General admission is $36 per person. The evening includes = desserts and drinks. Call Bet Shira's office at 305-238-2601 for tickets and more information.

Celebrating ‘Mother Bostic’

For many years, now, Virginia Bostic aka "Mother Bostic" has held a musical program on her birthday. On Sunday, she will have her 66th singing/birthday anniversary at 3 p.m. at New Christ Tabernacle Baptist Church, 8400 NW 25th Ave, where the Rev. Harold Marsh is the pastor/teacher.

Her guests will include the Rev. Avery Jones and the Spirit of Life Ministries as host pastor; musical guests the Spiritual Harmonizers; the Rev. Julius Davis, and Lil Reverend and the Calvary Travelers.

Admission is free, but a freewill donation will be accepted. Call Bostic at 305-389-6030 for more information.

Jewish young professionals group

Next Century, a group of young professionals at Beth David Congregation, will host "Shmoozin' Shabbat," a cocktail party for those aged 21-39 at 6 p.m. Friday (Jan. 25) at the synagogue, 2625 SW Third Ave. in Miami. The event will precede the synagogue's monthly Shabbat Pasion service. Admission is $10 per person.

The Next Century group was founded six months ago by congregation leaders to target young professionals who live and work in the Brickell and downtown near the synagogue, said Lonni Romirowsky of Beth David. Since then the organization has attracted a diverse group, consisting of alumni from the congregation's Gordon Day schools, children of current members, newcomers to Miami, and those unaffiliated with other congregations.

Jodi Caplan, one of Next Century's leaders said, "My fiance and I arrived here from Baltimore six months ago, so I enjoy meeting new friends and being part of the Jewish community."

The Shabbat Pasion service will feature guest artists to include flutist Mattan Klein, pianist Yoav Polachek (both from Israel) and Cantor Bruce Benson on guitar. The musicians will join Cantor Julie Jacobs for an innovative services to start at 7 p.m.

For more information on "Shmoozin' Shabbat and Shabbat Pasion, call the temple at 305-854-3911, ext. 200 or go to www.bethdavidmiami.org.

Biblical scholar to speak

Dr. Amy-Jill Levine, a Vanderbilt and Cambridge University professor and author, will be the Theologian in Residence at Coral Gables Congregational United Church of Christ Feb. 1 through Feb. 3.

In three sessions, Levine will present a "thought-provoking and informative look into "Jesus, Judaism and Jewish-Christian Relations."

Levine has a bachelor’s degree from Smith College and master’s and doctoral degrees from Duke University, as well as honorary doctorates from several institutions. She is a professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies, E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter professor of New Testament Studies, and professor of Jewish Studies at Vanderbilt Divinity School and College of Arts and Science in Nashville. She is also affiliated professor, Centre for the Study of Jewish-Christian Relations, Cambridge England.

The weekend of sessions will be at Temple Judea in Coral Gables and Coral Gables Congregational.

From 7:30 to 9 p.m., Feb. 1, Levine will be at Temple Judea at 5500 Granada Blvd. Her lecture topic will be, "How Jews and Christians Read Scripture Differently."

She will be at Coral Gables Congregational, 3010 DeSoto Blvd. in Coral Gables from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. She will speak on the topics, "Jesus in His Jewish context," and "Hearing the parables as Jewish Stories."

The day will include a soup lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., for $5 per person.

At 11 a.m. on Feb. 3, at Coral Gables Congregational, Levine will speak on, "Dangers on the Road to Jerico: How the Story of the Good Samaritan Goes Bad."

If you go, the cost of the three sessions is $45 per person. Add an additional $5 if you plan to have lunch at the Feb. 2 , session.