FALL PROGRAMS 2023 at
Dear friend,
Welcome to a sweet new year of opportunities at The Vilna Shul!
As you explore our Fall 2023 Program Brochure, you’ll discover exciting experiences that were carefully curated with you in mind. Come on your own, grab a friend or bring your family — The Vilna is your place to connect with Jewish arts, culture, and tradition.
In September, we’re offering a new High Holiday experience that’s rooted in festive communal meals and inspiring, music-forward services.
In October, we’ll explore the theme of “home” at our 2nd annual Sukkot on the Hill holiday celebration.
In November, join us as we launch Centered on Culture: Jewish Learning through the Arts and then light up your December at our 6th annual Hanukkah A Cappella concert.
This fall, we’ve got something for everyone, and we can’t wait to welcome you at The Vilna.
With excitement,
Dalit Ballen Horn Executive Director
We are proud to introduce our revised mission and vision, adopted by our Board of Directors in June 2023.
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.
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.
On the cover: Join us on September 10 for the premiere screening of ‘Dancing with the Past’–a celebration of Yiddish culture through an eclectic mix of film, dance and live Klezmer music.
Photo credit: Nicole Volpe.
HIGH HOLIDAY experience
A new take on the New Year. Sweet.
All High Holiday Services
$180 per person
$50 per person under 40 years old
New Year’s Eve Dinner
$50 per person
New Year’s Day Brunch
$25 per person
All meals will be kosher.
Rosh Hashanah Celebration for Families with Young Children
Sing, dance and play your way into the new year with song leader extraordinaire, Evan Haller of Music at the Blissful!
Enjoy this upbeat and entertaining musical experience. Older siblings and grandparents are welcome. Brunch will be served!
Sunday, September 17
10:00 – 11:30 AM
$25 per family
SEPTEMBER
(Jewish) New Year’s Eve Dinner
Join us for a warm, welcoming and elegant holiday dinner celebration for adults that will include Shabbat and holiday rituals, songs and wonderful Rosh Hashanah dishes from around the world.
Friday, September 15
6:30 – 8:30 PM
Musical Rosh Hashanah Day Experience and New Year’s Brunch
Enjoy a spiritual journey that hits the high notes. Led by our Director of Arts & Culture, Rabbi Elyse Winick, and featuring Rabbi Jen Gubitz, the service includes uplifting songs, a thoughtprovoking sermon, poetry and shofar. A festive mimosa brunch rings in the new year.
Saturday, September 16
Services: 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM Brunch: 12:00 – 1:00 PM
Yom Kippur Eve: Cello, Harp, and Reflection
Join us for what promises to be a beautiful, stirring rendition of Kol Nidrei, meaning “All Vows,” the iconic Yom Kippur prayer, followed by traditional chanting, poetry, reflections and voices raised in song in our historic sanctuary.
Sunday, September 24 6:15 – 7:30 PM
Yom Kippur: Closing the Gates and Community Break Fast
Join us for the conclusion of our High Holiday experience. Full of song, reflection and shofar blowing followed by a traditional break fast meal of bagels, lox, and other delicious treats.
Monday, September 25
6:15 – 7:45 PM Free
Celebrate the vibrant world of Yiddish culture through film, dance, discussion and live Klezmer music.
Film Screening: Dancing with the Past
Join us for the premiere screening of Boston-based choreographer Rachel Linsky’s newest dances filmed at The Vilna and inspired by Mieczyslaw Weinberg, a RussianPolish composer. When the Nazis invaded Weinberg’s homeland, he fled to the Soviet Union and was the only member of his family to survive the Holocaust. He spent the rest of his life creating brilliant classical compositions with clear Jewish themes and klezmer tones.
Following the short films and discussion, enjoy live music and dancing featuring the internationally-acclaimed klezmer band, Ezekiel’s Wheels, as they bring passion, virtuosity, and contagious energy to the evening. The Wheels improvise with the intimacy of chamber music and the intensity of a rowdy dance band.
Sunday, September 10 5:00 – 7:00 PM
$18 per person
isRegistration still open. JOIN US!
Sukkah Art Installation
What does home mean to you? On Sukkot, we grapple with contemporary paradigms of wandering, our responsibility to safeguard and celebrate the land we inhabit, and the joy and nourishment it provides us. Our sukkah is a piece of public art showcasing powerful quotes and reflections by people in our community on the meaning of home.
Open to the public September 29-November 10
Feasting in Rome’s Jewish Kitchen: A Tasting with Leah Koenig
The Roman Jewish kitchen is defined by its simple-but-elegant approach to vegetables, foods fried in olive oil, saucy braised meats and beguiling desserts.
Join nationally recognized Jewish food writer Leah Koenig for an author talk followed by a cooking demonstration, tasting and book signing.
Tuesday, October 3 6:00 – 8:30 PM
$25 per person
in Conversation with Bernie Pucker
Vilna-born painter, Samuel Bak and gallery owner Bernie Pucker discuss Bak’s works and reflect on themes of “home.” Through allegory and metaphor, Bak grapples with the ravages of war to create hauntingly beautiful paintings that have been exhibited around the world including at The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Thursday, October 5
6:00 – 8:00 PM
$18 per person
Author Talk with Adam Mansbach: The Golem of Brooklyn
#1
New York Times Bestselling
Author Adam Mansbach introduces his new book about Ashkenazi Jewish folklore. The Golem of Brooklyn is an epic romp through history and the American present that wrestles with the deepest questions of humanity.
Thursday, October 12
6:00 – 8:00 PM
$18 per person
Build a Better FutureNational Day of Service for 20s/30s
We’re teaming up with Repair the World to offer young professionals opportunities to connect with one another and do good at the same time. Join young adults in local service projects around the city.
Sunday, October 22 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Suggested $15 donation for supplies
Havurah on the Hill Friday Night Shabbat for 20s/30s
Join us for a special Friday night Shabbat experience for young professionals. This evening includes spirited services, inspired food and drink, and a fireside chat with one of the artists whose work is featured at the Be The Change art and activism public exhibit at The Fenway.
Friday, October 27 6:00 – 9:00 PM
$18 per person
Book Launch and Brunch with Author Dan Dain
Vilna Shul board member Dan Dain speaks about the West End and Boston’s Jewish community in his new book, A History of Boston. Join us for bagels, coffee, and a new look at our hometown.
Sunday, October 29 10:00 AM – 11:30 PM Free
OCTOBER SUKKOT ON THE HILL
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Artist Sam Bak
NEW
MAKING SOMETHING OLD,
Urban, 2013 | By Samuel Bak
Image Courtesy of Pucker Gallery
Friday Night Dinner and Service for Urban Adults
Did you recently move downtown or relocate to the city to be closer to friends and family? Are you looking to meet other adults who now call the city of Boston their home?
Join the city dwellers of Wayland’s Temple Shir Tikva for a Friday night service and dinner, followed by a book talk with David Abromowitz, author of The Foxtail Legacy. Meet other adults from Beacon Hill and nearby neighborhoods for a warm, welcoming, and social Friday night experience.
Friday, November 3
6:00 – 9:00 PM
$36 per person
Sephardi Music with Songs from Turkey and the Balkans
While most of the communities where Spanish Jews flourished in exile have disappeared, many of their songs remain.
Trio Sefardi will perform traditional Sephardic songs primarily in Ladino (Judeo-Spanish) and highlight the works of Flory Jagoda, a Bosnian-born American guitarist, composer and singer-songwriter.
Tuesday, November 7 6:00 – 8:00 PM
$18 per person
How Do We Give Thanks?
Art Workshop in Felt and Feeling
Explore felting techniques and expand your knowledge of what is possible to make with just wool and warm, soapy water. Harness your imagination and create a work of art that reflects gratitude, a value central to the Jewish tradition.
Tuesday, November 14
1:00 – 2:30 PM
$10 per person
A Meeting of The Arts: Live Guitar and Contemporary Dance for 20s/30s
Enjoy an evening of music, dance and art celebrating the mysterious Catalan Mahzor, a 14th century Jewish illuminated manuscript from Spain. This program is offered in partnership with Boston Festival of New Jewish Music and features guitarist Ira Klein, dancer Rachel Linsky, and instrumentalist Beth Bahia Cohen.
Thursday, November 30 6:00 – 8:00 PM
$18 per person
NOVEMBER
6th Annual Hanukkah A Cappella Concert
Join us for this special community event featuring a wide range of exceptional university groups from across the city. This is truly a multigenerational concert experience. All are welcome.
Sunday, December 3 3:00 – 4:30 PM
$10 per person or $25 per family
Hanukkah at the MFA: The Festival of Lights
Come together for an evening of art, music, and activities in celebration of Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights. Immerse yourself in history with Spotlight Talks on Judaica at the MFA, catch performances of songs from around the world, and view a one-of-a-kind menorah artwork created by a local artist before participating in a community candle lighting.
Presented in partnership with the Jewish Arts Collaborative and Combined Jewish Philanthropies.
Thursday, December 7 5:00 – 10:00 PM $5 per person
