PROGRAMMINGFALL
2022 at
welcome to THE VILNA Interested in private event rentals or a historic tour? Call
events@vilnashul.org
For many of us, this fall is truly the start of a new season. With the complexities of a global pandemic easier to navigate and our desire for social connection and intellectual stimulation renewed, we could not be more excited to welcome you to The Vilna. Our programming is centered on three core activities: arts and entertainment, holiday celebrations through a cultural lens, and adult learning. As you will see, there is truly something for everyone. Some of our programs are intended to engage and connect young professionals, families with young children, or boomers while other programs are multigenerational in nature and open to the general public. Join us in person and online as we welcome musicians, artists, chefs, authors, and activists from around the world to The Vilna. With excitement, Dalit Ballen Horn Executive Director 617-523-2324 or email
Convivium Musicum Sunday, November 20 3:30 - 5:30 PM EST $18 per person In person Join us for an afternoon of Renaissance a cappella choral music performed live in our historic sanctuary. This program will explore Rossi’s choral music as well as the works of his colleagues at the Mantuan court, and explore the influences this talented group of composers may have had on each other.
Generously sponsored by: James Beard Award-Winning Author Michael Twitty of Koshersoul in Conversation with Author Adeena Sussman of Sababa
Thursday, September 15 12:30 – 1:30 PM EST
Suggested $18 Virtual In Koshersoul, Michael W. Twitty considers the marriage of two of the most distinctive culinary cultures in the world today: the foods and traditions of the African Atlantic and the global Jewish Diaspora. To Twitty, the creation of African-Jewish cooking is a conversation of migrations and a dialogue of diasporas offering a rich background for inventive recipes and the people who create them.
Wednesday,CommunityDecember 7 7:00 – 8:00 PM EST
A Celebration of the Jewish Food of Italy with Benedetta Jasmine Guetta
Culinary Author Series
Satisfaction Guaranteed: How Zingerman’s Built a Corner Deli into a Global Food
Thursday, October 27 7:00 – 8:00 PM EST Suggested $18 Virtual Cooking alla Giudia is the ultimate tribute to the wonderfully rich, yet still largely unknown, culinary heritage of the Jews of Italy. From Roman deepfried artichokes to Venetian sarde in saor (sweet-and-sour sardines), Apulian orecchiette pasta, and Sicilian caponata, some of Italy’s best-known dishes are Jewish in origin.
Suggested $18 Virtual Certain businesses are legendary, exerting immense influence in their field. Zingerman’s in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is one of those places. Over the years the flagship deli has expanded into a community of more than a dozen businesses, including a wildly successful mail order operation, restaurants, bakery, coffee roastery, creamery, candy maker, and events space—transforming Ann Arbor into a destination for food lovers.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
As we begin to prepare meals in celebration of the Jewish holidays with family and friends, we curated a special virtual culinary series exploring Jewish food and cuisine from around the world in partnership with the Jewish Book Council.
Breaking Breads with Israeli Culinary Icon Uri Scheft
Rosh Hashanah Culinary Workshop for Young Thursday,ProfessionalsSeptember 22 5:30 – 8:30 PM EST $25 per person In person
HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS
5th Annual Hanukkah A Cappella Concert
Sunday, December 11 3:00 - 4:30 PM EST $10 per person or $25 per family In person Join us for this special event featuring a wide range of exceptional musical groups from across the city. This is truly a multigenerational concert experience. All are welcome. Generously sponsored by:
Sunday, October 9 10:00 - 11:30 AM EST $25 per family In person Learn about the themes of Sukkot through the arts! Visual artist and puppeteer Rotem Goldenberg will host a puppet show followed by an art-based activity to create paper pop-up houses. Older siblings and grandparents are welcome to attend. Brunch will be served!
“Beautiful, haunting The story of a young artist in crisis and young country at war.” —NICOLE KRAUSS WAR, ATONEMENT, AND THE RESURREC TIO N OF LEONARD COHEN MATTI FRIEDMAN WHO BY FIRE
Sunday,ChildrenSeptember 25 10:00 - 11:30 AM EST $25 per family In person Sing, dance, and play your way into the new year with musician and song leader extraordinaire, Evan Haller! This program promises to be an upbeat and entertaining musical program geared towards families with young children. Older siblings and grandparents are welcome to attend. Brunch will be served!
Who By Fire: War, Atonement, and the Resurrection of Leonard Cohen
Wednesday, September 21 6:00 - 8:30 PM EST $18 per person In Person and Live Streamed
Join us for an evening with one of Israel’s most exciting culinary icons and Learnentrepreneurs!aboutthestate of Israeli baking and partake in a tasting of sweet and savory pastries from Boston’s newest Israeli bakery named Bakey. Cookbooks will be available for signing!
Monday, October 3 12:00 – 1:00 PM EST Suggested $18 Virtual A riveting account of singersongwriter Leonard Cohen’s unexpected concert tour of Israel during the Yom Kippur War by awardwinning journalist Matti Friedman.
Rosh Hashanah Celebration for Families with Young
Sukkot Celebration for Families with Young Children
Join us for an exclusive challah making workshop at Bakey, Boston’s most exciting new bakery, with chef and founder Uri Scheft. Meet at The Vilna for a welcome reception followed by a short walk to Bakey. The workshop will include a demonstration of challah dough preparation and braiding techniques with myriad decorative toppings. Each participant will get to take their challah home.
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Join Boston-area visual artist Rachel Jackson for a workshop to explore Hebrew calligraphy using traditional calligraphic materials. Participants will create a beautiful card with the Hanukkah blessings just in time for the holiday. No background experience is required. Brunch will be served.
From the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to J Street: A Diplomat’s View of the USIsrael InSuggested6:30OctoberRelationship25-8:30PMEST$18PersonandLiveStreamed
Wednesdays, October 19, 26, November 2 12:00 – 1:00 PM EST $25 per class, $75 per series Virtual Join us for an online course exploring Yiddish culture and language through film, TV and documentaries. Literally speaking, Yiddish means “Jewish.” Linguistically, it refers to the language spoken by Ashkenazi Jews — Jews from Central and Eastern Europe, and their descendants. Through films such as Menashe, and TV shows such as Shtisel, we will explore the rich history of the Yiddish language and discuss how it is used today.
The Fascinating World of Yiddish
Tuesdays, November 29, December 6, December 13 7:00 – 9:00 PM EST $180 per couple Virtual with an in-person Shabbat brunch on Saturday, December 3
With guided questions, texts, and discussion prompts, connect with your partner and others in your life stage to explore essential couples conversations, such as legacy, rest, money, intimacy, and loss. This cohort is designed for young adult couples on the road to committed partnership and early years of marriage. Whether you identify as interfaith, LGBTQ+, Jewish &/or are both Jewish, you are welcome here! Come ready for deep conversation and reflection!
JEWISH LEARNING
Layah Lipsker is a Boston-based Jewish educator and a research associate at the Hadassah Brandeis Institute.
Streamed Sean Ellis, the subject of the 2020 Netflix docu-series, Trial 4, was exonerated in 2018 after spending nearly 22 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. This program is part of our signature Lifesavers Speaker Series that invites us to engage deeply with individuals championing social justice and positive change. This lecture is generously sponsored by Jason Weiner and Nicole Zatlyn.
Former Israeli Consul General to New England and current Israel Director for J Street, Nadav Tamir, will discuss a wide-range of topics, including an analysis of the upcoming Israeli elections; an exploration of what Israelis and American Jews do and don’t understand about each other; and thoughts on how the American Jewish community can support Israel to be the best version of itself.
Wednesday, December 14 10:30 AM -12:30 PM EST $25 per person In person
Navigating Life’s Journey: A Young Adult Couples Cohort for Committed Partners
The Long Road to Freedom: Wrongful Convictions in Thursday,MassachusettsDecember 8 7:00 PM InSuggestedEST$18PersonandLive
Hebrew Calligraphy Workshop
Rabbi Jen Gubitz is a Boston-based rabbi and the co-host of the OMfG Podcast: Jewish Wisdom for Unprecedented Times. Her writing appears in the Boston Globe, OnBeing, Jewish Daily Forward, and Lilith Magazine
ONETABLE X THE VILNA Havurah On the Hill Returns Our VISION The Vilna is the fulcrum for Jewish culture and engagement in downtown Boston. We celebrate Jewish culture, heritage, and values through arts and entertainment, holiday celebrations, and adult learning. We seek to be a radically welcoming and inclusive space for Boston’s diverse adult populations to engage in Jewish life. Through concerts, author talks, film screenings, art exhibits, museum tours, adult learning and more, The Vilna gives voice and meaning to the histories and experiences of Boston’s immigrants and newcomers. THE VILNA SHUL 18 Phillips Street Boston, MA www.vilnashul.org02114 FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO REGISTER FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM Sept 16 | Welcome Back Game Night Oct 21 | Fireside Chat With Local Artists Nov 18 | Pickling Workshop Dec 16 | Latkepalooza and Trivia Night 6-9PM | SAVE THE DATE • Boston’s Beacon Hill
