gay men.

 Presented by PJA & JFSJ. Generously hosted by Beth Chayim Chadashim. Free and open to the public, with complimentary nosh prior to the panel discussion.

Wed, Dec 21 Join the BCC Choir in Celebrating Hanukkah at the 3rd Street Promenade, 6:30pm. Temples from all over LA come together to celebrate Hanukkah in Santa Monica. Everyone come have fun and cheer for the BCC choir!