From the new National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia: “The Jewish Quarterly Review is holding a conference, ‘Journals & Jewish Intellectual Life: The Jewish Quarterly Review at 100’ in honor of its 100th anniversary Sunday, Dec. 12, at the Museum. The conference is free and open to the public. Space is limited and registration is required. For more information or to register, visit http://www.cjs.upenn.edu/public/jqr100/index.html.
I really thought that I’d blogged about attending a screening of “Blessed is the Match: The Life and Death of Hannah Senesh” last spring, but I’m not finding anything in the blog archive. Which astonishes me, because I have spent so much time thinking (and talking) about that film in all the months since. I also bought Hannah Senesh’s diary, which remains patiently waiting on my nightstand for my close attention.
In any case, I’ve also been thinking about Senesh more recently because a new addition to my to-do list is going downtown to the Museum of Jewish Heritage to see the just-opened exhibition, “Fire in My Heart: The Story of Hannah Senesh.” Fortunately, I have some time: “Fire in My Heart” runs into August 2011. But I may go earlier–especially if I think I can withstand the emotional intensity of re-watching the documentary I saw last spring–because the MJHNYC is going to offer several free screenings with paid museum admission. Here are the details:
“In conjunction with the new exhibition, Fire in My Heart: The Story of Hannah Senesh, the Museum of Jewish Heritage — A Living Memorial to the Holocaust will be offering screenings of Roberta Grossman’s award-winning film Blessed is the Match: The Life and Death of Hannah Senesh (2008, USA, 85 min.), a documentary about the World War II-era poet, diarist, and resistance fighter. The film, which is narrated by acclaimed actress Joan Allen, is the first documentary feature about Hannah Senesh’s extraordinary life.
The screenings will take place at 11 a.m. and at 1 p.m. on October 31, November 21, 28, and December 19. Tickets are free with Museum admission and can be picked up at the box office on the day of the screening. For more information about the exhibition, please visit www.mjhnyc.org/hannah.”
One more thing: You don’t quite realize how lasting Senesh’s legacy is until you hear Israeli schoolchildren–including children of Ethiopian Jewish descent–singing Eli, Eli at the Leo Baeck Education Center’s school in Haifa. As I did less than three weeks ago.
Just learned about this via a Center for Jewish History e-newsletter:
YIVO Institute for Jewish research presents:
Chaim Grade Memorial on the 100th Anniversary of his Birth
4:30pm | Screening of the film The Quarrel
6:30pm | Symposium
On the 100th anniversary of the birth of Chaim Grade, one of the great Yiddish poets and novelists of the 20th century, Ruth Wisse will discuss Grade’s works; Allan Nadler will discuss the milieu that Grade grew up in; Jonathan Brent will describe his recent experience examining Grade’s library and papers; and recorded remarks by Curt Leviant will be shown. The symposium will be preceded at 4:30 pm by a screening of the English-language film The Quarrel (Canada, 1991) based on Grade’s story “My Quarrel with Hersh Rasseyner.” An exhibition of Grade’s books, manuscripts, and letters from the YIVO archives and library will be on display.
Admission: Free, RSVP to www.yivo.org/reservations or 917-606-8290
Received from NYC’s Museum of Jewish Heritage:
On Wednesday, July 14 at 7 p.m., as part of the popular Terrace Talks series, editor Joshua Ellison will discuss his groundbreaking, Habitus: A Diaspora Journal, which Library Journal praises for its “exemplary creative and journalistic work.” Habitus is an international journal of Diaspora literature and global Jewish culture that was first published in 2005. The conversation between Ellison and author André Aciman (Eight White Nights, 2010) will focus on whether New York City —especially Manhattan —is the new Jerusalem, or if the very question is sacrilegious. This fascinating conversation will take place at the Museum of Jewish Heritage—A Living Memorial to the Holocaust.
Each issue of Habitus focuses on a different city, penetrating deep into the emotional and political substance of the urban environment. Cities that have been featured in the magazine include New Orleans, Moscow, and Buenos Aires. As Ellison wrote in the introduction to the first issue: “Habitus is not just about cataloguing distinctions. It’s a way of using the whole world as raw material for creating a more complete picture of ourselves.”
Tickets are $5 and free for members. Tickets are available online at www.mjhnyc.org or by calling the Museum box office at 646.437.4202.
Terrace Talks feature authors presented in one of the Museum’s beautiful spaces with stunning views of New York Harbor and the Statue of Liberty.
The Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York has announced its May-August programs, which feature a number of book- and literary-focused events. Participating authors include Louis Begley, Ruth Reichl, Daphne Merkin, Kai Bird, Dani Shapiro, and Judith Shulevitz (among others).
Also announced this week: the “downloadable festival” from London’s Jewish Book Week. “All sessions are one hour long with the exception of the 8.30 pm ones which can last up to an hour and a half and the morning workshops.” An amazing lineup to enjoy and learn from at your leisure.