Curious where it all began? At age 13,Silverman’s psychiatrist hung himself while she sat in the waiting room and then waited another hour for her ride home. Wry and biting, Silverman's autobiography offers honest insight into how an unusually hairy girl from goyish New Hampshire overcame bed wetting and clinical depression to win an Emmy and get her own show. An informal Q&A will certainly expose her share of brash, yet somehow poignant stories. Moderated by Emmy-winning writer, co-host of the Adam Carolla Show, contributor to the LA Times, and columnist for The Jewish Journal, Teresa Strasser.

One of the three most popular authors in Israel, the Brooklyn born novelist and playwright first gained international notoriety for exposing the darker side of patriarchal Orthodoxy. Bringing wife-abuse, adultery and rape to the forefront cemented her role as an ally of egalitarianism and provided viable heroines to a community without a voice. The Tenth Song is her eighth novel and follows a mother and daughter forced to reconsider their chosen paths.

Celebrating its 30th anniversary and more relevant than ever, Kushner’s seminal book argues that God is not responsible for our tragedies, which opens up a mountain of possibilities for the faithful and the faithless.

Rabbi Kushner will engage in what's bound to be a lively panel discussion with Nashuva-founder, Rabbi Naomi Levy and AJU’s Rabbi Brad Artson, moderated by Rabbi David Wolpe of Temple Sinai. Uniting the trio is a shared history of loss, trauma and coping mechanisms that effectively deepened their connections to God. Find out how.

Enjoy a night of wine and intimate conversation with the bubbly bubbie behind Unexpectedly Eighty: And Other Adaptations, Viorst's latest in her age-related series. But before treating us to her golden-aged wit, the New York Times best-selling author, poet and journalist first made her literary mark selling millions of children's books based on her own raucous brood. Making light of memory failure and dating a younger man (78!), this octogenarian’s zesty viewpoint is only just partly improved by cataract surgery.

Bring your girlfriends for a night of good fun.

Hosted by Susan Freudenheim of the Jewish Journal.

Mosab Hassan Yousef born in Ramallah, just north of Jerusalem, the son of a major Hamas founder, grew up in typical Israel-hating form. Arrested numerous times since age 10, Yousef switched sides in 1997 after Israel's secret service, Shin Bet, proved that Hamas brutally tortured civilians. His top-tiered access hindered dozens of assassination attempts and suicide bombings over a 10-year period. Yousef was granted U.S. asylum this past year for publicly revealing his conversion to Christianity and denouncing Hamas and the Arab leadership.

Interviewed by Dr. Robert Wexler, President, AJU

In a story as old as time, the tale of Adam and Eve presents the dilemma of temptation: is the punishment worth the reward?

In a most unusual day of courtroom drama, Eve will be tried for eating the forbidden fruit; she will face charges of insubordination, sedition and theft.

But wait – isn’t Adam culpable too? And what about the snake?

Come study the text with Rabbi Bradley Artson, Dean of the Ziegler Rabbinic School at the AJU and then witness the trial which will once again pit the intrepid prosecutor Laurie Levenson against ace defender, Erwin Chemerinsky, with Judge Burt Pines trying to keep them honest. And finally, you the jury, will render your verdicts.

The Rabbi	The Defender	The Prosecutor	The Judge
Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson, Abner and Roslyn Goldstine Dean’s Chair, Vice President, AJU	Erwin Chemerinsky	Laurie Levenson	Judge Burt Pines

Participants

Laurie Levenson is Professor of Law and Director of the Center for Ethical Advocacy at Loyola University Law School. Prior to joining the law school faculty, she served as Assistant United States Attorney in Los Angeles, receiving the Attorney General’s Director’s Award for Superior Performance.

Erwin Chemerinsky is the founding Dean of the law school at the University of California, Irvine. A prolific author and lecturer, Professor Chemerinsky has argued many cases before the United States Supreme Court, Federal Courts of Appeals and the California Supreme Court.

Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson is Abner and Roslyn Goldstine Dean’s Chair, Vice President, AJU. He recently received his Doctorate in Philosophy and Theology from Hebrew Union College. Rabbi Artson, a popular teacher and speaker, is the author of seven books and over 180 published articles.

Judge Burt Pines has been a Superior Court Judge since 2003 and was recently appointed to the Judicial Council of California. He served as Governor Gray Davis’ judicial appointments secretary from 1999-2003, advising the governor on all appointments to the trial and appellate courts. He was also Los Angeles City Attorney from 1973-1981.

The People vs. Eve is presented through the generous support of Hillside Memorial Park and Mortuary