AJU webinar welcomes Taffy Brodesser-Akner as guest

AUTHOR JOINS AJU B'YACHAD WEBINAR

TAFFY BRODESSER-AKNER, NEW YORK TIMES CONTRIBUTOR SPOKE WITH ATTENDEES IN MAY

In the latest installment of American Jewish University’s (AJU) B’Yachad Together online learning series, New York Times best-selling author and contributor Taffy Brodesser-Akner joined AJU Vice President for Advancement Catherine Schneider in a captivating conversation. More than 530 people tuned into the webinar on May 6.

During the discussion, Brodesser-Akner discussed the insights she gained from her career as a novelist and reporter as well as the lessons she draws on from her own Jewish journey.

Her 2019 best-selling novel Fleishman is in Trouble sparked a stimulating conversation on gender roles, marriage, divorce, online dating, midlife crises and class anxiety in modern society. During the webinar, Brodesser-Akner identified Pulitzer-Prize winning novelist Philip Roth as one of her primary literary influencers. Many view her as continuing in his and Woody Allen’s zeitgeist.

Regarded as one of the decade’s most prolific celebrity profile journalists, Brodesser-Akner recalled her efforts to help resurrect a subgenre of feature reporting once thought to be dead. Her profile piece on actor Val Kilmer — published in the Times on the same day as the AJU B’Yachad Together webinar — sparked a broader discussion about the current COVID-19 world and what it looks like to “survive a dark moment in history,” as Brodesser-Akner penned in the profile.

“What is most remarkable about this moment in history is the way that community and culture have become such integral parts of our resolve to fight this pandemic,” said AJU Vice President for Advancement Catherine Schneider. “It was an honor to facilitate a conversation with Taffy, a remarkable writer known for saving the celebrity profile — and a friend.”

As part of B’Yachad Together: Spirited by American Jewish University, the webinar was offered a no-cost. The webinars capture and deliver insights from AJU scholars and thought leaders across a variety of fields. Since its inaugural webinar in March, AJU has offered more than 40 B’Yachad Together online events, including conversations with journalists, academics, Rabbis, authors, national security experts, attorneys, and arts and culture experts.

President of AJU, Dr. Jeffrey Herbst noted, “the current crisis has challenged us to be nimble and entrepreneurial to meet the needs of our community. We are delighted with the overwhelmingly positive response to our B’Yachad Together: Spirited by AJU online conversations, showcasing Jewish thought leaders from across the country. We will continue to provide nourishing content based on eternal Jewish wisdom using the latest technologies.”

A CALENDAR OF UPCOMING WEBINARS CAN BE FOUND AT AJU.EDU/BYACHADTOGETHER.

BACK TO SCHOOL Fall Semester 2020

San Diego Jewish Academy Will Accommodate Students On Campus Five Dates A Week

SDJA Solidifies Plans for Campus Reopening Aligned with Health and Safety Guidelines

San Diego Jewish Academy (SDJA), located on a 56-acre campus in Carmel Valley, today announced that campus will reopen five days a week for all students at the end of August. The school, which is K-12 and has an Early Childhood Center, also highlighted success in navigating the demands of COVID 19 distance learning and maintaining strong community experiences online this past spring.

“We are extremely proud of our teachers for the world-class academics, online community engagement, and seamless transition our students experienced as we moved to distance learning due to COVID 19,” said Heidi Gantwerk, Chair of the SDJA Board. “Along with positive feedback learned from our recent parent survey — in which more than 90 percent of parents said they would recommend the school to peers at this time — we are preparing for in-person learning this fall. We know this will not look exactly like school in past years, but we are structuring our classrooms and other learning environments to be ready for this new normal.”

In addition to the added abilities for distancing provided by the large SDJA campus, plans include an array of changes to further enhance the safety and health of the SDJA students — from intensifying natural air flow in classrooms and building spaces, to instituting appropriate health screenings, and practicing and teaching healthy habits. SDJA’s outdoor courtyard spaces, large garden at the heart of the campus, sports fields, Innovation Center, and other campus spaces can serve as different learning environments. Any student who cannot be on campus for any reason will also be able to utilize the school’s remote learning platform.

“We are prepared for a range of scenarios and can offer high quality academics and meaningful community connections, whether online or in-person,” continued Gantwerk. “Our enrollment is growing and classes are filling up for the fall. We’re able to offer significant tuition assistance, which we know is critical for many families during these challenging times. If families are considering enrolling their students in SDJA for the fall, we encourage them to act quickly.”

LEARN MORE ABOUT SDJA’S PLANS FOR THE FALL CAMPUS OPENING AT WWW.SDJA.COM.

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