Temple Israel’s Lifelong Learning Institute (TILLI) provides opportunities for Temple Israel members and others to engage in peer-led, intellectually stimulating study groups covering a broad range of topics, to develop social relationships and a community, and to enjoy cultural events together.
The 2026 Winter Session Is Here!
Participate in TILLI offerings this winter. Choose from a full slate of monthly shows, author talks, museum visits, and more. All are welcome!
View all 2026 Winter Program offerings (pdf brochure)
View the “Upcoming Event” listings below to find registration links for each event
Email tilli@tisrael.org with questions or for help registering
Upcoming Events
TILLI Theater Party: Fun Home
Date
December 10, 2025
Time
2:00 PM - 4:30 PM EDT
Winner of five Tony Awards including Best Musical, Fun Home is a beloved, groundbreaking, and emotionally rich story of seeing your parents through...
TILLI Winter Session: Matisse at War with Christopher Gorman
Date
January 29, 2026
Time
11:00 AM - 12:30 PM EDT
Spotlighting the years during WWII when Henri Matisse and his family defiantly refused to evacuate Nazi-occupied France, this groundbreaking book ill...
TILLI Winter Session: The Baltimore Museum of Art, Ruth R. Marder Center for Matisse Studies with Katy Rothkopf and Laura Albans
Date
February 5, 2026
Time
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM EDT
Katy Rothkopf, The Anne and Ben Cone Memorial Director of the Ruth R. Marder Center for Matisse Studies and Senior Curator of European Painting and S...
TILI Winter Session: Provenance Research: Uncovering the Life Stories of Works of Art with Victoria Reed
Date
February 26, 2026
Time
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM EDT
Every work of art has a story to tell, and uncovering its past – or provenance – can be a thrilling challenge. But what is provenance, exactly, a...
Tentative: The FBI and the Search for Stolen Art
Date
March 5, 2026
Time
11:00 AM - 12:30 PM EDT
Representatives of the FBI’s art crime squad will describe how they investigate cases and how they work with museums and owners of art to recover s...
TILLI Winter Session: The Making of Matisse: An Art Study Center Seminar at the Harvard Art Museums with Camran Mani
Date
March 19, 2026
Time
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM EDT
This seminar will explore the artistic methods and materials of Henri Matisse, from pencil drawings to paper cutouts, and how the artist became an ic...
TILLI Winter Session: The Making of Matisse: An Art Study Center Seminar at the Harvard Art Museums with Camran Mani
Date
March 19, 2026
Time
12:15 PM - 1:15 PM EDT
This seminar will explore the artistic methods and materials of Henri Matisse, from pencil drawings to paper cutouts, and how the artist became an ic...
Spring and Fall Study Groups
- Meets on Thursdays for six weeks
- Morning study groups: 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
- Afternoon study groups: 2:00 – 3:30 p.m.
- All sessions are onsite, with some options to participate online
We offer interesting and intellectually challenging study groups on a wide variety of topics, from science, theater, history, politics, literature, to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict are covered.
These study groups offer an opportunity to get to know and learn from some of the very talented members of our congregation.
You can take a morning class, an afternoon class, or both!
Lunch and Learn
During the Spring and Fall programs, we gather to enjoy lunch together and listen to an interesting speaker at “Lunch and Learn,” the highlight of our TILLI Thursdays, providing opportunities for friendship and community.
Online at 1:00 p.m. or onsite at 12:30 p.m.
All are welcome!
View recordings of TILLI Lunch and Learn lectures in our TILLI playlist on our Youtube channel
Summer and Winter at TILLI
Join us for a mixture of outside events (in the summer), in person and online museum visits, and mini-themed Thursday sessions. Recent Thursday themes include Artificial Intelligence and Jazz and Blues music.
Make Thursdays your TILLI Day!
Please join us at any level of participation:
- Study Group Leader (coaching available)
- Committee member
- Lunch and Learn speaker
- and always as a valued participant!
Get Involved
Because TILLI is a peer-led learning program, participation is key. We are always looking for new study topics to explore. Let us know if you are interested in teaching a Fall 2026 study group or contact tilli@tisrael.org to learn more about how to get involved.
Testimonials
TILLI 2025-2026 Core Leadership Team:
TILLI Co-Chairs:
Priscilla Golding and Barbara Smith Koff
Adult Education Committee Liaison:
Saralynn Busch
Archivist and Caring Community:
Abby Greenberg
Budget:
Ted Greenwood
Curriculum:
Natalie Schatz (Chair)
Judy Berkowitz, Serena Fujita, Judy Herman, Nancy Karp, Barbara Koff, Helen Kolsky, Peggy Morrison, Ted Greenwood
Events:
Debra Mandel and Yetta Katz (Co-Chairs)
Amy Michaels, Glenda Fishman, Jackie Anapolle
Lunch and Learn:
Bob McCorkle
Membership and Hospitality:
Mark Kaplan and Beth Sands
Nominating Committee:
Judy Berkowitz and Larry Koff
Photographer:
Debra Mandel
Special Events:
Serena Fujita
Winter and Summer Program Committee:
Priscilla Golding (Acting Co-Chair) and Deb Seidel (Co-Chair)
Carol Agate, Lenore Miller, Ruth Klepper
