Thursday, February 4, 2010

Today at 4 pm at the Pyle Center, 702 Langdon Street, another installment of the Jewish Heritage Lecture Series will be offered by James Kugel. The presentation, titled Ancient Biblical Interpretation and the Modern Critic, is sponsored by the Mosse/Weinstein Center for Jewish Studies, Wisconsin Society for Jewish Learning and the Department of Hebrew and Semitic Studies. More info at 265-8150

Registration is now open for the first annual Madison Youth Grow Local Conference on February 20th. Youth gardening experts from around the city, as well as Community GroundWorks, Community Action Coalition and the Goodman Community Center will be participating. Registration materials are available online now at notlong.com/youthgrowlocal. More info at 240-0409.

Tickets are now available for the Autism Benefit Surf Jam on Saturday, March 6th at 6pm at the High Noon Saloon, 701 East Washington. The Wisconsin Early Autism Project, in conjunction with Friends of Autism and Walk on Water Surfboards, will be hosting the event to raise funds for much needed services and items for families struggling with autism. Ticket information available at high-noon.com, click on calendar, then March 6th.

Goodwill is partnering with the Internal Revenue Service to provide free tax preparation to differently-abled, low income and elderly people. Assistance will be available on February 12, February 26, March 12, and March 26th at the Goodwill office at 1302 Mendota Street. For more information and to schedule an appointment, call 246-3140, extension 112.

Advance registration is underway for the John Taylor Gatto lecture and Q & A session scheduled for February 12. Gatto is the author of Dumbing Us Down, and Weapons of Mass Instruction. After being named 3 times New York City Teacher of the Year, and New York State Teacher of the Year, Gatto left teaching and went on to become a critic of institutional education. The event is sponsored by The Unschooling Conference, and HOME, a Madison-based home schooling support group. For more info call Tanya at 238-4429 or go to unschoolingconference.com