Leonard Cohen’s Songs and Poems:
A Three-Part Series with Dr. Dan Viragh

Sundays: July 14, 28 and August 4 (note that these are not consecutive dates)
4:15 - 5:45pm, under the tent in the Jewish Community Garden

Congregation Beth Israel is pleased to offer a three-part series of Sunday afternoon lectures on the works of Canadian poet and singer Leonard Cohen. Join Dr. Dan Viragh for three afternoon program as we listen to and read significant examples of Cohen’s work, and discuss how his use of language makes us feel. The format will be a mix of lecture, listening, reading and comparing texts, and group discussion. All texts will be provided.

In the first lecture, we will learn about Jewish themes in Leonard Cohen’s poetry. We will read his version of the prophet Isaiah’s vision and we will read his adaptation of the “Unetaneh Tokef” prayer that we say on Rosh Hashanah.

In the second lecture, we will learn about Cohen’s relationship to violence against Jews, and particularly Holocaust.

Finally, in the third lecture, we will learn about Cohen’s thoughts on death, dying, and making peace with one’s past.

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Dr. Dan Viragh is an educator with over 20 years of experience in various settings. Originally from Montreal, he taught English in Japan (2006-08) after earning his B.A. from McGill University, in English and History. He earned his doctorate in Jewish History at the University of California, Berkeley, in 2014. Dr. Viragh moved to Vancouver in 2015, and operates his own tutoring business, called Native English Ltd.