Thanks to the advancement of modern reproductive science, IDF soldiers who have been lost in the war with Hamas are still having children after their deaths and there likely will be even more such posthumous births in the future.
The ethical issues surrounding such births, which are allowed by Israeli law, will be explored Monday, Aug. 4 at 5 p.m. at the Highland Park Conservative Temple- Congregation Anshe Emeth by Rabbi Dr. Shlomo Brody, CEO of Ematai.
The organization, originally founded to educate the Jewish community about organ donation, now also educates it on how to honor its values and preferences for aging and end-of life issues based on Jewish wisdom and law. It is dedicated to exploring the moral questions that society faces with advances in modern technology and ethical dilemmas in healthcare.
Cost is $10, which includes light dinner. Registration is required and is requested by 9 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 3. To register go to https://www.hpct-cae.org/rabbi-dr-shlomo-brody.
The Jewish Family & Children’s Service of Monmouth County will hold its 40th Annual Fundraising Tribute dinner on Thursday, Aug. 7 at 6 p.m. at Congregation Torat El in Oakhurst. The event will honor Barrie and David Knee for their contributions and philanthropy in the community. David is a vice chairman at JLL industrial real estate and us on the boards of NAIOP commercial real estate association, Fairleigh Dickinson University and the Hollywood Golf Club. Barrie is the author of a book, Plain Jane, the story of a forty something wife and mother who has kept a secret from her family for almost seven years. Each chapter begins with a song that Jane is listening to while running with the lyrics tying into the secret. She is also the producer of the upcoming movie, RUN, based on the book. The Monmouth Beach couple are the parents of twin daughters.
Cost is $180 per person and $100 for those under 25 available on the website https://www.jfcsmonmouth.org/tribute-dinner.
The Women’s Center of the Jewish Family Services of Middlesex County, with offices in North Brunswick and Monroe, is holding its annual school supply drive. The drive provides children in need in JFS programs with backpacks, notebooks, pens, pencils and other needed items. The Women’s Center helps displaced homemakers, individuals who are working to become economically self-sufficient after the loss of a partner through divorce, separation or death or after a partner becomes disabled. Many displaced homemakers struggle to enter or re-enter the workforce and JFS provides individualized coaching to help women set personal goals, identify community resources, and advance professionally.
For a list of needed items to donate go to https://tinyurl.com/crwtph98. For more information on how you can help, please contact JFS at 732-777-1940 or womenscenter@jfsmiddlesex.org.
Anshe Emeth Memorial Temple in New Brunswick will screen the film, “October 8,” on Saturday, Aug. 2 at 5 p.m. in observance of Tisha B’ Av. The film explores the explosion of antisemitism in social media and throughout American society, tracing the origins to “globalize the Intifada” to a well-organized campaign built over decades. The documentary by executive producer Debra Messing and director Wendy Sachs details how Hamas created sophisticated networks over many years as part of a meticulous campaign and lays out how that is the impetus behind the current antisemitic unrest on college campuses through organizations such as Students for Justice in Palestine. From Hollywood to the #MeToo movement to the United Nations, the film exposes the hypocrisy and double standards and the sense that Israel “had it coming.”
For more information go to aemt.net or call (732) 545-6484.
