Pink Triangle Legacies: Coming Out in the Shadow of the Holocaust
Thursday, Jun 15, 2023
<b>Thursday, June 15, 2023</b>
<b>Live at the Weitzman Museum</b>
<b>5pm Doors | 6pm Program</b>
<b>$15 GA | $10 Weitzman Members </b>
<b>$45 GA with signed copy of the Book | $40 Weitzman Member Book bundle</b>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>Donate today to support future Weitzman Museum programming.</em></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a id="home__event-all-cta" class="box-cta box-cta--large box-cta--inline box-cta--blue box-cta-filled" href="https://www.classy.org/give/486655/#!/donation/checkout?&c_src=donations&c_src2=website" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><span class="box-cta__label">Make a Donation</span></a></p>
<div style="padding: 75% 0px 0px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><iframe style="position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;" title="Pink Triangle Legacies: Book Release Conversation iwth W Jake Newsome, Galia Godel, Jazmyn Henderson and Mark Segal and Friends" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/949975894?badge=0&autopause=0&player_id=0&app_id=58479" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Join us in commemorating Pride Month with a compelling discussion on the intersection of LGBTQ+ history and the Holocaust. Delve into the legacy of the pink triangle and how knowledge of the Holocaust shaped the fight for queer liberation and influenced American gay rights activism. As a symbol used by the Nazis to identify and persecute queer men and transgender women, the pink triangle has since been reclaimed as a symbol of resistance and pride. Our panel of experts include include organizers and activists from Queer communities across Philadelphia including<strong> Galia Godel</strong> (J. Proud Philly), <strong>Jazmyn Henderson</strong> (ACT UP Philadelphia) and <strong>Mark Segal</strong> (Philadelphia Gay News). Together the group will explore the significance of the pink triangle and its impact on LGBTQ+ history and culture. </span>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">The event will be moderated by <strong>W. Jake Newsome</strong>, author of "Pink Triangle Legacies: Coming Out in the Shadow of the Holocaust," who will guide us through the complex history and meaning of this important symbol. Jake Newsome is an accomplished author and scholar who has extensively researched the pink triangle and its impact on LGBTQ+ history and culture. </span>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Make sure to stick around for a special book sale and signing featuring Jake Newsome and Mark Segal! Get a discount on the <em>Pink Triangle Legacies</em> by choosing the book bundle ticket option, and </span><a href="https://shoptheweitzman.org/products/pink-triangle-legacies-7-847384018943?_pos=1&_sid=b40e79f69&_ss=r"><span style="font-weight: 400;">purchase extra copies here</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. You can also purchase a copy of Segal's </span><a href="https://shoptheweitzman.org/products/and-then-i-danced-traveling-the-road-to-lgbt-equality?_pos=1&_sid=1f3d44011&_ss=r" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>And Then I Danced: Traveling the Road to LGBT Equality </em>here</a>.
<strong>More about the Moderator</strong>
<strong>Dr. Jake Newsome</strong> is an award-winning scholar of German and American LGBTQ+ history whose research and resources educate global audiences. His new book Pink Triangle Legacies: Coming Out in the Shadow of the Holocaust (Cornell University Press) tells the dynamic and inspiring history of the LGBTQ+ community’s original pride symbol. It traces the transformation of the pink triangle from a Nazi concentration camp badge into a widespread emblem of queer liberation, pride, and community. The Lambda Literary Foundation recently named Pink Triangle Legacies as one of its most anticipated new LGBTQIA+ books of 2022.
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Since earning his Ph.D. in history in 2016, Dr. Newsome has published in academic journals as well as popular outlets like the Washington Post, and has appeared as a guest on numerous podcasts, including Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness. In addition to serving as a historical advisor for film projects, exhibits, and plays, Dr. Newsome has been invited by the French, UK, and US governments to speak about the important lessons that LGBTQ+ history has for all of us today. He now works as a museum professional in Washington, DC.
<strong>More about the Panelists</strong>
<strong>Galia Godel</strong> (she/he) is the program manager of the LGBTQ Initiative at Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Greater Philadelphia. Galia has over a decade of experience in LGBTQ education and activism, and works in her free time as a sex educator and communication coach for learners with intellectual disabilities and autism. He is also the organizer of J.Proud, the Greater Philadelphia consortium of Jewish organizations committed to LGBTQ Inclusivity, and leads the queer havurah at his synagogue, Kol Tzedek. When not working, Galia can be found attempting ambitious home improvement projects or feeding her sourdough starter.
<span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Jazmyn Henderson</strong> (she/her) is an activist who began working with ACTUP Philadelphia in 2013. Henderson's works to serve those most effected by the ongoing HIV epidemic- in that work she focuses on issues which exacerbate infections such as housing, healthcare, trans rights, systemic racism and poverty. She also helped cofound Black and LatinX <a href="https://www.qtpozcommunitycontrolofhealth.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Community Control of Health</a>- a committee of Black and Brown, Poz, Queer and Trans community members who envision a world where community has full control of its overall well being. The group's official mission states, "We envision a world where Black, Brown, trans, queer, poz people have a divine right to embrace the holistic remedies of our ancestors. We seek a patient-first and patient-vote model of care and reject the current profit-driven western medical model. Our community is dying, our systems fail us. We know we are the experts, therefore we should be at the front of all policy recommendations. Our health and our lives are always at the hands of others. No more.."</span>
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<strong>Mark Segal</strong> has established a reputation as the dean of American gay journalism over the past five decades. From the Stonewall demonstrations in 1969 to founding the Philadelphia Gay News in 1975, along with his more recent forays into TV and politics, his proven commitment as a tireless LGBT advocate has made him a force to be reckoned with. Respected by his peers for pioneering the idea of local LGBT newspapers, he is one of the founders and former president of both the National Gay Press Association and the National Gay Newspaper Guild. Segal was recently inducted into the National Lesbian & Gay Journalist Association’s Hall of Fame and was appointed a member of the Comcast/ NBCUniversal Joint Diversity Board, where he advises the entertainment giant on LGBT issues. He is also president of the dmhFund, though which he builds affordable LGBT- friendly housing for seniors. He lives in Philadelphia.
<strong>Safety / Covid 19:
</strong>*This event will occur in the 5th FLoor Ballroom.
*Masking in the museum is recommended.
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Live at The Weitzman
101 South Independence Mall East (Corner of 5<sup>th</sup> & Market)
Philadelphia, PA 19106
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<p style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Produced by the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History in partnership with the William Way Community Center, Gratz College, J Proud Philly, 3G Philly, The Holocaust Awareness Museum and Education Center, The Philadelphia Holocaust Remembrance Foundation, and Congregation Rodeph Shalom. The program is inspired by the Weitzman Museum’s special exhibition, “The Future Will Follow the Past'', and is presented in honor of Pride Month.</span></i></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img class="wp-image-3325 aligncenter" src="https://theweitzman.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Weitzman-NMAJH-Logo-Full-Color-1366x289.png" alt="" width="365" height="77" /></p>
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Love Is the Ground: Album Release & Queer Jewish Music Night
Thursday, Jun 29, 2023
<strong>Thursday, June 29, 2023</strong>
<strong>Live at the Weitzman Museum, Live on Zoom</strong>
<strong>7:00pm ET Doors | 7:30pm ET Concert Start </strong>
<strong>In Person Prices- Sliding Scale: $18/$36/$54 - $15 for Weitzman members</strong>
<strong>Zoom Prices- Sliding Scale: $9/$18/$36/$54</strong>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>Donate today to support future Weitzman Museum programming.</em></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a id="home__event-all-cta" class="box-cta box-cta--large box-cta--inline box-cta--blue box-cta-filled" href="https://www.classy.org/give/486655/#!/donation/checkout?&c_src=donations&c_src2=website" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><span class="box-cta__label">Make a Donation</span></a></p>
<iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/845951731?h=eab81c28da" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Celebrate the release of </span><b>Rena Branson's</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> new album, </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Love Is the Ground</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">, at The Weitzman's finale event for Pride Month. Branson's music seamlessly weaves together Hebrew liturgy, English poetry, and wordless </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">nigunim</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (spiritual melodies). This 2-set concert includes featured songs from the album and original compositions by Branson's West Philly-based queer Jewish musical collaborators, including </span><b>Rachel Chang</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><b>Dr. Koach Baruch Frazier</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><b>Aly Halpert</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><b>Marques Hollie</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><b>Joni Leibovic </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">and </span><b>Marni Loffman</b>; with additional accompaniment by <strong>Mel Hsu </strong>and <strong>Koof Ibi</strong>.<span style="font-weight: 400;"> The evening will be emceed by <b>Rabbi Mónica Gomery</b>. Attendees are welcome to move and sing along throughout the event. Come as you are!</span>
<i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Contact </span></i><a href="mailto:programs@theweitzman.org"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">programs@theweitzman.org</span></i></a><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> if cost is prohibitive. Nobody will be turned away for lack of funds. <em>Event photo by Jess Benjamin</em></span></i>
<b>More About the Album</b>
<i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Love Is the Ground</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is an album about cultivating a sense of home in the cosmos, in community, in our bodies; about hungrily pursuing transformation; and about resting in the present as we are, in our enoughness. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">It was made in collaboration with a team of Jewish/LGBTQIA+/BIPOC artists based primarily on Lenni Lenape land. The album tracks were recorded by Eric Sherman in his West Philly basement studio, by Eric Bogacz at Spice House Sound in Fishtown, and by many of the artists in their own homes. It was mixed and mastered by Don Godwin with cover art by Sol Yael Weiss. Full artist credits are on</span><a href="https://renabranson.bandcamp.com/album/love-is-the-ground" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Bandcamp</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Listen to the album </span><a href="https://tr.ee/LFMZvsDo8M" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">on your favorite platform</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">!</span>
<p style="text-align: left;"><b>More About the Artists</b></p>
<b><img class="wp-image-3855 alignleft" src="https://theweitzman.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/rena-headshot1.png" alt="" width="175" height="140" />Rena Branson </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">(they/them) is a Jewish composer, ritual leader, and educator who uplifts personal and collective healing through song. They moved to Philadelphia to join the Rising Song Jewish Music Residency in 2019 and have served as the Cantorial Soloist at Congregation Leyv Ha-Ir for the past three years. Rena founded A Queer Nigun Project, which organizes singing events for LGBTQIA+ folks and offers spiritual support to people in the Jewish community who are incarcerated. Rena teaches and records traditional Hasidic melodies, writes music on commission, and offers powerful programming for a range of Jewish organizations. Learn more about Rena's work by <a href="https://linktr.ee/renabranson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">clicking here</a>!</span>
<span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong><img class="wp-image-3856 alignleft" src="https://theweitzman.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/rachel-guitar-pic.jpeg" alt="" width="184" height="122" />Rachel Chang</strong> (she/her) is a Jewish musician, songleader, and youth educator, as well as a music therapist, living in Philadelphia, PA. As a multi-instrumentalist, a deep listener, and a lover of harmony, Rachel uses music to cultivate connection and community. She has led music and prayer in a variety of communities, including at LUNAR, a collective and community of Asian Jews, and with children and families at Congregation Beit Simchat Torah in Manhattan, NY. She is also a co-director of A Queer Nigun Project, which uses nigunim as a collective healing practice for LGBTQIA+ people and incarcerated people in the Jewish community. As a queer and multiracial Chinese-American Jew, Rachel has spent years grappling with what it means to belong, to take up space, and to be heard in Jewish community, and she has found music to be an invaluable resource.</span>
<span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong><img class="wp-image-3857 alignleft" src="https://theweitzman.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/koach-headshot-1366x910.jpeg" alt="" width="183" height="122" />Koach Baruch (KB) Frazier, Au.D.</strong> is a transformer, heartbeat of movements, healer, musician, founder of the Black Trans Torah Club and co-founder of the Tzedek Lab, a network of practitioners working at the intersection of dismantling racism, antisemitism and white supremacy. A collaborative leader, rooted in tradition, curiosity and love, Koach strives to dismantle racism, actualize liberation and transform lives both sonically and spiritually. Koach lives and gardens with their wife, LaJuana and daughter, Aasha in Philadelphia on unceded Lenni-Lenape Land where he is a student at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.</span>
<span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong><img class="wp-image-3858 alignleft" src="https://theweitzman.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Monica-April2023.jpeg" alt="" width="117" height="176" />Mónica Gomery </strong>(she/her) is a rabbi and poet living on unceded Lenni Lenape land in Philadelphia. She serves as Rabbi and Music Director at Kol Tzedek Synagogue, a vibrant, multiracial and intergenerational community that sings from the depths of its communal heart. She is the author of two published collections of poetry, and her poems have appeared in journals and publications nationally and internationally. Mónica was ordained by the Rabbinical School of Hebrew College in 2017; she teaches Talmud on the faculty of SVARA: A Traditionally Radical Yeshiva; and she is a co-founder and past core team member of Let My People Sing! She is deeply grateful to have worked with incredible teams of people on these projects committed to cultural, political, and spiritual transformation. Learn more at </span><a href="http://www.monicagomerywriting.com"><span style="font-weight: 400;">www.monicagomerywriting.com</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and </span><a href="http://www.kol-tzedek.org"><span style="font-weight: 400;">www.kol-tzedek.org</span></a>
<span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong><img class="wp-image-3859 alignleft" src="https://theweitzman.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/aly-headshot-1366x913.jpeg" alt="" width="166" height="111" />Aly Halpert </strong>(she/her) is a queer Jewish musician, educator, and activist living on Lenni Lenape land in Philadelphia, PA, USA. A singer, pianist, drummer, and guitar player, Aly writes songs for building community, working for collective liberation, and visioning different worlds. Aly leads music and prayer for Jewish community, including Kol Tzedek Synagogue, Eden Village Camp, Let My People Sing, and Linke Fligl. Her songs have been sung in national gatherings, song circles, and quiet moments of personal prayer, and have moved people all over the world. Her first album, </span><a href="https://alyhalpert.bandcamp.com/album/nipple-confusion"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nipple Confusion</span></i></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, has made fans of young people and adults alike. Her first full-band album </span><a href="https://alyhalpert.bandcamp.com/album/loosen"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Loosen</span></i></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> was released in April 2022 with Rising Song Records. Whether her songs are serious or seriously goofy, Aly believes deeply in the power of music to awaken us to the loss and hope we carry, expand our sense of possibility, and connect us to each other and our collective strength. For more info, go to </span><a href="http://www.alyhalpert.com/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">www.alyhalpert.com</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Instagram: @alhalpal </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Website: </span><a href="http://alyhalpert.com/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">alyhalpert.com</span></a>
<span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong><img class="wp-image-3860 alignleft" src="https://theweitzman.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/marques-headshot-1366x1025.jpeg" alt="" width="171" height="128" />Marques Hollie</strong> (they/he) is a classically trained vocalist, ritual facilitator, and theatre maker, who has been telling stories for as long he can remember. Marques began his operatic career in the late aughts, and after a particularly meaningful Passover seder, initiated an artistic and spiritual exploration of their identities as a Queer, Black, and Jewish person. This exploration has revealed original music, niggunim, prose, and an original theatre piece exploring the themes of passover through music and the narratives of enslaved people called </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Go Down, Moshe</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">. It also reinforced Marques’ fundamental belief that Jewish practice and ritual is an expansive container capable of holding all of our parts. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Marques received maggidic ordination from Maggidah Devorah and Rabbi David Zaslow after completing a two year course of study, and is a rabbinical student at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. In his spare time, Marques enjoys taking circus and aerial classes, playing dodgeball with Stonewall Sports, serving on the board of SVARA: A Traditionally Radical Yeshiva, and dreaming about playing the Baker in </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Into The Woods</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">. For more information about Marques and what they’re up to, check out: </span><a href="http://www.marqueshollie.com/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">www.marqueshollie.com</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span>
<p style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Koof Ibi</strong> is a multi-instrumentalist in the Philadelphia area. You can find him strolling down Broad Street with brass bands like The West Philadelphia Orchestra, or sharing the stage with rockstars like Japanese Breakfast for their hometown gigs. Koof has played every genre of music Philly has to offer and incorporates all of it into his own musical style. When he's not playing music he's filming and editing the Random Tea Sessions, a music video series highlighting other musicians in Philadelphia, or he's behind the lens covering live shows for the WXPN.</p>
At his solo shows Koof combines live instruments, loops, and guitar pedals to create surprising soundscapes, re-invented covers, and sonic liberation.
<span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong><img class="wp-image-3861 alignleft" src="https://theweitzman.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/joni-headshot.png" alt="" width="158" height="158" />Joni Sidharta Leibovic</strong> (any/all pronouns) has been variously described as “a Swiss Army Knife of a musician”, “the Yiddish Thom Yorke”, and “a reckless bamboozler”. When they’re not teaching, writing, or playing music, they are probably cooking, fixing their bicycle, staying up past their bedtime, or looking at a cool bug. If you want to hear snippets of their anti-capitalist rock opera (or their children’s songs about math and science), check out </span><a href="https://ashesashesweallriseup.bandcamp.com/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">https://ashesashesweallriseup.bandcamp.com/</span></a>
<strong><img class=" wp-image-3864 alignleft" src="https://theweitzman.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Marni-photo.jpg" alt="" width="186" height="116" />Marni Loffman</strong> is a community-driven musician and educator exploring how to hold complexity and contradiction compassionately. Embodying a unique Jewish voice and beyond, Marni explores emotions on personal and collective levels through their music. Marni is a performer and group facilitator who has worked in a broad range of fields: as a homelessness street outreach specialist, a doula, a Jewish experiential educator and a ritual leader. They are committed to healing Jewish practices, building social-emotional awareness, inspiring paradoxical curiosity and cultivating creative expression. With an MA in Peacebuilding, and training in restorative/transformative justice practices, dialogue/mediation, and trauma healing, Marni’s music rawly navigates the complexities of life and takes contemporary spins on traditional prayer.
<b><img class="wp-image-3862 alignleft" src="https://theweitzman.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/mel-headshot-1366x915.png" alt="" width="174" height="116" />Mel Hsu</b> <span style="font-weight: 400;">(she/they) is a sonic painter of impossible worlds. As a multi-instrumentalist, Mel often ventures from her classical roots as a cellist into unexpected, cross-disciplinary collaborations. Rooted in Philadelphia, Mel’s restless spirit finds adventure across time zones and oceans as musical and administrative support for others who inspire her. Mel is a spreadsheet nerd, a slow reader, and a shameless instigator of kitchen dance parties. </span><a href="http://www.melaniehsu.com"><span style="font-weight: 400;">www.melaniehsu.com</span><b></b></a>
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<strong>Safety / Covid 19:
</strong>*This event will occur in the DELL THEATER.
*Masking in the museum is recommended.
<hr />
Live at The Weitzman
101 South Independence Mall East (Corner of 5<sup>th</sup> & Market)
Philadelphia, PA 19106
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<em>Produced by the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History in partnership with the Rising Song Institute, Tribe 12, Keshet, Hinenu: the Baltimore Justice Shtiebl, Kadima Reconstructionist Community, New Synagogue Project, Kehilla Community Synagogue, Lab/Shul, Congregation T'chiyah, Eastside Jewish Commons, Temple Beth Sholom, Kesher Pittsburgh, Cleveland Jewish Collective, Mitsui Collective, Sing Unto God, Reconstructing Judaism, Kolot Chayeinu, Moving Traditions, J Proud Philly, Synagogues Rising, TischPDX, A Queer Nigun Project, Dayenu, Chisuk Emuna Congregation, Alberta Shul, Adath Israel, Congregation Beth Am Israel, Society Hill Synagogue, Mishkan Shalom, Kol Tzedek Synagogue, Congregation Leyv Ha-Ir, and Germantown Jewish Center.</em>
<img class="wp-image-3799 aligncenter" src="https://theweitzman.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Weitzman-NMAJH-Logo-Full-Color-1366x289.png" alt="" width="317" height="67" /><img class="wp-image-2896 aligncenter" src="https://theweitzman.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/HRSI.png" alt="" width="232" height="206" />
Deconstructing Racism to Reconstruct Judaism: The Story of a Pilgrimage Down South
Thursday, Feb 9, 2023
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>All donations made toward this program will go to supporting the racial justice work of Reconstructing Judaism and the public programs of the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History.</em> </strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a id="home__event-all-cta" class="box-cta box-cta--large box-cta--inline box-cta--blue box-cta-filled" href="https://www.classy.org/give/458854/#!/donation/checkout?&c_src=donations&c_src2=website" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><span class="box-cta__label">Click Here to Donate</span></a></p>
Missed the program? No worries, the video recording is available below!
<div style="padding: 75% 0 0 0; position: relative;"><iframe style="position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;" title="Deconstructing Racism to Reconstruct Judaism: The Story of a Pilgrimage Down South" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/798416166?h=ab0c00f391&badge=0&autopause=0&player_id=0&app_id=58479" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div>
<strong>Thursday, February 9th
7:30pm ET Virtual Doors | 8:00 pm ET Program</strong>
<b>Live on Zoom</b>
<strong>Free registration with suggested $12 donation</strong>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>pil·grim·age /ˈpilɡrəmij/</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">
</span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">a journey to a place of significance in search of expanded meaning related to one’s self, others, or a higher good. </span></i></p>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">This past October, a </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">minyan </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">of Black Jewish leaders embarked on a historic pilgrimage to the Equal Justice Initiative's </span><a href="https://museumandmemorial.eji.org/memorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">National Memorial for Peace and Justice</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and neighboring </span><a href="https://museumandmemorial.eji.org/museum" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in Montgomery, Alabama. As a first of its kind, the Reconstructionist Movement organized the trip, focusing exclusively on American Jews of African descent grappling with the United States' foundational sins and the necessary work for healing and </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">teshuvah</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Join us on Zoom as the leaders from the pilgrimage share powerful stories from their journey with a public audience for the first time. The program will be moderated by </span><b>Adam McKinney</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">, who served as facilitator for those who went on the pilgrimage. </span>
<i><span style="font-weight: 400;">This program is produced by <a href="https://reconstructingjudaism.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reconstructing Judaism</a> in partnership with the Weitzman National Museum of American History.</span></i>
<strong>Panelists</strong>
<ul>
<li>Rabbi Sandra Lawson, Director of Racial Diversity Equity and Inclusion, Reconstructing Judaism</li>
<li>Stormy Kito-Justice, incoming president, congregation Shaarei Shamayim, Madison WI</li>
<li>Wilbur Bryant II, member of the Reconstructing Judaism Jews of Color and Allies Advisory Group</li>
<li>Lazora Jordan, Chair of the Reconstructing Judaism Jews of Color and Allies Advisory Group</li>
<li>Marques Hollie, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College rabbinical student</li>
<li>Kendra Watkins, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College rabbinical student,</li>
<li>Kevin Moseby, member of the Reconstructing Judaism Jews of Color and Allies Advisory Group</li>
<li>Koach Baruch Frazier, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College rabbinical student, student representative to the Reconstructionist Tikkun Olam Commission</li>
</ul>
<b>More on the Moderator</b>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Adam McKinney is committed to healing through the arts and dialogue.</span>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">He is currently an assistant professor of dance at Texas Christian University; he holds a BFA in Dance Performance with high honors from Butler University and an MA in Dance Studies with concentrations in Race and Trauma theories from NYU-Gallatin.</span>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">"My hope by setting the stage asking people what they love about being Black and Jewish was to counteract that notion of our difficult experiences. But also to counteract the racism and antisemitism being put before us before anything else about us being human," said McKinney, an assistant professor</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> at Texas Christian University and</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> self-described as Queer, Black, and Jewish. "The notion of </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">teshuvah, </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">'return,' is one we know well and is one that we are commanded to do personally. So it was important to return to this location in the South as Jews of African heritage because many of us have Southern roots." </span>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">McKinney's approach was shaped by his understanding of trauma theory: to heal, it's vital to visit pain sites and replace old memories with new ones. The larger purpose of both missions, he said, is to explore what it means to "deconstruct racism in the reconstruction of Judaism." </span>
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<em>All donations made toward this program will go to supporting the racial justice work of Reconstructing Judaism and the public programs of the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History.</em>
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Conversation with Award-winning Actress Sarah Podemski
Thursday, Nov 10, 2022
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<strong>Missed it? Watch the conversation here anytime:</strong>
<iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/770309403?h=08675d91f9" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
<i>This program is made possible with the generous support of Dr. Ted Robinson in memory of Leni Robinson, of blessed memory, beloved wife, mother, and grandmother.</i>
<strong>Thursday, November 10, 2022</strong>
<strong>Doors at 6:30 pm, Event at 7:00 pm ET</strong>
<strong>In person at The Weitzman in Philadelphia</strong>
<strong>General Admission Ticket: $25 | Member Ticket: $18</strong>
<span data-ogsc="rgb(84, 130, 53)">Join us for the final program in our series celebrating Indigenous Peoples' Month. </span><span data-ogsc="rgb(84, 130, 53)"> </span>
<span data-ogsc="rgb(84, 130, 53)">The Weitzman welcomes <a href="https://www.heyalma.com/the-almas/the-best-jewish-television-of-5782/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hey Alma's <strong>Breakout TV Actress</strong></a> of <em>The Best Jewish Television of 5782</em> and star of Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi's critically acclaimed television dramedy, <em>Reservation Dogs</em>, <strong>Sarah Podemski</strong>, to our stage. </span>
<span data-ogsc="rgb(84, 130, 53)"> </span><span data-ogsc="rgb(84, 130, 53)">A Toronto Native, Podemski's Anishinaabe/Ashkenazi background is a significant factor in her life on and off the screen. After three decades in film and television, she is uniquely positioned to speak about the developments, or lack thereof, of Indigenous and Jewish representation in the media. Podemski will discuss her childhood, artwork, and career in the entertainment industry through her intersectional lens that considers her Indigenous and Jewish experiences. She will also share her continued efforts toward uplifting and advocating for Indigenous peoples throughout Canada and America. The program will be moderated by <strong>Rabbi Shira Stutman</strong> founding rabbi of sixth and i synagogue in DC and co-host of the PRX podcast "Chutzpod!", <span style="font-weight: 400;">which since its launch has consistently been ranked in the top five Jewish podcasts nationally, and which aims to provide Jewish answers to life’s conte</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">mporary questions and help listeners build lives of meaning. </span></span>
<p data-fontsize="28.08" data-lineheight="33.9768px"><strong>More About Sarah Podemski</strong></p>
Sarah Podemski is an award winning Anishinaabe/Ashkenazi multidisciplinary artist from Toronto. Currently, Podemski can be seen pulling double duty on television. She stars in the critically acclaimed award-winning series <em>Reservation Dogs</em> on FX, which is co-created and executive produced by Sterlin Harjo and Academy Award winner Taika Waititi and the Syfy/Amblin comedy <em>Resident Alien</em>. Most recently Podemski finished filming the independent film / sports drama <em>Warrior Strong</em> alongside Andrew Dice Clay (Pam & Tommy) and Jordan Johnson-Hinds (Blindspot).
Podemski began in the performing arts at the tender age of six years old. She booked her first role in the German TV series <em>Blue Hawk</em> at 11 and went on to appear in the iconic series <em>Goosebumps</em>. Her long career also includes work on television shows such as CBS’ <em>Bull</em>, Amazon’s <em>Tin Star</em> and CBC’s <em>The Coroner</em> and feature films include The TIFF competition films <em>EMPIRE OF DIRT</em> as well as Sterlin Harjo’s <em>MEKKO</em>, for which Podemski won Best Supporting actress at the American Indian Film Festival.
Throughout her career, Podemski has been passionate about raising awareness and elevating Indigenous and Jewish narratives in the entertainment industry. In addition to her on-camera presence, she writes and produces alongside her husband James Gadon. Beyond her work in film and television, Podemski runs Totem Designs, where she makes handmade dreamcatchers with a modern twist.
The video below is a clip from FX's <em>Reservation Dogs </em>featuring Sarah Podemski as 'Rita,' who is in the midst of a journey of self discovery as she raises her son as a single mother.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SO6mCyQuDQg" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
<strong>More about the Moderator:</strong>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Rabbi Shira Stutman is a </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">nationally known faith-based leader and change-maker. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">She and the actor Joshua Malina host the PRX podcast “</span><a href="https://chutzpod.com/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Chutzpod</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">!” which since its launch has consistently been ranked in the top five Jewish podcasts nationally, and which aims to provide Jewish answers to life’s conte</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">mporary questions and help listeners build lives of meaning. In addition, as founder of </span><a href="https://www.mixedmultitudes.net/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mixed Multitudes</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, an organization that exposes diverse groups of Jews and fellow travelers to the beauty and power of Jewish life, she currently is working on a variety of projects including: helping launch a new </span><a href="http://mountainminyan.org"><span style="font-weight: 400;">minyan</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in Aspen; facilitating less reactive and more heart-centered conve</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">rsations about Israel; and working with Jewish federations to lead year-long programs for the next generation of philanthropic leadership. She was named one of “America’s Most Inspiring Rabbis” by </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Jewish Forward</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and a T’ruah Rabbinic Human Rights Hero, among other awards. </span>
<strong>Safety / Covid 19:</strong>
Masking during theater style events is mandatory.
<hr />
Live at The Weitzman
101 South Independence Mall East (Corner of 5<sup>th</sup> & Market)
Philadelphia, PA 19106
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<strong>Additional Events Celebrating Indigenous Peoples' Month:</strong>
<ul>
<li>October 12 (online) - Jewish and Indigenous Interactions with David S Koffman Part 1 – <strong><a href="https://theweitzman.org/events/jewish-indigenous-american-interactions-1/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Click here</a></strong></li>
<li>November 1 (online) - Members of Two Tribes with Emily Bowen Cohen - <a href="https://theweitzman.org/events/emily-bowen-cohen/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Click here</strong></a></li>
<li>November 9 (online) - Jewish and Indigenous Interactions with David S Koffman Part 2 – <a href="https://theweitzman.org/events/jewish-indigenous-american-interactions-2/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Click here</strong></a></li>
</ul>
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<em>This program is presented by the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History in partnership with the JCC of Greater Baltimore. </em>
<img class="wp-image-3095 alignleft" src="https://theweitzman.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Weitzman-NMAJH-Logo-Full-Color-1366x289.jpg" alt="" width="331" height="70" /> <img class="wp-image-3228 alignleft" src="https://theweitzman.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/jcc-agency-SEA.jpg" alt="" width="352" height="63" />
Let There Be Light – In Conversation with Liana Finck and Jane Golden
Wednesday, Nov 2, 2022
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Your donations help us fund exciting public programs such as this!</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a id="home__event-all-cta" class="box-cta box-cta--large box-cta--inline box-cta--blue box-cta-filled" href="https://www.classy.org/give/404755/#!/donation/checkout" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><span class="box-cta__label">Donate Here</span></a></p>
<strong>Missed it? Watch the lecture here anytime:</strong>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/773980102?h=9474054c0f" width="640" height="564" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<strong>Wednesday, November 2 at 8pm ET</strong>
<b>Free on Zoom with suggested $12 donation</b>
Join us as we welcome the National Jewish Book Award winning cartoonist and graphic novelist, <strong>Liana Finck, </strong>and celebrate the release of her new book entitled “<strong>Let There Be Light: The Real Story of Her Creation</strong>”. In her newest graphic novel, Finck reimagines the story of Genesis with God as a woman, Abraham as a resident of New York City, and Rebekah as a robot, among many other delightful twists.
During this online program, Finck will be joined in conversation by the Founder and Executive Director of <strong>Mural Arts Philadelphia</strong>, <strong>Jane Golden</strong>. The program's conversation will cover Finck's award winning contributions to <em>The</em><em> New Yorker</em>, the book, her <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lianafinck/?hl=en">extremely popular instagram account</a> with over half a million followers, her creative process and more.
<strong>More About Liana Finck</strong>
[caption id="attachment_2968" align="alignright" width="148"]<img class=" wp-image-2968" src="https://theweitzman.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/headshot-by-Jorge-Colombo-1366x1366.jpg" alt="" width="148" height="148" /> Photo of Liana Finck by Jorge Colombo[/caption]
Liana Finck is a cartoonist and graphic novelist. She’s published three graphic novels: A Bintel Brief (Ecco, 2014), Passing for Human (Random House, 2018) and Let There Be Light (Random House, 2022), and a collection of her Instagram cartoons, Excuse Me (Random House, 2019). Her popular Instagram feed has 600,000 followers. She is also the recipient of a Fulbright Fellowship, a Six Points Fellowship for Emerging Jewish Artists, and a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship in fiction. She’s had residencies with Macdowell, Yaddo, the Headlands Center for the Arts, and the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council.
<strong>More About Jane Golden</strong>
[caption id="attachment_2970" align="alignright" width="198"]<img class=" wp-image-2970" src="https://theweitzman.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Jane_Golden_s.jpg" alt="" width="198" height="248" /> Jane Golden[/caption]
Jane Golden has been the driving force of Mural Arts Philadelphia since its inception, overseeing its growth from a small city agency into the nation’s largest public art program. Under Golden’s direction, Mural Arts has created over 4,000 works of transformative public art through community engagement. In partnership with innovative collaborators, she has developed groundbreaking and rigorous programs that employ the power of art to transform practice and policies related to youth education, restorative justice, environmental justice and behavioral health. Sought-after nationally and internationally as an expert on urban transformation through art, Golden has received numerous awards for her work, including the Philadelphia Award, the Eisenhower Exchange Fellowship Award and the Katharine Hepburn Medal. This year, she has been awarded the Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Greater Philadelphia Honors Award and nominated as a 2022 Philadelphia Titan 100. She is an adjunct professor at the University of Pennsylvania, and serves on the Mayor’s Cultural Advisory Council and the board of directors of The Heliotrope Foundation.
<strong>Purchase a Signed Copy of "Let There Be Light: The Story of Her Creation" Today</strong>
Interested in purchasing a copy of the book signed by the author for yourself or as a gift? Visit our online Museum Store and order your copy today - <a href="https://shopnmajh.com/products/let-there-be-light-7-847384018062?_pos=1&amp;_sid=0b3458ab2&amp;_ss=r" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Click Here</strong></a>.
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<em>This program is presented by The Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History in partnership with <strong><a href="https://www.muralarts.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mural Arts Philadelphia </a></strong>and the JCC of Greater Baltimore.</em>
<img class="wp-image-2771 alignnone" src="https://theweitzman.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Weitzman-NMAJH-Logo-Full-Color-1366x289.png" alt="" width="410" height="87" /><img class="wp-image-2999 alignnone" src="https://theweitzman.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/MAP-Logo-Purple-1366x323.png" alt="" width="305" height="72" /><img class="wp-image-3228 alignnone" src="https://theweitzman.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/jcc-agency-SEA.jpg" alt="" width="352" height="63" />