Dinner & Discuss (D&D) is a new Friday night Shabbat experience that brings people together around food, conversation, and learning. Designed to be welcoming and discussion-focused, the evening begins with a community potluck, continues with a facilitated discussion featuring guest rabbinical student, Simcha Howard, with R’ Ariel, and concludes with a quick ma’ariv/ evening service.

As part of Flavors of Friday Night, this program fosters multiple entry points while deepening engagement and connection for all.

RSVP for Dinner & Discuss

June 22 – Dinner and Discuss: Pride and Identity
Pride celebrates the liberation of the LGBTQA community to live openly and proudly. Commemorating the Stonewall Riots and subsequent decades of advocacy for the rights and dignity of LGBTQA people, please join us for a discussion exploring identity, belonging, and pride through personal stories.

6:00 pm – Potluck Dinner (community-building and hospitality) start with a few short Shabbat songs as we get settled
6:20 pm – Discussion Begins (moderated conversation with speakers while people continue eating)
7:15 pm – Shabbat Service (short Shabbat maariv that is in person only, no zoom, about 15 minutes to allow mourners to say kaddish)

Rabbinical Student, Simcha Howard

Simcha’s Biography:

Simcha Howard (they/them) is a second-year rabbinical student at the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies and a Los Angeles native with a love for Ancient Near Eastern history, L.A. history, creative writing, Shabbat liturgy, and connecting to God through communal song.

Simcha graduated from New York University in 2021, where they were active in healthcare advocacy and disability rights work and served as Vice Chair of Student Government, representing over 61,000 students. After college, they worked at Netflix before feeling called to the rabbinate and a life of service through teaching, chaplaincy, Jewish education, and congregational work.

Simcha currently teaches both children and adults in Los Angeles, including courses in Torah and Biblical Hebrew, and is especially passionate about making Jewish learning spiritually alive, intellectually curious, deeply accessible, and inclusive for learners of all ages.

They also have two rescue chihuahuas, Marty and Tina, and would always love to see pictures of your dogs.