Arts and Ideas

Canasta is a card game in the rummy family that uses two decks of cards and four jokers. Come learn this easy-to-understand yet challenging game, which has a renewed interest with people of all ages.

Israeli Playwright Hadas Kaldaron, artistic director of Israel's National Youth Theater, will discuss her works. She is the granddaughter of renowned poet Avrom Sutzkever and has been on a journey to keep her grandfather's memory alive. Bring your lunch; The J will provide drinks and a dessert.

A Lunch and Learn talk with Melinda Hofstetter, daughter of photographer Seymour Hofstetter, who will discuss her father's portraits from West Africa. Bring your lunch; The J will provide drinks and a dessert.

Join us each week as we discuss the major news events taking place and gain a deeper understanding of these issues. Join historian and educator Terry Pollack for lively sharing and group interaction as we follow and try to comprehend the unfolding events in the news each week.

Mah Jongg matches one’s playing pieces, called tiles, to a set of possible hands. It is a very social game played around a table with four players. Those new to the game will learn the basic rules of play, strategies, tips, switching hands and more. Not a beginner? Just come to play! All are welcome. Instruction is available Feb. 6-27. Open play will be in effect after that date.

Youths will explore performing arts fundamentals through improv and creative movement, have a blast learning the ins and outs of storytelling, and enjoy playing a character. Students rehearse for a culminating showcase performance with featured roles, speaking lines and musical numbers for all. This class-meets-rehearsal-process model is a perfect introduction to the arts or a great fit for a seasoned young performer.

Second and third-grade performers will have the opportunity to take the stage starring in a show all their own. Join our Playmakers Youth Theatre in the Hundred Acre Wood in a rehearsal process designed specifically for our youngest performers. Pooh, Tigger, Piglet and Christopher Robin are waiting for you! Auditions will be in late January. Performances are mid-May.

Join us for a cozy bowl of soup and the chance to engage in lively conversation. Meet members of your community and make new friends while staying warm. If you’d like, bring an article that intrigues you or poses a question you’ve been pondering to spark the discussion.

Join us for a cozy bowl of soup and the chance to engage in lively conversation. Meet members of your community and make new friends while staying warm. If you’d like, bring an article that intrigues you or poses a question you’ve been pondering to spark the discussion.

Join us for a cozy bowl of soup and the chance to engage in lively conversation. Meet members of your community and make new friends while staying warm. If you’d like, bring an article that intrigues you or poses a question you’ve been pondering to spark the discussion.

Join us for a cozy bowl of soup and the chance to engage in lively conversation. Meet members of your community and make new friends while staying warm. If you’d like, bring an article that intrigues you or poses a question you’ve been pondering to spark the discussion.

Join us for a cozy bowl of soup and the chance to engage in lively conversation. Meet members of your community and make new friends while staying warm. If you’d like, bring an article that intrigues you or poses a question you’ve been pondering to spark the discussion.

In this four-class series, presidential historian Steve Schecter will explore the incredible and often overlooked influence that slaves had on shaping American history. We will discuss their pivotal role in shaping the lives and decisions of some of our nation?s most influential figures, ultimately leaving an unforgettable mark on the fabric of our nation. Topics include George Washington's Three Favorite Enslaved; Thomas Jefferson and the Hemings Family; How the War Changed Lincoln; and A Partial Biography of Frederick Douglass.