Fifth Annual Jewish Cultural Arts and Book Festival

The Fifth Annual Jewish Cultural Arts and Book Festival will open at the Boonshoft Center for Jewish Culture and Education (CJCE) on Thursday, October 11 at 7 p.m. The festival (running from October 11 through December 4) will bring to Dayton a colorful array of cultural events for all ages, including bestselling authors, a local film premiere and musical entertainment the whole family can enjoy. Festival events will be held at the Boonshoft CJCE, except for the Dayton premiere of local filmmaker Aileen LeBlanc’s documentary Take Us Home, which will be held at the Dayton Art Institute on Thursday, November 15 at 7 p.m.

Opening night (Thursday, October 11, 7 p.m.) at the Boonshoft CJCE will feature a solo performance of Raoul Wallenberg: Letters From Young Men by New York based director, writer and performer David F. Chapman. Honoring his 100th birthday, the performance tells the story of Raoul Wallenberg, a Swedish humanitarian who chose to act and saved thousands of Jews from extradition to Nazi death camps. The performance humanizes the Holocaust hero by combining theatre, historical events, selections from a recently published archive of Wallenberg’s letters, and Chapman’s own childhood diaries.

The nationally-known a cappella group The Maccabeats will kick off his year’s 2013 United Jewish Campaign at the Boonshoft CJCE on Sunday, November 4, 2:30 p.m. Known for their family-friendly musical stylings, The Maccabeats inject Jewish culture into current pop-music favorites, creating comedy and history lessons every generation can enjoy and learn from. During the event, community members will have the opportunity to make their 2013 pledge to the United Jewish Campaign, which provides funds to Jewish agencies and social services in Dayton, Israel, and around the world.

The line-up, spanning from October through December, also includes four author events that cover genres such as history, post-apocalyptic political and historical fiction, lighthearted romantic satire, and deep personal loss and recovery.

The Jewish Cultural Arts and Book Festival is presented annually by the Dayton Jewish Community Center (DJCC). “On behalf of the Dayton Jewish Community Center, we are excited to bring an array of thought provoking events to the community. Our festival allows participants to immerse themselves in rich, cultural activites that everyone can enjoy.” says Cheryl Carne, director of the DJCC.

The chairperson of this year’s festival, Dr. Martin Jacobs, says, “Each year we try to feature a diverse collection of interesting authors and performers. We want not just the Jewish community but anyone and everyone in the area to feel welcome and engaged by the activities. Our goal is something for everyone!”

Tickets for events are available at the door or in advance online at www.jewishdayton.org. For more information, please call the DJCC at 937-853-0372.

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Opens Thursday Oct. 11, 2012
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2012 Cultural Arts and Book Festival Lineup

 

Thursday, October 11 Raoul Wallenberg: Letters From Young Men

7 p.m. Boonshoft Center for Jewish Culture & Education

Co-sponsored by the National Conference for Community and Justice

Event Details

 

Tuesday, October 16 Sweet & Meet with Author Rich Cohen

7 p.m. Boonshoft Center for Jewish Culture & Education

Event Details

 

Sunday, November 4 The Maccabeats

2:30 p.m. Boonshoft Center for Jewish Culture & Education

 

Wednesday, November 7 Perfect is Overrated with author Karen Bergreen

7 p.m. Boonshoft Center for Jewish Culture & Education

 

Thursday, November 15 Take Us Home

7 p.m. Dayton Art Institute

A collaborative sponsorship: The Dayton Art Institute; FilmDayton; WYSO; the DJCC’s Cultural Arts Department and the Jewish Community Relations Council

 

Thursday, November 29 The Aftermath of 9/11 with author Jennifer Gardner Trulson

7 p.m. Boonshoft Center for Jewish Culture & Education

Sponsored by the Brandeis-Joffe Scholarship Fund of the Dayton Jewish Federation Foundation in memory of Eugene and Pearl Joffe

 

Thursday, December 6 The Truth About Fiction: An Interactive Panel Discussion with authors Martha Moody and Eileen Pollack

7 p.m. Boonshoft Center for Jewish Culture & Education