Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership | spertus.edu
Dec 2015 – Feb 2016
News & Events They set out to reconstruct a lost synagogue. They recovered a lost world. Raise the Roof premiere launches Sunday Cinema Series P19
Educating Jewish Educators Spertus spearheads impressive community-wide network P7
Jewish Studies Advanced scholarship, inspiration, and wisdom P13 12 Chicago-area artists investigate the theme of wisdom through the Midwest Jewish Artists Lab P23
A partner with the Jewish United Fund in serving our community.
Spertus Institute offers dynamic learning opportunities, rooted in Jewish wisdom and culture and open to all. Graduate programs and workshops train future leaders and engage individuals in exploration of Jewish life. Public programs include films, speakers, seminars, and concerts—at the Institute’s Michigan Avenue facility, in the Chicago suburbs, and online.
We Love to Hear From You To reach Spertus, visit spertus.edu, email us at info@spertus.edu, or call our general line at 312.322.1700. Our box office line is open Sunday–Thursday, 10 am-4 pm at 312.322.1773. Discount Parking $11 with Spertus validation at Standard Parking at the Essex Inn, 8th Street and Michigan Avenue (2 blocks south of Spertus). Enter on 8th between Michigan and Wabash. Accessibility Spertus welcomes all visitors and is committed to making its facilities and programs accessible to people with special needs. Elevator access is available to all areas of the building. Please let the box office know of any special needs or requests when you purchase program tickets. Program Scholarships Thanks to the foresight and philanthropy of many individuals over many years, scholarships are available for people who want to participate in select Spertus public programs. Call 312.322.1743 for details. If you are interested in providing scholarship support, we welcome your generosity. Please contact our development office at 312.322.1758.
Cover image: Movie still from Raise the Roof, ©2014 Trillium Studios, Courtesy of The National Center for Jewish Film
Printed on 30% post-consumer recycled paper.
Learning
Contents News Letter from Spertus President and CEO Dr. Hal M. Lewis P4 Marc R. Wilkow Awarded Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters P5
Educating Jewish Educators P7 Spertus Graduate Helps Families Discover their Past P13
Leadership
Creating Great Places to Work—Report from Harvard Lecturer Tal Ben-Shahar P6
Spertus Seeks Your Feedback P27 Celebrating Hanukkah P29
Community Mentoring P8 Jewish Community Networking Night P9
Arts & Culture
Professional Development from the Center for Jewish Leadership
Master Classes in Social Media and Program Design P9 Certificate in Jewish Leadership P11 Nominations Open for Innovation and Collaboration Awards P11
News
Degree Programs Master of Arts in Jewish Professional Studies P11 Masters and Doctoral Programs in Jewish Studies P12
Joseph Cardinal Bernardin Annual Lecture on Catholic/Jewish Relations P5 One Book | One Community 2015: Meet Author Lev Golinkin P15
Resources
Programs and Events
Like a Bomb Going Off: Ballet as Resistance in Soviet Russia P17 Sunday Cinema P19 & P21 Jewish Arts and Culture Mini-Course P22
Support Spertus
Follow Spertus on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest to get exclusive updates, invites, and discounts.
Events
Benefits of Membership P31
Turning the Corner— Education and Rededication
Letter from the President Readers who have followed recent news about Spertus may have heard about a change in our financial position. In this column, I would like to speak to this issue with candor and transparency. Shortly after we moved into our magnificent building, Spertus fell victim to the economic recession that challenged businesses and organizations locally and across the country. While much of our financial trouble was the result of external factors, some was undeniably of our own making. Since then, we have taken steps to right our ship, restoring economic stability and long-term viability. We reduced personnel costs, adjusted our programmatic footprint, balanced our budget, and raised an additional $24,000,000. Committed as we have been to this financial turnaround, we never made fiscal stability an end in itself. Throughout, we have remained unapologetically focused on the advancement of our core programming—adult Jewish learning and the training and development of communal leaders. In September, we completed a refinancing of our facility, removing the existential threat hovering over our building. This would not have happened without the combined efforts of our Board of Trustees, the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago, a tenacious team of professionals, generous donors, dedicated attorneys,
and the many contributors, patrons, and students who support us. To be sure, challenges are not over. The new normal facing nonprofit organizations means that fiscal concerns are never far away. The need for annual support—for increased scholarship dollars, for endowment funds to guarantee the efficacy of our arts and cultural offerings, and for resources to expand our leadership programming—has not diminished. On the contrary, needs have grown, commensurate with our expanding reputation across North America and around the world. But Spertus Institute’s future is no longer in doubt. We have turned the corner and are extremely grateful. Hanukkah, which literally means “rededication,” shares the same Hebrew root—hnkh—with the word for “education.” At this season of the year, and at this time in our history, Spertus, a premier Jewish educational institution, is proud to rededicate itself to fiscal integrity and the critical work of adult Jewish learning and leadership.
Dr. Hal M. Lewis is President and CEO of Spertus Institute.
Read The Leading Edge, Dr. Hal M. Lewis’ blog about Jewish leadership, at spertus.edu/leading-edge
Learning
Well-Deserved Degree
The Standard Club of Chicago, Mt. Sinai Hospital and Medical Center, and the University of Chicago Law School. He has been a member of the Spertus Institute Board of Trustees since 1997. As Chairman and Past Chairman, he played a critical role in securing Spertus Institute’s growth and stability, ensuring that Spertus will foster learning and leadership for generations to come.
Arts & Culture
The new Dr. Wilkow is the President and CEO of M & J Wilkow, Ltd., a commercial real estate investment and management company. An attorney and real estate broker, he has served an impressive range of nonprofit organizations including Jewish Child and Family Services,
Leadership
At Commencement Ceremonies in August, community leader Marc R. Wilkow was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters (the highest honor that can be bestowed by an institution of higher learning) from Spertus Institute.
News
The 2016 Bernardin Jerusalem Lecture
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Creating a Foundation of Catholic-Jewish Dialogue
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Every year, Spertus Institute partners with the Archdiocese of Chicago, American Jewish Committee, Anti-Defamation League, Chicago Board of Rabbis, and the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago on the Joseph Cardinal Bernardin Jerusalem Lecture. This annual program commemorates Cardinal Bernardin’s 1995 visit to Israel and continues the dialogue he advocated between Jews and Catholics. This year’s speaker will be Archbishop Blase J. Cupich, who was appointed and installed as Archbishop of Chicago in 2014.
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The 2015 Bernardin Jerusalem Lecture takes place on Monday, February 22 at 7 pm at Chicago Sinai Congregation, 15 W. Delaware Place, Chicago. The lecture is free. To learn about this year’s topic and respondent, and to reserve your spot, visit spertus.edu/Bernardin
In the Community
Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar
Left to right: Spertus President and CEO Dr. Hal M. Lewis, Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar, Much Shelist Chairman David Brown, Mesirow CEO Marc Sacks and his wife Susan
Creating Great Places to Work On November 1, Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership welcomed Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar, bestselling author of Being Happy and Choose the Life You Want, to share his expertise on How Great Leaders Create Great Places to Work. Together, 400 creative and engaged participants learned about creating rituals, playing to strengths and passions, and harnessing stress as a source of motivation. We even learned to occasionally step away from our desks and actually go on vacation. Most importantly, we learned to improve our leadership styles, organizations, and businesses—and ultimately our entire community.
Thank You to Our Sponsors Great Place Gold Sponsors
Great Place Silver Sponsors
Learning
Educating Jewish Educators By Ali Drumm Ali Drumm is Director of Informal Education at North Suburban Synagogue Beth El and a graduate of Spertus Institute’s Master of Arts in Jewish Professional Studies. This is an excerpt of an article she wrote for JUF News.
I encourage my peers to participate.
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An impressive list of presenters includes: Stephen Brookfield (University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis), a leading authority on adult learning, about creating communities Catherine Marienau (School for New Learning at DePaul University) about learning theory and practice
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Rachel Fish (Schusterman Center for Israel Studies at Brandeis University) about developing programs relating to Israel Pilot project funded by the Community Foundation for Jewish Education and the Jewish United Fund. Ongoing initiative funded by the Jewish United Fund.
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Beginning last January, I was fortunate to participate in a prototype designed to forge an organized and adept community of those who plan and present Jewish programs for adults. This forerunner to what will now be known as the Chicago Adult Jewish Learning Professionals Group
Furthermore, what we are doing is unique and should serve as a model for other communities. Several partnerships have already emerged and I am thrilled to report that ongoing professional development sessions have begun. These are open to all area professionals working in adult Jewish learning. If you’d like to be included, contact program organizer Dr. Dean Bell at dbell@spertus.edu.
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Orchestrating these programs is a cadre of dedicated educators, each developing programs geared toward the constituents of their individual organizations. In many cases, this is done with limited financial resources and while juggling multiple roles. There hasn’t been a communitywide framework to foster cohesion and avoid redundancy, nor have there been opportunities for those in the field to cultivate partnerships, analyze challenges, and enhance their professional skills. Until now.
Arts & Culture
For adults who wish to learn about Judaism, explore Jewish history, or enjoy a dose of Jewish culture, the Chicago community provides plenty of possibilities. Programs can be found at synagogues and community centers, downtown cultural institutions and suburban libraries, prestigious universities and the neighborhood cineplex.
Leadership
(CAJLP), was presented by Spertus Institute in partnership with the JCC. It was created to build crossinstitutional collaboration, leading to enhanced quality, depth, and range of programs. I believe we have laid a foundation for exactly that.
The Center for Jewish Leadership is supported by a generous grant from the Crown Family.
Community Mentoring A mentor is the best anti-anxiety treatment on earth. 窶認orbes
The Community Mentoring Project, an initiative from the Center for Jewish Leadership at Spertus Institute, connects current and future Jewish organizational leaders to foster professional growth and share community knowledge and expertise. Be paired with a seasoned professional from outside your organization for one-on-one mentoring sessions. Participation is free. Space is limited. Available to those in paid positions with Chicago-area institutions that serve the Jewish community. The next application deadline is March 1, 2016. Apply online at spertus.edu/CommunityMentoring
Do you work in, for, or with a Jewish organization?
Learning
Jewish Community Networking Night Coming This Spring
Visit spertus.edu/community to request an invitation. This event is part of the Great Jewish Places to Work initiative.
Leadership
Once a year, Spertus Institute hosts a gathering for professionals and volunteers who serve Jewish Chicago. This special evening provides an opportunity to network with colleagues from other organizations, celebrate successes, and learn new ways to advance careers in the Jewish communal world. This year, enjoy an opportunity to hear from Caren Yanis, President, Crown Family Philanthropies.
Arts & Culture
Master Classes and Online Courses Open to all. Register online at spertus.edu or call 312.322.1773. $ 149 | $129 for Spertus members, students, and alumni.
Social Media Strategy Wednesdays from 6 to 8:30 pm | January 13–February 3
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Elly Deutch is Global Social Engagement Campaign and Advocacy Manager at McDonald’s Corporation. She has worked as a digital strategist and community manager for global and national brands including Kraft, Motorola, and Unilever.
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Great organizations add value for their clients, customers, and patrons at every turn. Through this hands-on, four-part master class taught by Digital Brand Strategist Elly Deutch, learn to create dynamic social media strategies to help your organization communicate its story, deepen relationships, and increase impact.
Program Design and Evaluation Tuesdays from 6 to 8:30 pm | February 16–March 8
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Business strategist Sarina Gerson will guide you through the detailed process of strategic program design. In this four-part master class, you’ll learn about environmental scanning, goal and mission alignment, logicmodeling, metrics, and evaluation methods to help you develop programs that add value for stakeholders and growth potential for your organization.
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Sarina Gerson is Director of the Teen Engagement Initiative at the Jewish United Fund. She has worked in the nonprofit sector on government affairs and public policy and as a consultant focused on strategic planning and leadership development.
Certificate in Jewish Leadership 2015 Recipient Peter Bensinger, Jr. found the program “a tremendously valuable experience.” Peter is a Partner at Bartlit Beck Herman Palenchar & Scott LLP and a Trustee at Spertus Institute, Lurie Children’s Research Institute, and Chicago Sinai Congregation. Photo by Dan Rest.
The Center for Jewish Leadership is supported by a generous grant from the Crown Family.
Advancing Jewish Organizations around the world
Learning
Certificate in Jewish Leadership Sponsored by Spertus Institute, in partnership with Northwestern University and jointly taught by faculty from both, this exciting offering serves both professionals and lay leaders who work for and with Jewish organizations.
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Through lectures and group work, participants learn to be skillful supervisors, manage change, and cultivate their own personal leadership styles. The program includes mentoring with established Jewish community leaders. Find out more at spertus.edu/certificate or contact Director of Enrollment Stacey Flint, who will be glad to give you specific information about any of these programs. Reach her at sflint@spertus.edu or 312.322.1707.
Arts & Culture
Innovation and Collaboration Awards
News
Applications are now open for the second annual Innovation and Collaboration Awards, recognizing projects that reach across institutions to serve the greater Chicago Jewish community. Apply by March 1. Details at spertus.edu/collaboration
Wanted Worldwide Resources
The career-boosting, community-building Jewish educational program that’s launching a new generation of Jewish leaders The Master of Arts in Jewish Professional Studies (MAJPS), first piloted in Chicago in 2008, has proved so impactful for graduates and the organizations they serve that the program is sought after by Jewish communities worldwide. Citywide cohorts are now being offered around the US and international cohorts are underway in Canada and Israel. Non-traditional programs geared toward busy, working adults Emphasis on application of learning Distinguished faculty Professional mentoring as a component of the program
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Learn more at spertus.edu/majps
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Do you work for a Jewish organization? Have staff members who deserve an opportunity to grow as Jewish professionals? Scholarships are available.
Photo by Tom Nowak.
Jewish Studies Advanced Scholarship | Inspiration | Wisdom Jewish Studies Graduate Programs at Spertus Institute are designed for students who seek to explore the breadth of the Jewish experience through advanced scholarship. Students study important texts and learn to work with rigorous academic methodologies in areas most meaningful to them. Masters and Doctoral programs offered in Chicago and through distance learning.
Advanced exploration into Jewish history and thought Learning for personal meaning and enrichment Onsite and online course offerings Excellent academic advising Acclaimed international faculty Development of critical thinking skills to foster a lifetime of learning
Learn more at spertus.edu/JewishStudies
Learning
Jewish Studies Scholar Helps Families Discover Their Past Interview with Spertus Alumna Janette Silverman
Leadership
Spertus Assistant Editor Joanna Rothenberg recently spoke with Janette Silverman, one of the many accomplished alumni of Spertus Institute’s graduate programs in Jewish Studies. Janette recently began a new role as a Senior Research Manager at Ancestry.com’s ProGenealogist division, specializing in Jewish genealogical research.
Arts & Culture
have the time to sit in a classroom. Spertus Institute was beginning their distance learning master’s program and I knew it would make a great springboard to a doctorate. After I completed my Master’s in Jewish Studies in the summer of 2000, I went straight into the DSJS program. Why genealogy?
What would you say to someone considering the Spertus program?
I wanted to go back to school but with children still at home, I didn’t
Read the full interview with Janette at spertus.edu/news/janette-silverman
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What inspired you to obtain your Doctor of Science in Jewish Studies (DSJS)?
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In spite of so many types of long distance learning, this program is one of a kind. I felt a personal connection to the Spertus faculty and staff and they helped ensure the structure fit around my work and family life. It took me 18 years from start to finish, but I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything. The late Dr. Sherwin, and the rest of the faculty at Spertus, made me who I am today.
Resources
As the Senior Research Manager at Ancestry ProGenealogists, I work with Jewish families who wish to learn about their family tree. My team and I comb through resources in the US and all over the world. I think of each project as a personal history lesson for the client—learning about different permutations of their name and what became of their ancestors. It’s a rewarding experience because the clients are thrilled with every new piece of information. As they become more immersed in their own stories, it keeps us [researchers] on our toes—wondering what we can find for them next.
News
Describe your new role at Ancestry.com
I spent a summer in Ukraine after finishing a course on Holocaust history with Spertus faculty member Dr. Elliot Lefkovitz. I discovered that the genealogical research I was doing impacted how I looked at different historical periods, laying the groundwork for my dissertation.
Lev Golinkin’s essays and opinion pieces have appeared in publications including The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and The Boston Globe.
“[A] hilarious and heartbreaking story of a Jewish family’s escape from oppression.... whose drama, hope and heartache Mr. Golinkin captures brilliantly.” —The New York Times
Learning
Meet Author Lev Golinkin His darkly comic memoir is this year’s One Book | One Community selection
Leadership
For the fifth year in a row, Spertus Institute is proud to spearhead One Book | One Community, in which a single Jewish book is selected as the focal point of discussions and events across the Greater Chicago Jewish community. The One Book initiative marks our community’s celebration of Jewish Book Month.
Arts & Culture
Lev Golinkin was born in Kharkov, Ukraine during the twilight of the Soviet Union, a time of virulent antisemitism. When immigration was made briefly possible due to international pressure, his family risked everything to make a new life for Lev and his sister. Years later, Lev retraced his family’s long trek. To offer his thanks, he located the strangers who helped his family and fought for their freedom. A Backpack, a Bear, and Eight Crates of Vodka is his story—and theirs. Reserve your spot at these events at spertus.edu/onebook.
News
In Highland Park Sunday, December 6 at 10:30 am at North Suburban Synagogue Beth El, 1175 Sheridan Road Free but reservations requested.
At Spertus Institute Sunday, December 6 at 4:30 pm Resources
Join us for a reception with the author and a special Hanukkah candle-lighting following the program. Tickets are $10.
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At this special event, Lev Golinkin will be introduced by Julie Smolyansky, CEO of Lifeway Foods, who, like the author, came to the US from Ukraine as a refugee. Julie Smolyansky was named one of the Most Creative People in Business by Fast Company magazine. She serves on the United Nations Foundation Global Entrepreneurs Council.
Find an exclusive Spertus interview with the author and a range of resources for book groups and individual readers at spertus.edu/onebook
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A Backpack, a Bear, and Eight Crates of Vodka is available in hardback, paperback, ebook, and audio versions. The book will be for sale at these events and Lev Golinkin will sign books following the programs.
Like a Bomb Going Off will be for sale and Janice Ross will sign books following the program.
Learning
Like A Bomb Going Off Leonid Yakobson and Ballet as Resistance in Soviet Russia Sunday, January 17 at 2 pm Few outside Russia know of Leonid Yakobson, a Jewish choreographic genius who did risky work in the Soviet Union during the darkest days of Stalin. A contemporary of George Balanchine, Yakobson created revolutionary dances for the Kirov and Bolshoi ballets.
Arts & Culture
Although working in a time of official antisemitism, Yakobson addressed Jewish themes in several of his ballets—openly when possible, covertly when necessary. Drawing from her new book, Like A Bomb Going Off: Leonid Yakobson and Ballet as Resistance in Soviet Russia, Janice Ross will share original research and rare archival dance footage when she presents Yakobson’s fascinating story.
News
This illuminating and beautifully written study brings to life a hidden history of artistic resistance in the Soviet Union.
Leadership
I salute Janice Ross for allowing us to peek behind the curtain of Yakobson’s extraordinarily creative life. His personal struggle for freedom—in life and in his art—was exemplary. —Mikhail Baryshnikov
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Dr. Janice Ross is a Theatre and Performance Studies Professor at Stanford University. A Guggenheim and Fulbright Scholar, she is the former dance critic for The Oakland Tribune and has served as a contributing editor to Dance Magazine for 20 years. $18 | $10 for Spertus members | $8 for students and Spertus alumni. Buy tickets online at spertus.edu/dance or call 312.322.1773. This program is part of the Solomon Goldman Lecture Series, generously endowed by Rose and the late Sidney Shure.
Events Support Spertus
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Top and left: Raise the Roof, © 2014 Trillium Studios | Bottom and inset: Carvalho’s Journey | Images courtesy of The National Center for Jewish Film
Learning
4 weeks in February 4 special speakers 4 films about Jewish journeys 3 documentaries | 2 Chicago premieres 1 vodka tasting
Each film $18 | $10 for Spertus members | $8 for students and Spertus alumni All four films $65 | $35 for Spertus members | $20 for students Buy tickets online at spertus.edu/film or call 312.322.1773.
Chicago Premiere | February 7 at 2 pm
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Post-show discussion with students and faculty who worked on the project will be followed by a film series opening reception.
News
The best vengeance against evildoers is to restore some of the beauty they thought they had destroyed forever. —Boston Globe
Beginning in 2004, artists Rick and Laura Brown of Handshouse Studio set out to reconstruct the magnificent, mural-covered, 18th-century Gwozdziec synagogue, destroyed—as were all the wooden synagogues of Poland—by the Nazis. Working with students and artisans from 16 countries using only period hand tools and techniques, this remarkable project took ten years to complete. This beautiful documentary brings you behind-the-scenes on this improbable and inspiring journey.
Arts & Culture
Raise the Roof
Leadership
Sunday Cinema
Carvalho’s Journey February 14 at 2 pm Carvalho’s Journey tells the extraordinary story of Solomon Nunes Carvalho, an observant Sephardic Jew who became one of the first photographers to document the sweeping vistas of Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and California. Traveling across treacherous terrain alongside mountain men, pioneers, Native Americans, and Mormons, Carvalho produced beautiful art, including daguerreotypes that became the way through which the world first viewed the American West.
Events
A real-life 19th-century American Western adventure story.
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Filmmaker Steve Rivo will introduce the film and lead a post-show discussion.
How often do you get a chance to reach deep into history and bring something back?
A real-life 19th-century American Western adventure story
Top: Camera Obscura | Bottom: How to Re-Establish a Vodka Empire, photo by Tim Sullivan | Images courtesy of The National Center for Jewish Film
Each film $18 | $10 for Spertus members | $8 for students and Spertus alumni All four films $65 | $35 for Spertus members | $20 for students Buy tickets online at spertus.edu/film or call 312.322.1773.
Learning
Sunday Cinema
Leadership
Camera Obscura February 21 at 2 pm
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An expert from the International Latino Cultural Center will introduce the film and lead a post-show discussion.
Arts & Culture
A lyrical feature film from award-winning director María Victoria Menis, Camera Obscura focuses on Gertrudis, the shy ugly duckling in a community of Jews in Buenos Aires Province in the 19th century. She fashions herself almost invisible, hiding her face in photographs. After she is married off to a wealthy Jewish rancher, she finds solace in the beauty of everyday life. One day her husband invites a gentle French photographer to take a family portrait. His surrealist photographs and uncompromising vision allow Gertrudis to see herself for the first time.
Nominated for eight Argentinean Film Critic Association Awards including Best Film, Best Director, and Best New Actress.
How to Re-Establish a Vodka Empire Resources
Chicago Premiere | February 28 at 2 pm
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When British filmmaker Daniel Edelstyn travels to Ukraine in search of his roots, A barnstorming tale of he discovers the vodka distillery opened vodka and revolution. by his great-grandfather in 1904 still —BBC Radio in operation. He decides—despite his utter lack of business experience—to import the vodka to the UK. This charming documentary includes inventive animated sequences created by Edelstyn’s wife, artist Hilary Powell. Following the film, Sonat Birnecker Hart, founder of gold medal-winning KOVAL Distilleries, will lead a discussion and vodka tasting. This program is for adults. Series closing reception follows.
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Films provided by:
Midwest Jewish Artists Lab visit to the Milwaukee Art Museum. Photo by participating artist Jonathan Franklin.
This year’s Midwest Jewish Artists Lab theme is Wisdom.
I Have Let You See It With Your Own Eyes, detail, by Midwest Jewish Artists Labp articipating artist Ellen Holtzblatt, oil on wood panel, 48 x 34 inches, © 2014
Save the Dates
Mini-Course on Jewish Art and Culture 3 Evening Sessions | March 17, 22, and 31 Takes place at the Evanston Art Center 1717 Central Street, Evanston An exceptional trio of teachers will include: Dr. Marc Michael Epstein, Vassar College Professor of Religion, former Director of the Hebrew Books and Manuscripts Division of Sotheby’s, and the author of Skies of Parchment, Seas of Ink: Jewish Illuminated Manuscripts Dr. Samuel Gruber, renowned art historian and architecture preservationist, President of the International Survey of Jewish Monuments, and Founding Director of the Jewish Heritage Council of the Worlds Monuments Fund Dr. Jenna Weissman Joselit, Director of the MA in Jewish Cultural Arts program at George Washington University and winner of the National Jewish Book Award for history. For information visit spertus.edu/mini-course
Learning Leadership
Midwest Jewish Artists Lab 12 area artists selected for project designed to foster community and support new work
The Midwest Jewish Artists Lab is generously supported by a grant from the Covenant Foundation.
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Applications for the 2016/2017 Chicago cohort of the Midwest Jewish Artists Lab will be accepted starting next summer.
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The artists selected are Sylvia Alotta of Berwyn, Gabriella Boros of Skokie, Melanie Dankowicz of Champaign, Susan Dickman of Evanston, Berit Engen of Oak Park, Jonathan Franklin of Oak Park, Ellen Holtzblatt of Chicago,
For the artists, the Lab provides a community of creativity, support, and enrichment. Monthly meetings— facilitated by Spertus Institute faculty and outside experts— feature topical discussions and occasions for critical evaluation of participants’ work. Art and artifacts from Spertus Institute’s world-class collection provide examples for background study and inspiration. An exhibit of participants’ work will be presented at Spertus Institute in summer of 2016.
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She continued, “I’m thrilled to be working with such an impressive group. Some have long been incorporating Jewish themes in their work, while others are exploring the relationship between their identities as artists and Jews for the first time. What connects them all is a sincere desire to grow as artists, as well as an interest in forming meaningful connections with one another.”
News
Of the program, Spertus Curator of Collections Ilana Segal said, “Spertus Institute has an important history of supporting local artists. The Midwest Jewish Artists Lab represents an exciting next step in our work to foster a flourishing community of Jewish artists in Chicago.”
Judith Joseph of Northbrook, Stephen Levin of Riverwoods, Carol Neiger of Glenview, Dimitri Pavlotsky of Chicago, and Amy Reichert of Evanston. They work in media ranging from egg tempera to tapestry, with a number of painters, several metalworkers, a book and paper artist, and a photographer. They have exhibited in just about every conceivable venue in the Chicago area as well as international settings from the Stockholm Jewish Community Center to the Jerusalem Biennale.
Arts & Culture
Twelve Illinois artists have been selected to participate in the Midwest Jewish Artists Lab, an innovative project designed to forge collaborations, inspire new work, and broaden the impact of the arts in Jewish life. Spertus Institute is proud to serve as the Lab’s Chicago site, adding this initiative to our mix of Jewish arts and cultural offerings.
Spice Containers (Besamim) from the Spertus Institute Collection.
Harry’s Shoes by Howard Schwartz, mixed aqueous paints and collage on canvas
Workers Family by Michael Siporin, woodcut print
Exhibit Hours Sunday-Wednesday 10 am – 5 pm Thursday 10 am – 6 pm Friday 10 am – 3 pm Closed to the public on Saturdays and Jewish and secular holidays. Admission is free. Exhibits at Spertus Institute are supported in part by the Harry and Sadie Lasky Foundation.
Learning
Collection Highlights Online
Leadership
Spertus Institute Collection Highlights can now be viewed online—allowing you to explore treasures of Jewish art and material culture on your computer, tablet, or phone. Browse objects by themes or search by keyword. Take a closer look with high-resolution photography and informative multimedia clips. Visit collection.spertus.edu This project is funded by a grant from the Spitz Foundation.
Arts & Culture
On Exhibit
From Maxwell Street to Milwaukee Avenue
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Painted Portraits of a Chicago Family in the Shoe Business Through Sunday, January 17 | First Floor Vestibule Gallery Meet the Artist Sunday, January 17 at 1 pm Free. No reservations required.
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Howard Schwartz is both an accomplished artist and an avid family historian. He is the last of four generations to work in his family’s Chicago shoe business and has preserved countless artifacts and photographs documenting his family’s story. Schwartz draws on this archive to create richly layered portraits of the past, combining photography, paint, and found objects. Spertus Institute is pleased to present a selection of his works, alongside some of the artifacts that inspired them.
Events
A Gift to Birobidzhan Chicago Artists in Support of a Soviet Jewish Homeland Through Sunday, January 3 | 7th Floor Spertus Institute Collection, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Iker. Published by L.M. Stein, Chicago, 1937
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In 1937, a group of Jewish artists from Chicago created a portfolio of stunning woodcut prints in support of a Jewish homeland in Russia. Spertus Institute is fortunate to have a rare, complete copy of the folio in our collection. It is on display in conjunction with our 2015 exploration of Jewish life in the former Soviet Union.
Asher Library
Collections
Hours Sunday 12–4 pm Monday–Thursday 4–6:30 pm Closed Fridays, Saturdays, and Jewish and secular holidays.
As a Spertus student or member, you can: Select books, DVDs, and CDs from the Asher Library’s online catalog and have them ready for pick-up at the Spertus front desk any time the building is open—no parking necessary! We’ll also be happy to send them to you by mail (shipping fee required). Have online access to vast digital libraries of classic Jewish texts: Bible, Talmud, Midrash, commentaries, ethics, and mysticism, many in English translation.
Access the full text of articles in over 8,700 journals covering liberal arts and sciences, education, and business, including many of the most important scholarly and popular publications on Jewish thought, history, and culture. Request that a journal article or book chapter from the Library’s collection be scanned and sent to you. Request interlibrary loan for a book or article we don’t have.
Email resources@spertus.edu or call 312.322.1712 to avail yourself of these services, for help in navigating the online resources, or just to ask a question. To become a Spertus member, see details on page 31. Is there a book or film we are missing, or a service you would like to see? Please tell us about it. We’d love to hear from you.
Learning
We know you have opinions We love that you have opinions
Please share your opinions with us
Leadership
This issue of Spertus News & Events has been redesigned in response to comments from you—our supporters, members, students, alumni, and friends. You longed for larger type. You got it. You suggested profiles of Spertus alumni. Meet Janette Silverman on page 13.
Arts & Culture
You asked for more about Jewish arts and culture. We’re glad to oblige with upcoming offerings as well as what’s going on behind the scenes.
Now that you’re holding this newly designed publication in your hands, we want to know what you think
News
Please respond to a quick survey online at spertus.edu/comments or call 312.322.1721 and leave us a message with your thoughts. (You’ll be entered into a drawing for a $100 Spertus Shop gift certificate.)
Here are some questions to get the conversation going
Resources
What do you think of this issue of Spertus News & Events? What do you find interesting? Are we missing something you care about? Do you find you don’t really need a print piece because you receive emails from Spertus or follow us on social media?
Is there something that would make this publication more useful for you?
Events
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Calendar November 2015
February 2016
Monday, November 30 10 am Special Spertus Shop hours begin for Hanukkah shopping
Sunday, February 7 2 pm Raise the Roof Reception follows P21
December 2015 Sunday, December 6 10:30 am Meet Author Lev Golinkin in Highland Park P15 4:30 pm Meet Author Lev Golinkin at Spertus Hanukkah reception follows P15 Hanukkah begins at sundown Thursday, December 24 3 pm Spertus closes early Christmas Eve Friday, December 25 Spertus closed Christmas Day
Sunday, February 14 2 pm Carvalho’s Journey P21 Tuesday, February 16 6 pm Strategic Planning and Evaluation Master Class begins P9 Sunday, February 21 2 pm Camera Obscura P21 Monday, February 22 7 pm Bernardin Jerusalem Lecture at Chicago Sinai Congregation P7 Sunday, February 28 2 pm How to Re-Establish a Vodka Empire Vodka-tasting follows P21
Thursday, December 31 3 pm Spertus closes early New Year’s Eve
March 2016
January 2016
Final day Apply for Innovation and Collaboration Awards P9
Friday, January 1 Spertus closed New Year’s Day Wednesday, January 13 6 pm Social Media Strategy Master Class begins P9 Sunday, January 17 1 pm
Artist talk with Howard Schwartz P25
2 pm
Like A Bomb Going Off: Ballet as Resistance in Soviet Russia P17
Tuesday, March 1 Final day Apply for Community Mentoring P9
Thursday March 17 First Day Jewish Art and Culture Mini-Course begins in Evanston P23
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