Steve Barlas and Mark Weisenbloom will lead the alternative service on Friday, March 26 at Steve's house and will start at 7:30 pm. The address is 3560 N. Nottingham St., Arlington, 22207. The phone number is 703-536-4509.

As Steve says, there will be less service, and more "alternative," with the latter being what we hope will be an interesting discussion about Jewish conceptions of G-d. We will light candles, say the motzi over challah and do the Kiddish. We will do all that first and then launch into our discussion, during which we can snack, if you'd like to bring a nosh; but it isn't necessary. Libations, alcoholic or non, to help fuel the discussion would be fine. There will not be a conventional service. What got me thinking about the topic of G-d was Richard Ruth's tisch a few weeks ago, which focused on praying. That left me wondering: who are we praying to?"

Mark will provide an overview, going back to some of the luminaries of the Tanach. I will give a brief discussion of three more recent and influential philosophers: Maimonides, Mordecai Kaplan (the founder of the Reconstruction movement) and Abraham Joshua Heschel. Our thought--myself and Mark--is that this will be an appetizer for a fuller discussion next year in a new round of Kol Ami adult education classes looking at "Jewish Views of G-d: from Maimonides to Barlas."

Again, my thought is that in discussing the thinkers' views of G-d--and I warn you that those views can get complicated--we can noodle around on our own views, and have an interchange which could be rich and constructive. I will have some handouts that evening.