Litfest Brochure 2015

Hyman S. & Freda Bernstein

Jewish Literary Festival

October 18–28, 2015

dcjcc.org/litfest

Festival Schedule OPENING NIGHT Sunday, October 18, 7:00 pm Etgar Keret, The Seven Good Years: A Memoir

Saturday, October 24, 7:30 pm Film: I Am Bialik

Sponsored by Tamara and Harry Handelsman

Monday, October 19, 7:30 pm Replacement Lives: David Bezmozgis, Boris Fishman & Lara Vapnyar in Conversation at Folger Shakespeare Library

Sunday, October 25, 10:00 am The Great Children’s Read Sunday, October 25, 4:00 pm Flamingo Rampant Storytelling Dinner Party

Presented with PEN/Faulkner

Tuesday, October 20, 7:30 pm The Chaim Kempner Author Series John Klima, The Game Must Go On: Hank Greenberg, Pete Gray, and the Great Days of Baseball on the Home Front in WWII Wednesday, October 21, 8:00 pm An Evening with Michael Pollan at Lisner Auditorium Presented with GW Lisner

Thursday, October 22, 7:30 pm Dina Gold, Stolen Legacy: Nazi Theft and the Quest for Justice at Krausenstrasse 17/18, Berlin Sponsored by the Helen & Milton Covensky Fund

Sunday, October 25, 7:30 pm Alan Dershowitz, Abraham: The World’s First (But Certainly Not Last) Jewish Lawyer Monday, October 26, 7:30 pm Intrepid Time Travelers: New Fiction Novelists Jessamyn Hope, Jami Attenberg and Mary Morris Tuesday, October 27, 7:30 pm Local Author Fair: Discover a New Book CLOSING NIGHT Wednesday, October 28, 7:30 pm The Gerald L. Bernstein Memorial Lecture Shalom Auslander is HAPPYish All events at the DCJCC unless otherwise noted.

Washington DCJCC 1529 16th Street NW Washington, DC 20036

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Discounted: Members, Seniors 65 and older, Students with ID and Groups of 10 or more

OPENING NIGHT

ETGAR KERET

The Seven Good Years: A Memoir Sunday, October 18, 7:00 pm

$25, Discounted $20, VIP $50 (Priority Seating & Signing) Hailed as the voice of young Israelis and one of Israel’s most radical and extraordinary writers, Etgar Keret is internationally acclaimed for his short stories. His memoir, a sad-funny masterpiece that blends the personal and the national, begins with the birth of his first child and ends with his father’s death—the seven good years. Keret has received the Book Publishers Association’s Platinum Prize, France’s Chevalier medallion of The Order of Arts and Letters and Israel’s Prime Minister’s Prize.

“Etgar Keret is a genius...” –The New York Times Sponsored by Tamara and Harry Handelsman

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REPLACEMENT LIVES: DAVID BEZMOZGIS, BORIS FISHMAN & LARA VAPNYAR IN CONVERSATION Monday, October 19, 7:30 pm

Folger Shakespeare Library 201 East Capitol Street SE $15

David Bezmozgis, Boris Fishman and Lara Vapnyar were all born in the Soviet Union in the 1970s and moved to North America as part of a wave of Jewish emigration. All three write about leaving behind a country that will soon disappear and a history that is continually being re-written. Join us for a discussion of East and West, language and identity, the old Russia and the new. In conversation with novelist Olga Grushin.

In partnership with PEN/Faulkner

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JOHN KLIMA

The Game Must Go On: Hank Greenberg, Pete Gray, and the Great Days of Baseball on the Home Front in WWII Tuesday, October 20, 7:30 pm

THE CHAIM KEMPNER AUTHOR SERIES $12, Discounted $10

In the early days of World War II, FDR proclaimed that Major League Baseball would continue despite wartime restrictions. Many star players served in the military, including Hank Greenberg, and they were replaced by a collection of misfit players and unlikely greats. Former Los Angeles Daily News baseball columnist John Klima describes how America’s favorite pastime triumphed—and perhaps even helped the country win the war. In conversation with former Washington Post sports editor and columnist George Solomon.

Supported by The Chaim Kempner Collection Library Fund, The Chaim Kempner Author Series brings authors of recently published books to the DCJCC for the learning and enjoyment of the entire community.

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Photo credit: Fran Collin

AN EVENING WITH MICHAEL POLLAN Wednesday, October 21, 8:00 pm Lisner Auditorium 730 21st Street NW Tickets starting at $34

For 25 years, Michael Pollan has written about the places where the human and natural worlds intersect, challenging and changing how Americans relate to food. An “ethical-eating guru” and fierce advocate of sustainable living, Michael Pollan is one of the most compelling voices on subjects ranging from the environment to agribusiness to health. Join us for a conversation with the influential author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Cooked, In Defense of Food and The Botany of Desire.

In partnership with GW Lisner

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Photo credit: Noel St. John

DINA GOLD

Stolen Legacy: Nazi Theft and the Quest for Justice at Krausenstrasse 17/18, Berlin

Thursday, October 22, 7:30 pm Free

Former BBC investigative journalist and television producer Dina Gold recounts her legal battle to reclaim a huge building in Berlin originally built and owned by her prominent German ancestors. After a forced sale in 1937, ownership was transferred to the Reichsbahn, Hitler’s railways. Gold’s gripping, true-life story is the first book about a successful restitution of a property seized by the Nazis in Germany.

Sponsored by the Covensky Fund

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FILM: I AM BIALIK Saturday, October 24, 7:30 pm

Director Aviv Talmor (77 minutes, Israel, 2014) Hebrew with English subtitles Mockumentary (Documentary with fictional elements) $12 The story of director Aviv Talmor, a frustrated poet and literature teacher, is true…mostly.

When Aviv’s estranged father dies, Aviv begins to research his past and discovers relatives that he never knew, including surprising bloodlines to Haim Nahman Bialik, the acclaimed Israeli poet. Excited by the possibility that he may be the illegitimate great-grandson of the national poet laureate, Aviv begins to publish the news, shocking the literary community and threatening to impact the great poet’s reputation.

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THE GREAT CHILDREN’S READ

Sunday, October 25, 10:00 am Best suited for children up to age 5 $12/family, Discounted $10

Bring books to life with story time with Lesléa Newman, author of My Name is Aviva and winner of the 2015 Sugarman Family Children’s Book Award. Join us for crafts, songs and a puppet show along with a book fair featuring a wide selection of Jewish and general interest children’s books, plus a special guest: Clifford the Big Red Dog! Please bring a new or gently used book to donate to children in need.

Sponsored by the Dweck Family

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Written by Tobi Hill-Meyer

Love is in the Hair

Illustrated by Elenore Toczynski

THE

NEWSPAPER

PIRATES

By By Syrus Syrus Marcus Marcus Ware Ware

FLAMINGO RAMPANT STORYTELLING DINNER PARTY Sunday, October 25, 4:00 pm Best suited for ages 4-8 $5/person Ticket includes dinner

Bring the kids for fun new stories and activities with S. Bear Bergman from Flamingo Rampant—a micro-press dedicated to better books about gender! Flamingo Rampant books are racially diverse, feminist, LGBTQ-positive and let all kids see themselves as part of the story. Gobble up dinner and get a taste of these unique stories that bring visibility and positivity to children’s reading.

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Written by j wallace skelton Illustrated by Ketch Wehr

ALAN DERSHOWITZ

Abraham: The World’s First (But Certainly Not Last) Jewish Lawyer Sunday, October 25, 7:30 pm $30, Discounted $25, VIP $50 (Priority Seating & Signing) Ticket includes copy of book

One of America’s best-known attorneys and The New York Times bestselling author, Alan Dershowitz gives us a no-holds-barred history of Jewish lawyers.

From the biblical Abraham, who argued with God on behalf of the doomed sinners of Sodom, through modern-day advocates who have changed the world by challenging the status quo, defending the unpopular and following the biblical command to pursue justice, Dershowitz profiles Jewish lawyers well-known and unheralded, admired and excoriated, victorious and defeated—and, of course, gives us some glimpses into the passionate practice of law, Dershowitz-style.

This evening is sponsored by David Bruce Smith and GW’s Jewish Literature Live

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INTREPID TIME TRAVELERS: NEW FICTION Monday, October 26, 7:30 pm $12, Discounted $10

Novelists Mary Morris (The Jazz Palace), Jami Attenberg (Saint Mazie), and Jessamyn Hope (Safekeeping) sit down with author Michelle Brafman to discuss the common themes of their celebrated new works, which take us on journeys through space and time, and to reflect on their experiences as writers in the 21st century.

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LOCAL AUTHOR FAIR: DISCOVER A NEW BOOK Tuesday, October 27, 7:30 pm FREE

Meet and greet authors at our annual Local Author Fair!

A selection of DC-area authors will each be given three minutes to tell you about their books. Buy a locally grown book and network with area readers and writers at a wine and cheese reception.

Authors: please apply by September 21 at dcjcc.org/litfest.

Sponsored by the Jacob and Charlotte Lehrman Foundation

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CLOSING NIGHT

SHALOM AUSLANDER IS HAPPYish THE GERALD L. BERNSTEIN MEMORIAL LECTURE

Wednesday, October 28, 7:30 pm

$25, Discounted $20, VIP $50 (Priority Seating & Signing) How does an anxious author with a dark sense of humor and no TV experience become the creator and showrunner for the newest Showtime series HAPPYish? Auslander explores “violating his bubble” in the name of bringing this darkly funny show to life. Auslander is the author of the short story collection Beware of God, the novel Hope: A Tragedy and his angry and humorous memoir Foreskin’s Lament.

He is a regular contributor to NPR’s “This American Life” and has written for The New Yorker and The New York Times.

This annual lecture is made possible by a generous endowment from Tamara and Harry Handelsman in memory of Tamara Handelsman’s brother, Gerald L. Bernstein.

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CECILE ESTHER KUZNITZ

YIVO and the Making of Modern Jewish Culture: Scholarship for the Yiddish Nation THE BERNARD WEXLER LECTURE ON JEWISH HISTORY

Thursday, November 5, 7:30 pm Free

Founded by a group of Eastern European intellectuals after World War I, YIVO, the Yiddish Scientific Institute in Vilna, Lithuania, embodied the apex of secular Yiddish culture. Using newly recovered documents that were believed destroyed

by Hitler’s and Stalin’s forces, historian Cecile Kuznitz tells the compelling story of how these scholars built a world-renowned institution despite dire poverty and anti-Semitism. This is the first book on YIVO’s history.

The Bernard Wexler Fund for Jewish History supports an annual lecture that brings outstanding speakers, scholarly research and contemporary issues to the forefront of learning at the DCJCC.

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CLASSES AT THE “J” HEBREW CLASSES Wednesdays, September 2 – October 28 6:00 pm, 7:00 pm, 8:00 pm Teachers: Naomi McNally & Lorit Chai The DCJCC offers five levels of conversational Hebrew, from learning the aleph bet to reading advanced literature. Our teachers are native Hebrew speakers with many years of teaching experience, customizing each class to fit the needs and interests of their students.

INTRODUCTION TO JUDAISM Wednesdays, October 14 – December 9 7:30 pm Teacher: Miriam Szubin Explore the rich traditions and culture of Judaism!

This class is ideal for those who have never studied Judaism before or need a Hebrew school refresher.

ISRAELI AUTHORS IN HEBREW Wednesdays, September 2 – October 28 8pm Teacher: Lorit Chai Ready to challenge your Hebrew skills? In this class, you’ll start reading the works of well-known Israeli authors in the original Hebrew, with guidance from our Hebrew teacher, Lorit Chai. This group class is perfect for those with strong Hebrew skills who still need some guidance before tackling Israel’s best literature on their own.

THE AKEIDAH THROUGH THE ARTS: WHAT MUSIC AND PAINTING CAN TELL US ABOUT ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST POPULAR BIBLE STORIES Thursday, September 3, 7:00 pm Instructor: Rabbi Laurie Green What do Bob Dylan, Matisyahu and Rembrandt have in common? They all used their art to interpret the story of Abraham almost sacrificing his son – the Akeidah.

In this class, we’ll examine artistic expressions of the story recounted every year on Rosh Hashanah through paintings, songs, mosaics and poems. From popular music to archaeological finds and from Israeli poetry to French impressionists, we’ll explore how some of the greatest minds of the medieval and contemporary world have understood this text and explore how we understand this sacred story.

LOVE AND RELIGION: AN INTERFAITH WORKSHOP FOR JEWS AND THEIR PARTNERS Thursdays, September 10, 17, 24, and October 1, 7:30 pm Facilitator: Dr. Marion Usher Being part of an interfaith couple can be challenging, but you don’t need to find the answers alone. For over 15 years, our four-session workshop has been a model to guide couples in openly discussing issues they face as partners from two different backgrounds.

We offer you a safe environment to work on creating your religious lives together. You can make Jewish choices while still respecting your partner’s religion.

Be part of our ever-expanding interfaith community.

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GIFTS

as of August 21, 2015

EPIC HERO The Dweck Family Tamara and Harry Handelsman Jacob & Charlotte Lehrman Foundation David Bruce Smith and GW’s Jewish Literature Live

EDITOR

Elizabeth Berry Faye and Jack Moskowitz Melanie and Larry Nussdorf Michael Singer

AUTHOR

Babs and Rabbi A.N. Abramowitz Rose and Robert Cohen Myrna Fawcett Martha Winter Gross and Robert Tracy Craig Pascal and Victor Shargai David Bruce Smith Francine Zorn Trachtenberg and Stephen Joel Trachtenberg Diane Abelman Wattenberg Susan Wedlan and Harold Rosen Arthur Weinstein Lance Wolf

CRITIC

Dina Gold Paula Seigle Goldman Stuart S. Kurlander and David L. Martin Michelle Sender Shirley and Jack Serber Deborah Tannen and Michael Macovski Susan Willens

READER

Dava Berkman Amira and Richard Chadwick Jeffrey Jorge Cohen Debra Goldberg and Seth Waxman Shoshana and Peter Grove James Hambuechen Alyson Meyers Deborah Prigal

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Volunteer

Sign up to volunteer at one event and attend another for free at dcjcc.org/litfest.

Books

Featured books will be sold at the events and at dcjcc.org/litfest.

Authors will sign books at each program.

Tickets

Purchase tickets at dcjcc.org/litfest or (202) 777-3251.

Purchase a Festival Pass and save 30%. Discounted tickets available for DCJCC members, seniors 65 and over, students with ID and groups of 10 or more.

All events are general admission unless otherwise noted.

Reserved seating available for patrons with special needs and certain VIP tickets.

All events at the Washington DCJCC unless otherwise noted.

1529 16th Street NW, Washington, DC All ticket sales are final.

Public Transportation to the DCJCC

Via Metro Red Line, exit the Dupont Circle station by the north (Q Street) exit.

Walk east to 16th Street.

Via bus, take the S1, S2 or S4 along 16th Street.

Parking at the DCJCC

Limited street parking available.

Colonial Parking Garages at 1616 P Street NW and 1515 15th Street NW. Limited paid parking in the DCJCC’s lot.

Public Transportation to Folger Shakespeare Library

201 E Capitol Street SE Via Metro Orange, Blue, and Silver Lines, exit at Capitol South station. Walk up the hill on First Street SE, crossing C Street SE and Independence Avenue. Take a right on East Capitol Street.

Via Metro Red Line, exit at Union Station. Walk south on First Street NE, toward the US Capitol for about five blocks. Turn left on East Capitol Street.

Via bus, take the 32, 34, 36, 96, or 97 Parking is limited

Public Transportation to Lisner Auditorium

730 21st Street NW Via Metro Orange, Blue and Silver Lines, exit the Foggy Bottom-GWU station at 23rd and I Streets.

Walk straight along I Street for two blocks to 21st Street. Turn right and walk one block to H Street.

Parking is limited

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FESTIVAL CHAIRS Faye Moskowitz Michael Singer

FOUNDING CHAIR

Tamara Handelsman

WASHINGTON DCJCC PRESIDENT Stephen Kelin

WASHINGTON DCJCC STAFF

Carole R. Zawatsky, Chief Executive Officer Sara Shalva, Director of Jewish Innovation Michael Baumstein, Chief Operating Officer Ralph Grunewald, Director of Institutional Advancement Bini Silver, Chief Administrative Officer

MEDIA SPONSORS

MEMBER OF

OFFICIAL BOOKSELLER

PROGRAM CO-SPONSORS:

PROMOTIONAL PARTNERS

The Writer’s Center The Jewish Primary Day School of the Nation’s Capital Embassy of Israel PEN/Faulkner Lisner Auditorium Johns Hopkins Leonard and Helen R. Stulman Program in Jewish Studies George Washington University’s Jewish Literature Live

Goethe Institut Bet Mishpachah The National Museum of American Jewish Military History Temple Micah Kesher Israel LGBTQ Center Georgetown University Jewish Historical Society of Greater Washington PJ Library The Foundation for Jewish Studies

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The Hyman S. & Freda Bernstein Jewish Literary Festival October 18–28, 2015 dcjcc.org/litfest

Washington DCJCC Irwin P. Edlavitch Building 1529 16th Street NW Washington, DC 20036