Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership | spertus.edu
December 2016 – March 2017
News & Events
Sunday Cinema Returns See 5 Fascinating Films About Jewish Lives P25
Teaching Spertus Students in Israel P4
Serving Jewish Communities across North America P8
Jewish Book Month
Meet Irina Reyn, author of The Imperial Wife, called “a cunning tale of ambition and art” P28
Exclusive opportunity for senior staff of Jewish organizations P11
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 Monday–Thursday, 10 am-4 pm at 312.322.1773. Follow Spertus on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to get exclusive updates, invites, and discounts.
Discount Parking (Please note new arrangements) Discount parking is now available for $8 at Grant Park South Garage, also known as Millennium Garage South. The garage is located at 325 S Michigan Avenue with entrances on Michigan between Van Buren and Adams. The discount is good for 12 hours with Spertus validation (available in the Spertus vestibule). Beyond 12 hours regular rates apply.
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. Printed on 30% post-consumer recycled paper. Film still from Finding Babel. See P25.
Public 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 312.322.1731.
Learning
Contents News Letter from the President P4 Recognizing Bold Leadership in Action P6
Leadership
Spertus Welcomes Ionit Behar as Curator of Collections P23
Professional Development from the Center for Jewish Leadership Chicago and Around the World P8 Personal Branding Master Class P13 Fundraising for Nonprofit Organizations P13
Arts & Culture
Meeting Facilitation Workshop P15 Innovation and Collaboration Awards P13
Degree Programs Executive MA in Jewish Professional Studies P10 Masters and Doctoral Programs in Jewish Studies P14
Programs and Events News
Judaism and Christianity Through the Ages P15 Voices of Wisdom: New Work from the Midwest Jewish Artists Lab P21 Ground Level Arts Lab | Open Studio and Artist-Led Tours P23 One Book | One Community P22 Sunday Cinema P24–27
Resources
Save the Date | Spring Concert P28 Bernardin Jerusalem Lecture P29 Spertus in the Suburbs Mini-Course | Jewish-Muslim Relations P29
Sponsorship, Support, and Membership Support Spertus P16 Membership P17 P30
Events
Calendar
Support Spertus
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Excerpt of a letter sent by Dr. Hal M. Lewis on September 29, 2016, to members of the Spertus Institute Board of Trustees:
Letter from the President I recently returned from Israel where I had the extreme pleasure and privilege of teaching students in the Israeli cohort of the Spertus MA in Jewish Professional Studies program. In the week in which Jews mourned the death of Shimon Peres, I took solace from these Spertus students—who represent the promise of a new tomorrow in Israel. It is they who will write the next chapter in Israel’s history and in the relationship between Israel and the Diaspora. The course, entitled On Becoming An Effective Jewish Leader, is one I have taught previously to our US and Canadian students—who work for nonprofit organizations serving their local Jewish communities. With the Israeli students, the focus shifted a bit, given the differences between nonprofit groups in Israel and in North America. Our Israeli students lead cutting-edge NGOs in Israel, work with Birthright Israel and other programs that bridge relationships between Americans and Israelis, and are engaged in innovative educational endeavors in a number of Israeli government ministries. Without exception, they look to their Spertus education as an integral and unique contribution to their personal and professional growth. As part of the course, I scheduled guest lectures with Barack Lozoon, who heads the San Francisco Jewish Federation’s Israel office, and Chicago’s own Alan Solow, former Chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. I am indebted to both for making the trip and devoting time to our students. During the course of our class, discussions focused on the academic study of effective leadership, both from the perspective of classical Jewish sources and contemporary best practices. Our students were also eager to explore new models for building meaningful relationships between young Israelis
Learning Leadership
Kibbutz Nir Etzion, site of recent seminar for Spertus Israeli students.
Arts & Culture
Read The Leading Edge, Dr. Hal M. Lewis’ blog about Jewish leadership, at spertus.edu/leading-edge
and Diaspora Jews. And not surprisingly, there was a great deal of interest in the [then-pending] US presidential election, particularly since the first debate occurred midway through the course.
News
For me it was a wonderful trip on many levels. Notwithstanding more than two dozen prior visits to Israel, every trip remains a moving and spiritually exhilarating experience. I am inspired by our students. Time with them is a reminder that despite the challenges each of our communities face, there is great promise on both sides of the ocean.
Resources
Many years ago, a former Spertus faculty member named Simon Ravidowicz—who went on to head the Jewish Studies program at the then-newly-established Brandeis University— referred to Israeli and Diaspora Jewry as “two that are one.” Never have I been more convinced of that. Our Israeli students are a credit to themselves, their families, and their country. They should make each of us swell with pride. Thank you for your dedication and commitment to Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership.
Events
Sincerely,
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Dr. Hal M. Lewis is President and CEO of Spertus Institute.
Bold Leadership in Action Dedication of the Joyce and Avrum Gray Family Education Center
Above: Avrum Gray with his children and grandchildren. Photo by Robert Kusel.
Learning Leadership Arts & Culture News Resources Events
On October 9, community leaders, friends, and colleagues came together at Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership to recognize an act of bold community leadership. The event celebrated a transformative gift made by Avrum Gray and his family—inspired by the memory of their beloved Joyce—to the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago’s Centennial Campaign on behalf of Spertus Institute. Recognition of the Gray family’s generosity was unveiled above the entryway to the landmark Spertus Institute building. The ceremony also acknowledged generous gifts from the Crown, Harvey Miller, and Ted Perlman families, and the partnership of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago. Avrum Gray sees his support as an investment in the formative power of Jewish learning, an investment multiplied many times over as other communities increasingly turn to Spertus for the training of future Jewish leaders. Collectively the support of these families puts Spertus Institute on sound financial footing, poised to fulfill its educational mission far into the future.
Support Spertus
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Supported by a generous grant from the Crown Family
Chicago and Around the World
Since its launch three years ago, the Center for Jewish Leadership has reached more than 1,500 Jewish communal professionals and volunteers representing 180 organizations in a dozen cities across the US, Canada, and Israel. These current and future leaders have gained the knowledge, skills, creativity, and strategic agility required to guide Jewish organizations with strength, integrity, and success. An investment in Jewish leadership is an investment in the Jewish future.
To learn more, visit spertus.edu/center Or contact Tal Rosen, Director of the Center for Jewish Leadership, at trosen@spertus.edu or 312.322.1711.
Learning
Thank you to our growing list of sponsors and business partners
Leadership
Your support makes our range of educational opportunities and public programming possible
Arts & Culture News Resources Events
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You, too, can benefit from being a sponsor. Contact Ellen Hattenbach, Spertus Vice President of External Relations, at ehattenbach@spertus.edu to learn how.
Supported by a generous grant from the Crown Family
It’s been an honor to learn and study with some of the brightest lights in the Jewish academic world. I hope my participation in the Executive MAJPS program will help me pay it forward and shed light on the Jewish world in the future. Cindy Sher, Executive Editor, JUF News, Chicago, shown here with her colleague Stefanie Bregman
Learning
Exclusive Opportunity for Senior Staff of Jewish Organizations
Leadership
Why shouldn’t Jewish agency executives have leadership training designed specifically for them? The Executive MA in Jewish Professional Studies is a unique year-long program for Jewish communal executives with 12+ years professional experience. Participants learn to leverage opportunity, inspire excellence in staff and trustees, and lead through times of change.
Arts & Culture
The program is offered in a small-group cohort providing a network of fellow executives from across North America. It is taught by some of the most effective and creative faculty working today. Designed for busy professionals, the program combines seminars and online courses with executive coaching and a personalized capstone project. It can be completed in just 12 months, because a candidate’s professional experience can count toward the equivalent of one year of graduate credit.
News
The next cohort begins June 4. Deadline for preferred admission is March 31. For a limited time, tuition is only $6,500, because generous fellowships cover 65% of the total cost. To find out more, visit spertus.edu/MAJPS/executive or contact Tal Rosen, Director of the Center for Jewish Leadership at trosen@spertus.edu or 312.322.1711.
Resources
Spertus Institute’s executive MA program has strengthened my knowledge of Jewish history, culture, and peoplehood in ways that are incredibly relevant to the real-time challenges of Jewish communal work. Gilon Rubanenko, Vice President of Operations, Mandel Jewish Community Center, Cleveland
Events
Ariella Saperstein, Israel Program Officer, The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, New York
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Spertus provided access to leading faculty from around the country, while having the chance to learn in an executive program also offered the opportunity to learn from accomplished peers.
Supported by a generous grant from the Crown Family
Learning
Master Classes and Workshops Open to all. Register online at spertus.edu or call 312.322.1773.
Leadership
Fundraising for Nonprofit Organizations Single Day Workshop Thursday, December 8 from 9 am to 4 pm $149 | $129 for Spertus members, students, and alumni Price includes morning coffee and kosher lunch
Arts & Culture
This introduction to the knowledge and skills necessary to develop and implement an organizational fundraising plan is taught by fundraising guru Dr. Laura Mannion. Dr. Laura Mannion is a Certified Fundraising Executive who serves as Director of Development for the Franciscan Alliance Foundation.
Professional Branding News
Master Class Wednesdays from 6-8:30 pm | January 10, 17, and 24 $99 | $79 for Spertus members, students, and alumni
Resources
You’ve invested a lot of time in your career and organization. How are you presenting yourself and your company in the professional marketplace? During this three-part master class with strategist Susan Caplan, you will learn to tell your story with confidence, polish your professional brand, and discover techniques and resources for effectively building a network to help meet your professional goals. Susan Caplan is a skilled business communication and marketing strategist and an Adjunct Instructor at Columbia College School of Business and Entrepreneurship. She works with schools, businesses, students, and organizations to help them gain a competitive edge in the marketplace.
Events
Innovation and Collaboration Awards
Apply by February 15. Visit spertus.edu/collaboration for details.
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Applications are now open for the third annual Innovation and Collaboration Awards, recognizing projects that reach across institutions to serve the greater Chicago Jewish community.
(Below) Painting by the artist known as the Master of the Legend of St. Ursula, late 15th century, Bruges, Groeningemuseum. The turbaned, blindfolded figure on the right is typical of how Jews were depicted in Christian art in the Middle Ages, as exotic, backward-looking, and spiritually blind.
Learning
Jewish Studies Advanced Scholarship. Inspiration. Wisdom.
Leadership
Jewish Studies Graduate Programs at Spertus are designed for students who seek to explore the breadth of the Jewish experience through advanced scholarship. Taught by distinguished faculty, courses are offered at our downtown Chicago campus at twice-yearly seminars and through a selection of distance learning formats.
Arts & Culture
We embrace the idea that the wisdom of Jewish thought and the richness of Jewish experiences inform Jewish society and Judaism today. Our programs encourage intellectual and spiritual reflection. Our master’s and doctoral students grapple with Jewish ideas in the service of their personal, professional, and communal advancement. Spring Seminar takes place March 19–23, 2017. Visit website for course and faculty information. Learn more at spertus.edu/JewishStudies or contact Anita Silvert at asilvert@spertus.edu or 312.322.1707
Special Upcoming Course News
Judaism and Christianity through the Ages Tuesdays, February 7–May 9 from 6 to 9 pm 6 evening lectures meet at Spertus 6 discussions meet at Lutheran School of Theology Chicago in Hyde Park
Resources
Open to Spertus and Lutheran School of Theology Chicago (LSTC) students as well as Spertus auditors (who can audit six or three sessions at Spertus). Bringing together experts from a range of fields, this course examines Jewish and Christian interaction from the Second Temple period to today. Graduate credit $1,075 (3 quarter hours) Audit of all 6 Spertus Sessions $350 Audit of 3 Spertus Sessions $100 Visit spertus.edu/history for faculty, session topics, and registration.
Events
Asher Library Hours
Asher Library borrowing privileges are reserved for Spertus students and members. For membership information, see page 17. Visit spertus.edu/library for details.
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Support Spertus
By popular demand, extended daytime hours: Sunday 12–4 pm Monday 10 am–6 pm Wednesday 10 am–4 pm
Please consider making a gift to Spertus Institute as part of your year-end giving.
Here’s why: Projects like the Jewish Artists Lab are crucial to continue to move Jewish culture forward. It has pushed me to learn, think and share my thoughts about Judaism through the context of personal experience and the medium of visual expression. As an artist working alone, the opportunity to learn and be inspired by other artists and teachers has been a rich and layered opportunity. The community that has been created through this initial cohort is amazing. It has forced me to think about my own artistic expression in a whole new way and propelled my arts practice forward. Carol Neiger, Participant and Donor, Midwest Jewish Artists Lab at Spertus Institute
An investment in Spertus Institute is an investment in our Jewish future. Sam Isaacson, Donor to Spertus Institute’s Center for Jewish Leadership, Partner, Latham & Watkins LLP
Of all the outstanding institutions of higher learning I’ve attended, I feel the closest and deepest connection with Spertus. I continue to be very grateful for the many ways Spertus has influenced the unfolding of my life, personally, professionally, intellectually, and spiritually. Karen Lieberman, Alumna and Donor, Spertus Institute’s MS in Jewish Studies, Program Chaplain, Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin
Become a Member
Learning
Another way to support Spertus:
Leadership Arts & Culture
Your membership fees directly support extraordinary programs, resources, and opportunities that foster a vibrant, dynamic, and enduring Jewish future. In exchange—you receive benefits, bragging rights, and our eternal gratitude!
Individual $60 Discounts on tickets to performances, films, lectures, author events, and more
Discount subscription to Moment, North America’s premier Jewish magazine
Household $75 and Senior $50 (for those 65+) All benefits of Individual Membership, but for two people (Includes a second member card)
Associate $100 All benefits of Household Membership plus Online Recognition
SpertusNet $50
Select discounts from Spertus partners
Library borrowing privileges and online access to the Feinberg eCollection This benefit is also included with Individual, Household, Senior, and Associate Memberships
Join or Renew Today
To join or renew online, click the Join link at spertus.edu. To join or renew by email or phone, contact Regina Rivers at membership@spertus.edu or 312.322.1777
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All memberships are for one year from time of payment. All memberships are 100% tax deductible.
Events
10% discount at JUDAICA.COM
Resources
Discounts on master classes and workshops
News
New Benefits
Ground Level Arts Lab On September 25, with a crowd of artists and admirers in attendance, Spertus Institute opened the doors to its new 1,600-square-foot programmatic space for Jewish art, artists, and our community.
Located on Spertus Institute’s first floor, the Ground Level Arts Lab features a display of artifacts from Spertus Institute’s impressive collections around its perimeter, putting these works on view for both researchers and members of the public. In the center is flexible space for changing exhibits. The first of these is Voices of Wisdom. The Ground Level Arts Lab is made possible in part through the generous support of the Harry and Sadie Lasky and Charles & M.R. Shapiro Foundations.
Voices of Wisdom New Works from the Midwest Jewish Artists Lab Through March 19, 2017 Voices of Wisdom showcases new works created by Spertus Institute’s inaugural cohort of the Midwest Jewish Artists Lab. This year-long initiative brought together twelve distinguished local artists for workshops, study, and critiques. During the course of the program, each participant was charged with creating an artwork or series around the theme of Wisdom. In the resulting work, now on view, the artists reinvent rituals, personalize liturgy, and capture the ever-changing face of Jewish life. A series of Ground Level Arts Lab programs are planned for the public. See Ground Level Arts Lab Exhibit Hours on page 20. The Midwest Jewish Artists Lab is generously supported by a grant from the Covenant Foundation.
Learning Leadership Arts & Culture News
Open Studio Sunday, December 18 from 2 to 5 pm Meet the artists of Voices of Wisdom. View works in progress and finished pieces. Get an inside view into their creative process with informal demonstrations of bookbinding, painting, weaving, woodblock printing, and more.
Resources
Tickets $10 | $5 for students and Spertus alumni Buy tickets online at spertus.edu or call 312.322.1773.
Artist-Led Tours
Melanie Dankowicz | Jonathan Franklin Stephen Levin | Amy Reichert
Thursday, January 19 from 12 to 1:30 pm Events
Sunday, March 19 from 2 to 4 pm Sylvia Alotta | Susan Dickman | Ellen Holtzblatt Judith Joseph | Carol Neiger
Free. Visit spertus.edu to reserve your spot.
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Tour Voices of Wisdom with the artists as your guides. Hear about the ideas and experiences that lay at the heart of their projects and learn about the techniques and materials used to create them, from steamrollers and seaweed to gold leaf and toilet paper rolls!
Ground Level Arts Lab 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.
Under the Sun (detail), Ellen Holtzblatt, 2016. On display in the lobby outside the Ground Level Arts Lab.
Learning
Spertus Institute Welcomes Ionit Behar as Curator of Collections
Leadership
Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership is pleased to announce the appointment of Ionit Behar as Curator of Collections. Behar steps into the role held since 2010 by Ilana Segal, who has moved to Seattle with her family.
Arts & Culture
Behar is a PhD Candidate in Art History at the University of Illinois, who comes to Chicago by way of Haifa (where she was born), Montevideo (where her Uruguayan parents lived after they studied in Israel), Tel Aviv (where she attended university), and New York (where she added English to the other five languages she speaks).
News
She holds a Master’s degree in Art History, Theory and Criticism from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, a Bachelor of Art Theory from Tel Aviv University, and a degree in Art Administration from the Bank Boston Foundation in Montevideo. Her areas of expertise include 20th-century art in Latin and North America, exhibition history, and theories of space and place. She has been involved locally in curatorial projects for both well-established institutions and grassroots art spaces. Among these, she serves as Director of Exhibitions for Fieldwork Collaborative Projects NFP (FIELDWORK), a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing cultural capital in Chicago by working collaboratively with the Chicago Park District, CTA, and Public Schools. Behar regularly writes for print and online publications including ArtSlant, the Chicago Reader, The Exhibitionist, La Pupila, and THE SEEN. Her first art job was at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem where she worked with the curators of Judaica, Ancient, and Byzantine Art, so her new position at Spertus harkens back to her entry into the field.
Resources
About joining the Spertus Institute team, she said, “I am honored and excited to assume this role. I aim to help diverse audiences explore the Jewish experience through art that is both relatable and relevant, including new works that speak to Jewish philosophical, cultural, and historical concerns.” About Ionit Behar’s appointment, Dr. Dean P. Bell, Spertus Institute Provost and Vice President, said “Ionit’s experiences creatively bridge contemporary art and a wide range of themes from across the Jewish experience, making her a wonderful match for Spertus Institute’s efforts to integrate art across our academic and public program areas.”
Events
Collection Highlights Online Funded in part by a grant from Luis and Fortuna Spitz.
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Highlights from Spertus Institute’s collection can also be viewed online. Visit collection.spertus.edu
Fast-paced new novel by Irina Reyn chosen as Jewish Community One Book selection. “A cunning tale of ambition and art” —The Toronto Star “Playful and profound” —Booklist
The book unpacks a trove of discussion-worthy topics: the impact of success on marriage, the privileges and obligations of great wealth, and the advantages and disadvantages of being outside the mainstream in terms of faith, gender, nationality, identity, community, and career.
Learning
One Book | One Community 2016 For the sixth year, Chicago’s Jewish community marks Jewish Book Month with One Book | One Community, in which a single book is selected as the focal point for discussions and events. Spertus Institute proudly spearheads this initiative.
Leadership
The Imperial Wife, this year’s selection, is the second novel by Irina Reyn. It intertwines the stories of two ambitious immigrants. One is a rising Jewish/Russian art specialist in present day New York. The other is the future Catherine the Great. Irina Reyn’s first novel, What Happened to Anna K., won the Goldberg Prize for Outstanding Debut Jewish Fiction. Resources for groups and individual readers—including discussion questions and a free excerpt of The Imperial Wife—are available online at spertus.edu/OneBook
Book discussions are scheduled in a variety of locations, from Homewood to Highland Park. All are open to the public. Visit spertus.edu/OneBook for dates, locations, and reservation information.
Arts & Culture
Book Discussions — Various Dates
Discussions are led by Rachel Kamin, Director of the Joseph and Mae Gray Cultural & Learning Center at North Suburban Synagogue Beth El and the Spertus One Book I One Community Book Discussion Facilitator.
Irina Reyn will be signing books following both presentations. Tickets $5. Buy tickets online at spertus.edu/OneBook or call 312.322.1773.
10 am Bernard Weinger JCC 300 Revere Drive, Northbrook
Resources
photo by Aslan Habib Chalom.
News
Author Events —Sunday December 11
4pm Spertus Institute
Yana Reznik has performed at venues including the Aspen and Tanglewood Music Festivals, Yale School of Music, and the International Academy of Music in Russia. She is known for bringing classical music out of traditional venues to reach wider audiences.
Events
Yana Reznik
For this special final event, Irina Reyn’s presentation will be preceeded by tea from Russian Tea Time and a performance of Russian music by pianist Yana Reznik.
These author appearances are part of the Solomon Goldman Program Series, generously endowed by the late Rose and Sidney Shure. Media Sponsor JUF News
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One Book | One Community partner
Perhaps the best proof of the relevance of historical dramas. –Pravda
Spunky Holocaust survivor will keep telling her story until bullying and discrimination stop. –Huffington Post
Learning
Sunday Cinema
Leadership
5 fascinating films about Jewish lives 4 special speakers 4 daring documentaries 3 premieres 1 short, sweet, satisfying work of fiction $18 each | $10 for Spertus members | $8 for students and Spertus alumni Buy tickets online at spertus.edu/film or call 312.322.1773.
Arts & Culture
Finding Babel Chicago Premiere | Sunday, January 29 at 2 pm Isaac Babel’s writings are subversive masterpieces, challenging the ideology of the early Soviet Union and resulting in his arrest and execution in 1940.
News
75 years later, his grandson Andrei Malaev-Babel pieced together the story of the grandfather he never knew, amid lingering traces of turbulent history and the rise of modern-day conflicts in Russia and Ukraine. Andrei Malaev-Babel will introduce the film and lead a post-show discussion.
Resources
Big Sonia Chicago Preview | Sunday, February 5 at 2 pm Standing at 4′8″ tall, Sonia Warshawski is a tiny woman with a huge personality. For years, she’s been a business owner and inspirational public speaker, sharing her story of surviving the Holocaust with people afraid that their own traumas would define them. But when Sonia is served an eviction notice for her iconic tailor shop, she’s confronted with an agonizing decision about her own future.
Events
Award-winning producer/co-director Leah Warshawski is Sonia’s granddaughter. She will introduce the film and lead a post-show discussion.
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Sunday Cinema is sponsored by the Wilkow Family.
Audience Award Winner – Washington Jewish Film Festival
Will forever change the way you see a trash can. – Joshua Moore
Learning
Sunday Cinema $18 each | $10 for Spertus members | $8 for students and Spertus alumni Buy tickets online at spertus.edu/film or call 312.322.1773.
Leadership
Morgenthau Chicago Premiere | Sunday, February 12 at 2 pm Three generations of Morgenthaus share a zeal for justice against the backdrop of the 20th century’s most dramatic moments. Award-winning documentarian Max Lewkowicz interviews historians, journalists, and politicians including President Bill Clinton, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, and journalist and author Tom Brokaw.
Arts & Culture
Always do the right thing and you’ll never have any regrets. – Robert M. Morgenthau
Dr. Tony Michels, Professor of Jewish History at University of WI, Madison, will introduce the film and lead a post-show discussion.
News
Hannah Cohen’s Holy Communion Short Film | Sunday, February 19 at 2 pm
Resources
Glimpse Ireland through the eyes of a spirited seven year old, Hannah Cohen. Hannah can’t wait to make her Holy Communion, but there’s a problem—she’s Jewish! With beauty, brevity, and humor, this film explores the universal desire to fit in.
Torah Treasures and Curious Trash Chicago Premiere | Follows Hannah Cohen’s Holy Communion
Events
Jo Milgrom is a learned 87-year-old artist who scavenges Jerusalem’s dumpsters for junk, which she then combines with worn out ritual objects rescued from synagogues and funeral homes. Armed with a glue gun, she challenges the religious establishment, creating visual commentary on Jewish tradition with antique typewriters, computer parts, and broken glass.
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Spertus Institute Curator of Collections Ionit Behar will introduce the films and lead a post-show discussion.
Save the Date | Sunday, April 2 at 2 pm
Legends of Jewish Music
Chamber Music with the Atar Trio Direct from Jerusalem A leading Israeli chamber ensemble, the Atar Trio is known for original and adventurous musical projects. For their Chicago visit, they will perform new interpretations of Jewish, Israeli, and world music along with exciting arrangements of traditional chamber music by composers Bernstein, Bloch, and others. More at spertus.edu This concert is part of the Solomon Goldman Program Series, generously endowed by the late Rose and Sidney Shure.
Learning
The 2017 Bernardin Jerusalem Lecture
Leadership
Judaism and Christianity in Dialogue Monday, February 13 at 7 pm DePaul University Student Center 2250 N. Sheffield Avenue, Chicago
This lecture is free. See spertus.edu/Bernardin for details.
News
This year’s speaker is Dr. David Shatz, the Ronald P. Stanton University Professor of Philosophy, Ethics, and Religious Thought at Yeshiva University. He will focus on seminal Jewish philosopher Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik’s rejection of theological dialog and heartfelt recognition of common interests shared by American Christians and Jews
Arts & Culture
Each 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 to present the Joseph Cardinal Bernardin Jerusalem Lecture. This annual program continues the dialogue Cardinal Bernardin advocated between Jews and Catholics.
Jewish-Muslim Relations Resources
3-Part Mini-Course Tuesday evenings March 7, 14, and 21 | 7:45 to 9:15 pm North Suburban Synogogue Beth El 1175 N. Sheridan Road, Highland Park $75 | $60 for members of Spertus and NSS Beth El $40 students and Spertus alumni Register online at spertus.edu or call 312.322.1773.
Events
Esteemed scholar Dr. Jacob Lassner brings his vast knowledge of the Near East to a topic that could not be more relevant. He will be tracing the origins of Muslim attitudes toward Jews and Judaism, providing a nuanced and historically rooted view of Muslim tolerance and intolerance, and exploring whether there might be an Islamic solution to the Arab-Israel problem.
Annual Norman Asher Memorial Program. Annual Horwitz Family Program in Jewish History, generously endowed by the Horwitz Charitable Fund.
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Dr. Jacob Lassner is the Philip M. & Ethel Klutznick Professor Emeritus of Jewish Civilization at Northwestern University and former director of Northwestern’s Jewish Studies program.
PLANNING A PARTY? EVENTS AT SPERTUS INSTITUTE ARE MANAGED BY VENUE SIX10, SELECTED A “BEST EVENT SPACE 2015” BY CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS.
Stunning panoramic views. 400-seat theater, state-of-the-art breakout rooms, and expansive open-floor-plan event spaces, all under one roof. Silver LEEDs certified, perfect for when you’re keeping it green. Choose from a select group of Chicago’s finest caterers, with both kosher and non-kosher options.
Visit VenueSIX10.com or call 312.322.1725.
Learning
Calendar
December 2016 – April 2017 February
8 | Thursday 9 am
7 | Tuesday 6 pm
Fundraising Workshop P13
Course begins Judaism and Christianity through the Ages P15
11 | Sunday 10 am in Northbrook Meet Author Irina Reyn P23
5 | Sunday 2 pm Sunday Cinema Big Sonia P25
11 | Sunday 4 pm
12 | Sunday 2 pm Sunday Cinema Morgenthau P27
18 | Sunday 2pm Ground Level Arts Lab Open Studio P19
Monday 7 pm at DePaul University Bernardin Jerusalem Lecture P29
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Sunday 2 pm Sunday Cinema Short Films Hannah Cohen’s Holy Communion and Torah Treasures and Curious Trash P27
24 | Saturday sundown Festival of Hanukkah begins
25 | Sunday 25 Spertus closed for Christmas
News
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Arts & Culture
at Spertus Meet Author Irina Reyn P23
Leadership
December
26 | Monday 26 Spertus closed for Christmas
March
7 | Tuesday 7:45 pm 1 | Sunday Spertus closed for New Year’s
Sunday 2 pm Ground Level Arts Lab Artist-Led Tours P19
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Sunday Seminar begins Jewish Studies Spring Seminar P15
2 | Monday Spertus closed for New Year’s
10 | Wednesday 6 pm Master Class begins Professional Branding P13
19 | Thursday 12 pm Ground Level Arts Lab Artist-Led Tours P19 Sunday Cinema Finding Babel P25
April 2 | Sunday 2 pm Legends of Jewish Music Chamber Music with the Atar Trio P28
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29 | Sunday 2 pm
Events
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Resources
in Highland Park Mini-Course begins Jewish-Muslim Relations Past & Present P29
January
See page 29
Tracing the history of Jewish-Muslim relations: past & present
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