Congregation Etz Chayim

Alex Voynow, self-proclaimed as the world's only professionally-trained Jewish Food Educator and Chocolate Maker, will guide us through the winding historical and ethnobotanical story of how we've ended up giving out gold-wrapped chocolate gelt on Chanukah. We'll discuss the botany of cacao, the intricacies of the chocolate-making process, the history of the Spanish inquisition and Sephardi diaspora, the creation of cacao as a new world cash crop, and the origins of Chanukah gelt. This ETZ Talk is complemented by a hands-on bean-to-gelt workshop offered by Alex later that day.

This workshop is a hands-on exploration of chocolate, Judaism, and the sweetness of Hanukkah. Participants will learn and participate in all of the steps of the chocolate-making process, from sorting raw cacao beans to wrapping their handmade gelt in foil, and everything in between. This program is intended or ages 9 and above, all children must be accompanied by an adult. Younger children who are part of a family are welcome. Attendance at the ETZ Talk is encouraged, but not required to participate in the hands-on workshop. Click through for more info and registration.

We live in a polarized society in challenging times. These circumstances are not new to the Jewish people. Indeed, there is great Jewish wisdom from the ages to help us navigate and thrive in this kind of environment. Abra Greenspan will lead us in Getting to and Beyond “Agreeing to Disagree”, a multi-session adult learning series that will explore how our tradition approaches constructive disagreement.

This is the next conversation in a series that aims to bring speakers from different perspectives on Israel to talk with our community and foster open dialogue in our community. You are invited to attend Etz Chayim's Kabbalat Shabbat services on Friday, December 16 for a special presentation and conversation with Rachel Urman, Pacific Northwest Synagogue Initiative Director at AIPAC. Click through for more information.