“When a mother dies,” author Hope Edelman writes, “a daughter’s mourning never completely ends.” In what ways can we honor our mothers who have passed away while raising our own children? How can we uncover the hidden wisdom that can be found in mourning and the celebration of life? Amy Cunningham, death educator and funeral director, will lead this enlightening conversation for motherless mothers with children of any age, about child rearing, grieving, and rituals for memorializing.

Legend has it that in the sixteenth century, in a secret mystical ritual, Rabbi Loew of Prague brought to life a creature with superhuman strength to defend the local Jewish community against anti-Semitic attacks. What he created was a golem, from the Hebrew meaning "shapeless man," whose origins can be traced back to the ancient world. Brian Contoir and Rabbi Dan Ain lead an eye-opening exploration into the many legends surrounding the golem, and how they have evolved through the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. What can humanist or religious perspectives teach us about this creature? Why has its story resonated across generations? Are there parallels with recent advancements in robotics, drones, and artificial intelligence?

Stewardship and pruning hugely reduce a tree’s vulnerability to common urban threats such as pedestrian and vehicular traffic, drought and storms. In New York City, where there is limited funding for tree maintenance but significant need, Citizen Pruners provide a great asset to our urban environment.