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SEPTEMBER 2024 PROGRAMS

ISRAELI MOSAIC FILM SERIES 

The Walnut Street Synagogue is pleased to present our the Israeli Mosaic Film Series.  This series features three films which depict three very different elements of Israeli society and portray its reach diversity. Each film will be available for screening on your own online followed by a live discussion with the filmmaker in Israel.  
Israeli Mosaic Film Series details

 

CSP

The Walnut Street Synagogue is pleased to be a partner congregation of the Orange County Jewish Community Scholar Program.  Please join us at an upcoming program!

A Changing Israel in a Changing World

Part 1 – Changing Israel and A Changing West – Tuesday, September 3, 1:00 pm EDT (online)
Part 2 – Changing Israel and the Great Power Competition – Tuesday, September 10, 1:00 pm EDT (online) 
Part 3 – Changing Israel in A Changing Middle East -Tuesday, September 17, 1:00 pm EDT (online)
(online in partnership with the Orange County Jewish Community Scholar Program)

Join us for the insightful three-part series exploring the evolving dynamics of Israel’s relationships amid global and regional shifts. The series examines the impact of domestic polarization in Western states on responses to the Israel-Hamas war, Israel’s place in the context of great power competition, and the implications of the war for Israeli-Palestinian relations and broader regional politics. Each session provides a comprehensive analysis of how these factors influence Israel’s standing in the world and its internal divisions.
Part 1 – Changing Israel and A Changing West – The responses within Western states, including the United States, to the war that began on October 7, are shaped by growing domestic polarization about their values, identities and role in the world. They are also influenced by the changing nature of Israeli politics and society. This session will ask: how are these longer term trends reshaping Israel’s relationship and standing in both the U.S. and Europe, and what will be the legacy of the Israel-Hamas war? It will assess the anti-Zionism of the radical left; why far right political parties that used to be antisemitic now claim to support Israel; and why in the U.S., support for Israel is no longer bipartisan.
Part 2 – Changing Israel and the Great Power Competition – We live in a world where the relative power of the U.S. is declining and we see rising great power competition. This is not just a struggle over material power, but also over the values, ideas and identities that influence our world. States are pulled between universal values of liberal democracy, and demands to preserve local, regional and even civilizational values and identities. This session looks at how deep identity divides within Israel lead to diverging views about Israel’s place in the world, and how that affects policy responses to events like the Russia-Ukraine war, and the growing power of China.
Part 3 – Changing Israel in A Changing Middle East – The Israel-Hamas war is an irreversible turning point for the Israeli-Palestinian arena and the wider region. Hamas’s actions on October 7 were not just about Gaza but an attempt to reshape the politics of the region, against the backdrop of a trend towards Arab-Israeli normalization. This session takes stock of what has happened and why, what it means going forward for Israel’s relations with the Palestinians, Arab states, and the wider world, and how Israel’s response is shaped by its deep internal divisions.  Dr. Toby Greene is a visiting fellow in the Middle East Centre at the London School of Economics and a lecturer in the Department for Political Studies at Bar Ilan University. He is a former Marie Curie Fellow at Queen Mary University of London and has held research and teaching positions at Hebrew University and Tel Aviv University. He earned his PhD from UCL for his thesis on British foreign policy in the Israeli-Palestinian arena. Toby’s research and teaching focuses on foreign policy, with a focus on civilizational identity politics in the Middle East and Europe. He publishes and lectures widely for scholarly, professional and general audiences.
Part 1 – Program video
Part 2 – Program video
Register here

 

 

From Accidental to Intentional Collecting – A History of Jewish Things at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston 

Sunday, September 15, 1:00 pm EDT (online)
(online in partnership with the Orange County Jewish Community Scholar Program)

Join Simona Di Nepi on a fascinating journey through the history of Judaica at the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) in Boston. When, and why did the MFA begin to show interest in the field? Where is Judaica exhibited? What is the curator’s dream acquisition? To answer these questions, Simona will highlight landmark moments, individual objects, and visionary donors, while also discussing the museum’s methodology for the display of its Jewish collection. She will share some of her new acquisitions, and offer a virtual tour of her installations in a wide range of galleries- from Renaissance Italy and Golden-Age Netherlands, to Islamic Cultures and China.
Simona Di Nepi is the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Curator of Judaica at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, where she is responsible for building and displaying the Judaica collection, and for curating Intentional Beauty: Jewish Ritual Art from the Collection gallery. Originally from Rome, before moving to the United States Simona studied and worked in London and Tel Aviv for 25 years. She has filled curatorial roles, in both decorative arts and Old Masters,, at the Victoria and Albert Museum, The National Gallery, and the Royal Academy of Arts in London, where she cared for permanent collections and planned exhibitions. In Israel, she worked as curator at ANU: The Museum of the Jewish People and as Lecturer in Italian Renaissance art at Reichman University, Herzelyia. Simona curated the exhibitions Reunions: Bringing Early Italians Paintings Back Together (2005, The National Gallery, London), and Dreyfus: The Story of a French-Jewish Family (2014, ANU: The Museum of the Jewish People, Tel Aviv), for which she wrote the accompanying catalogues. At the National Gallery, she also authored From Duccio to Leonardo: Renaissance Painting 1250-1500. In Judaica, Simona wrote essays for Jewish Italy: Rediscovered Stories (Vol. 1&2), The Routledge Companion to the Global Renaissance, and The Lives of Jewish Things.
Register here

 

The Hidden Life of J.D. Salinger

Tuesday, September 24, 1:00 pm EDT (online)
(online in partnership with the Orange County Jewish Community Scholar Program)

Join us for an illuminating book talk with distinguished journalist and author Stephen B. Shepard as he discusses his new book, “Salinger’s Soul.” Discover the hidden life of J.D. Salinger, the renowned author of “The Catcher in the Rye,” as Shepard delves into the lesser-known aspects of Salinger’s Jewish heritage, his exploration of various religions, and the writings he produced during his years of seclusion. As the literary world eagerly anticipates the release of Salinger’s unpublished works, “Salinger’s Soul” provides essential context and a deeper understanding of this enigmatic figure. Don’t miss this opportunity to explore the untold stories of one of literature’s most fascinating characters.
Stephen B. Shepard is the Founding Dean Emeritus of the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at the City University of New York. He served as a senior editor at Newsweek, the editor of Saturday Review, and editor-in-chief of Business Week. From 1992 to 1994, he was president of the American Society of Magazine Editors. Before teaching at CUNY, Shepard was a faculty member at the Columbia Journalism School, where he was co-founder and first director of the Knight-Bagehot Fellowships, a mid-career program for working journalists. His book about journalism, Deadlines and Disruption: My Turbulent Path from Print to Digital, was published in 2012. His second book, published in 2018, is A Literary Journey to Jewish Identity: Re-Reading, Bellow, Roth, Malamud, Ozick, and Other Great Jewish Writers.  And his most recent book is Second Thoughts, a series of essays published in 2021. A native New Yorker, Shepard graduated from the Bronx High School of Science, then received his bachelor’s degree from the City College of New York and his master’s degree from Columbia University. He is married to Lynn Povich, author of The Good Girls Revolt, published in 2012. They have two children and two grandchildren.
Register here

 

COMMUNITY PARTNER PROGRAMS

Confronting Antisemitism – Protests, Rallies and Encampments

Tuesday, September 17, 7:30 pm EDT
(online program presented by the Lappin Foundation)

Paul Tucker, Essex County District Attorney, will explain what is protected by freedom of and what to do when the line has been crossed.
Register here

 

COMMUNITY PARTNER PROGRAMS FOR TEENS

Teens Feed

Wednesday, September 18, 6:00 pm EDT
(in person at Temple Emanu-El, 393 Atlantic Ave., Marblehead)

Jewish teens in grades 7-12 are invited to participate in the mitzvah of caring for the stranger by preparing meals for Lifebridge North Shore.  Teens learn about the connection between Judaism and social justice while contributing to the well-being of our community.  Dinner will be served to teen volunteers.  Sponsored by the Lappin Foundation
Teen Feed Flyer
Register here

 

Teen Antisemitism Task Force

Tuesday, September 24, 7:30 pm EDT
(online program sponsored by the Lappin Foundation)

High school students of all faiths are invited to join the Teen Antisemitism Task Force. Be educated about antisemitism and learn ways to combat it at your schools, on social media, and in your communities. This month’s topic will be “Managing Stress and Developing Coping Skills around Antisemitism” and the presenter will be Dr. Miri Bar-Halpern.
Teen Antisemitism Task Force Flyer
Register here

 

YAD CHESSED

Yad Chessed helps Jewish individuals and families who struggle with financial hardship pay their bills and buy food. As a social services agency rooted in the Jewish values of kindness (chessed) and charity (tzedakah), they are committed to helping those in need navigate a path toward financial stability while preserving their privacy and dignity.  They provide emergency financial assistance, grocery gift cards and compassionate advice for those trying to make ends meet. Hundreds of families and individuals throughout the state rely on Yad Chessed to provide for their essentials, and even at times, a Jewish burial for a loved one.  Members of our community, as well as others in the Jewish community, who need assistance may contact Yad Chessed by phone at 781-487-2693 or by Email at intake@yadchessed.org for a confidential conversation.    Questions can be directed to info@yadchessed.org.
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