CSP - Community Scholar Program, Orange County

08/30/2026

CSP is covering a few thousand years this week, so buckle up! Sunday, August 30th, Rick Sopher and Abdulla Galadari bring Torah and Qur’an into conversation; Tuesday, September 1, we dig into the ancient roots of Israeli agriculture with Soil to Soul with Gila Levitan;and Thursday, September 3, artist Tobi Kahn whisks us off to Renaissance Florence for Michelangelo, Botticelli, Brunelleschi and more. Three programs, three worlds, one week...and no passport required!

08/28/2026

🎶 Elul has a contemporary soundtrack! From Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan to Leonard Cohen, Coldplay, Matisyahu and Willie Nelson, here’s some musical accompaniment for the road to 5787. Reflect, reset, repent…and turn it up!

Playlist · Arie Katz · 56 items · 4 saves

08/25/2026

This week's CSP dedication honors Franzisca Baruch (1901–1989), the remarkable German-born artist whose quiet genius helped shape the visual identity of modern Israel. After fleeing N**i Germany in 1933, she designed Israel's first passport, the Jerusalem city emblem, the iconic Haaretz logo, and influential Hebrew typefaces, despite arriving with little money and barely knowing Hebrew. As we gather to learn together this week, may her story remind us that history is shaped not only by great leaders, but also by the artists whose creativity gives a nation its symbols, its language, and its soul.

08/21/2026

CSP is finishing August with some BIG Jewish questions! What does Jewish art look like? Where do we find God in uncertain times? Can we find the Divine in the material world? Join Dov Abramson from Jerusalem (Aug. 23), Rabbis Bradley Shavit Artson & Elie Spitz (Aug. 25), and Prof. Daniel Matt (Aug. 27) for three very different journeys through Jewish creativity, theology, and meaning.

08/19/2026

Happy big birthday Norm! CSP is incredibly fortunate to have you as a Board member, longtime supporter, fearless world traveler, and all-around wonderful mensch. Ad Meah V'esrim!!

08/18/2026

As summer winds down and Elul invites us to reflect on the journey ahead, this week's CSP dedication celebrates two remarkable Jewish visionaries. Gérard Blitz, the Belgian Olympic water polo player and Holocaust survivor, dreamed of bringing people together across cultures through shared experiences. Gilbert Trigano, the son of Algerian Jewish parents, transformed that dream into Club Med, forever changing the way the world vacations.

08/14/2026

This week at CSP, we're keeping busy... and keeping curious! Join us Sunday as acclaimed Israeli author Etgar Keret helps us live in the present, Tuesday as Dr. Dan Handel explores how refugee architects reshaped America, and Thursday as Prof. Daniel Matt invites our members to discover Finding God in the Material World. Three fascinating journeys, one extraordinary week. Come learn with us!

08/14/2026

Happy Rosh Chodesh Elul! As we begin the month devoted to drawing closer to God and one another, we're delighted that CSP is celebrating our 26th year, and in Jewish tradition, 26 is the gematria of God's sacred name. Coincidence? Divine timing? We'll let our scholars debate it. Wishing everyone a month of reflection, renewal, and just enough shofar blasts to keep the neighbors guessing!

08/12/2026

A very happy 100th birthday to longtime CSP patron, board member, and treasured friend Ada! A century of wisdom, warmth, generosity, and making the world a little better. We are so lucky to have you as part of the CSP family. 100 looks fabulous on you, Ada!

08/11/2026

Before there was social media, there was Rahel Varnhagen. One of Europe's most remarkable Jewish women, she gathered artists, philosophers, writers, and political leaders in her Berlin salon, where ideas changed history over coffee instead of keyboards. Join us today at 10 AM PDT today as Ronen Altman Kaydar introduces the fascinating life of the woman Hannah Arendt called The Life of a Jewess.