National Jewish, Palestinian leaders to speak

NORTHAMPTON — Friends of Standing Together Chapter of Western Massachusetts invites the public to hear from two of Standing Together’s national leaders, Sally Abed and Alon-Lee Green.

They  will speak on Friday, Nov. 7, from 6-7:30 p.m., at Congregation B’nai Israel, 257 Prospect St., on the first stop of their two-week Northeast U.S. tour.

They will speak about their vision for the future of Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank, that includes security, dignity and equality for all the people on the land. Speaking to the urgency and uniqueness of today’s political climate, they will share their strategies for organizing their society toward a just future.

Abed is a Palestinian citizen of Israel and a member of Standing Together’s national leadership. Green is a Jewish citizen of Israel and the movement’s national co-director.

Friends of Standing Together Western  Massachusetts was formed in the wake of the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas and the ensuing bombardment of Gaza. Their chapter promotes the ideas and vision of Standing Together in Israel/Palestine which was established in 2015.  The local chapter has hosted several educational events and has held weekly vigils in downtown Northampton calling for the safe return of all hostages, a lasting ceasefire, an end to the occupation and an end to U.S. complicity in the bombing and starvation in Gaza.

Registration open for arts event

AMHERST — Local artists will lead a community event planned for Saturday, Nov. 8 that aims to bring community members together to explore the healing power of art and storytelling. 

Registration for “Art in Community: Pathways to Healing & Joy” is open now. Organized by Trauma-Informed Hampshire County, the event runs from 1-5:30 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Amherst, 121 N. Pleasant St.

Artists leading sessions throughout the afternoon include Magdalena Gomez and Janet Aalfs, former poet laureates and performance artists/storytellers; Kathleen Bowen with the Center for Biography and Social Art and mandala creator; and Tim Van Ness, playback theater artist, singer and song leader.

The artists will facilitate both group work and smaller workshops to explore poetry making, movement, storytelling, the healing power of sound, and group art projects.

Registration is required, with the cost a sliding scale from $0 to $35. Snacks will be provided, child care is available upon request, ASL interpretation is available upon request, and strong English proficiency will not be needed to participate. Youth over age 13 are encouraged to participate.

To register, visit www.eventbrite.com/e/1770555582409?aff=oddtdtcreator or HampshireTIHC.org. 

Free hotel, front desk training at HCC

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College is running a free, five-week hotel training program starting Nov. 5 for people interested in jumpstarting a career in the hospitality industry.  

The hands-on, in-person classes for hotel front desk workers and hotel room attendants will take place in HCC’s hotel training lab on the second floor of the HCC MGM Culinary Arts Institute on Race Street in downtown Holyoke.

The program runs on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, 5-8 p.m., Nov. 5 through Dec. 11.  Each of the 10 class sessions runs three hours for a total of 30 hours of class time. (There are no classes Thanksgiving week.)

The course will provide students with up-to-date knowledge of the hotel industry, hands-on experience for front desk and/or room attendant roles, workplace skills, resume building, interviewing, job search assistance and connections to local employers.

HCC’s hotel lab is set up like a hotel reception area with front desk and adjoining guest room and equipped with the most modern technology and software. The hotel lab gives students the ability to learn in a model hotel room and reception lobby, gain knowledge about key card access systems, and understand point-of-sale technology.

No high school diploma or GED/HiSET test is required for admission.

Offered as part of HCC’s Business & Workforce Development division, the hotel training course is free to qualifying applicants.

For more information, contact Paul Sheehan at psheehan@hcc.edu, call 413-552-2500 or fill out the inquiry form at hcc.edu/job-ready.