VISUAL ARTS
THEATER
CULINARY ARTS
LITERATURE
MUSIC
Roe Green, Honorary Producer
SPRING & SUMMER
2021 SEASON
FILM & TV
CLEVELAND ISRAEL ARTS CONNECTION
literature 7
Spring & Summer 2021 Season MARCH thru Aug 29 Notorious RBG: The Life & Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg* 16-17 3 Yotam Ottolenghi 4 4 Photograph 51* 16 7 “The Last Interview” A Novel 6 14 Inside the Play: “Passing the Love of Women” 11 16 “Autonomies” 8 17 Samantha Baskind on Roaring Women Artists* 17 19-22 Tapestry: The Jewish Ghettos of Baroque Italy 5
film & television 8
APRIL
1 The Green Book* 16 6 Inside the Play: A Deeper Look at “Whistle, My Mother was Mengele’s Secretary” 13 7-20 Cleveland International Film Festival 8 14 Roaring Women Musicians* 17 13 “Notorious RBG”* 16-17 18- Sep 12 A New York Minute: Street Photography, 1920–1950* 18 20 The Making of an HBO Power Drama 9 22 Informal Hebrew Discussion with Ron Leshem 9 MAY
4 4 6 11 26
First Loves in the Bible 6 Informal Hebrew Discussion with Meir Shalev 7 Gloria – A Life* 16 “My Own Words” 17 Roaring Women Writers* 17
theater 10-14
BECOME A PATRON
OF CLEVELAND ISRAEL ARTS CONNECTION Join our Patron Society and help ensure high-quality, thought-provoking, and emotional Israeli arts and culture continues in Cleveland. visual arts 15
JUNE
15 Love in The Time of Corona or Literature and Catastrophe 7 16 Informal Hebrew Discussion with Ayelet Gundar-Goshen 7
JULY 22-24 BorderLight International Theatre + Fringe Festival 14 22-24 “Oasis” 14 TBA Cleveland International Piano Competition 5 FALL TBA Stories of Survival: Object. Image. Memory* 18 ONGOING VIRTUAL EVENTS Bringing Israel Home Culinary Series 4 Israeli Theater Collection 10-14 “Don’t Fight” 10 “The Dybbuk” 10 “Four Fables and a Queen” 11 “It Sounds Better in Amharic” 12 “Passing the Love of Women” 11 “The Rain and the Wind” 12 “Revolutionaries’ Wives” 13 “Whistle, My Mother was Mengele’s Secretary” 13 “The Yellow Wind” 14
*
Jewish-themed cultural events
The artistic viewpoints reflected in these programs do not necessarily represent the positions or opinions of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland.
You will enjoy “Meet the Artist” receptions, name recognition in the twice yearly arts brochures and on www.jewishcleveland.org, plus the satisfaction of knowing you are helping connect Cleveland and Israel through the arts. For more information about the Cleveland Israel Arts Connection Patron Society, please contact Hedy Milgrom at hmilgrom@jcfcleve.org or 216-593-2850.
Dear Friends, We hope you are happy and healthy wherever you are reading Connection. this edition of the Cleveland Israel Arts
Virtual
It has been a trying year for all of us, and the arts have been acutely affected. But as the saying goes, “The Show Must Go On!” We are so pleased that we are able to offer many opportunities for you to connect virtually with the arts, the artists, and each other. We have partnered with the Siegal Lifelong Learning Program at CWRU to present some of the finest Israeli filmmakers; Shtisel creator Yehonatan Indursky, Valley of Tears screenwriter Ron Leshem; and contemporary authors; Eshkol Nevo, Meir Shalev, and Ayelet Gundar-Goshen. (pages 6-9) A silver lining to these socially distanced times is that our colleagues at Theater J in Washington, D.C. have made it possible to screen filmed productions from many of Israel’s leading theater companies with the Israeli Theater Collection (pages 10-14.) We have enhanced the offerings by developing “Inside the Play,” an insider’s look at Passing the Love of Women with playwright Motti Lerner, and Whistle: My Mother was Mengele’s Secretary, with playwright and actor Hadar Gilron. The many events on the following pages are made possible by the generous support of our patrons and sponsors, and of course you – our audience. We shall weather this storm and then be fully prepared to continue our Cleveland-Israel arts programming with live audiences as soon as it is practicable. Warm regards,
Roe Green
Erica Hartman-Horvitz 3
CULINARY ARTS YOTAM OTTOLENGHI Presented by Cuyahoga County Public Library
Wednesday, March 3 @ 7 pm For chef, writer, and restaurateur Yotam Ottolenghi, food is about more than what we eat. It is about a sense of place and home. Ottolenghi is widely beloved for his internationally bestselling cookbooks. Jerusalem was awarded Cookbook of the Year by the International Association of Culinary Professionals and Best International Cookbook by the James Beard Foundation. Ottolenghi will be in conversation with Chef Rocco Whalen of Fahrenheit, CCPL’s Culinary Literacy Ambassador, and will conduct a cooking demo from his latest book, Ottolenghi Flavor.
BRINGING ISRAEL HOME CULINARY SERIES Presented by Mandel JCC of Cleveland
Ongoing through April 28 The JCC Association is partnering with Chef Michael Solomonov, fivetime James Beard Foundation award winning chef of Zahav in Philadelphia, on Bringing Israel Home, a 16-week, full-flavored online culinary series to experience the ingredients, spices, places, and people that make up Israeli cuisine. New episodes air every Wednesday through April 28, and past episodes are available on demand through the same Vimeo link. • To view episodes visit https://vimeo.com/ showcase/7926450.
The Mandel JCC is a proud beneficiary agency of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland. 4
Photo: Steve Legato
Photo: Peden + Munk
• For tickets and information visit www.cuyahogalibrary.org/Events/ Writers-Center-Stage.aspx
MUSIC TAPESTRY
The Jewish Ghettos of Baroque Italy Presented by Apollo’s Fire
March 19 – 22: Various Venues March 19: Watch at Home In 1600, Italy was home to a fascinating melting pot of Jews from northern Europe, Spain, North Africa, and the Middle East. Though confined to crowded ghettos, the Italian Jews enlivened Italy with a vibrant mix of Sephardic and Ashkenazi musical traditions. In Venice and Mantua, Jewish and Catholic composers such as Salamone Rossi, Claudio Monteverdi, and Benedetto Marcello worked side by side and influenced each other. From prayer to feasting, this musical tapestry interweaves Hebrew chants, baroque settings of the Psalms, and instrumental virtuosity – including a sparkling Sammartini concerto featuring Israeli recorder virtuoso Daphna Mor. • For tickets and venue information, visit www.apollosfire.org or call 216-360-0012.
CLEVELAND INTERNATIONAL PIANO COMPETITION Presented by Piano Cleveland
Summer 2021
The Cleveland International Piano Competition is one of the most renowned international classical music competitions in the world and will showcase the pinnacle of classical piano artists across two weeks of performances. This year’s competition will be bought to audiences in a hybrid format, offering in-person and virtual events, so that both local and international audiences can experience the breathtaking musical performances. One of the 29 contestants is Rafael Skorka, an Israeli pianist, who currently holds a Bachelor of Music from the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, where he studied with Dr. Asaf Zohar. He completed his Master of Music degree at the studio of Sergei Babayan at the Cleveland Institute of Music. • For more information on the competition and contestants please visit www.pianocleveland.org.
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LITERATURE THE LAST INTERVIEW: A NOVEL ESHKOL NEVO Presented by Mandel JCC Cleveland Jewish Book Festival
Sunday, March 7 @ 3 pm A writer tries to answer a set of interview questions. At first, they stick to the standard fare: Did you always know you would be a writer? How autobiographical are your books? Usually his answers in these situations are measured, calculated. But this time, when his heart is about to break and his life is about to crumble, he finds he cannot tell anything but the truth. The naked, funny, sad, scandalous, politically incorrect truth. Eshkol Nevo also gives us a nuanced, thought-provoking portrait of a country at odds with itself. About Eshkol Nevo Jerusalem native Eshkol Nevo co-runs Israel’s most prestigious art school and runs popular writing workshops in Israel. His novels have been translated into twelve languages, sold over one million copies around the world, and won numerous literary prizes. Nevo is the grandson of the third Prime Minister of Israel, Levi Eshkol. • For information contact ideas@mandeljcc.org or call 216-831-0700 x1348. Sponsored with support from the Jewish Federation’s Cleveland Israel Arts Connection a program of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland
FIRST LOVES IN THE BIBLE MEIR SHALEV Presented by Siegal Lifelong Learning Program at CWRU
Tuesday, May 4 @ 11 am The first love in the Bible did not involve a couple. The first kiss in the Bible had nothing to do with love. Overall, the biblical concept of love is much different than how we perceive it today. Meir Shalev will discuss the love life of Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, and Isaac and Rebecca – which is the first mention of love between a man and a woman in the history of Jewish text and literature.
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LITERATURE LOVE IN THE TIME OF CORONA OR LITERATURE AND CATASTROPHE AYELET GUNDAR-GOSHEN Presented by Siegal Lifelong Learning Program at CWRU
Tuesday, June 15 @ 11 am Literature loves catastrophes, as they reveal a person’s true nature. For two thousand years, Jewish texts have faced this question: how should one behave when the world dissolves into chaos? In these moments, we find ordinary men who turn into heroes, heroes who turn into villains, we find cruelty – but also grace, and love. Join Ayelet Gundar-Goshen as she explores these moments.
INFORMAL HEBREW DISCUSSION
Wednesday, June 16 @ 12:30 pm
About Ayelet Gundar-Goshen A clinical psychologist and award-winning author, Ayelet Gundar-Goshen’s first novel, One Night, Markovitch, won the Sapir Prize in 2012 for debut novels. Her second novel, Waking Lions, was selected by The New York Times Book Review as “Editors’ Choice.” Her critically acclaimed third novel, The Liar, was published in English in 2019. GundarGoshen is a contributor to BBC’s The Cultural Frontline, Financial Times, Time Magazine and The Telegraph. • For information visit www.case.edu/lifelonglearning or call 216-368-2091. This lecture is supported by the Herbert and Marianna Luxenberg Siegal College Israel Lecture Fund of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland and with support from the Jewish Federation’s Cleveland Israel Arts Connection a program of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland
INFORMAL HEBREW DISCUSSION
Tuesday, May 4 @ 12:30 pm
About Meir Shalev One of Israel’s most celebrated novelists, Meir Shalev, was born in Nahalal, Israel’s first moshav. His works have been translated into more than twenty languages. His books include Two She Bears (2016), My Russian Grandmother and Her American Vacuum Cleaner, A Pigeon and a Boy, The Loves of Judith (Four Meals), Fontanelle, Alone in the Desert, and Esau. Russian Romance (The Blue Mountain) is one of the top five bestsellers in Israeli history and was reprinted in 2011. • For information visit www.case.edu/lifelonglearning or call 216-368-2091. This lecture is supported by the Herbert and Marianna Luxenberg Siegal College Israel Lecture Fund of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland and with support from the Jewish Federation’s Cleveland Israel Arts Connection a program of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland
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FILM & TELEVISION “AUTONOMIES” YEHONATAN INDURSKY Presented by Siegal Lifelong Learning Program at CWRU
Tuesday, March 16 @ 11 am Filmmaker and celebrated screenwriter Yehonatan Indursky, creator of Shtisel, speaks about his show Autonomies, a dystopian drama set in an alternate reality of present-day Israel. A nation torn and divided by a wall into the secular “State of Israel,” with Tel Aviv as its capital, and the “Haredi Autonomy” in Jerusalem, run by the ultraOrthodox. Autonomies is currently available on Amazon Prime. Access to the mini-series will be provided to those who have registered for this lecture one week prior. About Yehonatan Indursky Award-winning writer and director, Yehonatan Indursky is a graduate of the elite ultra-Orthodox Ponevezh Yeshiva, and later a top alum of the Jerusalem Sam Spiegel Film School. • F or information visit www.case.edu/lifelonglearning or call 216-368-2091. This lecture is supported by the Herbert and Marianna Luxenberg Siegal College Israel Lecture Fund of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland and with support from the Jewish Federation’s Cleveland Israel Arts Connection a program of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland
45th CLEVELAND INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (CIFF45 Streams) April 7-20 CIFF45 Streams will take place online and will once again present their Jewish and Israeli Visions sidebar. These films from – or about– Israel and the Jewish diaspora enlighten and entertain with their unique cultural perspective. • CIFF45 Streams program details will be announced in mid-March at www.clevelandfilm.org .
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FILM & TELEVISION
THE MAKING OF AN HBO POWER DRAMA RON LESHEM Presented by Siegal Lifelong Learning Program at CWRU
Tuesday, April 20 @ 11 am Rob Leshem is the screenwriter, author, and creator of Valley of Tears, a new HBO Max series shaking Israeli society and now reaching American audiences. Inspired by true events, Valley of Tears is a ten-part miniseries depicting the Yom Kippur War through the eyes of young combatants. It tells four emotional and highly personal stories of individuals swept away from their loved ones by the ravages of war, four parallel plotlines, intertwined together into one climactic battle.
INFORMAL HEBREW DISCUSSION Thursday, April 22 @ 12:30 pm
About Ron Leshem Ron Leshem has written and produced many hit TV shows in Israel and the United States. He was co-creator of the Israeli TV show Euphoria, which was adapted to HBO. Leshem was also writer and co-creator for the Hulu series No Man’s Land, a drama series which takes place in the midst of the recent civil war in Syria, involving ISIS and the Kurds. • For information visit www.case.edu/lifelonglearning or call 216-368-2091. This lecture is supported by the Herbert and Marianna Luxenberg Siegal College Israel Lecture Fund of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland and with support from the Jewish Federation’s Cleveland Israel Arts Connection a program of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland
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THEATER
ISRAELI THEATER COLLECTION Theater J is a nationally renowned, professional theater that celebrates, explores, and struggles with the complexities and nuances of both the Jewish experience and the universal human condition. Their work illuminates and examines ethical questions of our time, inter-cultural experiences that parallel our own, and the changing landscape of Jewish identities.
Theater J is proud to present filmed productions from many of Israel’s leading theater companies. From classic tales to contemporary stories, moving dramas to amusing comedies, the Israeli Theater Collection showcases the country’s vibrant, diverse, and growing theater scene. These productions were filmed pre-COVID and represent some of the breadth and diversity in both content and aesthetics of contemporary Israeli theater. • For information, visit www.theaterj.org/israeli-theater-collection/ howtowatch/ • Regular Price: $15 plus fees • All Non-English productions will have English subtitles. • All first-time renters must create a free Eventive account. • Once you rent a film, you have 72 hours to watch it.
DON’T FIGHT
A Cameri Theater Production 2019 | Hebrew and Yiddish with English Subtitles | 105 Minutes Growing up, Ayelet, Gur, and Sela were told never to fight. Now adults who’ve taken very different paths in life—one a divorced teacher, another a successful actor, and the last a penniless spiritualist—the three cannot help themselves. But when the reading of their late father’s will reveals a mysterious claimant to their inheritance, can the siblings overcome four decades of petty spats to reclaim what they think is theirs? Packed with laughs, punches, and reluctant hugs, Don’t Fight is both a comedy about sibling rivalries and a touching play about who you keep beside you as you find yourself. That is, if you don’t fight every second along the way. 10
THE DYBBUK
A Gesher Theater Production 2014 | Hebrew and Yiddish with English Subtitles | 120 Minutes Hanan, a poor Yeshiva student deeply involved in Kabbalah, dies suddenly after learning that his beloved Lea is pledged to another man. His troubled soul – stuck between two worlds, neither dead nor alive – cannot find peace. Lea is chased by his image. Madness ensues. Is it a sickness? It is love? It is a dybbuk? This new version, written by Gesher Theater’s Artistic Director Roy Chen, combines comedy and tragedy, mysticism and psychology, danger, and love, in a captivating production, richly envisioned for the Israeli stage, which will leave you spellbound.
THEATER FOUR FABLES AND A QUEEN Recommended for Young Audiences A Ruti Tamir Production 2012 | English | 40 minutes
Deep in the forest, the Queen Judge presides over the Animal Court. But when she loses her reflection in her mirror one day, she simply cannot do anything until Lion, Mouse, Fox, and Crow help her find it! Will the Queen Judge ever see herself in the mirror again? Will the animals stop bickering long enough to help? All the answers—and more—await! Written, directed, and performed by Ruti Tamir, this multiawarded performance has travelled all over the world. Most enjoyed by children ages 6+, Four Fables and a Queen bewitches theater lovers of all ages with its combination of classic fables, rhyming text, and virtuosic mime.
PASSING THE LOVE OF WOMEN
A Beit Lessin Theater Production 2020 | English with English Subtitles | 80 Minutes While studying together, yeshiva students Zisl and Azriel discover their mutual attraction. Unable to have a relationship in their small Polish town, they leave to a nearby city, where Zisl agrees to dress as a woman so the two can live as man and wife. The decision drastically changes their connection as well as their religious and personal experiences. Unhappy but unable to separate, the two men must decide if their love is worth their lives. Based on an Isaac Bashevis Singer story, adapted by Motti Lerner and Israel Zamir, and directed by the acclaimed Ido Rozenberg, this
visual and sensual stage version fuses movement, rhythm, and humor in this tale of lovers fighting for a place in an oppressive society.
INSIDE THE PLAY: A DEEPER LOOK AT “PASSING THE LOVE OF WOMEN” Presented by the Cleveland Israel Arts Connection, Interplay Jewish Theater, Cleveland Public Theatre, and Oberlin Hillel Sunday, March 14 @ 3 pm In 2003, playwright Motti Lerner and Israel Zamir adapted Isaac Bashevis Singer’s short story “Two.” The eponymous pair are Polish yeshiva students whose mutual devotion recalls that of the biblical Jonathan and David. How does one translate this 19th century story of forbidden love – as interpreted through mid-20th century sensibilities – into a 21st century piece of theater? Panel: Motti Lerner, Raymond Bobgan, Rabbi Megan Doherty. Moderator: Faye Sholiton • To register, visit www.jewishcleveland.org/involved/arts/. Sponsored with support from the Jewish Federation’s Cleveland Israel Arts Connection
a program of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland
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THEATER IT SOUNDS BETTER IN AMHARIC
A Nephesh Theatre Production 2016 | Hebrew and English with English Subtitles | 60 Minutes At age eight and a half, Yossi Vassa, born Anda Argi, left his village in northern Ethiopia with his parents, brothers, and grandmother for a year-long trek to Israel, by foot, by donkey, and by plane as part of Operation Moses. In his intimate, touching, and funny one-man show, Vassa blends memoir, stand-up, and incisive social observations to share the pains and opportunities of immigration, integration, and identity, particularly as a Black Jew in Israel.
THE RAIN AND THE WIND A Nephesh Theatre and Haifa Theatre Production 2016 | Hebrew and English with English Subtitles | 60 Minutes
Three actors inhabit Robert Zimmerman, better known as Bob Dylan, at various points of the singer-songwriter’s storied career, from his folk roots to his explorations of rock and country. As they trace his voice’s journey through decades, they are joined by dancers from Israel’s Sheketak Group who give his poetry and music vital physical expression through movement. Adapted and directed by Nephesh Theatre founder Howard Rypp, and co-produced with Haifa Theater, The Rain and the Wind is a family-friendly, multi-media dance theatre performance based upon the life and songs of one of America’s most enduring and insightful artists.
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THEATER REVOLUTIONARIES’ WIVES
An Ensemble Aspamia Production 2019 | Hebrew with English Subtitles | 80 Minutes Who hasn’t heard of Sigmund Freud, Karl Marx, and Socrates? But who has heard of Martha Freud, Jenny Marx, and Xantippe? Everyone knows the expression “behind every successful man there is a woman.” But what does it really mean to “stand behind” a man who is a genius? What prices are paid by the woman who stands behind a man? Why, in fact, does she stand behind him instead of beside him? And why does she disappear from the stage of history when he becomes famous? Yossefa Even-Shoshan and Dalia Shimko’s Revolutionaries’ Wives creates an imaginary, although plausible, history that rounds out the narratives of the “geniuses” who changed the world and the women who changed them.
WHISTLE, MY MOTHER WAS MENGELE’S SECRETARY A Hadar Galron Production 2019 | English with English Subtitles | 64 Minutes
Tammy is the only child of two Auschwitz survivors. Born after the war, Tammy has spent her life in the shadow of her parent’s past—she wasn’t allowed to cry or even to complain, so instead she whistled. When a stranger begins to open locked doors to her soul, Tammy, now 45, suddenly begins living for the very first time. Whistle, My Mother Was Mengele’s Secretary is a one-woman show exploring the pain of the second generation of survivors and exposes the invisible yet deep wounds of the Holocaust. A semiautobiographical play written by Ya’acov Buchan and performed by Hadar Galron, don’t miss this moving story about a woman overcoming all obstacles in the attempt to find love. INSIDE THE PLAY: A DEEPER LOOK AT “WHISTLE, MY MOTHER WAS MENGELE’S SECRETARY” Presented by the Cleveland Israel Arts Connection, Interplay Jewish Theater, and Kol Israel Foundation Tuesday, April 6 @ 5 pm Israeli playwright/actor Hadar Galron adapted Jacob Buchan’s story of being raised “invisible” by Holocaust survivors. Her character, at 45, is just now assessing her own damaged state, wondering how she might finally break through and be a little happy. Second generation survivors respond to her portrayal of a woman who just wants to get her whistle back. Panel: Hadar Galron, Hedy Milgrom, Anne Lukas. Moderator: Faye Sholiton • To register, visit www.jewishcleveland.org/involved/arts/. Sponsored with support from the Jewish Federation’s Cleveland Israel Arts Connection
a program of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland
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THEATER THE YELLOW WIND
A Jaffa Theatre and Tzvata Theatre Production 2019 | Hebrew with English Subtitles | 70 Minutes During the 20th anniversary of the Six Day War, the Israeli magazine Koteret Rashit (Headline) commissioned author David Grossman to spend seven weeks in the West Bank. The stories that he gathered in his travels to refugee camps, courts, Jewish settlements, cities, and villages were published in his best-selling book, The Yellow Wind. This new stage version—adapted and directed by the acclaimed Israeli artist Ilan Ronen—combines powerful testimonial stories from the book, an interview with the writer himself, and an excerpt from his 2018 IsraeliPalestinian Memorial Day speech. It paints a vivid, true, and often shocking portrait of life under occupation for West Bank residents during this critical time period in history.
BORDERLIGHT INTERNATIONAL THEATRE + FRINGE FESTIVAL July 22-24, 2021 Various Venues
OASIS
Presented by BorderLight with Interplay Jewish Theatre Written and Performed by Amir Peter, based on the true story of Noël Favrelière; Directed by Hen David
July 22-24, 2021
Featuring top-flight international touring shows, world premiere collaborations between Cleveland theatre companies and international guest artists, a selection of free public events, plus a grassroots fringe festival that draws performers from across Northeast Ohio and nationally, the BorderLight Festival is a theatrical feast for all. Israel will be represented at BorderLight by writer and performer, Amir Peter in his acclaimed monodrama, “Oasis.” • For information, visit www.borderlightcle.org.
The year is 1956. Paris, the city of lights, is still recovering from World War II. The war drums seem far away. Noël, a young painter, lives in Montmartre, paints on the banks of the River Seine, and falls in love. He served as a paratrooper, and, like many others his age, he’s been sent to fight Algerian rebels in the Sahara Desert. He isn’t a pacifist, nor a communist, but at war, far from his homeland, he will face moral dilemmas that will confront him with the question: to be or not to be. This is a story about someone who agreed to lose everything in order to save his conscience. Oasis received the Award for Best Show at Teatronetto Festival in 2019. Sponsored with support from the Jewish Federation’s Cleveland Israel Arts Connection
a program of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland
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VISUAL ART
IF YOU THIRST FOR A HOMELAND Flame-worked glass by Dafna Kaffeman A collaboration between the Jewish Federation’s Cleveland Israel Arts Connection and the Chrysler Museum of Art Trudy Wiesenberger, Curator, Cleveland Israel Arts Connection Carolyn Swan Needell, Ph.D., Curator, Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, VA Opening Winter 2022 Roe Green Gallery Jewish Federation of Cleveland Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Building 25701 Science Park Drive, Beachwood
“If You Thirst for a Homeland and Seek Shelter in Its Bosom, Love It and Live in Its Mountains and Valleys, Its Flora and Fauna.” Flame-worked glass, felt, letter stencils, 2017
Israeli born glass artist Dafna Kaffeman has been challenging viewer’s notions about tolerance, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and morality in Europe, the United States, and Scandinavia.
Photo: Debra S. Yasinow
Her exquisitely crafted plant specimens, made in flame-worked glass from Israel’s natural world, are combined with embroidered texts. Handkerchiefs, often associated with mourning, are the backdrops for many of the glass plants. Inspired by nature, her pieces convey the complexities of life in Israel. Her work ignites an intellectual and emotional response. Kaffeman began her studies at Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design, Jerusalem and received her BFA at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam. In 2002 she received her MFA from the Sandberg Institute in Amsterdam. She now heads the glass department at Bezalel. Her work has been exhibited in the Corning Museum of Glass, the Montreal Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. Sponsored with support from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture
“Sometimes things that aren’t being said are said by not saying anything.” Flame-worked glass, embroidery, handkerchief, 2018
“Jerusalem Sage” Flame-worked glass, embroidery, handkerchief, 2019
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THE MALTZ MUSEUM PRESENTS
Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage • 2929 Richmond Road, Beachwood
On View at the Maltz Museum Feb. 24 - Aug. 29, 2021 On View at the Maltz Museum Feb. 24 - Aug. 29, 2021
NOTORIOUS RBG:
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF RUTH BADER GINSBURG February 24 – August 29, 2021
presented locally by presented locally by
• For tickets and information on all the events, visit www.maltzmuseum.org or call 216-593-0575.
This is the first-ever retrospective about the trailblazing associate justice and cultural icon, based on the popular Tumblr and bestselling book of the same name. Exploring the American judicial system through the lens of one of its sharpest legal minds, the exhibition takes an entertaining yet rigorous look at Justice Ginsburg’s life and work—in particular the efforts she joined to protect civil rights and expand equal opportunity for all Americans. The exhibition spans RBG’s varied roles as student, life partner, mother, lawyer, judge, women’s rights pioneer, and Internet phenomenon.
SCRIPT READING CLUB
Presented by Interplay Jewish Theatre and Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage Join Interplay Jewish Theater’s Faye Sholiton Script Reading Club. Participants will read scripts, each exploring a theme inspired by the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage’s “Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg” exhibition. Participants will gather around a virtual table to discuss how the playwrights have addressed these themes.
PHOTOGRAPH 51 by Anna Ziegler Thursday, March 4 @ 1 pm Most people credit Watson and Crick for discovering the double helix in 1953. But it was British chemist Rosalind Franklin who years earlier illuminated their path. She’s the one who shot (and correctly interpreted) the photos of DNA crystals – and whose gender buried her contributions to science. Award-winning playwright Anna Ziegler pulls back the curtain to repair a long-ignored injustice. 16
THE GREEN BOOK by Calvin Alexander Ramsey Thursday, April 1 @ 1 pm African-Americans traveling through the Jim Crow South rightfully feared for their lives. But armed with Victor Green’s running list (1936-63) of vetted restaurants, gas stations and lodgings, they improved their chances of survival. Ramsey’s thoughtful and thoroughly engaging play takes us to a troubled Jefferson City, MO, 1953, where the blows of race hatred meet the power of basic human decency.
GLORIA – A LIFE by Emily Mann Thursday, May 6 @ 1 pm Gloria Steinem’s life has been an open book for more than five decades. It began with her magazine feature as an undercover Playboy Bunny, ran through her advocacy in Ms. Magazine and continues with her ongoing activism in the women’s movement. Emily Mann captures the essence of that journey in a play that was broadcast in 2020 on the PBS series “Great Performances.”
WOMEN WHO ROAR
In this monthly series, subject matter experts on themes of art, music, and literature will discuss trailblazing women artists, musicians, and writers from diverse cultural backgrounds whose roaring voices have influenced popular American culture. SAMANTHA BASKIND ON ROARING WOMEN ARTISTS Wednesday, March 17 @ 4 pm Samantha Baskind, art historian and Professor of Art History at Cleveland State University, will discuss three groundbreaking women artists who every American should know – Judy Chicago, Sonia Benjamin, and Andy Edmonia Lewis.
MANDY SMITH ON ROARING WOMEN MUSICIANS Wednesday, April 14 @ 4 pm Mandy Smith of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame will talk about three Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductees – Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Carole King, and Janet Jackson – and how these women shaped the music we listen to today. A PANEL ON ROARING WOMEN WRITERS Wednesday, May 26 @ 4 pm Since at least the time of Sappho, women have used words to record their stories, subvert conventions, and create worlds. Join some of our region’s own most exciting literary academics, including Dr. Gabrielle Bychowski and Dr. Lisa Nielson of CWRU, and Dr. Denise Harrison of KSU, in a conversation moderated by Karen R. Long, manager of the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards at the Cleveland Foundation.
READER SERIES: TWO BOOKS ON RUTH BADER GINSBURG Join attorney Karen Giffen, co-founder of the law firm Giffen and Kaminski and frequent author and presenter on women and diversity, for a two-book reader’s series.
NOTORIOUS RBG by Irin Carmon and Shana Knizhnik Tuesday, April 13 @ 12 pm Notorious RBG draws on intimate access to Ginsburg’s family members, close friends, colleagues, and clerks, as well as an interview with the Justice herself. An original hybrid of reported narrative, annotated dissents, rare archival photos and documents, and illustrations, the book tells a never-before-told story of an unusual and transformative woman who transcends generational divides.
MY OWN WORDS by Mary Hartnett, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Wendy W. Williams Tuesday, May 11 @ 12 pm In this collection Justice Ginsburg discusses gender equality, the workings of the Supreme Court, being Jewish, law and lawyers in opera, and the value of looking beyond U.S. shores when interpreting the U.S. Constitution.
The Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage is a proud beneficiary agency of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland. 17
A NEW YORK MINUTE: STREET PHOTOGRAPHY, 1920–1950 Presented by Cleveland Museum of Art
April 18 – September 12 Street photography—spontaneous images of everyday life captured in public places—blossomed in New York City during the first half of the 20th century. Street photographers were voyeurs, capturing private moments occurring in public spaces. Images by members of the Photo League, which included Walter Rosenblum, Lisette Model, and Leon Levinstein, testify to the amusements and struggles of the common man and woman.
Group in Front of Fence, Pitt Street, Lower East Side, NY, 1938, printed later. Walter Rosenblum (American, 1919–2006). Gelatin silver print, toned; 17.9 x 23.1 cm. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of the Rosenblum Family, 2017.83. © Walter Rosenblum
Whether created for an assignment, as a personal expression, or to advocate for societal change, the images in this show—drawn entirely from the museum’s collection—provide a time machine that allows us to experience a slice of life in New York City almost a century ago. • For information visit www.clevelandart.org.
New York, c. 1942. Helen Levitt (American, 1913–2009). Gelatin silver print; 11.3 x 17.3 cm. The Cleveland Museum of Art, John L. Severance Fund, 1990.134. © Film Documents LLC, courtesy Galerie Thomas Zander, Cologne
STORIES OF SURVIVAL: OBJECT. IMAGE. MEMORY. Presented by The Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage
Fall 2021 Through objects, photographs, and personal reflections, “Stories of Survival: Object. Image. Memory.” reveals the individual stories of survivors of the Holocaust and genocides and conflicts including Armenia, Bosnia, Cambodia, Iraq, Rwanda, South Sudan, and Syria. • For a complete schedule of activities and tickets, visit www.maltzmuseum.org or call 216-593-0575. “ When you’ve lost everything, a single object can take on extraordinary meaning.” The Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage is a proud beneficiary agency of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland. 18
CLEVELAND ISRAEL ARTS CONNECTION The Cleveland Israel Arts Connection is a program of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland, connecting our community with the most dynamic 21st century cultural experiences that Israel has to offer. Working in partnership with Northeast Ohio’s leading arts organizations, we strive to identify, enhance, promote, and create unique and engaging Israeli cultural opportunities. J. David Heller, Board Chair Erika B. Rudin-Luria, President CLEVELAND ISRAEL ARTS CONNECTION ADVISORY GROUP Roe Green and Erica Hartman-Horvitz, Co-Chairs Edna Akrish Leora Lanzola Leslye Arian Daniel Levin Ziona Austrian Karen Levinsky Eric Baer Toby Lewis Samantha Baskind Sarah Liska Howard Bender Irwin Lowenstein Timothy Beyer Michael Milgrom Zeda Blau Linda Olejko Richard Bogomolny Debbe Deutch Rabinowitz Amy Budish Deborah Ratner Rebecca Carmi Barbara Robinson Reneé Chelm Sharon Rosenbaum Joanne Cohen Bill Rudman Deena Epstein Linda Sandhaus Natalie Epstein Nancy Schwartz-Katz Marc Freimuth Charna Sherman Mady Friedman Anita Siegal Barbara Galvin Scott Sill Matthew Garson Drew Simon Jay Geller Marjorie Simon Valerie Geller Margaret Singerman Jane Glaubinger Jill Snyder Florence Goodman Ivan Soclof Rochelle Gross Marilyn Soclof Lilli Harris Cathy Stamler Rebecca Heller Marla Comet-Stark Stephen H. Hoffman Robert Stark Joan Horvitz Barbara Tannenbaum Sara Hurand Richard Uria Robert Immerman Herbert Wainer Susan Immerman Susan Wasserman Robert Jackson Penni Weinberg Roseanne Kadis Elie Weiss Susan Koletsky Judy Weiss Susan Krantz Trudy Wiesenberger Karen Krause Ruth Wolfson Lisa Kurzner STAFF Rachel Lappen, Chief Development Officer Hedy P. Milgrom, Senior Development Officer Israel Wiener, Israeli Arts & Culture Consultant Debra S. Yasinow, Director, Cleveland Israel Arts Connection
The Jewish Federation’s 2020-21 Cleveland Israel Arts Connection is brought to you by these generous individuals, corporations, and foundations:
Roe Green, Honorary Producer STAR PATRONS Roe Green Foundation Richard Horvitz & Erica Hartman-Horvitz Robert & Susan Immerman Karen & Alan M. Krause PLATINUM PATRONS Stanley I. and Honnie R. Busch Memorial Endowment Drs. Jane Glaubinger & Eric Baer Toby Devan Lewis Steve & Penni Weinberg GOLD PATRONS Richard Bogomolny & Patricia Kozerefski The John and Peggy Garson Family Foundation Harley & Rochelle Gross Robert & Eileen Sill Family Foundation Sara Hurand & Elie Weiss Idelle Wolf SILVER PATRONS Zeda W. Blau Barbara Robinson Rebecca & Irad Carmi Sharon & Bruce Rosenbaum Marc Freimuth Linda M. Sandhaus, M.D. Peter z”l & Barbara Galvin Charna E. Sherman Florence Goodman Michael & Anita Siegal Family Lilli Harris Foundation Amy & Steve Hoffman Marjorie Simon Jewish Arts Endowment Fund Margaret Singerman Roseanne Kadis Richard & Beverley Uria Cookie & Herb Marcus Herb & Jody Wainer Hedy & Michael Milgrom Susan Wasserman Gloria Plevin Judith Weiss Ashley Hartman Robinson Trudy & Steve Wiesenberger FRIENDS The Edna & Yair Akrish Family Leslye Arian Deena & Richard Epstein Jonathan Freilich Barbara Tannenbaum Debra S. Yasinow 19
NON-PROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID CLEVELAND, OHIO PERMIT NO. 581
Jewish Federation of Cleveland Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Building 25701 Science Park Drive Cleveland, Ohio 44122
The Jewish Federation’s Cleveland Israel Arts Connection is brought to you by these generous Sponsors:
Roe Green, Honorary Producer PLATINUM SPONSOR
GOLD SPONSOR
The Leonard Krieger Fund of the
SILVER SPONSOR
BRONZE SPONSOR