Bringing not just a wide range of literature, the Jewish Book & Culture Fair 2003 will bring a diverse selection of art also, including theater, music, storytelling and photography.
This year’s fair will bring not only more authors than ever before, but more diversity and definitely a “cultural bent,” explained Dorene Paley, community services director at the Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center, a primary sponsor of the event.
“This festival is a major piece of Jewish education,” she said. “There are so many exciting topics and authors out there.”
In its third year in its present form, the fair will open on Sunday, Oct. 26 with a day of drama and entertainment, including an evening reading and performance by actor, singer and activist Theodore Bikel.
All programs will take place at the JCC. The bookstore — with books provided by Harry W. Schwartz Bookshops — will open one hour before each program, on Sunday, Oct. 26, 2-4 p.m., on Tuesday Oct. 28, 7 p.m. or by appointment. Book signings will follow each presentation.
The fair will take place in association with the Jewish Book Council and the Harry W. Schwartz Bookshops. It is funded by the Alex & Ilsa Neurath Malkin Endowment Fund at the Jewish Community Foundation, the endowment development program of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation.
Sponsored by many synagogues and community organizations, including The Chronicle, the event is co-chaired by Marti Fine and Romaine Backer.
The complete event listing follows:
• Sunday Oct. 26, 2 p.m., “Dear Esther,” a dramatic reading by Next Act Theatre as a benefit for the JCC about Esther Raab and her escape from Sobibor death camp. Reserved seating is $5 in the Ritz Theater. The performance is sponsored by the Schoenleber Foundation.
• Sunday Oct. 26, 7 p.m., Theodore Bikel — “Theo: An Autobiography.” Bikel will talk about his autobiography and perform folk and theater songs. Admission is $18 or $50 for patrons, who receive a reserved seat and may attend a dessert reception with the author. The program is funded by the Dr. Gary and Judy Guten Jewish Book Foundation.
• Monday Oct. 27, 7 p.m., Frédéric Brenner — “Diaspora: Homelands in Exile.” In this book, international photographer Brenner has created the first visual anthology of the Jewish diaspora. James Auer, art critic for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, will introduce Brenner. Tickets are $8, $5 for students.
• Wednesday, Oct. 29, noon, Paula Marantz Cohen — “Jane Austen in Boca.” The program includes lunch at noon and Cohen’s presentation at 1:30. Tickets are $18, $8 for the author program only. Lunch reservations are due Oct. 22.
• Wednesday, Oct. 29, 7 p.m., Michael Shapiro — “The Last Good Season: Brooklyn, the Dodgers, and Their Final Pennant Race Together,” introduction by Allan H. (Bud) Selig, Commissioner of Major League Baseball. Tickets are $8, $5 for students.
• Thursday, Oct. 30, 7 p.m., Rabbi Tirzah Firestone — “The Receiving: Reclaiming Jewish Women’s Wisdom.” A Jungian therapist and rabbi, Firestone teaches and lectures nationally on Jewish spirituality. Tickets are $8, $5 for students.
• Sunday, Nov. 2, 3 p.m., Steve Charney — “Hokus Jokus: How to Do Funny Magic.” This family program includes crafts for younger children, snacks and a how-to-make-magic class for those ages six to adult. Participants are asked to bring a deck of cards. Tickets are $8 per family. The event is co sponsored by Annette Altman, Romaine and Mel Backer, Godfrey & Kahn, S.C., Patricia Scharmach and Barbara Young.
• Tuesday, Nov. 4, 7 p.m., Joel ben Izzy — “The Beggar King and the Secret of Happiness.” Master storyteller ben Izzy travels the world telling stories, including his own loss of his voice, and gathering new ones. Tickets $8, $5 for students.
• Wednesday, Nov. 5, 7 p.m., Sherri Mandell — “The Blessing of a Broken Heart.” A writer and teacher, Israeli resident Mandell directs the Koby Mandell Foundation Women’s Healing Retreats for Bereaved Mothers and Widows. Her son Koby was murdered in a cave in the Judean Desert in 2001. Tickets are $8, $5 for students.
• Thursday, Nov. 6, 7 p.m., Dr. Sylvia Rimm — “How to Parent So Children Will Learn.” In her book, Rimm gives advice for raising happy, secure and productive children from preschool to college, including parent pointers, sample dialogues and examples. Tickets are $8. The program is funded by the Dr. Herbert & Ruth Giller Endowment Fund of the JCC and co-sponsored by the Harold & Terry Nash JCC Parenting and Family Center.
Tickets are available at the JCC. For more information or orders, contact Dorene Paley, 414-967-8217, or Cindy Benjamin, 414-967-8233.
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