Spertus Institute Fall 2017 News & Events

Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership | spertus.edu

September – November 2017

News & Events

Certificate in Jewish Leadership Now For Participants Worldwide P13

Ending the Gender Gap: Achieving the Power of Workplace Equity P7

Inaugural Alumni Forum P19 Film Premiere Ben-Gurion, Epilogue P21

2017 Jewish Book Month One Book | One Community Selection Windy City Blues

by Renée Rosen P29

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.

Follow Spertus on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to get exclusive updates, invites, and discounts.

Discount Parking Discount parking is 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.

Spertus Institute is seeking comments from the public in preparation for its periodic evaluation by its regional accrediting agency. Information on how to submit comments can be found on the Spertus website at spertus.edu/transparency

Learning

Contents News Letter from Spertus President and CEO Dr. Hal M. Lewis | P4 About Dr. Dean P. Bell | P5 Profile of Student Ellie Gettinger | P9

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Happy 100th Birthday to Spertus Alumna Lillian Brodkey | P11 Jewish Community Networking Night | P15 Israel: Many Voices | P15 GPS for Jewish Learning | P15 Spertus Welcomes New Trustees | P16

Ending the Gender Gap: Achieving the Power of Workplace Equity | 7 Certificate in Jewish Leadership | Now Open to Students Worldwide | P13 Online Master Class: Social Media Bootcamp | P13

Arts & Culture

Professional Development from the Center for Jewish Leadership

Degree Programs MA in Jewish Professional Studies | P8 Executive MA in Jewish Professional Studies | P11

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Masters and Doctoral Programs in Jewish Studies | P18

Programs and Events Inaugural Alumni Forum | P19 Turning Points in Zionist History | P21 Open House Chicago | P21 Ben Gurion: Epilogue | P25 Newberry Consort Concert: Songs of the Sephardim | P27

Resources

Ground Level Arts Lab | Outside Inside: Exploring Boundaries and Otherness | P23

Premodern Judaism from Manuscript to Print | P27 One Book | One Community | P29

Sponsorship, Support, and Membership Events

Support Spertus | P17 Membership | P17

Calendar |

P31

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Dr. Hal M. Lewis, President and CEO, Spertus Institute

Letter from Dr. Hal M. Lewis I have long believed that the identification, training, and nurturing of the next generation of leaders is critical to an organization’s future.

These responsibilities are not tangential; they are the very definition of what it means to lead effectively.

As a professor of leadership and the CEO of an organization with “leadership” in its very name, I have often spoken about the importance of succession planning. With this in mind, I am pleased to share some exciting news of an upcoming transition.

I recently announced to the Spertus Institute Board of Trustees and our staff that on June 30, 2018, ten months from now, I will step down as President and CEO of Spertus Institute. After what will then be a decade for me in this position, it is time for a new leader. I will not be retiring; the Board of Trustees has asked that I continue my association in a new part-time role as Chancellor. In addition, I hope to devote myself to writing, research, teaching, and consulting. On July 1, 2018, my friend and colleague, Dr. Dean P. Bell, will become Spertus Institute’s ninth President and CEO. Dr. Bell’s appointment was approved unanimously by our Board of Trustees, with whom I have been working over the last several years to identify and prepare a successor. This decision follows a thoughtful process that included a scan of the marketplace, consideration of a national search, and a series of in-depth discussions.

For many of you who have worked with and learned from Dr. Bell over the years, I am sure this decision is both logical and exciting. Dean has worked with Spertus in varying capacities for 23 years. Since becoming Provost and Vice President three years ago, he has expanded his duties and increased his profile, working with Trustees and donors and increasing his supervisory responsibilities.

Dean has repeatedly proven himself to be a brilliant scholar and a talented executive—a rare combination that beautifully mirrors Spertus Institute’s commitment to learning and leadership.

Over the months ahead, Dean and I will continue to work together to effectuate a smooth transition. I am proud that Spertus Institute has taken the lead in modeling the very best principles of effective succession planning. I know you join me in congratulating Dr. Bell on this wonderful opportunity.

Dr. Hal M. Lewis Read an OpEd by Dr. Lewis about the need for succession planning in Jewish organizations at spertus.edu/news

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Learning

I am delighted that Dr. Dean Bell will be the next President and CEO of Spertus. As a Spertus veteran, he appreciates the evolution of our mission and recognizes the needs of our community. As an accomplished academic and creative thought leader, he has a vision for providing innovative, farreaching Jewish learning and leadership training.

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The consensus around his selection models best practices in succession planning, important in a community that faces many leadership transitions today and in the years to come.

Arts & Culture

Photo by Robert Kusel

— Peter B. Bensinger, Jr., Chairman of the Board, Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership

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Dr. Dean P. Bell, Provost and Vice President, Spertus Institute

About Dr. Dean P. Bell

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Dr. Dean P. Bell is Spertus Institute’s Provost and Vice President. He previously served as Dean and Chief Academic Officer, a role he filled for many of his nearly two decades with Spertus. He oversees all of Spertus Institute’s programmatic areas—graduate degrees, leadership training, and programs for the public—as well as institutional development, finance, operations, and marketing.

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A leading voice for the advancement of Jewish higher education, Dr. Bell received his BA from the University of Chicago and his MA and PhD from the University of California, Berkeley. In addition to his administrative role, he holds a Spertus Institute faculty appointment as Professor of History. He is a widely published scholar and historian, whose current research focuses on historical responses to natural disasters, a topic with a great deal of relevance for today. He has lectured on this topic and others across North America, Europe, and Israel.

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Dr. Bell desires to make Spertus Institute the flagship for modern Jewish leadership training and communal service. “The programs we offer blend theory and practice to enhance the knowledge, effectiveness, creativity, and professional agility of the current and next generation of Jewish leaders,” he says. “I am committed to empowering our community’s Jewish professionals, because it is through their leadership that we can enhance the vibrancy and sustainability of the organizations and communities they serve.”

Ending the Gender Gap Achieving the Power of Workplace Equity Sunday, December 3 at 2 pm

This presentation is for corporate executives, nonprofit professionals, funders, volunteers, and students, as well as anyone who cares about breaking down barriers to solve the tough challenges of today.

Sponsors

$18 | $10 for Spertus members $8 for students and Spertus alumni Advance tickets recommended

by November 28. Purchase your tickets online at spertus.edu.

For ticket questions, call 312.322.1773.

Site Sponsor

Learning

Supported by a generous grant from the Crown Family

Leadership Arts & Culture

Justice and equality are core Jewish values. Yet only a minority of our workplaces have policies and practices that foster equity in leadership and create opportunities for all employees to realize their potential.

Statistics show that many Jewish organizations—where women are 80% of the workforce—lack parity in leadership, retain a genderdriven salary gap, and judge leadership behavior differently for men and women. We are missing opportunities to recruit and retain talent. And by not creating environments that support worklife balance, we are not reflecting the needs of women or men.

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Discover the advantages of value-aligned workplace policies from Social Change Strategist Shifra Bronznick in a Spertus Institute Center for Jewish Leadership program. Learn to champion, craft, and implement policies that bring value to employees and the organizations, businesses, and communities they serve.

Bronznick will be joined by Gender Policy Expert Anne Weisberg.

Resources Events

Shifra Bronznick has led the charge for gender equity in the Jewish community, launching the organization Advancing Women Professionals in response to the gap between the number of women in top positions and the percentage of women employees.

Repeatedly on the Forward’s list of 50 most influential Jews, Bronznick has consulted for American Jewish World Service, Catalyst, the White House Project, and the Nathan Cummings Foundation. She is coauthor of Leveling the Playing Field and is currently designing a philanthropic curriculum for Women Moving Millions, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

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Anne Weisberg is Director of the Women’s Initiative at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP. She teaches at the NYU-Stern School of Business and is coauthor of the Harvard Business book that coined the phrase “corporate lattice.”

Supported by a generous grant from the Crown Family

View videos and read student profiles at spertus.edu/profiles

Ellie Gettinger

Fellowships Available Do you work at least 15 hours per week serving the Jewish community?

If so, you may be eligible for a Midcareer Fellowship, made possible with the generous support of an outside donor. With fellowship and scholarship funds, applicants receive a tuition reduction of 45% to 65%.

Learning

MA in Jewish Professional Studies Spertus Institute’s Master of Arts in Jewish Professional Studies (MAJPS) is a world-class, career-boosting program serving Jewish communal professionals in the US, Canada, and Israel.

Leadership

The program advances both the professional skills and Jewish knowledge of those working for and with the Jewish community. More than 75% of students report a promotion or higher-level job change within one year of graduation.

Do you serve the Wisconsin or Canadian Jewish community? A regional Milwaukee cohort and a cross-Canada cohort both begin in January 2018!

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What accounts for MAJPS success?

Non-traditional program geared toward busy, working adults Emphasis on learning that is relevant to students’ careers Distinguished faculty Professional mentoring as a component of the program Can be completed in just over two years

spertus.edu/majps News

To find out more, contact: Anita Silvert, Director of Enrollment, at asilvert@spertus.edu or 312.322.1707.

Student Profile Resources

Milwaukee Museum Educator Never Stops Learning Ellie Gettinger (left) always planned on going to graduate school.

When she graduated from Stanford University, she assumed that she would work for a few years, then go back to school. She moved to Wisconsin and began her career at Milwaukee’s Jewish Federation.

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At the point where she had thought she would be looking into master’s programs, she was offered an opportunity too wonderful to pass up: a key role in the creation of the Jewish Museum Milwaukee. She became part of the museum’s founding team, advanced in her career, got married, and had two children. Graduate school was put aside.

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When Gettinger learned that Spertus Institute was launching a Milwaukee cohort of its Master of Arts in Jewish Professional Studies (MAJPS)—a program designed to advance the leadership credentials of those who work for Jewish organizations—she felt the program came specifically for her. To read Gettinger’s message to those thinking about the program, visit spertus.edu/profiles

Executive MA in Jewish Professional Studies This unique program serves Jewish communal executives from across North America. Taught by some of the best faculty working today, it combines seminars and online courses with executive coaching and a personalized capstone project. Participants learn to leverage opportunity, inspire excellence in staff and trustees, and lead through times of change.

Designed for busy professionals, the program can be completed in just 12 months, because your experience can count for the equivalent of one year of graduate credit.

Application period now open for the next cohort, which begins June 3, 2018.

Supported by a generous grant from the Crown Family

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Learning

Happy 100th Birthday to Spertus Alumna Lillian Brodkey, Class of 1937!

To read about Lillian Brodkey’s memories from her studies in the 1930s and her lifetime as an educator, leader, and lifelong learner, see spertus.edu/profiles

Leadership Arts & Culture

Lillian Brodkey is at the far left in the second row.

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It is our pleasure to announce the participants in the 2017/2018 cohort Jeffrey Baden, Executive Director,

North Suburban Synagogue Beth El, Highland Park, IL Peter Bensinger, Jr., Partner,

Bartlit Beck Herman Palenchar & Scott LLP, Chicago, IL Gabrielle Burger, Director,

PJ Library and PJ Our Way, Center for Jewish Education, Baltimore, MD

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Deborah Finkelstein, Executive Director,

Kol Shalom Synagogue, Rockville, MD Aviva Janus, Education Director,

Shaare Tefila Congregation, Olney, MD Heather Kibel, Executive Director,

Anshe Emeth Memorial Temple, New Brunswick, NJ Andrew Kirschner, Director of Alumni Relations,

Interfaith Youth Core, Chicago, IL

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Tanya Lorien, Director of Operations,

Congregation Beth David, Saratoga, CA Adam Organ, Executive Director,

Raleigh-Cary Jewish Community Center, Raleigh, NC Maureen Sechan, Director of Lifelong Learning,

ongregation B’nai Israel, St. Petersburg, FL Dan Tatar, Director of Communication and Outreach,

The iCenter for Israel Education, Northbrook, IL

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Rabbi Elyse Wechterman, Executive Director,

Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association, Wyncote, PA

Supported by a generous grant from the Crown Family

Mazel tov to the 2017 Chicago-area Certificate In Jewish Leadership recipients Rabbi Anna Levin Rosen, University of Chicago Hillel | Alec Ross, Youth Centers of Israel/Keren Yaldenu | Betsy Gomberg, Spertus Institute | Peter Bensinger, Sr., Morneau Shepell | Jane Charney, Jewish Community Relations Council | Jason Peltz, Bartlit Beck Herman Palenchar & Scott LLP and Trustee, Jewish United Fund | Dr. Linda Mathias Kaskel, Trustee, Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation | Silvia Testa, NBC Universal Hispanic Group and Women’s Network, NBCU. Not pictured: Allan Bogan, BBYO | Sherrie Weiss, Trustee, Florence Melton School of Adult Learning and Friends of the IDF | Troy Zukowski, Choices for Change and Trustee, Temple B’nai Israel.

Through the generous support of the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati and the Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati, agency executives from every Jewish organization in Cincinnati participated in a local cohort of the Certificate in Jewish Leadership program.

Mazel tov to the 2017 Cincinnati Certificate in Leadership recipients Joni Burton, JVS Career Services | Eric Dauer, Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati | Shep Englander, Jewish Federation of Cincinnati | Dan Fagin, Cedar Village Retirement Community | Marc Fisher, Mayerson JCC | Rabbi Yitzchak Goldstein, Cincinnati Hebrew Day School | Cathy Heldman, AJC Cincinnati | Brian Jaffee, Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati | Elaine Kaplan, Rockwern Academy | Jennifer Kash, Mayerson JCC | Barbara Miller, Jewish Federation of Cincinnati | Marcy Miller, Hillel at Miami University | Danielle Minson, Jewish Federation of Cincinnati | Avi Ram, Shared Business Services | Beth Schwartz, Jewish Family Service | Kathleen Shannon, Halom House | Kim Slaton, JVS Career Services | Abby Solomon, Camp Livingston | Sharon Stern, Cincinnati Hillel | Sarah Weiss, Center for Holocaust and Humanity Education | Max Yamson, Camp Livingston

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For Staff and Trustees of Jewish Organizations

Certificate in Jewish Leadership Sponsored by Northwestern University and Spertus Institute

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Hybrid teaching model allows participation from across North America.

The program is presented through a combination of onsite seminars (at the Spertus Institute campus in Chicago) and online content. Courses are taught by senior Northwestern University and Spertus Institute faculty. Chicago seminars take place October 29–31, 2017 and February 11–13, 2018.

Arts & Culture

Master communication and collaboration, even in difficult situations Articulate and achieve goals Inspire excellence Lead through times of change Participants proceed through the curriculum as a cohort, which provides for peer learning and networking. The program includes leadership skills assessment and mentoring with established Jewish community leaders.

Cost for entire program (including Leadership Assessment and Mentor Match) is $2,500. Discount available for qualified employees of Jewish organizations. Does not include travel or accommodations.

News

spertus.edu/certificate

Online Master Class Resources

Spertus Institute offers master classes to enhance the skills of current and future leaders, advancing the missions of the organizations they serve. Although designed for those working with Jewish organizations, they are beneficial to anyone seeking to learn best practices.

Social Media Boot Camp Wednesdays from 12 to 1:30 pm October 25, November 1, 8, and 15

Events

$99 | $79 for Spertus members, students, and alumni Register online at spertus.edu In four online sessions, let Digital Marketing Strategist Elly Deutch guide you through the social media maze. Learn about channels, content strategies, analysis, and best practices, as well as proven methods for designing social media campaigns that communicate your story and get people talking.

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Elly Deutch has created and managed social media plans for over 300 products, organizations, and individuals. She speaks around the world at conferences and summits, sharing her social media knowledge and methodologies.

Recounting a Night of Networking and Celebration On April 5, Spertus Institute hosted a lively event for those who work on behalf of the Jewish community. In spite of wind gusts and driving rain, representatives from 160 businesses and organizations came together to network with colleagues, celebrate innovation, and recognize those pursuing pathways to leadership.

Spertus President and CEO Dr. Hal M. Lewis and JUF Chairman Michael Zaransky paid tribute to those in the room (and their colleagues across the region) for their commitment to strengthening the Jewish community. The featured speaker was Alexandra Levit, former career columnist for the Wall Street Journal. She shared research on building intergenerational teams to help ensure that the Jewish community taps the best talent—of every age.

Thank you to our Jewish Community Networking Night sponsors.

Monica and Steven Perlman

Learning Leadership

Back row from left: Spertus Institute’s Dr. Dean P. Bell with Bruce Ogron, Dan Tatar, Michael Simon, and Scott Whitehair.

Front row: Gili Sherman, Dina Elenbogen, Debi Lewis, Sarah Leibov, and Shaily Hakimian. Photo by Dan Rest.

Arts & Culture

Many Voices Sharing Stories of Israel and Creating Opportunities to Learn On May 21, seven local storytellers shared personal stories of Israel at a sold-out event in Skokie. The program was presented by the Adult Jewish Learning Initiative, a collaboration of 36 Chicago-area Jewish organizations, spearheaded by Spertus Institute and supported by the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago.

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The event, which set the stage for Chicago’s upcoming commemoration of Israel’s 70th anniversary, focused on the diversity of Israeli life. The stories spoke to family dynamics, unexpected friendships, the experiences of Ethiopians and Bedouins, and the impact of love and loss.

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After an open call for entries, a review committee chose the storytellers: Dina Elenbogen, Shaily Hakimian, Sarah Leibov, Debi Lewis, Bruce Ogron, Gili Sherman, and Michael Simon. The storytellers participated in training sessions with Scott Whitehair, creator of Story Lab Chicago. The program was emceed by Dan Tatar, an actor/producer and member of the iCenter leadership team.

Audience members shared their own stories on postcards of Israel. Visit spertus.edu/Voices to read selections from these, watch program video excerpts, and get recommendations of books and films about Israeli life.

About the Adult Jewish Learning Initiative Events

Begun with a grant from the Community Foundation for Jewish Education and supported by the Jewish United Fund, this important initiative provides opportunities for professionals, lay leaders, and educators to convene, learn, and collaborate.

Excerpted from an article for JUF News by Dr. Dean P. Bell, who has been key to the development of the Adult Jewish Learning Initiative.

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An online portal—called GPS for Jewish Learning—is coming soon with resources for program planners and the public, as well as a calendar of Jewish educational programs for Chicago-area adults.

Spertus Welcomes New Trustees

Dr. Jessica Lederhausen was born and raised in Stockholm. A dentist by training, she has lived in Chicago with her husband Mats and four children since 1999. She is the co-organizer of TEDx Chicago 2017. Further filling her schedule, she serves on several nonprofit boards—including North Lawndale College Prep in addition to Spertus— and is an avid golfer. The Lederhausen family was taken with Spertus when they arranged their daughter’s rehearsal dinner through our event partners, VenueSIX10. Soon after, they became the lead sponsors for our 2016 Center for Jewish Leadership Symposium.

Dr. Michele Sackheim Wein is a periodontist with a practice in Bolingbrook. A native of LA, she now lives in Chicago with her husband and the youngest of their three children. Her extensive work as a community leader includes board terms with the Jewish Federations of North America and the local Federations in LA and Chicago. She was National Chair of the Jewish Leadership Forum and a member of AIPAC’s National Council. Today she serves on the boards of Anshe Emet Synagogue and the Chicago Jewish Day School, in addition to Spertus, and works on a local project for Keshet, a national organization that promotes LGBT inclusion in the Jewish community.

Odette Olson, CPA, is a Vice President and Financial Advisor at Rappaport Reiches Capital Management, LLC in Skokie. Her nonprofit board experience includes serving for six years as a Trustee of Temple Beth-El in Northbrook, with terms as Treasurer, Secretary, and a member of the Finance Committee. She is actively involved with Camp Kesem, a passion she shares with her husband Mark and four children.

Lauri Konik Zessar is the founder and president of Bienali Promotions, LLC, an import and sales-premium company. She is a signature member of the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. An active and longtime supporter of Jewish causes, she has served on the board of JCC Chicago and a number of Jewish United Fund committees. With her husband Bruce and three children, she is a member of North Shore Suburban Synagogue Beth El. She looks forward to bringing her passions for Jewish philanthropy, arts and culture, and entrepreneurship to Spertus.

Learning Leadership Arts & Culture

Become a Member 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

Select discounts from Spertus partners

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

Resources

Discounts on tickets to performances, films, lectures, author events, and more Discounts on master classes and workshops Asher Library borrowing privileges and access to online resources Discount subscription to Moment, North America’s premier Jewish magazine 10% discount at JUDAICA.COM

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Benefits

Library borrowing privileges and online access to the Feinberg eCollection.

This benefit is included with all Individual, Household, Senior, and Associate Memberships

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Join or Renew Today To join or renew online, click the Join link at spertus.edu.

To join or renew, 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.

Visit the Spertus website for new online and webconferencing courses.

Jewish Studies Advanced Scholarship Contemporary Approach spertus.edu/Learn Jewish Studies Graduate Programs at Spertus Institute are 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.

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.

Onsite Jewish Studies Seminars Seminars offer dedicated time for our students to advance their studies, learn with skilled and accomplished faculty, and engage with colleagues from around the world. During seminars, courses are offered that meet program requirements for students in Jewish Studies master’s and doctoral programs.

2018 Seminar Dates | Sunday–Thursday, March 11–15

Sunday–Thursday, July 8–12 To learn about opportunities and admission requirements, contact Director of Enrollment Anita Silvert at asilvert@spertus.edu or 312.322.1707.

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Learning

Inaugural Alumni Forum

Leadership

This is the first in a series of programs presented

by Spertus alumni whose work provides insights for personal and professional growth. Open to alumni, students, and the public.

Arts & Culture

Jewish Psychology

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Pathways to New Possibilities in Your Life’s Journey Thursday, September 14 from 12 to 1:30 pm

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Judaism is deeply concerned with human well-being, at both the individual and communal levels. Likewise, the emerging field of Jewish Psychology reflects a Jewish understanding of the complexities inherent in navigating one’s personal, professional, and communal life. Jewish Psychology is especially enlightening as we approach the High Holidays, a time to reflect on our actions and life’s path.

Dr. Maya Avinadav is the founder and director of Inspired Jewish Learning. She earned her Doctorate in Jewish Studies from Spertus Institute and her MA in School Counseling from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

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In this talk, Spertus Alumna Dr. Maya Avinadav invites participants to engage with a range of approaches to life’s challenges and struggles, in order to lead a more balanced, meaningful, and fulfilling life.

Enjoy a chance to mingle over food and food for thought.

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$10 for Spertus students and alumni $20 Spertus members | $25 public Includes kosher lunch.

Online reservation required by September 7 at spertus.edu

Paratroopers at the Western Wall shortly after its recapture by Israeli forces in the Six-Day War. ŠDavid Rubinger, Courtesy Israel Government Press Office.

Left to right: Field Marshal Lord Edmund Allenby, Lord Arthur Balfour, and Sir Herbert Samuel.

Photo taken six years after the Balfour Declaration, Matson Photograph Collection, Library of Congress.

Learning

Turning Points in Zionist History From the Balfour Declaration to the Six-Day War and Beyond Sunday, October 22 from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm

In a collaboration between Spertus Institute and Indiana University’s Borns Jewish Studies Program, four exceptional scholars from IU’s Jewish Studies faculty will spend a day in Chicago discussing these significant moments, as they happened in history and as we see them today.

Arts & Culture

Join professors Judah Cohen, Sarah Imhoff, Shaul Magid, and Noam Zadoff for a day of stimulating learning and conversation.

Leadership

The year 2017 marks the anniversaries of two critical dates in Zionist history: the 1917 Balfour Declaration marking Britain’s support for the establishment of the Jewish State, and the 1967 Six-Day War affirming Israel’s staying power.

Visit spertus.edu/Israel for a full schedule, more about the presenters, and to reserve your spot. Ticket questions? Call 312.322.1773.

Tickets include morning coffee and pastries and kosher lunch.

Tickets purchased by October 16 $25 | $20 Spertus members $10 students and Spertus Institute/Indiana University alumni

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Tickets Purchased After October 16 $35 | $30 Spertus members $20 students and Spertus Institute/Indiana University alumni

Resources

Presented in partnership with Indiana University’s Robert A. and Sandra S. Borns Jewish Studies Program.

Endowed by the late Joan and Samuel New.

Events

Sunday, October 15 from 9 am to 5 pm

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In conjunction with the 10th anniversary of our award-winning building, Spertus Institute is proud to again participate in the Chicago Architecture Foundation’s Open House Chicago. As site sponsors of this program, our colleagues from Krueck + Sexton Architect will be here to talk about our building’s design and development, and to share drawings and models of new projects. Free. No reservations needed. More at architecture.org

Julie Cowan, Circumstance and Astute, detail, 2017, Paper lithography, colored pencil, and pastel.

Exhibition Hours Sunday 10 am – 5 pm Monday – Wednesday 9 am – 5 pm Thursday 9 am – 6 pm Friday 9 am – 3 pm Closed to the public on Saturdays and Jewish and secular holidays.

Admission is free.

Learning

In the Ground Level Arts Lab New Works by Fellows of the Midwest Jewish Artists Lab

Outside Inside

Leadership

Exploring Boundaries and Otherness September 17, 2017 to Sunday, January 7, 2018

Arts & Culture

Outside Inside: Exploring Boundaries and Otherness displays new works created by Spertus Institute’s second 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 created an artwork or series around the theme of boundaries.

The artists selected to participate are: Stewart Cherlin | Julie Cowan | Dorit Jordan Dotan | Gabrielle Egnater Peter N. Gray | Charlotte Hart | Alan Hobscheid | Suzanne Horwitz Sandra Perlow | Joyce Polancez | Charles Rice | Pauline L. Silberman

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Opening Reception Sunday, September 17 at 4 pm Introduction by Dr. Dean P. Bell. Reception to follow.

Free. No reservations required.

Resources

Artist-Led Tours Visitors will be able to tour Outside Inside: Exploring Boundaries and Otherness with the artists as their guides. Free. No reservations required.

Sunday, October 29, 2017, 3 pm–5 pm Stewart Cherlin | Charlotte Hart | Sandra Perlow | Charles Rice Sunday, November 12, 2017, 3 pm–5 pm Julie Cowan | Gabrielle Egnater | Alan Hobscheid | Suzanne Horwitz

Events

Sunday, December 10, 2017, 3 pm–5 pm Dorit Jordan Dotan | Peter N. Gray | Joyce Polance | Pauline L. Silberman

The Midwest Jewish Artists Lab is generously supported by a grant from the Covenant Foundation.

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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.

Ben-Gurion, Epilogue is “a wistful ode to a lost generation of leaders who viewed simplicity as a virtue even as they strove for giant goals.”

—The New York Times

Learning

Chicago Documentary Film Premiere

Ben-Gurion, Epilogue Monday, October 30 at 7 pm Directed by Yariv Mozer | Edited by Yael Perlov In English and Hebrew with English subtitles | 70 minutes

Leadership

$18 | Tickets are available from the Chicago Festival of Israeli Cinema at israelfilmchi.org In the depths of an archive, interview footage was discovered of one of modern history’s greatest leaders, David Ben-Gurion.

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The footage is from 1968. In it, Ben-Gurion is 82 years old. He lives in his secluded home in the desert, removed from all political discourse.

Ben-Gurion’s introspective soul searching is the focus of this film, edited from that vintage footage. Ben-Gurion’s clear voice provides a surprising vision for today’s crucial decisions and the future of Israel.

Yael Perlov, Editor of Ben-Gurion, Epilogue, will join us to introduce the film and participate in a special post-premiere Q & A with Northwestern University Professor Elie Rekhess and a representative from the Consul General of Israel to the Midwest.

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Yael Perlov is a well-known Israeli film editor and producer. She is the daughter of David Perlov, the filmmaker of the original interview that is the basis of Ben-Gurion, Epilogue.

This is the second time she and director Yariv Mozer have collaborated. The first was on the feature film, Snails in the Rain (2013).

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Spertus Institute is the screening host for this Chicago Festival of Israeli Cinema presentation, made possible by the Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest.

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Find Jewish films as well as books at Spertus Institute’s

Asher Library | spertus.edu/library Hours | Sunday 12–4 pm | Monday 10 am–6 pm Wednesday 10 am–4 pm

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Asher Library borrowing privileges are reserved for Spertus students and members. See membership details on page 17.

Nell Snaidas began her career singing leading roles in zarzuelas* at New York City’s Repertorio Español. A specialist in Latin American and Spanish Baroque music, she has been invited to join many leading ensembles as a soloist, guitarist, and consultant.

Ellen Hargis is one of America’s premier early music singers, specializing in repertoire ranging from ballads to opera and oratorio.

Guest curator Nell Snaidas

David Douglass is a specialist in Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque bowed-string instruments. He is a founding member of The Newberry Consort and the ensemble’s director.

The Newberry Consort, founded in 1986, brings together singers and instrumentalists of the highest caliber to create accessible and historically informed performances of Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque music.

*

Zarzuelas is a Spanish lyric-dramatic genre that alternates between spoken and sung scenes, the latter incorporating operatic and popular song, as well as dance.

Learning

Sacred Love: Songs of the Sephardim Sunday, November 5 Pre-Concert Talk at 2:30 pm | Concert begins at 3 pm

Leadership

Tickets $50 general admission and $60 preferred seating Includes post-performance reception.

Tickets on sale at newberryconsort.org In partnership with the Newberry Library’s Center for Renaissance Studies, Spertus Institute hosts a performance of The Newberry Consort with guest curator Nell Snaidas.

Arts & Culture

The performance will feature music of faith and longing from Renaissance Spain and the Ladino oral tradition of the Sephardic Jews, directed by Ellen Hargis and David Douglass.

News Resources

Sacred Love: Songs of the Sephardim is presented in conjunction with

A History of the Book Symposium

Events

Monday, November 6 from 9 am to 4:30 pm At the Newberry Library 60 W. Walton Street | Chicago The Newberry Library and Spertus Institute each house rich collections of medieval and early modern Jewish manuscripts and printed materials. This jointly organized symposium celebrates and examines these collections in relation to the social and religious lives of Jews from roughly 1300 to 1700.

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Free and open to the public.

Program and registration information at newberry.org

One Book | One Community 2017 Join the celebration of Jewish Book Month with discussions and events across Chicago’s Jewish community—all focused around this year’s book.

Spertus Institute proudly spearheads this initiative.

“Fast paced and impeccably researched... Kept me reading long into the night.”

—KRISTINA MCMORRIS, bestselling author of The Edge of Lost

Learning

Windy City Blues In 1950s Chicago, a young Jewish woman stands in the middle of a musical and social revolution.

Published by Penguin Random House/ Berkley.

Available in paperback, e-book, audio, and large print.

Visit spertus.edu/OneBook

Program information, prices, tickets, and reservations Book and ticket giveaways Discussion questions and resources Photos of Chicago’s Maxwell Street Market Downloads of music recorded at Chicago’s historic Chess Records

Arts & Culture

Renée Rosen is the bestselling author of Windy City Blues, White Collar Girl, What the Lady Wants, and Dollface, as well as the young adult novel, Every Crooked Pot. She lives in Chicago and is at work on a novel about Helen Gurley Brown.

Leadership

Leeba Groski lands a job at the legendary Chess Records where she begins her own songwriting career and meets future icons Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Etta James, and Chuck Berry. But it’s blues guitarist Red Dupree who changes her life. With their relationship unwelcome in segregated Chicago and shunned by her Orthodox family, Leeba and Red find themselves drawn into the Civil Rights Movement, where they discover how music can bring people together.

News

Kick-Off & Reception Sunday, November 19 at 2 pm at Spertus Institute

Author Appearances Books will be for sale and Renée Rosen will be signing books at her appearances.

Resources

Thursday, November 30 at 7 pm at North Suburban Synagogue Beth El in Highland Park Reception and signing precede presentation.

Tuesday, December 5 at 2 pm at Congregation Etz Chaim in Lombard Signing follows presentation.

Sunday, December 10 at 3 pm at Spertus Institute

Events

Renée Rosen in conversation with Chicago Tribune Arts Critic Howard Reich.

Book Discussions Scheduled in locations from Homewood to Highland Park, discussions are led by Spertus One Book | One Community Discussion Facilitator Rachel Kamin, Director of the Gray Cultural & Learning Center at North Suburban Synagogue Beth El.

29

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JUF News is the Media Sponsor of One Book | One Community

YOU’RE INVITED TO HOST YOUR

HOLIDAY PARTY CORPORATE EVENT SIMCHA WITH US

EVENTS AT SPERTUS INSTITUTE MANAGED BY VENUE SIX10, SELECTED A “BEST EVENT SPACE” BY CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS. KOSHER CATERING OPTIONS AVAILABLE.

VENUESIX10.COM | 312.322.1725 610 SOUTH MICHIGAN AVENUE | CHICAGO

September–December 2017

September

October (continued)

November (continued)

3 | Sunday

11 | Wednesday 3 pm

12 | Sunday 3 pm Artist-Led Tour of Outside Inside P23

Asher Library closed Labor Day

12 | Thursday

Spertus closed Labor Day

14 | Thursday 12–1:30 pm

Spertus closed Shemini Atzert

13 | Thursday Spertus closed Simchat Torah

22 | Sunday 9:30 am Symposium Turning Points in Zionist History P21

17 | Sunday 4 pm Exhibition Opening Outside Inside: Exploring Boundaries and Otherness P23

25 | Wednesday 12 pm Online Master Class Begins Social Media Boot Camp P13

20 | Wednesday 3 pm Spertus closes early Erev Rosh Hashanah Spertus closed Rosh Hashanah

22 | Friday

29 | Sunday 3 pm Artist-Led Tour of Outside Inside P23

29 | Sunday First day of Certificate in Jewish Leadership Chicago Symposium P23

Spertus closed Rosh Hashanah

30 | Monday 7 pm

Spertus closes early Erev Yom Kippur

30 | Saturday Spertus closed Yom Kippur

Chicago Film Premiere Ben Gurion, Epilogue P25

31 | Tuesday Last day of Certificate in Jewish Leadership Chicago Symposium P23

October Spertus closes early Erev Sukkot

5 | Thursday 6 | Friday Spertus closed Sukkot

5 | Sunday 3 pm Concert Sacred Love: Songs of the Sephardim P27

6 | Monday 3 pm Symposium At the Newberry Library Premodern Judaism from Manuscript to Print P27

Spertus closed Thanksgiving holiday

30 | Thursday 7 pm Author Event in Highland Park Renée Rosen P29

December

3 | Sunday 2 pm

Annual Leadership Symposium Ending the Gender Gap: Achieving the Power of Workplace Equity P6

5 | Tuesday 2 pm Author Event in Lombard Renée Rosen P29

10 | Sunday 3 pm Artist-Led Tour of Outside Inside P23

Author Event Renée Rosen P29

12 | Tuesday Sundown Hanukkah Begins

2 5 | Monday Spertus closed Christmas holiday

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Support Spertus

Spertus closed Sukkot

November

24 | Friday

Events

4 | Wednesday 3 pm

Spertus closed Thanksgiving holiday

Resources

29 | Friday 1 pm

23 | Thursday

News

21 | Thursday

One Book | One Community Kick-off & Receprion Renée Rosen P29

Arts & Culture

Inaugural Alumni Forum Jewish Psychology: Pathways to New Possibilities P19

19 | Sunday 2 pm

Leadership

4 | Monday

Spertus closes early Erev Shemini Atzert

Learning

Calendar

Page 23

See new works from twelve accomplished local artists In the Ground Level Arts Lab

Permit No. 7320 Chicago, Illinois

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