MISSION, VISION,Values
Our MISSION
We are a cultural center in a historic synagogue building in downtown Boston. Our mission is to spark excitement and curiosity about Jewish culture and our American immigrant story through vibrant and meaningful experiences.
Our VISION
Our vision is to be a place where arts, culture, tradition and ideas power personal connections, community and the pursuit of a more inclusive society.
Our VALUES
Welcoming and Inviting Guided by the Jewish value of welcoming the stranger, the Vilna is inclusive and open to people of all backgrounds. We believe that we must do and act with kindness and respect for everyone.
History and Tradition Rooted in ancient traditions, Jewish culture continues to evolve. The Vilna brings people together to learn about this ever changing story as it is unfolding.
Meaning and Relevance It is in our nature as humans to seek meaning and purpose in our lives. The Vilna identifies and organizes experiences that are timely and compelling to help people better understand themselves and the world they live in
Belonging and Connection No matter our stage in life, we need to feel that we are part of something larger. We provide opportunities for shared experiences to help ground you, combat loneliness and lift you up in moments of both joy and sadness.
Creativity and Ideas The arts offer new avenues for discovery and learning. By introducing inspired and out-of-the-box experiences, we cultivate memorable moments that spark reflection and growth.
Celebrating Yiddish culture through an eclectic mix of film, dance and live Klezmer music.
18 Phillips Street | Boston, MA 02114 617-523-2324 | info@vilnashul.org vilnashul.org
STAFF
Dalit Ballen Horn, Executive Director
Stephanie Davis, Program and Operations Manager
Christen Hazel, Director of Development
Geo Poor, Director of Operations and Finance
Elyse Winick, Director of Arts and Culture
CREDITS
Design/Layout: Nicole Pollack
Photography:
Justin Knight Photography
Kayana Szymczak Photography
Nicole Volpe
On the cover:
Bathed in quiet sunlight pouring in from the skylight, a dancer fills our historic sanctuary with movement.
2023 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Robert Thurer, President
Natty Hoffman, Vice President
Amy McKeag, Vice President
Daniel Kurzberg, Treasurer
Noah Schlesinger, Clerk
Susan Benjamin
Daniel Dain
Pam Friedman
Jeff Karp
Rebecca Kotkin
Jim Kutchin
Brian Lester
Marilyn Okonow
Wendy Perlman
Michael Price
Adam Samansky
Mike Samuels
Jodi Seewald Smith
Judy Shapiro
Julie Somers
Zach Wainwright
Gilbert Winn
Karen Winn
PRESIDENT EMERITI
Deborah B. Cohen
Deborah Feinstein
David Glater
Debbie Kurinsky
Evvajean Mintz
Lee B. Silverman
Myles D. Striar
Jack Swartz
Richard S. Usen z”I
DIRECTOR EMERITUS
Maxine Goldberg
Joseph Grabowski z”I
Eileen Samuels
Stanley M. Smith
Sandy Swartz
Visitors admire the rare multi-layer Jewish folk murals partially hidden behind layers of paint on the walls and ceiling of the historic sanctuary.
Sophie Krentzman, Associate VP, Jewish Communal Life, CJP
“The Vilna is a must-visit hub of Jewish life in downtown Boston. CJP is proud to partner with The Vilna in their work to engage Jews in Boston and contribute to the current Jewish cultural renaissance. From hosting innovative productions with world renowned theater companies, to community-building opportunities sampling culture from different Jewish backgrounds, I can’t help but marvel at the way the building marries the ancestral with the modern. It is a powerful and grounding experience to be wrapped in history while also looking forward into the Jewish future.”
Photo credit: Nicole Volpe
Dear friends of THE VILNA
With pride and gratitude, we’re happy to share the Vilna’s 2023 Annual Report, highlighting another year of remarkable achievement.
We continue to welcome thousands of people for concerts, author talks, film screenings, art exhibits, museum tours, holiday celebrations, adult learning, and more. The year’s highlights included a partnership with Repair the World and About Fresh, creating a Day of Service for young professionals to celebrate MLK Day; Falling Out of Time, an exclusive conversation with composer Osvaldo Golijov, and performances by Yoni Rechter and Nora Fischer in advance of their Boston Symphony Hall concert; the Israeli film The Holy Closet in celebration of Pride Month; the premiere of Rachel Linsky’s newest dance film; and the traditional Sephardic music of Trio Sefardi. Our Voices of Humanity concert and the 6th Annual Hanukkah a Cappella Concert were once again sold-out celebrations.
Following our events of October 7th, we created unique programming to help the community process and cope with the tragedy and its aftermath. This year, our sukkah walls were meaningfully decorated with inspiring quotes from our community.
To support the continued growth of our programs, we completed a four-year strategic plan that is now being implemented. We’ve also engaged architects to advance our vision of restoring and reimagining our historic sanctuary. None of this would be possible without our committed donors, volunteers, and exceptional professional staff. Thank you all, once again, for an extraordinary year!
Dalit Horn Executive Director Bob Thurer Board President
Our programs are powered by strong partnerships. In 2023, we were thrilled to collaborate with 47 organizations to bring the best of Jewish arts and culture to Boston.
The Vilna is grateful for the philanthropic support of the following foundation partners.
Susan Adler, Executive Director Boston Jewish Film
“Our partnership with The Vilna enables us to present enriching and meaningful programming in The Vilna’s historic space and is an important element of our year-round programming.”
PHILIP & BERNICE KRUPP FOUNDATION FOR JEWISH LIFE
Translating Jewish values into action, young professionals gather on Martin Luther King Jr. Day for a sold-out day of volunteerism in partnership with Boston-based nonprofit About Fresh and national Jewish service-learning organization Repair the World.
Grappling with the ravages of war through allegory and metaphor, Vilna-born artist and Holocaust survivor Sam Bak discusses his hauntingly beautiful paintings and his early childhood memories of Vilnius with Boston gallery owner and friend Bernie Pucker.
Celebrating the miracle of lights, Boston’s finest university groups sang to a sold-out crowd of all ages at the Annual Hanukkah A Cappella Concert.
Introducing her new cookbook, Portico, food writer and author Leah Koenig, whose recipes and writings have appeared in Bon Appétit, Epicurious, Food & Wine, and The New York Times, demonstrated how to make Jewish Italian delights during a soldout culinary workshop.
Launching his new book, The Golem of Brooklyn, New York Times bestselling author Adam Mansbach talks with grant maker and Jewish arts & culture advocate Liana Krupp.
The Vilna is grateful for the generosity of all individuals, corporations, and foundations.
$50,000+
Judi and Larry Bohn
Natty and Carl Hoffman
The Krupp Foundation
$25,000-$49,999
Anonymous
George and Lizbeth Krupp
Karen and Gilbert Winn
$18,000-$24,999
Anonymous
Diane and Neil Exter
Marilyn and Dale Okonow
Shari and Robert Thurer
Nicole Zatlyn and Jason Weiner
$10,000-$17,999
Anonymous
Anne Bromer*
Alan Dana
Myer Dana
Elisa Entine*
Deborah and Ron Feinstein
Linda and Michael Frieze
Rabbi Wesley Gardenswartz and
Ms. Shira Goodman
Rebecca Kotkin and Don Steinberg
Anna Markus
Lay Lee Ong
The William and Lia G. Poorvu Family Foundation
The Sager Family
Karen Teller
$5,000-$9,999
Kathy and Michael Azeez
The Beker Foundation
Jackson and Irene Golden 1989 Charitable Trust
Brittany Greenfield
Gary Greenfield
Jill and Jeff Karp
Judy and Steve Kaye
Debbie and Geoffrey Kurinsky
Peri and Jim Kutchin*
Marcia and Alan Leifer
Shirah Rosin and Brian Lester
Wendy Perlman and Peter Antoszyk
Wendy and Michael Price*
Eileen and Stephen Samuels
Katarzyna and David Schwarzman
Ilana Braun and Jed Weiss
“The Vilna was an iconic place to hold our son’s bar mitzvah. Highlights of the weekend include: the mural at the back of the former women’s section, the skylights, having our own minyan, and the acoustic sound in the room as we sang songs. Friday night dinner was happy and cozy downstairs in the community room. And, the staff was super helpful at every step.”
Yael and Ami Joseph Parents
$1,800-$4,999
Jane Adolph and Bill Poznik
Susan and Aron Ain
Susan and Cary Benjamin
Levine Chapels
Judith Cutter
Diane Epstein
Rachel and David Fine
The Grossman Companies, Inc.
Maxine Goldberg
Beth and Larry Greenberg
Louis Grossman and Amy Gerson
Abigail Fierman and Michael Grossman
Christen and Thomas Hazel
Varda and Marvin Konstam
Frank Lowenthal
The Martin Salomon Morton and Gustel Schreiber Morton Foundation
Amy and Mark McKeag
Maxine Murnick
Chuck and Jessica Myers
Adam Portnoy
Valerie and Larry Post
Emily and Adam Samansky
Michael Samuels
Cara Wolahan and Noah Schlesinger
Ms. Barbara Scolnick
Judy Shapiro and Brian Nadler
Julie Somers and Moe Blaustein
Lynne Spencer
Lisa and Neil Wallack
Elaine and Alan Weiler
Deanna and Sidney Wolk
George and Lizbeth Krupp steal a moment with their daughter-in-law Liana Krupp at an author talk.
Elizabeth and Stephen Rosen
Jennifer and Seth Stier
Sandy and Jack Swartz
Judi Rotenberg and Edward Zuker
$500-$999
Jesse Baerkahn
Ronald Bello
Carol and Kenneth Bello
Anne and Roger Berman
Dorothea and Sheldon Buckler
Cheryl and William Casper
Amy and Howard Goldman
Lauren and Ken Handler
Mr. John Houston and Ms.
Katherine Read
Nick Jacob
Maurice Joffe
Sandra and Gary Kramer
Lisa and Stephen Lebovitz
Susana Lopez and Douglas Levin
Louis Grossman shares his family’s story during Board member and author Dan Dain’s book talk debuting his first book, A History of Boston.
$1,000-$1,799
Anonymous (1 Donor)
AllianceBernstein
Beacon Hill Civic Association
Community Fund
Peggy Lowenstein and Steve Berez
Rhoda and Martin Bress
Rachel Coben and Roger Klein
Julie and Daniel Dain
Judith Engle Clifford
Odele and Barry Fidelman
Polly Gambrill Slavet
Deborah Goldberg
Larry Green
Elyse and Dan Kurzberg
Gloria and Laurence Lieberman
Heidi Meyer
Evvajean Mintz
Julie Nadal
Marianne and Kenneth Novack
Pricewaterhousecoopers
Suzanne Priebatsch
“I first started working as a docent at the Vilna in 1998. In the past year, I have attended a book-making workshop, a concert of original music, a challenging intellectual discussion, and (twice!) a sitespecific production of a 19th century Yiddish play. Each of these varied events has had a specifically Jewish connection, reflecting the incredible breadth of Jewish experience and Jewish history.”
Judith Klau
Sandra Y. Levine
Ellen and Barry Levine
Mary Marshall
Allegra Manacher and Curt Kohlberg*
Elaine and Nicholas Negroponte
Marsha and Loyd Pimperl
Sue and Bernie Pucker
Nancy Raphael
Caroline Reeves and Jim Lee
Barbara and Frank Resnek
Jo and Stanley Rutstein
Barbara and Peter Sidel
Rabbi Jodi Smith and Mr. Adam Smith
Hans Strauch
$180-$499
Anonymous (1 Donor)
Amy Baron and Tom Abrams
Mona Adler
Jessica and David Aronoff
Roberta and Richard Bauer
Diane and Fredrick Berk
Sharon E. Cohen
Katharine Cohen Black
Doris Cole
Patricia A. Cook
Susan Corson
Kimberly and Gary Creem
Judith Wolf and Howard Eisen
Reva and Eric Fischman
Pam and Clarence Friedman
Lori and Sam Gerber
Leo Guyshan and Brenda Tobin
Ross Honig
Honig & Associates, Inc.
IBM
Margaret Jacobson-Sive
Elizabeth and Dan Jick
Robert Kleinberg
Donna and Gerald Kramer
Ms. Maxine Krengel
Judy and Richard Lappin
Bonnie Marko
Lawrence Marks
Chip O’Neal
Jordan Michaels
Pamela and David Oswald Louis
Lorraine Bigrigg and Gianfranco Pocobene
Geo Poor
Ruth Rooks
Cynthia Rubin and David Rodgers
Jeffrey Rubin
Ms. Allison Ryder
Ruth Langer and Jonathan D. Sarna
Maya Michalewicz
Nancy and Craig Miller
Debra Morley
Adrienne and David Paskind
Amy Perlmutter
Andi Pollinger
Daniella and Skyler Priebatsch Place
Richard Primack
Lisa Rachlin
Helaine Razovsky
Terry Rice
Janet Rosenblatt
Willis and Alvin Ross
Harold Rudnick
Marc Sacks
Aaron Scheinberg
Jack Schier
Susan Schiffer
Ruth Segal
Courtney Sender
Catherine Shavell
Harvey Silverglate
Beebe Sinofsky
Betty Solbjor
Susan and Alan Solomont
Roseanne and Edward
Jennifer Stern
Karen and Robert Sweet
LEGACY SOCIETY
The Vilna is forever grateful for the support of individuals who have made arrangements to include The Vilna in their estate plans. Leaving a legacy helps to ensure that The Vilna thrives for generations to come.
Dorothea and Shelly Buckler
Patricia Cook
Deborah and Ron Feinstein
Leslie Friedman
Judith Klau
Heidi Meyer
Evvajean Mintz
Marilyn and Dale Okonow
Lay Lee Ong
Eileen and Stephen Samuels
Sandy and Jack Swartz
Karen Teller
Shari and Robert Thurer
Donors listed made gifts to The Vilna between January 1, 2023 and December 31, 2023. Every effort has been made to list names properly. If you have any questions, please contact Christen Hazel, Director of Development at christen@vilnashul.org or 617-523-2324.
Susan Schwartz
Ezra Shammay
Ms. Robin Sidell
Risa Silverston
Raymond Stephens
Myles Striar
Michael Thorner
Maria and George Tsokos
Marissa and Zach Wainwright
Andrea Waldstein
Barbara Freedman Wand and Mitchell Wand
Robin Weinberger
Ronald Weintraub
Laura and Kenneth Wernick
Candice and Howard Wolk
Ms. Joyce Yaffee
Under $180
Arlene Alpert Mehlman
Karen Arsenault
Abigail Averbach
Lori Barnet
Kristen and Evan Benjamin
Julie and Bruce Berger
Eric Berger
Dr. Susan Boruchoff
Craig Brenner
Jennifer Breslouf
Fay and Julian Bussgang
Alan Cetel
Aaron Corin
Catherine and Harvey Cotton
Deborah Cushman
Jonina Druker
Linda and Allan Dunn
Linda and John Freeman
Ilya Freytsis
Avrum Freytsis
Neil Frieband
Franlin Gold
Caron and Fred Golder
Les and Sandy Goldstein
Ron and Elizabeth Goodman
Carolyn Greenberg
Loren Grossman
John Hecker
Helen and Myron Herman
Marie-Louis Jackson-Miller
Joy Jartman
Patricia Kelleher
Michal and Dallas Kennedy
Judith Klau
Martha Koster
Miriam Ladrigan
Elaine P. Levine
Sanford Levy
Linda Lewi
Daniel Lieber
Ellen Lipsey
Ruth Tepper
Mr. Richard Fraiman The Melvin & Beatrice Fraiman
Foundation
Karen Thompson
Leslie Warshaw
Rena Weinberg
Jo-Ann Wilson-Keenan
Arlene and Henry Winkleman
*For historic restoration
Leah Staffin
Havurah on the Hill Participant
“My partner and I joined the Havurah on the Hill young professionals community to participate in a unique, pluralistic Jewish cohort and to meet new friends. Together, we have connected with friends new and old in a beautiful, multi-functional space. Being in community in the sanctuary helps us remember and honor the past, celebrate the present, and build and dream toward the future. ”
Board members Dan Kurzberg, Noah Schlesinger and Zach Wainwright catch up on the patio.
Honoring the city of Vilnius’ 700th anniversary, world-renowned percussionist and “father of Lithuanian
StorySLAM
April 17, 2025
jazz,” Vladimir Tarasov, shared his moving renditions last summer.
Challah making workshop with a sold-out crowd of young professionals immediately in the days after October 7.
Each generation finds comfort in our historic sanctuary.
www.vilnashul.org
