Instructors
SIDNEY FRIEDMAN
Some Contemporary Jewish Playwrights
Sidney is a theatre director and a teacher of acting, directing, and dramatic
literature at Boston University (1981-current) and Washington University in
St. Louis (1966-'81). Recent projects include directing Edson's Wit in
February at the Roberts Theatre/Calderwood Pavilion and playing Krapp in
Beckett's Krapp's Last Tape last fall at the BU Theatre's Lane-Comley Studio.
ART GERSTENFELD
A Musical Journey
Art received his Ph.D. from MIT and has been a professor for most of his
working career. He has taught at both Boston University and Worcester
Polytechnic Institute (WPI). While most of his teaching has been in the area
of industrial engineering and management, he most recently gave a course at
WPI on music technology. He has also given a course on “A Musical Journey”
at the Newton Public Library using music as an ESL learning tool. When Art
was in high school he played the clarinet and saxophone, played in the school
orchestra and had his own band. His passion for music has not diminished
with the years and has in fact grown.
MICHAEL GILMAN
Memoir Writing
Michael is an attorney who has practiced labor and employment law for over
45 years. As an attorney, writing clearly and concisely has been an essential
requirement of his professional work. In addition to his legal writing, Michael
has written for his personal pleasure in the form of essays, short stories,
journaling, poetry and prose and finds this exercise to be an excellent way of
expressing emotions. Michael is a past president of TBE (1998-2000); holds
degrees from Colby College, Suffolk University and New York University Law
Schools, and most recently completed a personal essay writing course at Duke
University’s Lifelong Learning Program.
MARTY KRESS
Powerful Israeli Film Classics
Marty’s spiritual growth can be described as a late awakening to Judaism
because of studying the Torah with Rabbi Alan Ullman and being part of the
welcoming TBE community. Prior to these two events, he was not aware of the
definition of being a practicing Jew. Marty is a film buff and the initiator of the
Israel Film Series at Temple Beth Elohim.
MARGIE NEESON, MEd
Grandparenting in 2015
Margie, a member of TBE, and is a retired social worker and former group
facilitator at both Jewish Family & Childrens' Service and Greater Boston JCC's.
She is currently a facilitator in the Sages & Seekers program community-wide.
She and her husband Peter are grandparents of 4 grandchildren ages 3 to 15.
BOB ORKAND
Reform Judaism
Bob is a retired rabbi who recently moved to Natick with his wife, Joyce. His most
recent pulpit was Temple Israel in Westport, CT, which he served for 31 years. He
is the immediate past-President of ARZA (Association of Reform Zionists of
America) and chaired or served on numerous boards and commissions, both local
and national.