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Celebrating Our 25th Year - 1984-2009
Thursday, September 18
Film and Discussion: "The Tribe" Selected at over 100 film festivals
What can the most successful doll on the planet show us about being Jewish today? Narrated by Peter Coyote, the film mixes old school narration with a new school visual style. The Tribe weaves together archival footage, graphics, animation, Barbie dioramas, and slam poetry to take audiences on an electric ride through the complex history of both the Barbie doll and the Jewish people--from Biblical times to present day. By tracing Barbie's history, the film sheds light on the questions: What does it mean to be an American Jew today? Join us for an interesting discussion. Sponsored by the Berman Center, Hillel Society, and the Lucius N. Littauer Foundation Sunday, October 26
What if you went to a magic show that was not designed to fool you nor to trick you, but rather to teach you how to see? And what if our first step in learning how to see, to really see, is to know that we don't see everything? Take a journey with Arthur Kurzweil through his unique exploration of the world of illusions and some of the profound ideas of Jewish thought.
Arthur Kurzweil is the recipient of the Distinguished Humanitarian award from the Melton Center for Jewish Studies of the Ohio State University for his "unique contribution to the field of Jewish education." A member of the International Brotherhood of Magicians and the Society of American Magicians, Kurzweil has also written for the prestigious journal Genii: The Conjurer's Magazine. Sponsored by the Berman Center and the Lucius N. Littauer Foundation Tuesday, November 11
Berman Center Marks Kristallnacht with Musical Drama The Berman Center will present the internationally acclaimed musical drama, “An Evening with Madame F,” in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of Kristallnacht. This one-woman show, created and performed by Claudia Stevens, tells the stories of concentration camp prisoners who survived the Holocaust by singing and playing music for their Nazi oppressors. Adopting the persona of an elderly Holocaust survivor, Stevens uses music actually performed by the women inmates at Auschwitz. She draws on first-hand accounts to depict the struggle and moral dilemma these women faced when they chose to do what they had to in order to live. As a daughter of Holocaust survivors, Stevens also meditates on the ethics of using the Holocaust as the subject for artistic expression. Trained as a pianist, singer, musicologist and composer, Claudia Stevens holds degrees in music from Vassar College, the University of California at Berkeley, and Boston University. Her academic positions have included Williams College and the College of William and Mary, where she has accepted a new appointment as Visiting Scholar in Music. “An Evening with Madame F” has been performed at leading venues throughout the United States including such academic institutions as Brown, Emory, Duke, Cornell, Vanderbilt, Johns Hopkins, Xavier, Purdue, and Vassar. The performance at Lehigh commemorates the 70th anniversary of Kristallnacht. Two thousand synagogues in Eastern Europe were destroyed on “The Night of Broken Glass,” 91 Jews murdered and another 25,000 to 30,000 deported to concentration camps. The program is open to the public without charge and tickets are not required. Parking is available in Zoellner's parking garage at 450 East Packer Avenue, Bethlehem, PA 18015. Sponsored by the Berman Center, Lehigh's Department of History, and the E. Franklin Robbins Fund. Thursday, January 29, 2009 COMEDY'S ODD COUPLE Azhar Usman & Bob Alper 1 Muslim - 1 Jew - 1 Stage Sponsored by the Hillel Society, Muslim Students' Association, Berman Center for Jewish Studies, Religion Studies Department, Arts Lehigh, UP Comedy, Office of Multicultural Affairs, and Global Union Thursday, March 12, 2009, 4:15 p.m. Film and Discussion - Students Only WONDER BOYS This 2000 feature film is based on the 1995 novel of the same title by Michael Chabon. It stars Michael Douglas as professor Grady Tripp, a novelist who teaches creative writing at an unnamed Pittsburgh university. He has been unable to finish his second novel, his wife has left him, and he is sleeping with his boss's wife (Frances McDormand), who is also the Chancellor of the university. Grady's editor (Robert Downey, Jr.) is in town to take a look at the book and becomes interested in a book that a student (Tobey Maguire) from Grady's creative writing class has just completed. Sunday, March 22, 2009
Pulitzer Prize-winning Novelist Author of
Michael Chabon will share with us his own long journey as a writer and Jew in search of identity. One of America’s leading writers, he first became known in 1988 with the publication of his best-selling first novel, The Mysteries of Pittsburgh. Since that time, he has published two collections of short stories and five novels, including Wonder Boys, The Yiddish Policemen’s Union, and The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, which won numerous awards including the Pulitzer Prize. Variously described as an outstanding, entertaining and engaging speaker, he has lectured on such topics as the art and craft of writing and the tradition of Jewish fiction. He has appeared before audiences in the U.S., Russia, Finland, Lithuania, Italy, and France, just to name a few. There will be a book signing after the program. Sunday, April 5, 2009, 3:00 p.m. "Gathering Sparks: The Visual Art of Siona Benjamin and the Music of Galeet Dardashti" Musician and singer Galeet Dardashti and artist Siona Benjamin will present a program Sunday, April 5, at 3:00 p.m., in Sinclair Auditorium at Lehigh University (7 Asa Drive). They will offer their unique and compelling artistic and musical renderings of the women of the Bible. When Siona Benjamin and Galeet Dardashti met a few years ago, they found that their artistic works had much in common. Benjamin is a painter originally from Bombay, now living in the U.S. Her work reflects her Jewish upbringing in a predominantly Hindu and Muslim India. In her paintings she combines the imagery of her past with the role she plays in America today, making a mosaic inspired by both Indian miniature paintings and Sephardic icons. In her collection "Fereshteh" ("angels" in Urdu), she explores the women of the Bible and brings them forward to combat the wars and violence of today in a Midrash (interpretation) of intricate paintings. Her work “Gathering Sparks” is on display at the Philadelphia Museum of Jewish Art until March 10. Dardashti and Benjamin will bring their haunting music and vivid video projections to Lehigh on April 5. Following the performance, the artists will take questions from the audience. The program is sponsored by the Berman Center and Lehigh's Department of Women's Studies, Humanities Center, and Arts Lehigh.
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