To submit an event for consideration write to Chronicle@MilwaukeeJewish.org by the 15th for the monthly edition arriving in homes about two weeks later. Include date, time, location, a description, contact information and whether the event is free or what is charged.
Sunday, May 6
Madison: Yiddish Cabaret
Beth Israel Center in Madison will host a Yiddish Cabaret. May 6. 7 p.m. It will feature The New Budapest Orpheum Society, an ensemble-in-residence in the humanities division at the University of Chicago. This self-styled Jewish Cabaret was founded in 1998 and its eight classically-trained musicians tour widely, having performed at the United States Memorial Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., the European Center for Jewish Music in Hanover, Germany and at the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom, among others. The group performs songs once heard in popular cafes and nightspots in Vienna, Berlin, Warsaw and Budapest. Its music commemorates the tragedies and triumphs of 20th-century Jewish history, as well. The group has released four CDs. Beth Israel Center, 1406 Mound St., Madison, 608-256-7763.
Monday, May 7
Jewish illegal immigration
Explore immigration history with Libby Garland at Jewish Museum Milwaukee, a program of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation, at 1360 N. Prospect Ave. Garland, associate professor of history at Kingsborough Community College, The City University of New York, will discuss her recently published book, “After They Closed the Gates: Jewish Illegal Immigration to the United States, 1921-1965.” In the book, Garland tells of the Jewish migrants and smugglers, showing how such stories contributed to growing national anxieties about illegal immigration. The lecture will be followed immediately by a book signing. May 7, 7-8:30 p.m. Members $6, non-members $10. Offered in connection with Stitching Histories From the Holocaust, an exhibit on display at the Jewish Museum Milwaukee, April 8 – Sept. 16.
Wednesday, May 9
Emissary in Waukesha
Keren Weisshaus, an Israeli emissary to Milwaukee, will speak at Congregation Emanu-El of Waukesha, 830 W. Moreland Blvd., at 7:15 p.m. Wednesday, May 9. The program is free and open to the public. She will speak about what it means to be a shlichah (emissary) and describe living and working in Israel. Brought here by the Milwaukee Jewish Federation and the Jewish Agency for Israel, Weisshaus, 44, arrived in August with her husband, two children (ages 12 and 8), a cat and a 19-year-old dog. She was born in Jerusalem and served in the Israel Defense Forces as the education officer of a military prison.
Thursday, May 10
KidShare 2018
Nearly 40 of Milwaukee’s best restaurants, chefs, bakers and caterers will come together for the annual celebration of KidShare: Milwaukee’s Finest Culinary Event on May 10 from 6–10 p.m. at The Pfister Hotel, 424 E. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee. Proceeds from the event will benefit scholarship for the programs of the JCC. David Cohn and Sheryl and Jonathan Rubin are serving as co-chairs of the event. Now in its 29th year, KidShare is the JCC’s signature fundraising event. Guests will enjoy a variety of tasty nibbles, savory dinner selections and tempting desserts from popular eateries such as Carnevor, Cubanitas, DanDan, Lake Park Bistro, Mason Street Grill, Milwaukee ChopHouse, Poco Loco, Smoke Shack, Batches, Mila’s European Bakery and Purple Door Ice Cream, among others. The evening also includes silent and live auctions, as well as a raffle with a wide variety of themed prizes. JCC programs benefitting from the event include Gan Ami Early Childhood Education; KidsCenter Before and After School Care; and the Albert & Ann Deshur JCC Rainbow Day Camp. Individual tickets for the event are $225.00 and may be purchased online at jccmilwaukee.org or by calling Micki Seinfeld, JCC director of special events, at 414-967-8235 or MSeinfeld@JccMilwaukee.org. Various levels of corporate and individual sponsorships are also available.
Saturday, May 12
Veterans and dance
War veterans and company members from the Milwaukee Ballet will share the stage May 12-13, 7:30-9:30 p.m. at Danceworks, in a performance night called “Moving Beyond the Battlefield: an Arts Collaboration Among Veterans and Artists.” Dance, with its emotional and physical connection to the body, can be healing and liberating, especially for people who have experienced trauma. Danceworks, 1661 N. Water St., Milwaukee. Visit JewishChronicle.org for a link for tickets. See story, page 36.
Tuesday, May 15
Happy hour
Young Leadership Division of Milwaukee Jewish Federation is headed to a happy hour on May 15, 5:30-7:30 p.m., at Sports Club, 750 N. Jefferson St., Milwaukee. One free drink. See Jewish Chronicle.org for link to sign up. Are you between the ages of 21 and 45? Then, you belong to YLD! Connect by contacting Lauren Berger, young leadership director. 414-390-5702.
Zionism talk
“Re-Awakening Zionism,” with Aryeh Green, sponsored by Anshe Sfard Kehillat Torah. May 15, 7 p.m. Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center, 6255 N. Santa Monica Blvd. in Whitefish Bay. Cost: $36. (Or VIP Reception tickets begin at $180.)
More information: 414-228-9296 or AsktShul.org. See story, page 8.
Wednesday, May 16
Free film class: ‘Past Life’
“Past Life” (Ha’khata’im) (2016) 7 p.m. Two sisters – a classical musician and a scandal magazine reporter – try to solve the mystery of their father’s past Holocaust secrets in 1977 Israel. The film alternates between Israel, Poland and Germany, as the girls seek the truth about their family. In Hebrew, English, Polish and German. 1 hr. 49 min. Ages: 13 to adult. Instructor: Keren Weisshaus. Shown at the Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center, 6255 N. Santa Monica Blvd. in Whitefish Bay and open to the entire community. Co-sponsored by JCC and The Israel Center of Milwaukee Jewish Federation. For more information, contact Laurie Herman at LHerman@JCCMilwaukee.org or 414-967-8212.
Speaker: Matthew Desmond
“Home and Hope – A Community Call to Action.” Jewish Family Services is hosting this community wide “call to action” event to showcase the urgent need for safe and affordable housing. Matthew Desmond, author of “Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City,” appearing May 16, noon to 3:30 p.m. Potawatomi Hotel and Casino – Event Center, 1721 W. Canal St., Milwaukee. Cost: Individual ticket $125. More information at JewishChronicle.org or contact Andrea Robertson, Jewish Family Services, 414-225-1336 or ARobertson@JfsMilw.org. See book review, page 4.
Thursday, May 17
Holocaust correspondence
Justin Gordon is a Holocaust postal historian. He has collected, exhibited and lectured on the postal history of the Holocaust for 40 years. “Censored Realities: Holocaust Correspondence from Ghettos and Camps” featuring Gordon to be held by Jewish Museum Milwaukee,1360 N. Prospect Ave. Milwaukee, May 17, 7 – 8:30 p.m. Gordon will discuss his research and publication, “Holocaust Postal History: Harrowing Journeys Revealed through the Letters and Cards of the Victims.” The lines of the correspondence he studied are seemingly ordinary — until you realize that they were written in the darkest days of the Holocaust under tyrannical censorship. In many cases, an envelope or a postcard, as highlighted in this book, may be the only remnant of an individual’s life. Museum members $6, non-members $8. Presented in partnership with Nathan and Esther Pelz Holocaust Education Resource Center of Milwaukee Jewish Federation. Offered in connection with Stitching Histories From the Holocaust, an exhibit on display at the museum.
Thursday, May 24
Free film class: ‘Wounded Land’
“Wounded Land” (Eretz Ptzua) (2015) 7 p.m. After a deadly terror attack in Israel, the suicide bomber and his victims are rushed to the same hospital. A police officer and his partner, who are assigned to protect the attacker, face agonizing choices when the families of the victims wish to take revenge on the attacker while he is undergoing treatment at the hospital. Then – the son of one of the officers is reported missing after the attack… In Hebrew and Arabic with subtitles. 1 hr. 20 min. Ages: 15 to adult. Instructor: Elana Kahn. Shown at the Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center, 6255 N. Santa Monica Blvd. in Whitefish Bay and open to the entire community. Co-sponsored by JCC and the Israel Center of Milwaukee Jewish Federation. For more information, contact Laurie Herman at LHerman@JCCMilwaukee.org or 414-967-8212.
Alon Ben-Gurion
Jewish National Fund’s Breakfast for Israel to feature Alon Ben-Gurion, the grandson of Israel’s first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, is the featured speaker. Thursday morning, May 24. The Wisconsin Club’s Country Club, 6200 W. Good Hope Road, Milwaukee. Order complimentary tickets, see JewishChronicle.org for link. For more information call 414-963-8733. See story, page 30.
Tuesday, May 29
Community Chorale
Annual free concert of the Milwaukee Jewish Community Chorale — this year honoring 70 years of Israel and the work of Leonard Bernstein. With the Kol Zimrah choir of Chicago and Wisconsin cantors. Congregation Shalom, 7630 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Fox Point. 414-352-9288. May 29, 7:30 p.m. Free. See story, page 25.
Friday, June 1
Ben Merens
Enjoy an evening of good food and fascinating stories with guest speaker Ben Merens. Ben Merens is the “Chief Storyteller” for the philanthropy team of the Blood Research Institute, part of BloodCenter of Wisconsin, since 2016. He also taught a graduate seminar on storytelling at Mount Mary University. Ben is well-known for his 21 year tenure as a talk show host on Wisconsin Public Radio and is the author of the audio book “People are Dying to be Heard.”
June 1. Adult havurah potluck supper and program. Congregation Emanu-El B’ne Jeshurun, 2020 W Brown Deer Road, River Hills, Wisconsin. Early Kabbalat Shabbat Services 6:15 p.m. To RSVP call Joyce Gutzke at 262-236-3923 or Belle Anne Freund at 262-783-7373 and let them know what dish you will bring to share. Guests are welcome.
Sunday, June 3
Holocaust, civil rights
“From the Holocaust to Civil Rights.” Debbie Simon Konkol, Joanne Simon Weinberg and Chris Simon Halverson will tell the story of their family’s journey. Hear how they retraced the steps of their grandmother Alice Simon, who was murdered by the Nazis, and their father Rev. Dr. Carl Simon, a Presbyterian minister. Discover how his family history affected his life and inspired him to become a civil rights activist, including marching with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma. Jewish Museum Milwaukee, 1360 N Prospect Ave., Milwaukee, June 3, 4-5 p.m. Museum members free. Non-members $5. Presented in partnership with Nathan and Esther Pelz Holocaust Education Resource Center of Milwaukee Jewish Federation.
Wednesday, June 6
Baseball umpire memories
Everyone is invited! Bruce Froemming, a former Major League Baseball umpire, will be the keynote speaker at the Brotherhood’s 9th Annual Family Sports Night on June 6 (doors open at 6 p.m., program at 6:30 p.m.) at Congregation Emanu-El B’ne Jeshurun, 2020 W. Brown Deer Road, Fox Point. Froemming’s presentation will retrace his career from umpiring games on Milwaukee playgrounds to his umpiring the second most games (5163) in Major League Baseball history. What’s it like to be a minor league umpire as well as be in the video replay room in New York City – you’ll be fascinated and entertained by the stories as they unfold. Admission cost is two non-perishable food items or a monetary donation to the Milwaukee Hunger Task Force and/or the Jewish Community Pantry. Limited seating – RSVP by Thursday, May 31 at the synagogue at 414-228-7545 or ceebj.org.
Thursday, June 7
Hollywood’s Golden Age
Dave Fantle, a writer and historian of Hollywood’s Golden Age, has been teaching film history courses at Marquette University for about eight years. His just-published book, in collaboration with Tom Johnson, is “Hollywood Heyday: 75 Candid Interviews with Golden Age Legends.” Many of the people profiled in the book are Jewish: Milton Berle, George Burns, Benny Rubin, Burton Lane, Artie Shaw, Don Rickles, George Jessel, Andre Previn and more. Boswell Books and the JCC are holding this free event on the book on June 7 at 7 p.m. at the Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center, 6255 N. Santa Monica Blvd. in Whitefish Bay.
Kosher honors
Honors for food producers and restaurants with kosher certification. June 7, meet and greet at 5:30 p.m. Lake Park Synagogue will honor Burke Candy, Colectivo Coffee, Lake Front Brewery, Rishi Tea and the Spice House for their decision to obtain kosher certification. This is the annual fundraiser for the East Side synagogue and will include a buffet. Several of the honorees will bring samples. The dinner will also honor the memory of Lorraine Hoffman, a member of the shul who died last year. Everybody is welcome. For more information, go to LakeParkSynagogue.org or call 414-962-5508. See story, page 3.
Sunday, June 24
Mound Zion meeting
Mound Zion Annual Meeting will be at the Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center, 6255 N. Santa Monica Blvd. in Whitefish Bay on June 24 at 11 a.m. All interested plot owners or other interested parties may attend. For questions call Stanley Teplin at 414-467-8169.
Tuesday, July 31
Golf in Mequon
JEM (Jewish Experience of Madison) will be hosting their 7th annual Golf Outing on July 31, 2018 at the River Club in Mequon. To sponsor a hole or reserve your spot call Rocky at 414-708-6353 or email JemUWOffice@gmail.com
Ongoing Health & Support
Alcoholics Anonymous
An international fellowship of men and women who have had a drinking problem. Meetings are held at multiple times and locations around the city, including 7 p.m. Monday night, Chabad-Lubavitch, 3901 N. Lake Drive, Milwaukee. To find other meeting times and locations, call 414-771-9119, the local office of Alcoholics Anonymous or go to AAMilwaukee.com.
Breast cancer support
Breast cancer patients, their families and friends are matched with professionally trained breast cancer survivors and co-survivors. All connections are personalized and based on similar diagnoses, treatment plans and circumstances. Services are free and begin with a phone conversation. ABCD: After Breast Cancer Diagnosis supports both patients and survivors. To receive ABCD support, call 414-977-1780 or email SupportCenter@AbcdMentor.org.
Friendship House Fellowship
A support group for Jewish men and women in recovery from addiction to alcohol or other substances. Requirements for membership are participation in a 12-step program (such as AA or Narcotics Anonymous) and a desire to recover. Meetings are Tuesday, 6:30 p.m. at The Shul, 3901 N. Lake Drive in Milwaukee.
Jewish Family Services
Outpatient mental health services to people dealing with personal problems and mental health issues. Contact 414-390-5800. JFS is located at 1300 N. Jackson St., Milwaukee.
Jewish Grief Group
The Jewish Grief Group, under the auspices of Jewish Family Services, is open to all. Wednesdays, 12-1 p.m. It rotates among local synagogues. Call Jewish Family Services, 414-390-5800, to register.
North Shore Al-Anon
North Shore Al-Anon no longer holds weekly meetings, but if interested contact Gerald Melnick at MelnickGerald@gmail.com.
SPARK! memory loss program
SPARK! is a program for people experiencing memory loss and their care partners. Jewish Museum Milwaukee holds SPARK! events at 10 a.m. on the first Friday of each month in partnership with Ovation Communities. Jewish Museum Milwaukee is a program of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation. 414-390-5730. JewishMuseumMilwaukee.org.