College of Jewish Studies Is Offering 3 Courses

The College of Jewish Studies of Orange County is offering three university-level courses for the spring semester, which begins Jan. 28.

Students can register now for the evening classes, which meet at Temple Beth Sholom at 2625 N. Tustin Ave. in Santa Ana.

The following classes are being offered:

* History 100B. Jewish history from the Babylonian exile to the expulsion from Spain, taught by Jason Fenton. Meets Wednesdays from 7:30 to 10 p.m. Tuition is $75.

* Philosophy 310. Covers modern Jewish thought, from Maimonides to Elie Wiesel, taught by Frank Stern. Meets Mondays from 7:30 to 10 p.m.; tuition $75.

* Hebrew 100B. Fundamental Hebrew. It is suggested that students have rudimentary reading and writing skills and beginning conversational skills in Hebrew. Taught by Shula Kalir-Merton, the class meets Mondays and Wednesdays from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Tuition is $100.

The College of Jewish Studies of Orange County is sponsored by the Orange County Board of Rabbis, the Jewish Educators’ Assn. of Orange County, the Orange County Bureau of Jewish Education and participating congregations. Information: (714) 556-2424.

On Sunday at 2:30 p.m., the Catholic Diocese of Orange will recognize the diverse cultures and languages of the immigrants and refugees who are part of the church in this country, with a special multicultural Mass.

The theme for this year’s celebration is “Honoring the Elderly.” Monsignor Jaime Soto, Episcopal vicar to the Hispanic community, said, “The church believes the elderly immigrants and refugees have honored us with their strong and persevering faith. They have ennobled us with their cultures. It is the urgent wish of the Church of Orange that this celebration be a time when the entire community reflects upon the presence of immigrants and refugees in our society. Together we grow stronger through the recognition and fostering of each other’s gifts, particularly those of the elderly.”

Bishop Norman McFarland will preside over the Celebration of the Eucharist. A reception will follow.

The celebration will be held at Holy Family Cathedral, 566 S. Glassell St., Orange. Information: (714) 974-7120.

The Rev. Dr. Leighton Ford is the guest speaker for St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church’s “Adventure in Faith ’91.”

Ford is president of Leighton Ford Ministries and is a volunteer for the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization. He was an associate evangelist and later vice president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Assn. He has spoken to people all over the world and was, for many years, Billy Graham’s alternate on the “Hour of Decision” broadcast.

The “Adventure in Faith” sessions are held Sunday at 8:30 and 10:15 a.m.; Sunday, Monday and Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.; or Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at 6:45 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.

St. Andrew’s is located at 600 Saint Andrews Road, Newport Beach. Information: (714) 631-2880.

To begin the celebration of Christian Unity Week, the Rev. John McAndrew of St. Irenaeus Church will discuss “Our Call to Unity and Renewal,” on Friday at 7:30.

On Jan. 25, the Rev. Douglas Dale will lead the second evening of renewal and prayer with his topic of “Conversion and the Renewal of the Sacrament of Reconciliation” in honor of the feast of Paul’s conversion. St. Irenaeus Church is located at 5201 Evergreen Ave., Cypress (on the corner of Evergreen and Grindlay, one block south of Lincoln Avenue). Information: (714) 826-0760.

Frank Wilkinson will speak Sunday at the Unitarian Church of Orange County on the subject, “The FBI vs. the First Amendment.”

Wilkinson is the executive director emeritus of the National Committee Against Repressive Legislation, founded in 1960.

The service is at 10:30 a.m. at 1120 W. Santa Ana St., Anaheim. Child care is provided. Information: (714) 758-1050.

“Eyewitnesses to Jewish History,” a class surveying Jewish history, will be taught by Rabbi Joseph Hirsch of Temple Sharon on Thursday evenings.

The class will present Jewish history through the eyes of the men and women who have lived through it.

It begins Thursday at 8:15 p.m. and continues to meet every Thursday. Registration and book fee is $10.

Another class, “Reading the Siddur,” is offered at 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays.

Temple Sharon is located at 617 W. Hamilton St., Costa Mesa. Information: (714) 631-3262.

A three-hour workshop, “Prosperity Made Simple, “ will be presented by Brian and Victoria West on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. at the Church of Religious Science, 600 Golden Circle Drive, Santa Ana.

A donation is requested and includes a personal workbook for each participant. Information: (714) 541-3365.

Rabbi Elie Spitz of Congregation B’nai Israel in Tustin will review the book “Who Needs God?” on Friday at 8 p.m.

The book was written by Rabbi Harold Kushner and is available in most bookstores. The church is located at 655 S. B St., Tustin. Information: (714) 730-9693.

James Nelson’s sermon Sunday at the Orange Coast Unitarian Universalist Church reflects on his many years in the ministry and features music by the Irvine Trio.

The service is at 10:30 a.m. at 1259 Victoria St., Costa Mesa. Child care is available. Information: (714) 646-4652.

Orange County Religion Notes is published on Saturdays. Send the item at least two weeks before the event to Orange County Religion Notes, The Times, 1375 Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa 92626. Telephone calls cannot be accepted. Because of space limitations, The Times cannot guarantee that all notices will be published. Items must include subject, telephone number, event date, time and exact address.