EVELYN RUBENSTEIN JCC HOUSTON
Connect Magazine
Ann and Stephen Kaufman
Jewish Book & Arts Festival 45 Years of Authors, Music, Theatre & Films
OCTOBER 28 – NOVEMBER 12, 2017 Underwritten by The Eleanor and Frank Freed Foundation
erjcchouston.org October 2017
Ann and Stephen Kaufman Jewish Book & Arts Festival CULINARY
Amy Kritzer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
FAMILY, PARENTING & TEEN PROGRAMMING
Take Your Pick | Reading as a Community: Brian Platzer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 David Biespiel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
FILM, VISUAL, PERFORMING ARTS
Kvetch or Kvell – Parenting Through a Jewish Perspective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Monkey Business: The Adventures of Curious George's Creators . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Hanna and the Moonlit Dress . . . . . . . . 10
Jennifer Pittsford Art Opening . . . . . . . . 6
Readings Honoring Amy Krouse Rosenthal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
MFAH Jewish Art Tour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Oliver Lapin Family Day Goes to Levy Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Kathy Kacer & Jordana Lebowitz . . . . . . . 14 David Kirschner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
FICTION, LITERATURE & POETRY Dorit Rabinyan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Book Lovers Lunch: Alexandra Silber . . . 7 Book Lovers Lunch: Sana Krasikov . . . . . 7 Yehoshua November . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Take Your Pick | Reading as a Community: Julia Dahl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Purchase a Series Pass
Fanny’s Journey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Ben Gurion, Epilogue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 High Noon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Body and Soul: An American Bridge . . . 16 Tavche Gravche . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 The Play's the Thing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
GET CULTURED: FOR 20s & 30s Adam Valen Levinson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
HISTORY Yvette Manessis Corporon . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Patricia Bernstein . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Alexandra Zapruder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Glenn Frankel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
HOUSTON AUTHORS Local Literati: Art & Soul . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
JEWISH TEXT & CULTURE Evan Moffic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Eddy Portnoy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
MEMOIR Stephen Tobolowsky . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Stacy Middleman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Stéphane Gerson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Lou Cove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Steve Dorff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
NON-FICTION Katha Pollitt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Gary Belsky . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Linda Hirshman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Dr. Michael Roizen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Save on events and receive guaranteed seating for selected events!
Buy a Book & Arts Festival Series Pass and receive guaranteed reserved seating for Opening Night with Stephen Tobolowsky, Closing Night with Steve Dorff, PLUS admission to all Book & Arts Festival programs. Book Lovers Lunch excluded.
Full Series Pass $80 Member | $110 Public | FREE for Students with Student ID $10 Series Pass discount for Seniors 60+ Discounts for Individual Senior Tickets available at time of purchase ONLINE: erjcchouston.org | BY PHONE: 713.729.3200 IN PERSON: Visit the Information Desk or the Box Office 30 minutes prior to the start of a program. Advance ticket purchase recommended. See page 20 for individual ticket prices. Unless otherwise specified, programs take place at the Evelyn Rubenstein JCC Milton Levit Family Campus, Joe Weingarten Building 5601 S. Braeswood, Houston, Texas 77096
BOOKSTORE HOURS Sunday–Thursday 10:00 AM–9:30 PM Friday 10:00 AM–2:00 PM Saturday 7:30 PM–10:00 PM Check out the Speakeasy, a safe space for robust conversation. Cover Art by Jennifer Pittsford
The Ann and Stephen Kaufman Jewish Book & Arts Fair is now the Ann and Stephen Kaufman Jewish Book & Arts Festival! We think you’ll agree that our new name reflects the evolution of this incredible event from its humble beginnings in 1973 into what it is today: a celebration of Jewish culture through literary works, performing and fine arts and more.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28
OPENING NIGHT
8:00 PM | Stephen Tobolowsky My Adventures with God By compartmentalizing the stages of human life into the books of the Old Testament, prominent character actor Stephen Tobolowsky leads us through a series of short stories in My Adventures with God. The Texas native recounts tales from his own life of growing up, finding and losing love, and losing and finding himself. Throughout his journey, he ties in his relationship with, and understanding of God, using his knowledge of the Torah and the Talmud, which also provides a model to evaluate our own lives and relationships with God. Tobolowsky is most notably recognized for his roles in films such as Groundhog Day and Memento, and in the T.V. series Seinfeld, Heroes, Glee, and Californication. He currently stars in Silicon Valley and The Goldbergs. IN HONOR OF MARILYN HASSID Underwritten by Janet and Elton Lipnick
FREE EVENT
Evelyn Rubenstein JCC Patrons of the Arts: Guaranteed Premier Reserved Seats Series Pass Holders: Guaranteed Reserved Seats FREE: Limited Seating | First Come, First Served 3
For 45 years countless volunteers have been bringing the Ann and Stephen Kaufman Jewish Book & Arts Fair to the heart of Houston. Two weeks of stellar programming is no small feat. Volunteers have spent the last year planning every detail of this colossal community event. Chairwoman Lisa Sheinbaum and Vice-Chair Hilary Kamin are the driving force behind the 2017 Festival. Both bring expertise. Lisa has experience under her belt as Vice-Chair of last year’s event. She has long been an attendee of the Festival and has served on a number of committees at the J with an emphasis on teen engagement.
Star-Studded Book & Arts Festival in the Heart of Houston In our Post- Harvey world, the word "community" has taken on new meaning. Everywhere we look, we see people helping people, and people reaching out to connect. There is nothing more essential for our community than to heal. And there is no better way to begin that healing than by coming together to celebrate Jewish arts and culture at the Ann and Stephen Kaufman Jewish Book & Arts Festival! Yes, you read that right! After 44 years, the name has changed to reflect what this vibrant and diverse community event has become. We are proud to introduce you to the Festival!
“This year we have created a new buzz with our ‘Think Tank’ which aims to target trends in the community and reach new audiences. This will make the Book & Arts Festival even more relevant to all who attend and there will truly be something for everyone,” said Lisa. “Knowing how much time, energy and love that goes into creating this Festival makes me appreciate it and everyone who is a part of it, all the more.” Hilary Kamin brings a refreshing new outlook to the Festival as the Director of Education at Houston Congregation for Reform Judaism. She’s been working to include a younger generation in this 45 year tradition. “We’re really excited about bringing new audiences to the Festival this year and we’re including lots of new programs and events that will broaden our outreach. New initiatives include a Jewish Artist tour at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and highlighting a local artist in the Deutser Art Gallery, whose signature piece is featured on the brochure cover. We also hope to draw in teens with a Chopped style cooking competition we are planning in collaboration with Houston Connect 68.” Don’t miss this year’s star-studded Festival that opens October 28 with actor Stephen Tobolowsky discussing his new book My Adventures with God. Wear your rhinestones on Closing Night with American song writer and composer Steve Dorff discussing his new book I Wrote That One, Too: A Life in Songwriting from Willie to Whitney. We're presenting a live musical theatre production from New York City for Oliver Lapin Family Day: Hanna and the Moonlit Dress.
The best is yet to come and there is still an opportunity to join the team and get in on the excitement. Volunteer to be part of this 45 year literary tradition at the J. Contact jross@erjcchouston.org for more information.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29
11:00 AM | Local Literati: Art & Soul
4:00 PM | Yvette Manessis Corporon
Art and Soul seems to define this year’s contributions to the Local Literati program. Join us as we hear from Houston writers and inquire about their most recent literary endeavors. A reception and book signing in the Bookstore follows the program. This year's featured authors include Idan Ben-Ezra (The Book of Insights), Dr. Milton S. Klein (Learned by Heart: Dialogues with My Father), Ann M. Leis and Gail Danziger Klein (Music of the Butterfly: A Story of Hope) and Lois Stark (The Telling Shapes of Changing Times).
Something Beautiful Happened: A Story of Survival, Faith and Courage in the Face of Evil The past and present collide when Yvette Manessis Corporon learns that her cousin’s child was gunned down by a Neo-Nazi, just days after finding and uniting with the descendants of a Jewish family her grandmother helped to hide on a Greek island during the Holocaust. In her book, Something Beautiful Happened, the Emmy Award winning writer, producer and author gains a new perspective from the newfound family’s tenacity to persevere. Supported by the Rosita and Albert Gaon Sephardic Heritage Program Endowment Fund
2:00 PM | FILM Monkey Business: The Adventures of Curious George’s Creators
Directed by Ema Ryan Yamazaki | USA, 2017, 77 min English, Documentary Get to know the creators behind one of literature’s most beloved characters in Monkey Business: The Adventures of Curious George’s Creators. Little did we know that the husband and wife duo authors, Hans and Margret Rey, escaped from Nazi Germany on makeshift bicycles, and rode across Europe carrying the unpublished manuscript of Curious George with them. Directed by Ema Ryan Yamazaki, this mixed-media documentary reveals how the Rey’s extraordinary real-life adventures are mirrored inside the pages of this classic children’s book series. Curious George cartoons will be playing in the Bookstore.
Patron Sponsors: Betsy and Ed Schreiber
7:30 PM | Dorit Rabinyan All the Rivers: A Novel
Presented in collaboration with Rice University’s Program in Jewish Studies Winner of the 2015 Bernstein Prize, Dorit Rabinyan delivers a love story “crisscrossed by physical and emotional borderlines”. When an Israeli from Tel Aviv and a Palestinian from Hebron meet one winter in New York, the world’s harsher realities temporarily fall away. After separating and returning to their respective countries, their story refuses to come to an end. Rabinyan, who was born in Israel to an Iranian-Jewish family, masterfully depicts a realistic and heart-wrenching relationship in this controversial novel. 5
MONDAY, OCTOBER 30
7:30 PM | Stacy Middleman 6:30 PM | Art Opening Jennifer Pittsford Art: Works of Collage Join us in the Deutser Art Gallery for an Art Opening and meet the artist reception. Jennifer Pittsford is a visual artist specializing in collage, using torn and cut magazines to create an image. As a high school senior, she was accepted into the Art Satellite Program where she took an advanced course at The Milwaukee Art Museum and was introduced to collage as a fine art medium.
Dear Cancer, Love Stacy When Stacy Middleman was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 35, and re-diagnosed eight years later, she found a therapeutic outlet by writing letters in real time on Facebook expressing her rage and raw emotions. Dear Cancer, Love Stacy is a compilation of those posts which reveal Stacy’s resilience and profound love for her family and her life. Middleman shares her message of prevention and understanding of the BRCA gene. Her 16-minute documentary about this former Houstonian's journey will also be presented.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31 1:00 PM | Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Jewish Art Tour
7:30 PM | Stéphane Gerson
Join Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Docent, Kem Schultz for a private tour of works by Jewish artists currently on exhibit. Dig deep into the personalities of the artists, their techniques, inspirations, and the intricacies of their works.
Stéphane Gerson’s memoir, Disaster Falls, is ironically the name of the area of Green River in Utah where his eight-year-old son drowned during Photo credit: Nina Subin a family rafting trip. The aftermath of this tragic loss is chronicled in an emotionally raw manner as Gerson grapples with how oppositely he and his wife mourn their son’s death, leading to their adamant determination to keep the marriage intact. In his book, the NYU professor and cultural historian also explores society’s reactions to the death of a child.
Advanced purchase required by October 23 Limited space available Not Included in Series or Patron Pass
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Disaster Falls: A Family Story
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1 BOOK LOVERS LUNCH
12:00 PM | Alexandra Silber & Sana Krasikov
Photo credit: Emma Mead
Alexandra Silber | After Anatevka: A Novel Inspired by “Fiddler on the Roof” Internationally acclaimed actress and singer Alexandra Silber brings us After Anatevka – a story which picks up where the musical Fiddler on the Roof ends. If you ever wondered what happens to the beloved characters of Tevye, his wife, Golde, and their daughters after the curtain fell, this is your chance to find out. Silber devises a heartfelt love story between Tevye’s second-eldest daughter, Hodel, and her socialistic fiancé, who was exiled to a labor camp for his involvement in the resistance.
Sana Krasikov | The Patriots: A Novel The Patriots is an epic spy story spanning three generations and crisscrossing between the United States and Russia during the Cold War years. One of Granta’s Best of Young American Novelists, Sana Krasikov depicts Florence Fein, a woman who moves from Brooklyn to Russia for a promising career, but gets caught in an inescapable web. Years later, her son Julian makes the opposite move to the U.S., however, on a business trip to Moscow, he learns of his mother’s involvement with the KGB.
Patron Sponsor: Joyce Cramer Advance Purchase Required by October 27 | Not included in Series or Patrons Pass
7:30 PM | Kvetch or Kvell – Parenting Through a Jewish Perspective Presented in partnership with Kveller
Join us for a conversation with Kveller Editor, Sarah Seltzer and contributing writers from the thriving online community of parents who share, celebrate and commiserate their experiences of raising kids through a Jewish lens. This panel of Jewish parent bloggers will explore diverse ways of incorporating Judaism and Jewish culture into different parenting styles. Panelists include: Carla Naumburg, PhD., a clinical social worker and author. Naumburg appeared at JBAF in 2014 and 2015 with Ready, Set, Breathe and Parenting in the Present Moment; Shannon Sarna, Editor of the popular Jewish food blog The Nosher; and Houstonian Jill Patir, a former Jewish educator and mother of two. Patir is currently the Membership and Outreach Coordinator at Congregation Emanu El. Kveller Editor, Sarah Seltzer will moderate the panel.
7:30 PM | Yehoshua November Two Worlds Exist Finalist for the 2017 Paterson Poetry Prize and for the 2016 National Jewish Book Award in Poetry, Yehoshua November’s poetry collection, Two Worlds Exist, ponders upon the balance of practicing an ancient religious tradition in contemporary America. November’s beautiful and thought-provoking reveries on work and family, and the crossroads between sacred and secular, cause the reader to want to partake in religious devotion despite our busy lives. November teaches at Rutgers University and Touro College and lives in Teaneck, NJ.
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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2 6:30 PM | Katha Pollitt Abortion: Truth and Post-Truth
Presented in collaboration with the Gray/Wawro Lectures in Gender, Health, and Well-being from the Center for the Study of Women, Gender, and Sexuality at Rice University ALTERNATE LOCATION
Rice Media Center, Rice University | 2030 University Blvd Claims about abortion have been aggressively promoted by anti-abortion activists and politicians and are now enshrined in many laws and policies. Behind them lies a web of stereotypes, questionable science and outright pseudo-science that has been debunked many times. Poet, essayist, and columnist for The Nation, Katha Pollitt re-frames the concept of abortion as a common part of a woman’s reproductive life and argues why it should be accepted as a moral right, declaring that it’s time to reclaim the lives and rights of women and mothers.
RSVP to tinyurl.com/pollitt2017 Patron Sponsors: Sherry and Gerald Merfish
7:30 PM | Lou Cove Man of the Year Man of the Year is an unbelievable true story of author Lou Cove’s thirteenth year – a time when shortly after his family’s move to Salem, Massachusetts, his father’s charismatic, handsome friend Howie Gordon, and his gorgeous wife arrive. The hippie couple shacks up with the family, inadvertently holding everyone together. On Thanksgiving Day, Howie shockingly displays Playgirl Magazine’s center-fold photo…of himself: Mr. November. Howie then appoints Lou to be his campaign manager to become the magazine’s Man of the Year.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4 8:00 PM | FILM Fanny’s Journey
Shirley and Bill Morgan Family Holocaust Memorial Fund Directed by Lola Doillon | France/Belgium, 2016, 94 min French with English Subtitles, Drama
Audience Choice Winner Runner Up from the 2017 Houston Jewish Film Festival, Fanny’s Journey is a remarkable true story about a 13-year-old girl, who must fearlessly lead her sisters and a band of Jewish orphans through the countryside of Nazi-occupied France to find freedom on the Swiss border. Fanny’s bravery and strength give her the resourcefulness to protect her peers along the challenging mission. Directed by Lola Doillon, this suspenseful coming-of-age drama is based on an autobiographical novel by Fanny Ben-Ami. 8
See page 20 for prices.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5 11:00 AM | Patricia Bernstein Ten Dollars To Hate: The Texas Man Who Fought the Klan ALTERNATE LOCATION
Temple Sinai | 13875 Brimhurst Drive Houston public relations owner and author Patricia Bernstein brings us Ten Dollars to Hate. In her book, Bernstein vividly portrays a brutal chapter of the massive 1920s incarnation of the Ku Klux Klan that infiltrated law and politics throughout the nation. Bernstein introduces Dan Moody, a 29-year-old Texas district attorney, who was the first to successfully convict and jail five Klan members – a key event that led to the demise of this iteration of the clan.
Photo by Malcolm Stewart
2:00 PM | FILM
7:30 PM | Alexandra Zapruder
Ben-Gurion, Epilogue
Twenty-Six Seconds: A Personal History of the Zapruder Film
Presented in collaboration with American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and the Consulate General of Israel to the Southwest Directed by Yariv Mozer | Israel/France, 2016, 70 min Hebrew, English with English subtitles, Documentary
Never-before-seen footage of Israel’s founding father and former prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, was discovered in the depths of an archive in Jerusalem and revitalized in Yariv Mozer’s Ben-Gurion, Epilogue. The documentary features a compilation of a six-hour interview recorded in 1968. It spans several days in Ben-Gurion’s desert home at the age of 82, where he introspects on the loss of his wife, his personal health, political legacy and his hopes for peace in the Middle East.
Alexandra Zapruder’s book, Twenty-Six Seconds tells the story behind how her grandfather, Abraham Zapruder, captured the iconic footage of the JFK assassination in Dallas, TX, November 1963. With the sole purpose of recording JFK’s motorcade passing through Dealey Plaza and later showing it to his family, Abraham instead caught the tragedy on film, resulting in many sensitive issues to consider. Author and educator, Zapruder is part of the founding staff of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C.
Auditory Equipment Available for Hearing Impaired
If you need assistance in hearing clearly, equipment is available to enhance your ability to hear the program. Just ask at the Box Office when you arrive and it will be provided for you with courtesy and sensitivity. Closed Captioning provided for Opening Night. 9
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5
Oliver Lapin Family Day 9:15 AM–12:00 PM
Kindness… Here, There and Everywhere! Hanna and the Moonlit Dress Directed by Ronit Muszkatblit
10:00 AM–10:50 AM | Ages 3-8 Arrive at 9:40 for pre-show craft
Book Readings Honoring Amy Krouse Rosenthal 9:15 AM–10:15 AM | Ages 2-8
Amy Krouse Rosenthal (1965-2017), a prolific children’s book author, memoirist and public speaker is the author of 28 spirited children’s books, including Spoon, Little Pea, and Friendshape. Join us in the bookstore as we honor Rosenthal’s legacy with book readings geared towards different age ranges.
Based on Itzhak Schweiger-Dmi’el’s classic Israeli tale Hanna’s Sabbath Dress, and adapted for stage by Ronit Muszkatblit and Yoav Gal, Hanna and the Moonlit Dress is an interactive musical about the magic of a good deed. When an elated Hanna receives her new dress, she Photo credit: Basil Rodericks rushes to show her friends Zuzi the dog and Edna the cow, where unbeknownst to her, a meaningful adventure awaits. Before the start of the show, children will get an opportunity to help create Hanna’s world and moonlit journey. Hanna and the Moonlit Dress has been incubated by The Theater at the 14th Street Y. Hanna and the Moonlit Dress received its World Premiere at the 14th Street Y in 2016.
Mispacha & Me Story Time
ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCE
Join Mishpacha & Me for story time during the Festival. Music, stories, crafts and more can all be found at the J Bookstore. For more information please contact Mishpacha & Me Coordinator Mari O'Leary at moleary@erjcchouston.org.
Have kids in elementary school? Bring your family for a fun art project, a fantastic show, and a delicious dinner, all followed by Havdalah under the stars.
October 31, November 2, 7, 9 | 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM Ages 0-5
Hanna and the Moonlit Dress Dinner & a Show with Shabbatify Saturday, November 4 | 5:00 PM Arrive at 4:30 PM for pre-show craft
RSVP to Rabbi Samantha at ssafran@erjcchouston.org. Shabbatify brings together elementary school families for meaningful and fun-filled Shabbat and Sunday afternoons.
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See page 20 for prices.
Hebrew Book Swap
Read with Faithful Paws
10:00 AM–12:00 PM Bring your Hebrew children’s books that your family is no longer reading and pick up some new ones! Tsofim (Israeli Scouts) will be present to assist.
11:00 AM–12:00 PM | Ages 6-8 Rediscover the love of reading by reading to a pet therapy dog. Bring your own book or pick from our selection.
PJ Library Event with Mishpacha & Me
10:30 AM–11:30 AM | Ages 2-5
Kindness through Art This year's event features a live storytelling and puppet show of Hanna’s Sabbath Dress performed by Houston’s own Gwynne Ross. Hanna’s mother sews a beautiful white dress for her. When a promise to keep the new dress clean for the Sabbath is broken, Hanna discovers that helping people is much more important than a spotless dress. Music and crafts included.
11:00 AM–12:00 PM | Ages 3-8
Help us spread kindness throughout our community by writing and decorating cards to the important people in our lives. Thank first responders and community leaders and let family and friends who flooded know that you're thinking about them.
Bookmark Contest – "Kindness...Here, There and Everywhere" Children ages 0-3, 4-6, and 7-10 are invited to design a bookmark that represents our theme, “Kindness...Here, There and Everywhere” to be entered into the Oliver Lapin Family Day bookmark contest. Guest judges include local artist Ellen Orseck and jewelry designer Yael Rahimi. All entries will be due on Sunday, October 29. Winners from each age group will be announced on Sunday, November 5 after the Hanna and the Moonlit Dress performance. Bookmarks will be available on Oliver Lapin Family Day flyers, at the Levy Park event on October 28 and at erjcchouston.org/familyday.
Oliver Lapin Family Day Goes to Levy Park Saturday, October 28 | 12:00 PM–2:00 PM For families with children up through elementary school ALTERNATE LOCATION
Levy Park | 3801 Eastside
Photo credit: Joel Luks
Join us at the fabulous new Levy Park for book readings all about kindness as you enjoy the park. Celebrity readers Amy Davis, Eva De La Cruz, Bonnie Kasner, Bobby Lapin, Theodore Lee, Laurie Levy, Rabbi Jill Levy, Bobbi Samuels and others will educate and entertain children of all ages through stories of gemilut chasadim, acts of loving kindness. A premium public green space, Levy Park is located in the upper Kirby district and has native landscaping, playscapes, water features, an event lawn, community garden, and dog park. Parking is available on Eastside Street, Wakeforest Avenue and in the Kirby Grove office building at the corner of Richmond and Wakeforest.
Oliver Lapin Family Day is endowed in loving memory of Oliver Lapin by his family. Hanna and the Moonlit Dress is supported by the Goldye M. and Samuel W. Spain Children’s Performing Arts Fund. All events on Saturday, November 4 and Sunday, November 5 take place at the Evelyn Rubenstein JCC. Family events are FREE and open to the public with the exception of Hanna and the Moonlit Dress. For Hanna and the Moonlit Dress tickets visit erjcchouston.org/bookfestival or call 713.729.3200
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 6 TAKE YOUR PICK: READING AS A COMMUNITY
7:30 PM | Julia Dahl & Brian Platzer
Julia Dahl | Conviction: A Novel
Brian Platzer | Bed-Stuy Is Burning: A Novel
Julia Dahl’s Conviction is “a murder mystery for our tumultuous times.” [New York Magazine]. Journalist Rebekah Roberts receives a letter from a self-proclaimed innocent convict who was arrested 22 years prior for the brutal murder of a black family in Crown Heights, Brooklyn – a neighborhood infamous for violent riots between blacks and Jews in the early ‘90s. As Rebekah investigates the forgotten case, she comes across the path of a killer with secrets spanning two decades. Dahl currently writes about crime and criminal justice for CBSNews.com.
Bedford-Stuyvesant, a notoriously volatile and rapidly gentrifying Brooklyn neighborhood, is the setting for Bed-Stuy Is Burning, and where author Brian Platzer and his family currently reside. The middle school English teacher’s poignant debut novel centers on one catastrophic day, when riots ignite after a cop shoots a boy in a nearby park. Platzer offers us a window into how the riots affect the lives of one family: Aaron, a former rabbi turned Wall Street banker, his journalist girlfriend, Amelia, and their newborn baby.
Marilyn Hassid Emerging Author
Join the community by reading one or both of these books before the Festival or make it your book club’s choice this fall! Purchase the book at the J to receive FREE entry to the Take Your Pick Program. Email jross@erjcchouston.org to coordinate book purchase and pick-up. Let us know if your book club will be reading along! Contact takeyourpickjbaf@gmail.com for VIP book club benefits.
A Membership for Every Budget 12
Join and get member rates on Book Festival events and more for an entire year!
Visit erjcchouston.org/membership for more information.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7 7:30 PM | Gary Belsky Up Your Game!: Skills, Tips, and Strategies to Achieve Total Sports Mastery A great read for any sports fan, Up Your Game! is comprised of more than 150 entries – offering up tricks, techniques and unwritten rules to help readers reach their full potential in all things sports related. From naming your fantasy team to hosting a Super Bowl party, Gary Belsky gets you on top of your game. Belsky is editor in chief of ESPN The Magazine, and frequently lectures on the psychology of decision making to business and consumer groups around the world. Patron Sponsors: Elena and Joel Dinkin
7:30 PM | Amy Kritzer Sweet Noshings: New Twists on Traditional Jewish Desserts Food blogger for What Jew Wanna Eat, Amy Kritzer, has created 30 innovative Jewish desserts in her cookbook, Sweet Noshings. Inspired by her bubbe’s traditional recipes, Kritzer incorporates her culinary background, and uses modern ingredients and techniques to put a new spin on her favorite treats. Recipes such as Apricot Fig Stuffed Challah and Honey Pomegranate Whiskey Cake are just a few examples. Kritzer’s recipes have been featured in The Huffington Post, The Today Show Food Blog and Bon Appetit. Enjoy desserts inspired by her recipes following the program.
BECOME A PATRON!
Help the J present a diverse season of dynamic programs to stimulate the mind, strengthen the community and showcase Jewish and Israeli culture. Benefits include VIP seating, discounts, advance notice of special events and invitations to exclusive meet-and-greets with some of the world’s most memorable people plus Program Membership at the J.
Learn more at erjcchouston.org/patrons 13
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 8 7:30 PM | Linda Hirshman Sisters In Law: How Sandra Day O’Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg Went to the Supreme Court and Changed the World Donna Frankoff Memorial Lecture
Photo credit: Nina Subin
Linda Hirshman’s dual biography ties together the careers of the first and second women judges to serve on the Supreme Court. The book reveals how these two trailblazers came from very different backgrounds, yet were strengthened by each other’s presence, and together, they transformed the Constitution and America, further advancing equality for all women. Hirshman is an attorney, author, and respected cultural historian.
Patron Sponsors: Lisa and Roy Sheinbaum
7:30 PM | Kathy Kacer & Jordana Lebowitz To Look a Nazi in the Eye: A Teen’s Account of a War Criminal Trial Exclusively for Teens
ALTERNATE LOCATION
To Be Announced In 2015, 19-year-old Jordana Lebowitz attended the war criminal trial in Germany of Oskar Groening, a “bookkeeper” at Auschwitz who was charged for complying in the death of more than 300,000 Jews. Lebowitz is the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, and her story of witnessing this historical trial is told through author and Holocaust education activist Kathy Kacer. Since the trial, Lebowitz’s mission has been to pass her history on to the next generation, and advocating for Holocaust remembrance.
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See page 20 for prices.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9 12:30 PM | Melton Lunch & Learn Evan Moffic | The Happiness Prayer: Ancient Jewish Wisdom for the Best Way to Live Today ALTERNATE LOCATION
To Be Announced At the age of 30, former Houstonian, Rabbi Evan Moffic was the youngest rabbi to lead a large U.S. synagogue, but despite his success, he wasn’t happy. He later discovered a 2,000-year-old prayer for happiness – the Eilu Devarim – that teaches 10 practices that Moffic claims has transformed him and his congregation. In The Happiness Prayer, Moffic shares Jewish wisdom tradition with insights for today, offering readers the means and the meaning of joyous living.
Optional Lunch at 12:15 PM | Reservations required by November 6 to Nomi Barancik at 713.729.3200
5:00 PM | Film
7:30 PM | Glenn Frankel
High Noon
High Noon: The Hollywood Blacklist and the Making of an American Classic
Directed by Fred Zinnemann | USA, 1952, 85 min English, Drama Glenn Frankel will introduce the film and frame it in the context of his book. A retiring town marshal (Gary Cooper) prepares for a solo showdown with a gang of vengeful outlaws whose leader he arrested. As the town clock ticks down, even the marshal's new Quaker bride (Grace Kelly) is nowhere to be found.
In his book, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Glenn Frankel sheds light upon the making of a classic American Western and how the screenwriter, Carl Foreman, developed the movie during the height of the Hollywood blacklist. Frankel tracks this turbulent political climate through the details of Foreman’s own testimony for his previous membership in the Communist Party, only adding deeper meaning to the courage and loyalty that is portrayed in the film.
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10 1:00 PM | Film Body and Soul: An American Bridge
Presented in partnership with Houston Cinema Arts Festival
Directed by Robert Philipson | USA, 2017, 58 min | Documentary American popular music is known to become great through cross-cultural encounters, yet the relationships between African Americans and American Jews historically expose the deepest dichotomy between fraternity and conflict…that is until the American jazz standard, "Body and Soul," forged a fortuitous bridge. In director Robert Philipson’s first feature-length documentary, Body and Soul: An American Bridge, we develop a better understanding of how one of the most recorded songs in the jazz repertoire came to fruition, breaking the color barrier in popular music.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 11 7:00 PM | David Kischner Matzo
Houston Connect 68: Exclusively for 6-8 graders | Chopped: Matzo Wars program ALTERNATE LOCATION
To Be Announced Michelin-trained and private culinary chef David Kirschner is a co-author of Matzo: 35 Recipes for Passover and All Year Long. He and Michele (Mikie) Streit Heilbrun, co-owner of Streit’s Matzos (the 90-year-old fine Kosher food company), partnered to share some classic and some new Passover recipes revolving around the primary staple: matzo. Recipes such as Matzo Granola, and Matzo Tiramisu can be found inside the new book and promise to have readers craving these recipes year-round.
8:00 PM | Concert Tavche Gravche
Maurice Amado Foundation Music Residency and Concert Tavche Gravche ventures from the bustling streets of New York City to entrance us with its unique sound. Playing a combination of Macedonian and Mediterranean melodies, this eclectic group gives off a traditional, yet original vibe that will make you want to get up and dance. The trio includes Macedonian-born clarinetist Vasko Dukovski, Israeli-born guitarist Dan Nadel, and Israeli Jazz bassist Daniel Ori. The performers take advantage of their unique blend of cultural backgrounds to create an entirely new auditory adventure. Underwritten by The Maurice Amado Foundation SEPHARDIC HERITAGE
COOKBOOK
earn how to create dishes of the Sephardic culture, including using traditional ingredients like artichokes, pomegranates, cardamom, cinnamon, and rice. You can also indulge your sweet tooth with a variety of tasty desserts!
The Or Chadash Sisterhood of Sephardic Temple Tifereth Israel, compiled this cookbook through a series of lunch meetings. Each lunch was hosted by a different member and featured her family recipes and an explanation of the traditions and memories behind the meals. The spirit of collaboration and tradition make the pages of the cookbook come alive.
SEPHARDIC T EMPLE O R C HADASH S ISTERHOOD
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SEPHARDIC HERITAGE COOKBOOK
From Turkey, Rhodes, Greece, Iran, Morocco, Egypt, the Caribbean, and other countries and regions come mouthwatering delicacies steeped in years of family tradition.
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For the Or Chadash Sisterhood Sephardic Temple Tifereth Israel, these dishes are all labors of love. In their new cookbook, they include treasured family recipes, along with memories and stories of the cultural legacy behind each dish.
Ottoman, Persian, Moroccan, Egyptian Recipes and More S EPHARDIC T EMPLE O R C HADA SH S IST ERHOOD
Join us in the Bookstore after the concert to enjoy a reception featuring delicacies from this new cookbook from members of Sephardic Temple Or Chadash Sisterhood in Los Angeles. Artichokes and pomegranates, cardamom and cinnamon, a multitude of ways to make rice, and an abundance of sweet desserts. Tasty recipes appear along with stories that contain the foods and flavors of the greater Sephardic world.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 12 11:00 AM | Eddy Portnoy Bad Rabbi: And Other Strange but True Stories from the Yiddish Press Written with reverence and love for all things Yiddish this is a compendium of stories about the downwardly mobile Jews whose daily disgraces were exposed through Yiddish newspapers during pre-WWII New York and Warsaw ¬– the two major centers of Yiddish culture in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Author Eddy Portnoy, Senior Researcher and Exhibition Curator at YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, offers us a window into an unknown world of strange, eastern European transplants, whose shortcomings became fodder for urban gossip.
2:00 PM | Theatre The Play’s the Thing This year the J joins nine other communities across the country to participate in the Jewish Plays Project (JPP), a nationwide organization dedicated to promoting the creation of new plays with Jewish-related content. The JPP’s main vehicle for achieving this goal is the Jewish Playwriting Contest. The winning play receives a workshop production in New York. Members of the J’s Theatre Committee will be joined by leading professionals from Houston’s vibrant theatre community in reading and evaluating the 10 top plays submitted for 2018. Listen in as this esteemed group hosts a public discussion of the plays they are reading. The discussion, facilitated by JPP artistic director David Winitsky, will provide audience members a rare opportunity to hear their perspectives on these stimulating, new plays and also learn more about the state of new Jewish plays in America.
4:00 PM | Dr. Michael Roizen Age-Proof: Living Longer Without Running Out of Money or Breaking a Hip Cleveland Clinic’s chief wellness officer Dr. Michael Roizen paired up with TODAY Show financial expert, Jean Chatzky, to explain the fundamental link between health and wealth in Ageproof. In this book, the authors provide tactics, strategies, and know-how to achieve stronger, healthier, more lucrative lives. They demonstrate that the same principles we use to better our bodies will allow us to do the same for our financial independence. Patron Sponsor: Leah Stolar
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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 12
CLOSING NIGHT
7:30 PM | Steve Dorff I Wrote That One, Too‌: A Life in Songwriting from Willie to Whitney One of the most successful songwriters and composers of the last quarter century, Steve Dorff has penned over 20 Top 10 hits for pop and country artists, including Barbara Streisand, Whitney Houston, Celine Dion and Ray Charles. He has scored for television shows, including Growing Pains and Murder She Wrote, and films, including Any Which Way but Loose. Most recently, he has ventured into musical theater, with two Broadway projects underway. In his book, I Wrote that One, Too. Dorff chronicles his four decades behind the music – offering anecdotes, advice and insights into his experiences. From his childhood in Queens, to his eventual arrival in LA, he takes us along for the ride, as he follows one dream at a time. Underwritten by Janet and Elton Lipnick
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See page 20 for prices.
ADDITIONAL EVENTS Laughter on the 23rd Floor
Written by Neil Simon | A Staged Reading | Directed by Steve Garfinkel Saturday, October 21, 2017 | 8:00 PM Sunday, October 22, 2017 | 3:00 PM Long before Saturday Night Live and The Daily Show, there was Your Show of Shows. From the gifted pen of America’s favorite playwright, Neil Simon, comes one of his funniest plays, a love letter to his early career as a writer for Sid Caesar’s Your Show of Shows. Simon recounts his writing, fighting and wacky antics during the early days of live television when he cavorted with such comedy legends as Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks.
GET CULTURED: THE J’S ARTS & CULTURE EVENTS FOR PEOPLE IN THEIR 20s AND 30s PRESENTS
Inside the Author’s Studio with Adam Valen Levinson The Abu Dhabi Bar Mitzvah Exclusive Event for Ages 21 to Thirty-Something Thursday, November 16 | 7:30 PM Happy Hour Reception | 7:00 PM
ALTERNATE LOCATION
REC Room | 100 Jackson Street With a restless curiosity to “learn about the world 9/11 made us fear,” multimedia backpack journalist and travel writer Adam Valen Levinson sets out to explore predominantly Muslim lands in his book, The Abu Dhabi Bar Mitzvah. From a safe base in Abu Dhabi, he takes risky adventures such as eating lunch in the Taliban territory of Afghanistan, and cliff-diving in Oman. As he crosses borders, Valen Levinson expresses with humor and humanity that common ground among all people can be found anywhere.
David Biespiel Presented in Partnership with the Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center Sunday, November 19 | 5:00 PM ALTERNATE LOCATION
Brazos Bookstore | 2421 Bissonnet Street The Education of a Young Poet is David Biespiel’s moving account of his awakening to writing and the language that can shape a life. Exploring the original sources of his creative impulse—a great-grandfather who traveled alone from Ukraine to America in 1910, eventually settling as a rag peddler in the tiny town of Elma, Iowa—through the generations that followed, Biespiel tracks his childhood in Texas and his university days in the northeast, led along by the “pattern and random bursts that make up a life.”
Photo credit: Marion Ettlinger
…Biespiel’s supple memoir of becoming a poet will surely inspire other writers to embrace the bodily character of writing and feel the power and, sometimes, the emptiness of the act of writing poetry.” — Publishers Weekly 19
SCHEDULE-AT-A-GLANCE GENRE
TIME
PROGRAM
PRICE
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28 8:00 PM
OPENING NIGHT Stephen Tobolowsky – My Adventures with God
FREE
Houston Authors
11:00 AM
Local Literati: Art & Soul
FREE
Film/Visual/Performing Arts
2:00 PM
FILM: Monkey Business: The Adventures of Curious George’s Creators
$10m | $15p
History
4:00 PM
Yvette Manessis Corporon – Something Beautiful Happened: A Story of Survival and Courage in the Face of Evil
$12m | $18p
Fiction, Literature & Poetry
7:30 PM
Dorit Rabinyan – All the Rivers: A Novel
$12m | $18p
Film/Visual/Performing Arts
6:30 PM
Jennifer Pittsford Art: Works of Collage
FREE
Memoir
7:30 PM
Stacy Middleman – Dear Cancer, Love Stacy
$12m | $18p
Film/Visual/Performing Arts
1:00 PM
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Jewish Art Tour* °
$20
Memoir
7:30 PM
Stéphane Gerson – Disaster Falls: A Family Story
$12m | $18p
Memoir SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29
MONDAY, OCTOBER 30
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1
Fiction, Literature & Poetry
12:00 PM
BOOK LOVERS LUNCH° Alexandra Silber – After Anatevka: A Novel Inspired by “Fiddler on the Roof” Sana Krasikov – The Patriots: A Novel
$27 (Includes one book and lunch)
Advanced purchase required
Family, Parenting & Teen Programming
7:30 PM
Kvetch or Kvell – Parenting Through a Jewish Perspective
$12m | $18p
Fiction, Literature & Poetry
7:30 PM
Yehoshua November – Two Worlds Exist
$12m | $18p
Non-Fiction
6:30 PM
Katha Pollitt – Abortion: Truth and Post-Truth*
FREE
Memoir
7:30 PM
Lou Cove – Man of the Year
$12m | $18p
Family, Parenting & Teen Programming
5:00 PM
THEATRE: Hannah and the Moonlit Dress
$8m | $12p Discounts for families 5+
Film/Visual/Performing Arts
8:00PM
FILM: Fanny’s Journey
$10m | $15p
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5 Family, Parenting & Teen Programming
9:15 AM– 12:00 PM
Oliver Lapin Family Day
FREE
Family, Parenting & Teen Programming
10:00 AM
THEATRE: Hannah and the Moonlit Dress
$8m | $12p Discounts for families 5+
History
11:00 AM
Patricia Bernstein – Ten Dollars To Hate: The Texas Man Who Fought the Klan*
$12m | $18p
Film/Visual/Performing Arts
2:00 PM
FILM: Ben-Gurion, Epilogue
$10m | $15p
History
7:30 PM
Alexandra Zapruder – Twenty-Six Seconds: A Personal History of the Zapruder Film
$12m | $18p
Due to circumstances beyond our control, programs are subject to change.
GENRE
TIME
PROGRAM
PRICE
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 6 7:30 PM
TAKE YOUR PICK: READING AS A COMMUNITY Julia Dahl – Conviction: A Novel Brian Platzer – Bed-Stuy is Burning: A Novel
$12m | $18p
Non-Fiction
7:30 PM
Gary Belsky – Up Your Game!: Skills, Tips, and Strategies to Achieve Total Sports Mastery
$12m | $18p
Culinary
7:30 PM
Amy Kritzer – Sweet Noshings: New Twists on Traditional Jewish Desserts
$12m | $18p
Non-Fiction
7:30 PM
Linda Hirshman – Sisters In Law: How Sandra Day O’Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg Went to the Supreme Court and Changed the World
$12m | $18p
Family, Parenting & Teen Programming
7:30 PM
EXCLUSIVELY FOR TEENS Kathy Kacer & Jordana Lebowitz – To Look a Nazi in the Eye: A Teen’s Account of a War Criminal Trial*
FREE
Jewish Text & Culture
12:30 PM
MELTON LUNCH & LEARN Evan Moffic – The Happiness Prayer: Ancient Jewish Wisdom for the Best Way to Live Today*
$12m | $18p (FREE for Melton Students)
Film/Visual/Performing Arts
5:00 PM
FILM: High Noon
$6
History
7:30 PM
Glenn Frankel – High Noon: The Hollywood Blacklist and the Making of an American Classic
$12m | $18p Includes free admission to High Noon
1:00 PM
FILM: Body and Soul: An American Bridge
$10m | $15p
Family Programming & Parenting
7:00 PM
EXCLUSIVELY FOR 6-8 GRADERS “Chopped” with David Kirschner - Matzo*
FREE
Film/Visual/Performing Arts
8:00 PM
CONCERT: Tavche Gravche
$20m | $30p
Jewish Text & Culture
11:00 AM
Eddy Portnoy – Bad Rabbi: And Other Strange but True Stories from the Yiddish Press
$12m | $18p
Film/Visual/Performing Arts
2:00 PM
THEATRE: The Play's the Thing
FREE
Non-Fiction
4:00 PM
Dr. Michael Roizen – Age-Proof: Living Longer Without Running Out of Money or Breaking a Hip
$12m | $18p
Memoir
7:30 PM
CLOSING NIGHT Steve Dorff – I Wrote That One, Too…:A Life in Songwriting from Willie to Whitney
$12m | $18p
7:30 PM
EXCLUSIVELY FOR AGES 21-THIRTY SOMETHING Inside the Author’s Studio with Adam Valen Levinson – The Abu Dhabi Bar Mitzvah
$10 (Includes book)
5:00 PM
David Biespiel
$12m | $18p
Fiction TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 8
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9
Optional Lunch $10
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10 Film/Visual/Performing Arts SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 11
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 12
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16 Get Cultured: For 20s & 30s SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 19 Fiction
°Not included in Series or Patron Pass m – Member
p – Public
* ALTERNATE LOCATION Event takes place at an alternate location. Please see full listing for address.
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THANKS & RECOGNITION 2017 ANN AND STEPHEN KAUFMAN JEWISH BOOK & ARTS FESTIVAL STEERING COMMITTEE CHAIR Lisa Sheinbaum BROCHURE COPY Emily Feinstein
BOOKSTORE SET UP/STRIKE Barbara Kalmans Rosemary Pachter BOOKSTORE VOLUNTEER MANAGERS Carol Emery Esther Chess Linda Chess Carol Emery Ellen Gaber Ann Glazier Sandy Gomel Robin Greenspan Louise Kershman Beulah Maltz Ruth Morris Claire Noll Sheila Sack Leenie Skolnik Carol Sternberg Beverly Sufian
COMMUNITY PARTNERS Mardi Kunik FILM Leah Gross Megan Uzick GET CULTURED Meryl Abbott Jordan Steinfeld HOSPITALITY Julie Johnson Lena Malacoff Michael Richker Vicky Richker JEWISH LIVING & LEARNING Joe Pryzant
VICE-CHAIR Hilary Kamin VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR Bari Fishel
LOCAL LITERATI Gerald Blumenthal Aaron Howard
WEST HOUSTON PROGRAM Diane Statham
MUSIC Adrianne Lavis FAMILY/PARENTING PROGRAMS Rebecca Block Erin Johnson PLANNING COMMITTEE CHAIR Nada Chandler TAKE YOUR PICK Lori Farris Stefani Twyford THEATRE Maida Asofsky
EVELYN RUBENSTEIN JCC PRESIDENT Debbie Kaplan ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, ARTS & CULTURE Amy Rahmani BOBBI AND VIC SAMUELS CJLL DIRECTOR Rabbi Jill Levy
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Joel Dinkin ARTS & CULTURE ASSISTANT Jasmine Ross
BOOKSTORE MANAGER Barbara Lindenberg
BOBBI AND VIC SAMUELS CJLL ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Rabbi Samantha Safran THEATRE TECHNICIANS Jerry Lynch Lee Snyder
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ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Marilyn Hassid THEATRE COORDINATOR Steve Garfinkel
BOBBI AND VIC SAMUELS CJLL PROGRAM COORDINATOR Nomi Barancik
THANKS & RECOGNITION FUNDERS AND SUPPORTERS Underwritten by the Eleanor and Frank Freed Foundation Supported by the Evelyn Rubenstein JCC Patron of the Arts and The Maurice Amado Foundation
Official Hotel of the ERJCC
MEDIA SPONSOR
PROUD MEMBER OF
IN KIND COMMUNITY PARTNERS Congregation Or Ami
The Business and Professional Women's Breakfast Club of The Jewish Federation of Greater Houston
Jewish Federation of Greater Houston Jewish Federation of Greater Houston B&P Connections Jewish Feminist Reading Group Temple Sinai The Guild of the Holocaust Museum Houston
United Orthodox Synagogues of Houston Village of Tanglewood Village of Meyerland Village of River Oaks
This short list reflects the community partners who committed prior to Hurricane Harvey and our print deadline. As in past years, we know we will welcome more and those organizations and agencies will be acknowledged in the future.
HOURS DURING BOOK & ARTS FESTIVAL Mon-Thurs: 9:00 AM–7:30 PM Friday: 9:00 AM–2:00 PM Sunday: 11:00 AM–7:30 PM
Oliver Lapin Family Day Sunday Nov. 5: 9:00 AM Opening
As of print deadline
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Stepping Out A Sukkot Message from Rabbi Samantha Safran
E
very year, the Torah instructs us to get outside and spend seven days dwelling in temporarily constructed booths, called sukkot (singular: sukkah). We are expected not only to build and decorate these booths, but to dine in them, socialize in them, even sleep in them. During this holiday, aptly called Sukkot, it is customary to welcome guests, or ushpizin, into one's sukkah—family and friends as well as strangers and those in need. In the sixteenth century the Jewish mystics put a new twist on this custom by designating each night in the sukkah for a particularly important biblical figure—Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, Joseph and David. Some mystics even linked these male counterparts with women identified in the Talmud as female prophetesse—Sarah, Miriam, Devorah, Hannah, Abigail, Huldah and Esther. Each night a pair descends into our sukkah and we welcome them with a blessing and honor their memory with stories, songs and retellings of their contribution to the Jewish people. Like the sukkah, the mystics taught, these Jewish icons represent uprootedness and in their wanderings personified a worthy divine attribute to which we can also aspire. So, when we think about welcoming ushpizin into our sukkah, we can do this literally or figuratively. Today, the themes of Sukkot feel particularly relevant, as so much of our community has been displaced. We have witnessed firsthand the way that something as seemingly permanent and secure as a home can be whisked away from us in a matter of hours, leaving us with our own sense of uprootedness. Yet we can take comfort in the mystics' wisdom that the holiday gives us space to dwell not only with those who are currently in our lives, but also ancestors, biblical and contemporary, who have influenced our lives in the past. By inviting ‘spiritual guests,’ we have the chance to reflect on their journeys as well as our own. Whether we find ourselves in an actual sukkah this year or in some other temporary abode, may we enjoy company both literal and metaphorical, and may the divine attributes of our guests inspire us to make ourselves and the world better.
JOIN US FOR OUR SUKKAH EVENTS: Oct 6 | Mishpacha & Me Music & Dinner in the Sukkah Oct 11 | Adult Lunch and Program in the Sukkah 24
Holiday Recipes
by Laykie Donin Café At The J/Laykie's Gourmet KREPLACH
Unlike other holidays, Sukkot has no traditional dishes other than "kreplach." Traditionally eaten on the 7th day/Hoshana Rabbah, kreplach are small squares of thin dough filled with ground beef or chicken and folded into triangles. They are traditionally boiled and served in soup or fried and served as a snack or side dish. Hoshana rabbah is considered to be the day of the final sealing of each person's yearly verdict which began on Rosh Hashanah. According to Chassidic masters of Kabbalah, kreplach symbolize G-d's benevolent mercy, symbolized by the dough, covering over strict justice, symbolized by the meat. DOUGH: 1 3/4 cups flour 2 eggs 1/2 tsp salt 3 tbsp oil Combine dough ingredients together in a bowl. Knead and roll out thinly on a floured board. Cut into 3 inch squares. (Dough will roll out more easily after being wrapped in a damp cloth for an hour.) FILLING: 1 cup cooked ground chicken or beef 1 onion grated 1/2 tsp salt Mix the filling ingredients. Put a small spoon full of filling in the center of the 3 inch square and fold into a triangle. Use some water on your fingertips to seal the edges. For a shortcut, instead of making the dough from scratch use ready-made wonton dough skins. They are perfect for kreplach dough and are delicious fried! Frozen circles of empanada dough also work so well for kreplach dough, everyone will think its your bubby's secret recipe.
An Interview with our Melton Family P owered
by
Y ou r G en eros it y
There’s a group of people who are doing something extraordinary at the J; Jewish adults who once a week come together in mind and spirit to add meaning to their Jewish identity through the Melton & More program. Melton & More offers rich, in-depth Jewish studies courses designed by The Florence Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning as well as local Houston faculty. Classes are pluralistic and text-based and address topics from the Bible through modernity. But what happens here is not just simply literary exploration – to these learners it has become a whole lot more. We asked each of them to share their J story through the eyes of their Melton family.
Luisa Kopinsky
I consider some of these people, with whom I have become very good friends, to be “family” and connected by some very interesting and fulfilling activities! They along with my children and grandchildren helped me celebrate my 80th birthday on July 1 and I was very glad to have them with me! It was a great experience and an incredible opportunity to learn from them. Thank you for offering this great opportunity to me personally and to the Jewish Community in Houston!
James McIngvale
At the core of the Melton experience for me, was the reality that even though there were “more observant” Jews and “less observant” Jews who came and took part in the classes, we all had one central thing in common - being Jewish. We were all interested in studying Judaism and Jewish practice and we all were devoting our time and effort to learn more. It was a great place for Reform, Conservative or Orthodox Jews to interact with each other, learn, share, even disagree and discuss - which thankfully Judaism encourages. Having a safe, neutral place to explore these feelings and options is a wonderful thing and great asset to the Houston Jewish community.
Ronnie Kurtin
It’s truly wonderful how meaningful the Melton classes have been. The classes are relevant to everyday life, inspiring and fun. It really has changed my life since retiring from being an executive at Shell and Hess Corporation a few years ago. It is such a well done program, the curriculum is thought out and instructors are knowledgeable. I end up learning just as much from the diverse group of students attending as you do from the excellent pool of instructors. It’s a real gem to have this right here in Southwest Houston, a couple miles from my home. To learn more about Melton and the Jewish Living and Learning contact Samantha Safran at ssafran@erjcchouston.org.
To join others in powering the J Annual Fund, visit erjcchouston.org/annualfund or contact Anita Bormaster, Director of Annual Giving, at 713.595.8192. 25
Children's Scholarship Ball
“We have seen the value in making sure our children are nurtured, educated and continue to build friendships. It is vital to their stability and growth, even more so when other areas of their lives are fragile,” said Bonnie Kasner, Director of the Early Childhood Education.
Bob Harvey is the President and CEO of the Greater Houston Partnership. He has served in a variety of community volunteer leadership roles including serving as Board Chair of the United Way of Greater Houston from 2007 – 2010. Harvey currently serves on the Community Foundation Council of the Greater Houston Community Foundation and the boards of St. John’s School, the Greater Houston Convention and Visitor Bureau, the Center for Houston’s Future, the Alliance for I-69 and the Houston Technology Center.
The 2018 Honorees are long-time Houstonians. Wendy Bernstein and Bob Harvey were selected for their dedication, leadership and service to our community and improving the quality of life for children and youth.
“The Evelyn Rubenstein JCC is such an important part of our community with the work they do and the families they serve,” said Bob. “I’m flattered and honored to be a part of this event that makes programs available to all in our community.”
Wendy Bernstein is a sales associate at Bernstein Realty. She is a former Ball Chair and has shown her commitment to the community through her volunteer efforts and service to the J, the Emery/Weiner School, the John P. and Katherine G. McGovern Medical School and UTHealth.
Marci Gilbert and Ashley Roseman will serve as Ball co-chairs. Elizabeth Rubinsky and Lindsay Schmulen are this year’s silent auction co-chairs. Tables and tickets are on sale now at erjcchouston.org/csb.
As the Evelyn Rubenstein JCC and the greater Houston community begin to rebuild after Hurricane Harvey, the J remains committed to uniting the community and providing the support families need to ensure their children can attend school and camp. The J will host the 28th Annual Children’s Scholarship Ball benefiting the Irvin Kaplan Children’s Scholarship fund on Saturday, February 24, 2018 at The Royal Sonesta Hotel. The Ball was created to ensure that all children, from six-weeks to teenagers, of all religious and ethnic backgrounds and with different abilities can participate in our early childhood programs and J Camps. And now the need for some of our families has never been greater.
“I am humbled by this honor and more importantly, I believe wholeheartedly in the importance of the mission of the Ball, especially this year,” said Wendy. “I have witnessed first hand the importance and positive impact on families and children who, without support, would be unable to attend the excellent programming at the J.”
For more information on sponsorship or volunteer opportunities, please contact Michelle Frankfort at csb@erjcchouston.org.
Tributes
Thank You to our Generous Donors! We would like to extend our sincere thanks to our many individual, corporate and foundation donors whose generous ongoing support helps the J continue to be a vital community asset. ADULT MITZVAH FUND
In honor of Blair Bushong – The Stay Young Through Fitness Class In memory of Florence Dubov – Annette Liftman In honor of Mel Kleiman – Susan & Ed Septimus In honor of Bobbi Samuels upon receiving the David H. White Award – Susan & Ed Septimus In honor of Sandra Schimmel with wishes for a speedy recovery – Susan & Ed Septimus In honor of Morgan Steinberg – Susan Septimus In memory of Melvyn Wolff – Ellen Hochman
ANN & STEPHEN KAUFMAN JEWISH EDUCATION FUND In honor of Mrs. Ann Kaufman – Anonymous, Cherill Dubinski and Barbara & Barry Lewis
BOBBI & VIC SAMUELS CENTER FOR JEWISH LIVING AND LEARNING
In honor of Bobbi Samuels upon receiving the David H. White award – Tami & Gregg Sheena and Saranne & Livingston Kosberg
ELLEN BONIUK EARLY CHILDHOOD SCHOOL FUND
In memory of Karen Storthz – Matt Silverman
BUILDING FUND
In memory of Karen Storthz – Leah & Jon Gross
GENERAL TRIBUTES/ANNUAL FUND
In memory of Evelyn Bell – Marcia Forbes In honor of Ms. Lisa Brooks – Jewish Herald-Voice Vicki Samuels Levy & the Jewish Herald-Voice In honor of John Bryant – Barbara & Raymond Kalmans In memory of Marcia L. Corn – Gary Corn In memory of Larry Folloder – Ann & Stephen Kaufman In memory of Wilma Friedman – Kiewit Infrastructure Co/Laura Barker In memory of Jay Karkowsky – Geraldine Karkowsky In honor of Bonnie Kasner – Caroline & Adam Funk In honor of Mr. and Mrs. Evan Katz – Jenny & Tom Moore In honor of Ann Kaufman on her birthday – Joan & Marvin Kaplan In memory of Jack Lee – Janis & Stephen Block Carol & Lenny Hoffman In memory of Jeffrey Lerner – Joan & Marvin Kaplan In honor of Nancy Lerner – Caroline & Adam Funk In honor of Kathy Parven for a successful Maccabi – Punkin & Walter Hecht In honor of Jerry Rubenstein on his birthday – Carol Gold In honor of Bobbi Samuels upon receiving the David H. White Award – Barbara & Ben Rosenberg and Sharon & Dan Brener In memory of June Sherman – Mary & Martin Sherman Patti & Daniel Altman In memory of Gerard Stafford – Paula Stafford In memory of Albert Stein – Joan & Marvin Kaplan Judy Weil In memory of Charlotte Storthz – Stanley Rosenblatt In memory of Karen Storthz – Bonnie & Marc Kasner Joe Epstein, Lois & Lary Kupor and Stanley Rosenblatt In honor of Eleanor Zuber on her birthday – Joan & Marvin Kaplan
GERALD RAUCH MEMORIAL FUND
In memory of Davna Brook – Lila Rauch In honor of Herbert Cook on his birthday – Lila Rauch In honor of Paul Friedlander on her birthday – Lila Rauch In honor of Paula and Alfred Friedlander on their anniversary – Lila Rauch In memory of Maryann Hoffer – Lila Rauch In honor of Doris Katz on her birthday – Lila Rauch In honor of Gloria Leder on her birthday – Lila Rauch In honor of Michael Richker on his birthday – Patricia & Mark Rauch
In honor of Jerry Rubenstein on his birthday – Lila Rauch In honor of Linda and Jerry Rubenstein on their anniversary – Lila Rauch In honor of Melvyn Wolff* on his birthday – Lila Rauch
HARRIS WEINGARTEN TENNIS CENTER
In memory of Esta Lezama – Debbie Boniuk In memory of Dr. Karen Adler Storthz – Melanee & David Weiser, Debbie Boniuk, Barbara & Ernest Henley and Shelley Wisner In honor of Steve Weingarten on his speedy recovery – Emily W. Stein
KAROL MUSHER STARS EARLY CHILDHOOD INTERVENTION PROGRAM FUND In honor of Karol and Daniel Musher on their 50th wedding anniversary – Paula & Steve Baker In honor of Karol Musher – Muriel Meicler
MACCABI SCHOLARSHIP FUND
In honor of Zach Hiller upon induction into the Hall of Fame – Sherry & Lenny Dubin In honor of Bobbi Samuels upon receiving the David H. White Award – Sherry & Lenny Dubin and Family
MARGIE ABRAMS & LOUIS GERSHEN MEMORIAL PLAYGROUND FUND In memory of Uncle Dan McKinney – The Gershen & Abrams Families
MARILYN HASSID EMERGING AUTHOR FUND
In memory of June Sherman – Joanne & Donald Brodsky
MEALS ON WHEELS
In honor of Maida Asofsky on her birthday – Joyce Greenberg In honor of dad, Louis Balentine, on Father’s Day – Heidi Balentine In honor of Dick Brooks on his birthday – Marge & Hans Mayer In honor of Meyer Chaskin on his birthday – Marge & Hans Mayer In honor of Lauren Dauber on her Bat Mitzvah – Elena & Joel Dinkin In honor of Morgan Fox – Michelle Edwards In memory of Clara Gold – Sara & Mark Bettencourt, Sandra & Steven Finkelman, Karen Gardstein, Barbara Golub, Celine & David Hecht, Maxine & Herman Lapin, Velva & Fred Levine, Irv & Barbara Black Levine, Karen & Bill Rubinsky, Miriam Selig, Ronnie Stein, Nancy & Paul Wangles, Herb & Lou Wexler-Mizis, Bess Wishnow and Marcia Zisman In memory of Julius Gordin - Anonymous In memory of Gerald Harris – Jean Wu In honor of Talia Kalmans on her Bat Mitzvah – Elena & Joel Dinkin In honor of Jean and Fred Kessler on their 63rd anniversary – Jerry Axelrod In memory of Herbert Klein – Barbara Golub In memory of Molly Kooperman – Florence Berger In memory of Jack Lee – Aviva Sufian & Steve Krubiner In honor of Karol and Daniel Musher on their 50th wedding anniversary – Heidi Balentine In memory of Jerry Anne Farr Reid – Marylee & Edward Kott In honor of Michael Richker on his birthday – Sandy & Don Harris In memory of June Sherman – Judy & David Bell In memory of Albert Stein – Rochelle & Sheldon Oster, Judy & David Bell and Aaron & Pat Fradkin In memory of Shirley Taitel Stern – The Blum and Cweren Families In memory of Karen Storthz – Barbara & Ron Smoller In honor of Norma Trusch on her birthday – Joyce Greenberg In honor of Nora Au Wu on her birthday – Jean Wu
In honor of Zachary, the grandson of Sandra & Steve Finkelman – Marge & Hans Mayer
MELTON SCHOOL OF JEWISH LEARNING In memory of Ira Black – Shirlee Rosenthal
MERFISH TEEN CENTER BUILDING FUND
In honor of Gerald Merfish – from “the guys on the ski trip” In memory of June Sherman – Sherry & Gerald Merfish
MIKE GROSSMAN/JUDY RICHKER JCC MACCABI SCHOLARSHIP FUND
In memory of Matthew Amarant – Vicky & Michael Richker In memory of Adele Arkus – Vicky & Michael Richker In memory of Lawrence Axelrad – Vicky & Michael Richker In memory of Irl Bernstein – Vicky & Michael Richker In honor of Blair Bushong upon receiving the Jerry Wische Staff Excellence Award – Vicky & Michael Richker In memory of Burt Chotiner – Vicky & Michael Richker In memory of Isaac Dvoretzky – Vicky & Michael Richker In memory of Celina Fein – Vicky & Michael Richker In memory of Lawrence Folloder – Vicky & Michael Richker In memory of Herman Gillman – Vicky & Michael Richker In memory of Carolyn Russell Holmes – Vicky & Michael Richker In memory of David Jonas – Vicky & Michael Richker In memory of Jack Philip Lee – Vicky & Michael Richker In memory of Esta Lezama – Vicky & Michael Richker In memory of Ernestina Lipman – Vicky & Michael Richker In memory of David Matz – Vicky & Michael Richker In memory of Brooks Wood Porter – Vicky & Michael Richker In honor of Michael Richker on his 80th birthday – Marvy Finger, Hilda & Bobby Frank, Maxine & Herman Lapin, Gayle Schnurr and Sandy Turk In memory of Florence Rodkin – Vicky & Michael Richker In memory of Harry Serota – Vicky & Michael Richker In memory of Albert Stein – Vicky & Michael Richker In memory of Charlotte Storthz – Vicky & Michael Richker In memory of Morris Marvin Turk – Vicky & Michael Richker In memory of Jonathan Uzick – Vicky & Michael Richker
NANCY LERNER SCHOLARSHIP FUND In honor of Nancy Lerner on her birthday – Shannon Gardner
NITE OWLS PROGRAM
In memory of Evelyn Bell – Joan & Stanford Alexander
OLIVER LAPIN CHILDREN’S BOOK FAIR FUND In honor of the memory of Oliver Lapin and the wonderful book fair programming – Danielle Samuels In memory of Oliver Lapin – Suzy & John Landa
PATRON OF THE ARTS FUND
In honor of Maida Asofsky on her birthday – Bernice Heilbrunn In honor of Bobbi Samuels upon receiving the David H. White Award – Susie & David Askanase
SHELLY SEROTA MEMORIAL FUND
In memory of Harry Serota – Robyn, Jeff, Leah & Lauren Shkolnik In memory of Shelly Chadwin Serota – Larry Serota In memory of Karen Storthz – Mardi & Mark Kunik
SOPH & AL NATKIN STARS PROGRAM FUND Wishes for a speedy recovery for Nancy Glesby – Linda & Jerry Rubenstein
THEATER PROGRAM FUND
In honor of Maida Asofsky on her birthday – Elena & Joel Dinkin In memory of Sonia Kronberg – Diane Kraitman As of August 2017
For corrections or to make a donation, please contact our Development Department at 713.551.7219.
Evelyn Rubenstein JCC Houston
Nonprofit Org . U.S. Postage
5601 S. Braeswood | Houston, TX 77096-3907 713.729.3200 | erjcchouston.org
PAID
Houston, Texas Permit No. 6217
The Ann and Stephen Kaufman
Jewish B ook & Arts Festival 45 Years of Authors, Music, Theatre & Films | OCTOBER 28–NOVEMBER 12, 2017 Underwritten by The Eleanor and Frank Freed Foundation
OPENING NIGHT
Stephen Tobolowsky My Adventures with God Saturday, October 28 | 8:00 PM
CLOSING NIGHT
Steve Dorff I Wrote That One, Too…: A Life in Songwriting from Willie to Whitney Sunday, November 12 | 7:30 PM erjcchouston.org