Ann Katz Festival of Books and Art: Oct. 22 – Nov. 19

There’s something for everyone at the Ann Katz Festival of Books andArts at the JCC! This weekend it kicks off with 2 resounding concerts by internationally acclaimed gospel singer Joshua Nelson and doesn’t lose steam for another 3 weeks. Authors Marilyn Berger, This is a Soul: An American Doctor’s Remarkable Mission to Ethiopia and SuEllen Fried, Banishing Bullying Behavior, focus on the compelling and timely issues of altruism and children’s behavior, respectively. The NY Times bestselling author Myla Goldberg, author of Bee Season, will present her new book, The False Friend, and also will hold a private discussion with book club members and others who have read her latest novel.

As in previous years, the festival will reach out to people of all faiths with spiritual explorations. Meta Chaya Hirschl, author of Vital Yoga, will lead a 2-hour yoga workshop and Lee Kravitz, author of Unfinished Business, will challenge the audience to step back, evaluate their lives and determine which matters they need to attend to before it’s too late. Featuring 15 distinct events, the Ann Katz Festival of Books and Arts partners with other not-for-profit and community organizations to entertain, educate and engage audiences of all ages from diverse backgrounds.

The Festival is a true celebration of the arts and our community. A book sale of hundreds of newly released titles will be open to the public. Authors will sign book copies following their presentation.

Costs: Individual Tickets: $5 general public / $3 JCC members unless noted otherwise
Fast passes for entry to all events, including Joshua Nelson $50 general public / $40 JCC members
Tickets and fast passes may be purchased online at www.JCCindy.org, by calling 317-251-9467, or by visiting a JCC member services desk.

Festival Sponsors Irwin Katz, a generous contribution made in memory of his wife, Ann; Lilly Endowment, DeHaan Family Foundation, Cohen Garelick Glazier, The Uniform House, Indianapolis Public Library and Indy Reads and Katz, Sapper and Miller. This event is made possible, in part, with support from the Indiana Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.

All events are held at the Arthur M. Glick JCC, 6701 Hoover Road, Indianapolis, IN 46260, unless noted otherwise.

OPENING EVENT!
Sat, October 22, 7 pm and Sun, October 23, 3 pm
Joshua Nelson, “The Prince of Kosher Gospel” If Mahalia Jackson is the “Queen of Gospel,” then Joshua Nelson, a Black Jew, is undeniably the “Prince of Kosher Gospel.” For thousands of enthusiastic critics and audiences worldwide, it is no surprise that it is the “queen” who continues to inspire Nelson since he first heard her voice when only 8 years old. What Jackson did for Christian liturgy half a century ago is what Nelson is doing for Jewish liturgy today. And like Jackson’s music, Nelson crosses cultural divides and unites people in song and spirit. There may be more than 300,000 African-American Jews in the United States, but there is only one Joshua Nelson.

Accompanied by musicians and 3 back-up singers, Nelson will perform two stellar concerts at the JCC that are just a few days before the 100th anniversary of Jackson’s birth (October 26, 2011). Nelson’s gospel interpretations of familiar Jewish prayers and songs will have the audience singing along and dancing in the aisles…just as he does wherever he performs all over the world. Whether singing in Hebrew or English, it is the uplifting music and Nelson’s charisma that make for an unforgettable experience.

Joshua’s Indianapolis appearance will have a local, interfaith flavor by incorporating a troupe of liturgical dancers from the Sacred Dance Institute. The Sacred Dance Institute, founded by Tiffany Johnson, is a Christian group that expresses their calling through dance. They will perform to Joshua’s resounding rendition of “Elijah Rocks.” This concert is part of Daniel Pearl World Music Days, the world’s largest symphony for peace. This international network of concerts is in memory of slain journalist/ musician Daniel Pearl, who traveled the world working toward cross-cultural understanding with simply a pen and a fiddle.

Through Joshua Nelson’s multi-cultural performance, we reaffirm our conviction that humanity will triumph and harmony will prevail.

Costs: $20 general public / $15 JCC members / $8 all children 18 and under. Group tickets for 10 or more are available at the member price.

Sponsors: Indianapolis Foundation, Butler Hillel, Voices of Deliverance Gospel Choir, Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation, Chase Bank, Dialogue Today, Aaron Ruben Nelson, Leon M Mordoh, Great Cooks and Your Event Partner.

Other events:

Tues, October 25, 7 pm
Marilyn Berger: This is a Soul: An American Doctor’s Remarkable Mission in Ethiopia Some people feel a calling and then selflessly devote the rest of their lives to fulfilling their life’s work. Dr. Rick Hodes is such a man. In the tradition of Three Cups of Tea, Berger relays the remarkable story of a doctor devoted to caring for victims of famine, war and genocide all over the world.

From the suburbs of America to Mother Teresa’s clinic in Ethiopia, the story of Hodes’ triumphs, trials and challenges as he cares for, takes into his home and, in some cases, adopts the sickest children in one of the poorest countries is a story of bout finding a young crippled boy in Addis Ababas, having Dr. Hodes treat him, and ultimately adopting him to become a mother for the first time at the age of 74. Through the telling of Hodes’ and her own story, Berger shows us it is possible to change lives.

Sponsor: Bureau of Jewish Education, Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis.

October 26-December 30 Reception: Thurs, October 27, 5:30-7:30 pm (free)
Herron School of Art & Design: Herron Makes Books—Student Work from the Book Arts Program Books as art is the theme of this year’s art exhibit at the Ann Katz Festival of Books and Arts. The Herron School of Art & Design program, “Making Artist Books,” is taught by Karen Baldner, a talented artist and bookmaker herself. Baldner guides her students through an intensive hands-on immersion into the book arts, leading to fanciful creations that are at once literary, visual and historical.

Sat, October 29, 7 pm
Screening: Nora’s Will Writer/Director Mariana Chenillo, 2010. 90 mins, Spanish with subtitles. No rating. Indianapolis premiere. Writer/Director Mariana Chenillo’s first feature film, Nora’s Will was lauded at the Ariel Awards (Mexico’s equivalent of the Academy Awards) with 7 awards, including Best Picture. The film features a quiet, commanding protagonist, a quirky Orthodox rabbi, a Catholic housemaid, a host of other characters and a dead body, Nora’s body. The premise of Nora’s meticulous plans and manipulative intentions before taking her own life make for a comedic film that is pure entertainment.

Nora’s Will is a must-see film voted by Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times as one of the top ten films of the year. Sponsor: Fifth Third Bank. Mon, October 31, 7 pm Lee Kravitz, Unfinished Business: One Man’s Extraordinary Year of Trying to Do the Right Thing Award-winning journalist Lee Kravitz is busy. You’re busy. We’re all busy. And in the busy-ness of our lives, a list of unfinished business – the should’ves, would’ves, could’ves – grows in the background. In his new book, Kravitz recounts how he committed one year to tying up some loose ends in his life. He repays an old debt. He reconnects with a family member he alone cherished. He fulfills an old promise. In many instances, his business is our business. Writing with candor and painful self-awareness, it is easy to relate to the author. While Kravitz is arguably an accomplished man, in this book he is every man.

Sponsor: Wendy and Phil Larman

Tues, November 1, Noon (free)
Story-time with Bubbe and Zayde presented by U.S. Kids Magazines This cozy, intergenerational lunch is a heart-warming event for children, their parents and grandparents. Everyone brings their own sack lunch and beverage, and joins together to hear stories and sing along with the community’s favorite musical, guitar-playing, rabbis: Rabbi Benjamin Sendrow of Congregation Shaarey Tefilla and Rabbi Brett Krichiver of Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation. It will be an afternoon of song, laughter, stories and a sweet treat courtesy of the PJ Library of Greater Indianapolis.

Sponsors: U.S. Kids, PJ Library of Greater Indianapolis and Albert and Sarah Reuben Senior and Community Resource Center.

Wed, November 2, 7 pm
Ghita Schwarz: Displaced Persons: A Novel Rarely does a book about the Holocaust explore the stories of those who survived the concentration camps. For many, survival meant no home or family to return to. Author Ghita Schwarz, the daughter of postwar Jewish refugees, follows four Polish women who met in the Bergen-Belsen displaced persons camp as they re-establish their identities and reconstruct their lives. In her novel, Schwarz weaves history with the stories of these relatively ordinary women as they experience the joys and hardships of adjusting to life in America. Theirs is a story of personal fulfillment and of European immigrant experiences as they balance life anew with a responsibility to memorialize the past.

Sun, November 6, 9 am-4 pm
A Spirit & Place Event Feeding the Community Body: A Day of Wellness Event is free. Yoga session is $20. This Day of Wellness brings people of all ages, faiths and backgrounds together to participate, observe, learn and share in a wide range of workshops and activities. Guests are welcome to come for one or as many of the day’s offerings as they’d like.

The schedule for the day of wellness is chock-full of activities: Pedal & Park – All day long! Ride your bike to the JCC and park at the NUVO tent. It’s great exercise, you will reduce your carbon footprint and you will be eligible to enter a drawing to win great prizes. The tent will be staffed so that your bicycle remains safe during your visit. Sponsored by NUVO, and Indiana Living Green and Pedal & Park.

Three Indianapolis food trucks will be in front of the JCC with the NUVO Pedal & Park tent: Scout’s Treat Truck, The NY Slice and Mabel on the Move.

9:30-11:30 am Two-hour yoga workshop featuring author, Meta Chaya Hirschl, of New Mexico. Hirschl’s book, Vital Yoga, appeals to anyone seeking to cultivate a spiritual balance and connection with the health benefits yoga provides. Hirschl will place this ancient practice into a uniquely modern-day context. Her workshop, “Integrating Yoga Into Our Everyday Lives,” is for everyone from beginners to yoga teachers.

Cost: $20. Reservations are encouraged.

Sponsored by Natural Awakenings.

10 am-1:30 pm Fresh and affordable produce available from Garden on the Go. A partnership program of Indiana University Health and Green B.E.A.N. Delivery.

Noon-1 pm Katherine Matutes, JCC nutrition expert, will lead a workshop encouraging families and their young children to experience new and healthy foods by using familiar foods as stepping stones. A chef from Second Helpings will provide tastings using seasonal and local foods as main ingredients. Sponsored by Green B.E.A.N. Delivery.

1:30-3:30 pm This collaborative dance workshop features liturgical dancers from Sacred Dance Institute, Bharatanatyam dancers from the Kalakshiti Performing Arts Center, Greek Folk Dancing from Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church and Israeli Folk Dancing from Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation. The dancers from these four local dance groups will lead participants in an exploration of using the body as a tool to communicate and connect with others in the community. By encouraging individual movement and personal expression, they will create a group experience to achieve a sense of unity and connectivity to one another through dance.

Noon-1 pm and 2-3 pm Art therapy: Intergenerational event. Participants will create an art project that will encourage personal exploration. All supplies will be provided. Attendees are encouraged to donate rice, pasta, dried beans or tomato products to benefit Second Helpings. Collection points will be located throughout the facility. Partner: Second Helpings.

Tues, November 8, 7:15 pm 6 pm
Community Reads private discussion with author Myla Goldberg: The False Friend presented by The Saturday Evening Post In her new book, author Myla Goldberg’s young protagonist, Celia Durst, is not quite as innocent a young woman as Eliza Naumann, the heroine in her previous best-selling novel, Bee Season. For fans of Myla Goldberg’s distinctive prose,The False Friend is another book that is hard to put down. The compelling story explores the complex relationships among young girls and how they affect the women they become. As Celia returns to her hometown and methodically searches for characters from her past, the reader enters the drama of trying to discern fact from fiction and the impact of emotion on memory.

At 6 pm, Goldberg will host a private discussion about the novel and a light dinner with book club members and other readers of The False Friend. Book clubs can register and purchase discounted advance copies of the book by calling Lisa Freeman at 715-9240 or by writing to lfreeman@JCCindy.org.

Sponsors: The Saturday Evening Post, Congregation Beth-El Zedeck, Shaarey Tefilla Sisterhood, Hadassah and Indiana Humanities.

Wed, November 9, 7 pm – FREE WORKSHOP
SuEllen Fried: Banishing Bullying Behavior; 2nd ed. By SuEllen Fried and Blanche Sosland In this groundbreaking book, the authors tackle the problem of school-age bullying from an entirely different perspective. Their premise, based on years of experience as children’s advocates and working directly with teachers, parents and students, is to change the culture that hosts the bullies. Banishing Bullying Behavior doesn’t just talk about the problem, it offers tools for solving it. The core of the book is the Student Empowerment Session, a system of questions to change students’ insights and ultimately to banish bully behavior.

Sponsors: Indianapolis Section of National Council of Jewish Women, Mother’s Circle and The Villages and Prevent Child Abuse.

Sun, November 13, 10 am (free).
A Spirit & Place event. Anita Diamant, author of The Red Tent At Congregation Beth-El Zedeck, 600 W. 70th Street, Indianapolis. Renowned author Anita Diamant’s novels are set in time periods as varied as 1500 BCE, the mid-1900s, and the late 20th century. But all her works of fiction share a focus on women’s experiences as lived in and through the female body. Diamant will talk about the ways that the strengths and vulnerabilities of the female body shape women’s identities, freedom and spirituality. Diamant will read short selections from her novels to illustrate points in the conversation.

Presented by the Alan and Linda Cohen Center for Jewish Learning and Living at Congregation Beth-El Zedeck in partnership with the Writers’ Center of Indiana, IUPUI, The Women’s Studies Program of the IU School of Liberal Arts and the Ann Katz Festival of Books and Arts at the JCC.

Mon, November 14, 7 pm
Charles Fishman: The Big Thirst: The Secret Life and Turbulent Future of Water Here’s something to think about: every glass of water we drink was “almost certainly slurped by a dinosaur at some point.” Without preaching, journalist and best-selling author of The Wal-Mart Effect, Charles Fishman asks us to re-evaluate our relationship with water. He calls attention to how easily and frequently water flows through our lives. While the “golden age of water” may be over, Fishman insists we are not in a crisis. He offers original thoughts on how to manage water usage globally and suggests solutions to fix the problem of water scarcity in localized regions throughout the world.

Sponsors: Center for Urban Ecology at Butler University and Hoosier Environmental Council. Partner: Friends of the White River.

Tues, November 15, 7 pm
Screening: The Little Traitor Director Lynn Roth. 89 mins, English. No rating. Indianapolis premiere. This engaging movie of friendship and loyalty is based on the acclaimed novel Panther in the Basement by Amos Oz. A British sergeant (Alfred Molina, Raiders of the Lost Ark) befriends a Jewish boy in the tumultuous months before Israel becomes a state. As tensions rise between the British occupiers and the Jewish rebels, the young boy is torn between his pro-Israel community and his affection for his unlikely friend. Theodore Bikel (The Defiant Ones) stars as the security officer.

Sponsor: Fifth Third Bank.

Wed, November 16, 7 pm
Tom Fields-Meyer: Following Ezra: What One Father Learned About Gumby, Otters, Autism and Love from his Extraordinary Son Writer and journalist Tom Fields-Meyer had a break-through moment when a therapist suggested that he “grieve” for the child he had expected Ezra, his autistic son, to be. Once Fields-Meyer recognized that he had not harbored any expectations for his unborn child, the author was able to step back from pushing Ezra to learn and to connect with his environment, and simply wait patiently and see where his little boy would lead him. This is a story of one father’s remarkable relationship with his son. Filled with laughter, heart-warming memoirs, and moments of truth, this book is as much about parenting in general as it is about raising an autistic child.

Partner: Autism Society of Indiana

Sat, November 19, 7 pm
Heartland Truly Moving Pictures: Short films The JCC and Heartland Truly Moving Pictures are collaborating again for another entertaining and thought-provoking evening of indie films and discussion. Heartland will select three notable shorts and arrange conversations with filmmakers via Skype. This event format was a huge audience favorite in April.

The JCC is a beneficiary agency of the United Way of Central Indiana and the Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis, and an affiliate member of the JCC Association of North America.