Sholem Community Activities Social Action As part of our progressive tradition, Sholem encourages social action.  In 2002, we began a new social action program, studying the problems in our public schools and working for educational equity. Fundraising Sholem's fundraising efforts are modest (compared to many other Jewish organizations).  We do encourage donations.  Contributions are tax deductible, since we are a 501(c)(3) organization. Holiday Celebrations Innovative observances of Jewish holidays are created by the Sholem Community to reflect our non-theistic approach and to meet spiritual needs. Community holiday observances mark the high points of the Jewish calendar: the New Year Festivals, Hanuka, Purim, Passover, the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, Israel's Independence Day and Shavuos. Life-cycle events Marriage, baby-naming, bar/bas mitsve programs, funerals, and memorials are officiated by Secular Humanistic Leaders (vegvayzers in Yiddish, madrikhot in Hebrew), certified by the Leadership Conference of Secular and Humanistic Jews. The Sholem Community and its members utilize the services of Education Director Hershl Hartman, a certified vegvayzer and Susan Lerner, also a certified vegvayzer. Cultural activities and adult education An active Adult Education program includes a stimulating lecture/discussion/seminar series on ancient and modern Jewish history, holidays, Yiddish literature and culture, and the roots and ideas of Secular Jewishness. Discussions of social/political / environmental issues lead to informed activism by Sholem members. Sholem co-sponsors an Extension Program of the International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism. The Sholem Community sponsors concert series featuring individual artists and groups whose work celebrates Jewish and other peoples' cultures. Sholem members attend organized theater parties, attending plays of interest in the Los Angeles-area.  In addition, Sholem has a Yiddish chorus, which performs at holiday celebrations. Sholem also stages original theatrical productions. The presentations typically explore significant periods of Jewish history or works of Yiddish literature. The productions are researched, written, produced and directed by members of the community, and involving as many members -- from ages 4 to 84 -- who wish to participate in an outstanding theatrical series. In March 1997, Sholem presented a dramatization in English of "Wandering Stars," the Yiddish novel by Sholem Aleichem about romance and the Yiddish theatre. "Bread & Roses" (March, 2000) was the 10th  in a series of original Sholem plays that depict key historical chapters in Jewish history.   The plays are written and performed by members of the Sholem Community.  The casts number between 60 and 70, and range in age from five to 85. Previous plays include "Wandering Stars," which  depicted the Yiddish theater, as well as productions about 1492 expulsion of Jews from Spain and the McCarthy era. Top