The Levite Jewish Community Center strives to serve the Birmingham Jewish community through a variety of original programming that ranges from a cultural and historical discussion group and forums to themed Shabbat services to events and holiday celebrations.
Contact Program Director Elizabeth Patton (205.879.0411) to learn more… and maybe even present your own programming ideas.
Consult our master calendar for the most current and accurate scheduling details.
One-time events in 2023
- February 10: Bubbe Kabbalat Shabbat
- February 12: Community Tu BiShvat in partnership with NEMJDS, Temple Beth-El, Temple Emanu-El, B’ham Botanical Gardens
- February 17: “Honor our Parents” Shabbat in partnership with Collat Jewish Family Services (Cantor Wittner will provide the service). This program is open to seniors wanting to celebrate a daytime Shabbat with each other and their grandchildren who are out of school that day.
March 6-7: Purim puppet show, parade, and costume ball. The Cohn ECLC will present a puppet show for the preschool on erev Purim. On Purim, the preschoolers will dress in costume and parade through the J. After the parade, we will hold our annual costume ball in the commons.
Enjoy hamantaschen cookies in the lobby all day on March 7.
- April 2: Candy Seder led by Robin Berger in collaboration with the LJCC and PJ Library. Children aged 2-5 are invited to experience a real seder for Passover, but one focused on their needs.
- April 6: Passover “mock” seder for the oldest groups of children in the Cohn ECLC.
- April 28: Preschool families are invited to join us for Shabbat.
- April 30: The annual Jewish Food and Culture Fest will include a recreation of an outdoor Israeli shuk market and a children’s “tour” of Israel hosted by our visiting Israeli shinshinim (with hands-on activities and Israeli-style potato roasting to celebrate Lag BaOmer).
- May 9: The Cohn ECLC will celebrate Lag BaOmer with a picnic on the soccer field with families, including a bonfire with carob chip s’mores treats to represent the miracle of carobs.
- May 18: In collaboration with Hadassah, BJF, TBE, and the AHEC, author and poet Julia Kolchinsky Dasbach will present “Holocaust by Bullets,” a history of the crimes against humanity that transpired in German-occupied areas of the Soviet Union during World War II.
- May 26: The Cohn ECLC will light candles and have an ice cream party in observance of Shavuot.
July 5-25: LJCC staffers Katie Hausman Grace and Cody Bass will accompany seven local athletes to compete in the JCC Maccabi Games in Israel.
- September 1: CJFS Honor our Parents Shabbat
- Pre-schoolers will enjoy various Cohn ECLC Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur experiences throughout the month.
- September 10: Fighting for Their Lives: Understanding Trans and Gender Identities with Morissa Ladinsky
- September 29-October 6: Visit the community sukkah in the front of The J.
- September 29: Families will be invited to eat with their preschoolers in the sukkah, which will have been decorated by Cohn ECLC students.
- October 12-22: LJCC Executive Director Brooke Bowles and Cohn ECLC Director Barbara Traweek will join the “Israel at 75” Alabama Community Mission Trip to Israel. We’ll plan to post frequent updates from their journey.
- October 20: Honor Our Parents Shabbat CJFS with lunch provided by the LJCC
- October 24: Gemilut Hasadim – A Collaborative Art Exhibit
- November 4: Israeli Wine Tasting
- November 12: CJFS and LJCC Community Service Event
- December 7: Grand Menorah Lighting in collaboration with Chabad of Alabama
- December 7-15: Scheduled Hanukkah activities and daily menorah lightings.
- December 15: Cohn ECLC class Hanukkah parties
Ongoing programs
- Mahjong open play Thursdays is geared toward fun and fellowship and is open to members and non-members.
- Every Friday our Cohn ECLC preschool hosts a Kabbalat Shabbat, where students learn about kiddush cups, challah, and Shabbat. Led by Robin Berger, the children sing songs and take turns helping lead the service.
- “Jewish Culture and Conversation” with Rabbi Friedman meets every Wednesday at noon to discuss any and all aspects of Judaism. Open to members and non-members.
- Southern Jewish Voices brings the Jewish community together by using a live-interview format to share stories of being Jewish in Birmingham.