Art & Culture
Book Club | Performance | Film | Literature | Meet the Authors | Music: The BREW | Music Classes | Visual Art |
Book Clubs
50+ Single’s Books, Discussions and Fellowship Group
Interested in meeting other 50+ singles for lively discussions on books and variety of topics, then this group is perfect for you. Discussion followed by lunch at a local restaurant (optional).
Sundays, June 17
10:30 am – 12:00 pm
FREE
• For more information call Aliza at 510-601-6692 or alizaschechter@comcast.net
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PERFORMANCE
Herstories Project
Herstories is a collective of 6 Bay Area women searching for the threads that link us to our ancestors, connect us to one another and inspire us to action. Their newest piece, Tapestry, is a multimedia ritual theater performance woven through dance, poetry, spoken word, and storytelling. Join us for a transformative and journey through personal and ancestral legacies, and the current global crisis.
Sunday, July 1, 6:00pm
$10-$25 sliding
• Buy Tickets NOW!
Me by 3
What makes up a person? That is the key question examined by three talented performers, Suraya Keating, Ariel Luckey, and Jenny Overman in the original show, Me by 3. Keating’s piece Sunshine employs her invigoratingly unique style of dramatization to tell the tale of a woman struggling to reconcile the good girl/bad girl split within herself. Luckey’s Free Land is a dynamic spoken word, dance and hip hop theatre piece that explores the role of white privilege in American history and exposes how many white Americans benefited from the genocide of Native Americans and the theft of their land. Overman’s spoken word and poetry mélange Pushing the Fence examines privilege, race, class, body image, sexuality, and Judaism through a intensely personal looking glass.
Sunday, July 22, 7:30pm
$12 members, $15 public
• Buy Tickets NOW!
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FILM
Hors d'oeuvres, Jazz, & a Movie:
The Matt Nelson Quartet and Yiddish Theater: A Love Story
Spend the evening in style with scrumptious nibbles, the oft-lauded and frightingly talented Matt Nelson Quartet, and finish it of with a bang with the tender, vivacious, and above all hilarious film, Yiddish Theater: A Love Story.
The Food: Not your bubbe’s cooking – exotic and savory delicacies from around the world.
The Music: Sit back and let the Matt Nelson Quartet be your aural masseuse for the night – you won’t be disappointed.
The Movie: Enter the funny larger-than-life world of Yiddish Theater today through this powerful documentary about the amazing woman who has kept the oldest running Yiddish Theater in America alive. Zypora Spaisman is a Holocaust survivor who conquers all hearts in her passion for art, life, and Yiddish. Yiddish Theater: A Love Story, dir. Dan Katzir.
Thursday, June 21, 6:00pm
$12 members, $15 public
• Buy Tickets NOW!
Shorts Guide to Israel
Join us for an informative cinematic journey into the heart of modern Israel. These three new shorts capture the indelible beauty and struggle of everyday life in the Holy Land. From director Evegny Ruman’s moody tale of a Russian immigrant in Israel barely coping with fatherhood (Nes) to a young cleaning lady’s struggle for a better life (Veronica), these tales promise to challenge and enlighten.
Thursday, July 12, 7:00pm
$6 members, $8 general public
• Buy Tickets NOW!
Steal a Pencil for Me
Steal a Pencil for Me is a compelling documentary by Academy Award® nominee Michèle Ohayon about the power of love and the ability of humankind to rise above unimaginable suffering. The year is 1943 and Holland is under total Nazi occupation. In Amsterdam, Jack, an unassuming accountant, first meets Ina at a birthday party. The 20 year old beauty instantly steals his heart, but Jack’s pursuit of love will be complicated. He is poor and already married to Manja, a flirtatious and mercurial spouse. When the Jews are deported, the husband, wife, and lover find themselves at the same concentration camp, actually living in the same barracks.
Co-Sponsored by the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival.
Sunday, August 23, 7:00pm
$6 members, $8 general public
• Buy Tickets NOW
New to DVD!: Film and Interactive Discussion Series
Did you miss a movie while it was playing in the theater and would love a second chance to view it with a friendly group? Films to be shown are: The Good Shepard, Jonestown: The Life and Death of the Peoples Temple, Letters from Iwo Jima, Triad Election, Inland Empire, Lives of Others, The Host, The Wind that Shakes the Barley, Away from Her (All subject to change).
All screenings followed by a lively group discussion facilitated by George Porter.
Co-Sponsor: Berkeley Adult School
Wednesdays, 7:00pm, July 4 – September 26
Suggested donation: $2-$5
• For more information or to register call 510-848-0237 x110 or info@jcceastbay.org
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LITERATURE
The Poetry Workshop
Learn to hear the poem that wants you to write it. Share the enjoyment of hearing the group’s writing and sharing your own. Explore, discover, and liberate with instructor Donna Davis.
Co-Sponsor: Berkeley Adult School
Thursdays, April 5 - June 28,
9:00am-11:30am
$10/semester (site fee)
• For more information call 510-848-0237 x110 or info@jcceastbay.org
Life Stories Workshop
Gather a collection of personal tales - oral or written - as a gift for family and friends. Over the course of this program your storytelling will improve through group exercises, individual presentations, and constructive critique.
Co-Sponsor: Berkeley Adult School
Thursdays, April 5 - June 28, 2:30pm-4:30pm
$10/semester (site fee)
• For more information call 510-848-0237 x110 or info@jcceastbay.org
Let’s Talk About It: Jewish Literature
Identity and Imagination
Theme: A Mind of Her Own: Fathers and Daughters in a Changing World
Scholar: Dr. Naomi Seidman, Koret Professor of Jewish Culture at the Graduate Theological Union
Books and dates: All programs on Saturdays at 2:00pm, at the Kensington Library (61 Arlington Ave, Kensington)
July 14, 2:00pm Kensington Library - Tevye the Dairyman Sholem Aleichem
August 11, 2:00pm Kensington Library - Bread Givers Anzia Yezierska
September 8, 2:00pm Kensington Library - O My America! Johanna Kaplan
The series is designed to offer participants an opportunity to learn about Jewish literature and culture by reading the best in contemporary and classic Jewish literature and discussing these works in scholar-led discussions at the library.
The Kensington Library, in partnership with the JCC East Bay is one of over 150 libraries nationwide receiving grants to host this series, which is organized by Nextbook and the American Library Association.
• Pre-registration is recommended, please contact Liz Ruhland at 510-524-3043 or lruhland@ccclib.org
The Aquarian Minyan/JCC Author
Series: Jewish Writers in the Bay Area
Come schmooze with the authors! Books will be for sale. Light refreshments will be provided. $10-$20 sliding scale, to benefit The Aquarian Minyan.
• For more information see www.aquarianminyan.org or contact 510-465-3935 or naomirose@lmi.net
Trains of Thought and Random Access
Memory, by Reuven Goldfarb
Reuven Goldfarb, founding editor of AGADA, the illustrated Jewish literary magazine, will read from his collection of essays, Trains of Thought, and excerpts from his upcoming story collection, Random Access Memory. Goldfarb’s poetry, essays, and stories have appeared in a wide variety of journals, anthologies, magazines, and newspapers, and have won award recognition from Poetica Magazine and the Chester H. Jones Foundation.
Wednesday, July 25, 7:30pm
• For more information call 510-848-0237 x110 or info@jcceastbay.org
Write for Food: The Complete Guide to Writing Cookbooks, Restaurant Reviews, Articles, Memoir, Fiction, and More, by Dianne Jacob
Will Write for Food shows people who love food how to translate their passion into words. Whether it’s writing about an amazing meal experienced while traveling, childhood memories of the kitchen and dinner table, or a desire to share recipes with others, this book covers all aspects of food writing. It includes interviews with 70 of the best-known American food writers, plus exercises at the end of each chapter to stimulate creativity. Join Dianne for a discussion on the power of food to evoke memory, and on food writing as a form of expression.
Wednesday, August 22, 7:30pm
• For more information call 510-848-0237 x110 or info@jcceastbay.org
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MEET THE AUTHORS
Open Mic for Jewish Writers (or Jews Who Write)
Tonight is your turn to share your work with receptive listeners (or just come to listen). Do you have a book-in-progress? A story? Memoir slice? Poem? A published book from years ago? Don’t let your writing languish in a drawer. Bring it into the community, where its light can lift and illuminate hearts and souls. Feel free to bring copies of your writing to sell, too! We will also have music, to weave our souls and prayers into praise. (To ensure your reading time, email Series Coordinator Naomi Rose at naomirose@lmi.net by June 15th. However, we will try to make room for everyone within the 2-hour slot.)
Co-Sponsor: Aquarian Minyan
Wednesday, June 27, 7:30pm
Fee: $10-$20 sliding scale, to benefit The Aquarian Minyan.
• For more information call 510-465-3935 or naomierose@pon.net or www.aquarianminyan.org
To Heal the Broken Heart with Rev. Gina Rose Halpern
Rev. Gina Rose Halpern's book responds to the question: what can heal a heart and relieve the suffering? The answers come from nature, through beauty, through loved ones and pets, and a relationship to faith and the Divine. Rev. She is the founder and co-director of the Chaplaincy Institute for Arts and Interfaith Ministries and the Executive Director of Healing Through the Arts, an organization that bridges the creative and healing arts.
Co-Sponsor: Aquarian Minyan
Wednesday, May 30, 7:30pm
Fee: $10-$20 sliding scale, to benefit The Aquarian Minyan.
• For more information call 510-465-3935 or naomierose@pon.net or www.aquarianminyan.org
Meet Rhoda Curtis
Rhoda: Her First Ninety Years is candid memoir of a first generation American woman who was willing to change the direction of her life every twelve years. Dealing with issues ranging from Jewish identity, mortality, and the feminist movement to love at 70 and beyond, this literary treasure is uproariously funny and indelibly life affirming.
Thursday, June 28, 7:30pm
FREE
• For more information call 510-848-0237 x110 or info@jcceastbay.org
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MUSIC
THE BREW: A monthly music series
Everyday Holiness with Rebbe Souls & Alan Morinis
The multi-talented Rebbe Soul seamlessly meshes his unique sound with a bevy of musical influences from around the world. Drawing on sources from Africa, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East, he effortlessly bridges jazz, rock, folk, and hip-hop.
Rebbe Soul will perform in an acoustic trio and Alan Morinis will work on the themes of Mussar with material from his new book, "Everyday Holiness."
Co-Sponsor: Jewish Music Festival
Saturday, June 24, 6:30pm
$12 members, $15 general public
• Buy Tickets NOW!
Glenn Hartman and the Klezmer Playboys
Glenn Hartman, front man for the New Orleans Klezmer Allstars – a group heralded by the Village Voice as, “easily the funniest and wildest of the klezmer new wave” – brings the animated energy of his new group, the Klezmer Playboys to the JCC. The band infuses traditional klezmer melodies with a plus-sized dose of funk and rock ‘n roll, creating a potent musical concoction sure to knock your socks off!
Co-Sponsor: Jewish Music Festival
Saturday, July 21, 8:00pm
$10 members, $12 general public
• Buy Tickets NOW!
The Golden Melody Band
The Golden Melody Band is a virtuosic acoustic ensemble featuring Dina Maccabee (violin), Rob Reich (accordion), Yair Evnine (guitar and cello), and Seth Ford Young (bass). They play intricate, hard-edged arrangements of rare gems, finding common ground between classical and folk music. Their repertoire springs from a variety of sources ranging from Chopin and Satie to the Beatles, ragtime, and traditional klezmer.
Co-Sponsor: J ewish Music Festival
Saturday, August 18, 9:00pm
$8 members, $10 general public
• Buy Tickets NOW!
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MUSIC CLASSES
Eastern European Singing
Discover your Balkan singing voice! This series will focus on exploring and de-mystifying Eastern European singing. Come learn about this rich folk singing tradition through simple, easy to follow methods. We’ll practice open voice singing, simple ornamentation, non-western modal styling, and pronunciation tricks to negotiate the languages. Instructor Briget Boyle is a singer with the internationally acclaimed Kitka Women’s Vocal Ensemble, and Assistant Director of the Jewish Music Festival.
Mondays, May 7 - June 25, 7:00-8:30pm
Drop in $15 public, $12 members
• For more information or to register call 510-848-0237 x110 or info@jcceastbay.org
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VISUAL ART
Take a moment to check out the revolving gallery in the JCC Lobby! Every month, a new local artist is chosen to showcase their work.
 This graphic marks classes that seniors may enjoy.
Acrylic Painting
Learn a variety of painting techniques, including impasto, glazing, gold leaf, mixed media and more! The Instructor, Janet Lipkin, BFA, has works displayed in many galleries including the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Pre-registration required. Fridays, on-going, 10:00am 4:00pm (Instruction and Lab)
$160
• Call Janet at 510-237-8696
Let Me Bring Out the Painter in You!
A drawing and painting class open to all levels of experience – from the beginner to advanced students. Instructor Richard Wheeler is an Impressionist Painter.
Co-sponsor: Berkeley Adult School
Tuesdays, on-going, 9:30am-12:30pm
$10 a semester (site fee)
• For more information or to register call 510-848-0237 x110 or info@jcceastbay.org
Silkscreen
Learn to the fascinating art of Silkscreening. By way of practical demonstration, discussion, and critical viewing we will learn various autographic methods of screenprinting. Instructor Erika Walters, BFA ( Rhode Island School of Design) does marketing for architecture firms and is a freelance graphic designer. The two sessions will cover different printing techniques, and can be taken separately or in conjunction.
2 Sessions (5 classes each), 6:30pm-9:30pm
Session A: Mondays, April 16 - May 14
Session B: Mondays, May 28 - June 25
$100/session public; $90 members (includes supplies). Sign up for both for $170.
• Sign up NOW!
Woodcut Printing
Relief printing, otherwise known as woodcut printing, is the world’s oldest form of printmaking. This quick process produces bold images with definite positive and negative space. This workshop is designed to introduce those with no experience to the linocut process.
Instructor Erika Walters, BFA (Rhode Island School of Design) does marketing for architecture firms and is a freelance graphic designer. The two sessions will cover different printing techniques, and can be taken separately or in conjunction.
2 Sessions (5 classes each), 7:00pm-9:00pm
Session A: Wednesdays, 4/18-5/16
Session B: Wednesdays, 5/30-6/27
$80/session public; $70 members (includes supplies). Sign up for both for $130.
• For more information or to register call 510-848-0237 x110 or info@jcceastbay.org
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