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Modern Jewish Studies Colloquium: What is Jewish Studies?

Magnes Collection of Jewish Life and Art 2121 Allston Way, Berkeley, CA, United States

The Modern Jewish Studies Colloquium is inaugurated by a conversation about the formative history and the current state of the field of Jewish Studies, featuring Jeffrey Shandler (Rutgers) and John Efron (UC Berkeley), moderated by curator Francesco Spagnolo. Jeffrey Shandler is Professor of Jewish Studies at Rutgers University and current President of the Association of Jewish Studies. His most […]

Purim: A Diaspora Story in Jewish Art and Folklore

Magnes Collection of Jewish Life and Art 2121 Allston Way, Berkeley, CA, United States

In conjunction with the opening of the exhibition, Case Study No. 3 | Sound Objects, The Magnes presents a lecture by Shalom Sabar (The Hebrew University of Jerusalem). Though a minor holiday in the Jewish year cycle, the Purim festival and the Book of Esther assumed unusual significance for the Jews living as a religious minority, whether […]

The Jewish Mother

Magnes Collection of Jewish Life and Art 2121 Allston Way, Berkeley, CA, United States

“The Jewish Mother” has become an icon in film, fiction and popular culture. On one hand, her image reflects the yearning for lost childhood, family and traditional community. On the other hand, this sense of enchantment and nostalgia is accompanied by a perception of the mother as an intimidating, somewhat demonic figure, who forces her […]

Immigrants, Cantors, and Klezmers: Lecture by Mark Slobin

Magnes Collection of Jewish Life and Art 2121 Allston Way, Berkeley, CA, United States

A professor of Music and American Studies at Wesleyan University, Mark Slobin is one of the most distinguished ethnomusicologists working today. He is author of the award-winning book Fiddler on the Move: Exploring the Klezmer World (Oxford, 2001) where he uncovers the intimate connection between style and stereotype in the representation of musical practice among Jewish immigrants. […]

Holocaust Author Reading Series | Lucille Eichengreen reads from From Ashes to Life

Magnes Collection of Jewish Life and Art 2121 Allston Way, Berkeley, CA, United States

Please join Jewish Family & Children’s Services of the East Bay for the continuation of our special series featuring Holocaust survivors reading from their published works. All events will take place at the Magnes Collection of Jewish Life & Art in Berkeley. You’re welcome to bring a brown bag lunch. Thursday, November 6, 2014 12:00 […]

Liana Fink: “The Bintel Brief” | The American Jewish Experience Speaker Series

Magnes Collection of Jewish Life and Art 2121 Allston Way, Berkeley, CA, United States

THE AMERICAN JEWISH EXPERIENCE SPEAKER SERIES  LIANA FINCK ON "THE BINTEL BRIEF" "Liana Finck talks about her graphic novel, adapted from letters written to the Yiddish daily Forward newspaper's popular advice column in the early 1900s.”  The column documented the economic, social, and personal tribulations of Jewish newcomers to America. Finck's book was described in the New York […]

Piyyut: Hebrew Poetry and World Music: Robert Alter, Yair Harel, and the Tafillalt Ensemble

Magnes Collection of Jewish Life and Art 2121 Allston Way, Berkeley, CA, United States

Hebrew poems (piyyutim), chanted for centuries across the Diaspora, have been adapted to different melodies, evolving into a form of  “Jewish world music” with roots in Europe, the Mediterranean, North Africa, and the Middle East. This singing tradition, a core component of synagogue practice, has also entered secular life in Israel through public performances, workshops, […]

The Helix Project: Sharing the Story of Jewish Life in Europe

Magnes Collection of Jewish Life and Art 2121 Allston Way, Berkeley, CA, United States

Join Rob Adler Peckerar, Executive Director of Yiddishkayt, a Yiddish cultural and educational center in Los Angeles, and Helix Project Instructor, Mindl Cohen, and alumni of the Helix Project to learn about the only educational summer program that brings the 1000 year history of Jews in Eastern Europe to life. The presentation will include photographs and short films from the […]

Holocaust Author Reading Series | Sam Genirberg reads from Among the Enemy

Magnes Collection of Jewish Life and Art 2121 Allston Way, Berkeley, CA, United States

Please join Jewish Family & Children’s Services of the East Bay for the continuation of our special series featuring Holocaust survivors reading from their published works. All events will take place at the Magnes Collection of Jewish Life & Art in Berkeley. You’re welcome to bring a brown bag lunch. Thursday, December 11, 2014 12:00 […]

Jewish Nightlife: An Evening of Celebration with Poetry and Music directed by Yair Harel

Magnes Collection of Jewish Life and Art 2121 Allston Way, Berkeley, CA, United States

Jewish Nightlife is a multi-disciplinary exploration of the nexus between the ritual performance of Jewish texts and social changes across Jewish history, including Hebrew poetry, music, and synagogue liturgy in Europe, in North Africa, the Middle East, and present-day Israel. During the Fall Semester 2014, the project involved research, teaching, performance, and community participation. Thirty UC […]

Memories of Moroccan Jewish Life In Story and Material Culture from the Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life

Magnes Collection of Jewish Life and Art 2121 Allston Way, Berkeley, CA, United States

Special Guest: Sarah Levin, Doctoral Candidate in Jewish Studies  Jews have lived in Morocco for over two millennia, occupying a unique place in the North African environment for centuries as the only non-Muslim minority. This at times precarious social position fostered the development of a rich narrative tradition. Our guest Sarah Levin will share stories […]

Magic Spells: A Research Workshop on Hebrew Amulets

Magnes Collection of Jewish Life and Art 2121 Allston Way, Berkeley, CA, United States

Please note: The February 27 event has been canceled. The series will begin on March 20. Join Magnes curators to discover the elaborate texts and imagery, magic formulas, and Kabbalistic sources in Hebrew amulets. Worn on one’s person or placed in homes, Jewish amulets are used at moments of vulnerability and transition, like childbirth, marriage, […]