Events

Judge LaJune Lange began her legal career with the Hennepin County Public Defender’s Office as a trial lawyer until appointed by the governor to the trial court in 1985. Judge Lange served as a Fourth Judicial District Court Judge for the State of Minnesota, handling complex civil and criminal cases until her recent retirement. Judge Lange now serves as Senior Fellow with the Roy Wilkins Center for Human Relations and Social Justice at the Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs. She is a founding member of the Minnesota Minority Lawyers Association and has served on the Minnesota State Bar Association Board of Governors, Minnesota Women Lawyers, Minnesota Public Interest Research Foundation, American Bar Association, National Bar Association, Minnesota Association of Black Lawyers, and Minnesota Supreme Court Racial Bias Task Force. Judge Lange is an internationally recognized expert in human rights and the rule of law in developing nations.

No Meeting for the Thanksgiving Holiday

Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Minneapolis is a social service agency that has been around locally for 113 years and serves 13,000 people of all ages and backgrounds each year. The JFCS staff will provide the Golden Valley Rotary Club with an introduction to the work they do in the Jewish and broader communities and how you can engage with the organization. Majority of the time will be sent providing attendees with an important and educational session on becoming Dementia Friends.

Dana Shapiro is the Community & Volunteer Engagement Manager at Jewish Family and Children's Service of Minneapolis. She wears a lot of hats in her current role working with volunteers and promoting JFCS in the community. She has worked at JFCS for 13.5 years holding roles in Development, Career Services, Intake & Resource Connection, and Community Services.

Clare Gravon is a Case Manager in Senior Services at Jewish Family and Children's Service of Minneapolis. In that role she helps clients and their families connect with the resources they need to live their best lives. Previously, Clare worked at JFCS in food security, helping people access food resources and benefits.

Jennifer Koontz is a Case Manager in Senior Services at Jewish Family and Children's Service of Minneapolis. In this position, she works with senior clients and their families to establish goals, locate resources, and establish a variety of services so that clients can stay independent and thrive. Previously, Jennifer worked as an Academic Coach at Capella University and at Goodwill/Easter Seals, removing barriers and coordinating job skills/ training for people so that they could prepare to go to work.

Amanda Kabage, M.S., joined the Microbiota Research and Therapeutics team in 2014 after battling a 14 month illness with C. difficile. She was ultimately cured with an intestinal microbiota transplant in September 2013, performed by Dr. Alexander Khoruts. It was a no-brainer to join this team, as Amanda already worked in research at the University of Minnesota, and went through a firsthand experience with C. difficile and IMT treatment.

Prior to joining the Microbiota Therapeutics team, Amanda worked in Pediatric Epidemiology at the University of Minnesota for 8 years, studying the genetics of pediatric cancer. She took an interdisciplinary approach to her education, with undergraduate studies focused on Biology and Ethics. She went on to receive a Master of Science in Science, Technology & Environmental Policy with a minor in Bioethics.  

When Amanda’s not working, she’s most likely traveling somewhere in the world. Even though she had never been on an airplane until she was 20 years old, she has visited over 30 countries and most states in the U.S. Amanda enjoys lifting weights and running, reading history of science books, seeing live music, dining at all the restaurants around town, and hanging with her dogs, Rocky and Wally.

Complaining to God about God is a Jewish tradition that begins with Abraham, the biblical prophets, and the psalmist poets and has continued to this day. We will sample a few modern Hebrew poems that reflect on the Holocaust and beliefs about God. 

Dr. Jonathan Paradise received his PhD from the University of Pennsylvania where he specialized in Ancient Near Eastern Studies and Biblical Studies. His doctoral research dealt with family law documents, written on clay tablets in the cuneiform script.

Jonathan established the program in Hebrew studies at the University of Minnesota where he taught courses on the Bible in the context of the Ancient Near East, Hebrew language and literature, and occasionally courses on Judaism. He retired from the University of Minnesota in 2003.

From 1989 to 2014 Jonathan travelled once a week to the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire to serve as the L.E. Phillips visiting professor of Jewish Studies in the Philosophy & Religion Department, teaching courses on the Holocaust, the Bible, and Judaism.

During his retirement he spends his time doing voluntary teaching, translating Hebrew poetry, and writing software to support his Hebrew textbook, The Key to Modern Hebrew.

No Meeting - Winter Break

Happy Holidays!

No Meeting - Winter Break

Happy Holidays!