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From the prizewinning Jewish Lives series, discover a biography of the elusive but celebrated Dada and Surrealist artist and photographer connecting his Jewish background to his life and art in Man Ray: The Artist and His Shadows by Arthur Lubow.
"An exceptional gem is hereby added to the Jewish Lives crown. With charm and élan—and heroic erudition—Arthur Lubow captures the elusive, protean Man Ray.” —Benjamin Taylor, author of Proust: The Search
Julius Rosenwald rose to meteoric wealth at the helm of Sears, Roebuck and Co., yet his most important legacy stands on the pioneering changes he introduced to the practice of philanthropy. His passionate support of Jewish and African American causes continues to influence lives to this day, though he refused to have his name attached to the buildings, projects, or endowments he supported.
Join Professor Hasia R. Diner for a 60-minute exploration of Rosenwald’s philanthropy and the importance of partnership in building a better future.
This program took place on June 24, 2021 in partnership with Park Avenue Synagogue, United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, and Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning.
Ace reporter, celebrated playwright, taboo-busting novelist, and “the greatest of American screenwriters,” Ben Hecht wrote the Hollywood we know today. Join acclaimed author Adina Hoffman for a 60-minute exploration of Hecht’s life and work, his most notable screenplays, as well as his role as an outspoken crusader for Jewish communities around the world.
This program took place on May 20, 2021 in partnership with Park Avenue Synagogue and the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism.
The story of the notorious Jewish gangster who ascended from impoverished beginnings to the glittering Las Vegas strip
In a brief life that led to a violent end, Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel (1906–1947) rose from desperate poverty to ill-gotten riches, from an early-twentieth-century family of Ukrainian Jewish immigrants on the Lower East Side to a kingdom of his own making in Las Vegas. In this captivating portrait, author Michael Shnayerson sets out not to absolve Bugsy Siegel but rather to understand him in all his complexity.
Through the 1920s, 1930s, and most of the 1940s, Bugsy Siegel and his longtime partner in crime Meyer Lansky engaged in innumerable acts of violence. As World War II came to an end, Siegel saw the potential for a huge, elegant casino resort in the sands of Las Vegas. Jewish gangsters built nearly all of the Vegas casinos that followed. Then, one by one, they disappeared. Siegel’s story laces through a larger, generational story of eastern European Jewish immigrants in the early- to mid-twentieth century.
The creative mind of Stan Lee provided American pop culture with comic book heroes and imaginative worlds that will forever be his legacy. Watch a lively discussion about the life and legacy of Stan Lee with author Liel Leibovitz and Rabbi Neil Zuckerman of Park Avenue Synagogue from March 11, 2021 as part of the Reading Jewish Lives book club program.
Jewish Lives author Adam Begley discusses his book, Houdini: The Elusive American, with nonfiction author and professor Dr. Brenda Wineapple at the 2020 Detroit Jewish Book Fair.
Heinrich Heine (1797–1856) was a virtuoso German poet, satirist, and visionary humanist whose dynamic life story and strikingly original writing are ripe for rediscovery.
In this vividly imagined exploration of Heine’s life and work, George Prochnik contextualizes Heine’s biography within the different revolutionary political, literary, and philosophical movements of his age. He also explores the insights Heine offers contemporary readers into issues of social justice, exile, and the role of art in nurturing a more equitable society.
Heine wrote that in his youth he resembled “a large newspaper of which the upper half contained the present, each day with its news and debates, while in the lower half, in a succession of dreams, the poetic past was recorded fantastically like a series of feuilletons.”
This book explores the many dualities of Heine’s nature, bringing to life a fully dimensional character while also casting into sharp relief the reasons his writing and personal story matter urgently today.
Hear acclaimed Jewish Lives author author Vivian Gornick in dialogue with Rabbi Witkovsky of Park Avenue Synagogue on the life of modern radical Emma Goldman. Emma Goldman mounted public protest movements that demanded freedom of thought and speech and rejected arbitrary use of power.
Learn more in Gornick’s biography Emma Goldman: Revolution as a Way of Life.
Kubrick grew up in the Bronx, a doctor’s son. From a young age he was consumed by photography, chess, and, above all else, movies. He was a self-taught filmmaker and self-proclaimed outsider, and his films exist in a unique world of their own outside the Hollywood mainstream. Kubrick’s Jewishness played a crucial role in his idea of himself as an outsider. Obsessed with rebellion against authority, war, and male violence, Kubrick was himself a calm, coolly masterful creator and a talkative, ever-curious polymath immersed in friends and family.
Drawing on interviews and new archival material, Mikics for the first time explores the personal side of Kubrick’s films.
Register now for Jewish Lives summer courses at Case Western Reserve University’s Siegal Lifelong Learning program. Courses are available on Irving Berlin, Solomon, and David. See below for the course schedule and contact lifelonglearning@case.edu for additional information. We hope you enjoy the classes.
IRVING BERLIN: NEW YORK GEINUS (REMOTE)
Instructor: Professor Daniel Goldmark
Location: Online
Head of Popular Music, Director of the Center for Popular Music Studies, Case Western Reserve University
Date: Wednesdays, June 24 - July 8
Time: 10 - 11:30 a.m. EDT
Cost: $45 Lifelong Learning Member / $55 Nonmember
Irving Berlin has been called the greatest songwriter of the golden age of the American popular song. In a career that spanned nine decades, Berlin wrote some 1500 tunes, including “Alexander’s Ragtime Band,” “God Bless America,” and “White Christmas.” Join Daniel Goldmark to explore James Kaplan’s book, Irving Berlin: New York Genius, which offers a visceral narrative of Berlin as a self-made man who was a witty, wily, tough Jewish immigrant. Kaplan’s book underscores Berlin’s continued relevance in American popular culture today.
The respective book should be brought to class. Irving Berlin: New York Genius can be purchased below.
SPECIAL OFFER: Save 35% + free shipping on the books for this series. Use code CWBERLIN at checkout.
SOLOMON: THE LURE OF WISDOM (REMOTE)
Instructor: Professor Ezra Blaustein, Kent State University
Location: Online
Date: Wednesdays, July 15 - 29
Time: 10 - 11:30 a.m. EDT
Cost: $45 Lifelong Learning Member / $55 Nonmember
Tradition has it that King Solomon knew everything there was to know—the mysteries of nature, of love, of God himself—but what do we know of him? Join Ezra Blaustein to explore Steven Weitzman’s book which reintroduces readers to Solomon’s story and its surprising influence in shaping Western culture, and he also examines what Solomon’s life, wisdom, and writings have come to mean for Jews, Christians, and Muslims over the past 2,000 years.
The respective book should be brought to class. Solomon: The Lure of Widsom can be purchased below.
SPECIAL OFFER: Save 35% + free shipping on the books for this series. Use code CWSOLOMON at checkout.
DAVID: THE DIVIDED HEART (REMOTE)
Instructor(s): Jo Bruce, Instructor of Lifelong Learning
Location: Online
Date: Wednesdays, August 5 - 19
Time: 10 - 11:30 a.m. EDT
Cost: $45 Lifelong Learning Member / $55 Nonmember
Of all the figures in the Bible, David arguably stands out as the most perplexing. He was a warrior who subdued Goliath and the Philistines; a king who united a nation; a poet who created beautiful verse; a loyal servant of God who proposed the great Temple and founded the Messianic line; a schemer, deceiver, and an adulterer. Join Jo Bruce to explore Wolpe’s book which reexamines David in an attempt to find coherence in his seemingly contradictory actions and impulses. The author unravels David’s complex character to question his exalted place in history.
The respective book should be brought to class. David: The Divided Heart can be purchased below.
SPECIAL OFFER: Save 35% + free shipping on the books for this series. Use code CWSDAVID at checkout.
Enjoy a delicious free recipe from The Jewish Cook Book by Leah Koenig courtesy of Phaidon.
BLACK AND WHITE COOKIES
Adapted from THE JEWISH COOKBOOK
Preparation time: 25 minutes, plus cooling
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Makes: about 2 dozen cookies
Black and white cookies—the cake-textured rounds frosted with white icing on one half and black on the other—were a staple in the New York City Jewish bakery case in the mid-twentieth century. They can still be found in bakeshops today, though many of the commercial options tend to be almost comically large. This version is petite and gently sweet—perfect for dipping into a cup of coffee or tea.
INGREDIENTS
For the cookies:
• 1½ cups (210 g) all-purpose (plain) flour, sifted
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ⅔ cup (130 g) sugar
• 1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
• ⅓ cup (75 ml/2 ½ fl oz) milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon lemon extract
For the icing:
• 2½ cups (270 g) powdered (icing) sugar, sifted
• 3 tablespoons milk, plus more as needed
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon lemon extract
• 2 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon instant coffee granules
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C/Gas Mark 4). Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Make the cookies: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
In a stand mixer (or using a handheld electric mixer and a large bowl), beat together the butter and sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the whole egg, egg yolk, milk, vanilla, and lemon extract and beat until combined. Don’t worry if the batter appears lumpy or curdled at this stage—it will smooth out. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in stages, beating briefly on low after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary, to form a soft batter.
Place rounded tablespoons of dough, spaced 2 inches (5 cm) apart, on the prepared baking sheets. Bake, rotating the pans front to back halfway through, until lightly golden around the edges but still pale on top, 12– 15 minutes. Carefully transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the icing: In a medium bowl, stir together the powdered (icing) sugar, milk, vanilla, and lemon extract. Stir until a thick icing forms. The mixture should be easily spreadable, but not loose or liquid. If necessary, stir in additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the desired consistency is reached.
Transfer about half of the icing to a separate bowl. Add the cocoa powder and coffee granules and stir to combine. If necessary, add more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the same thick, spreadable icing consistency is reached.
Once the cookies are fully cool, set the wire racks over a piece of parchment paper. Using a butter knife or small offset spatula, carefully glaze one half of the flat (bottom) side of each cookie with the white icing. Repeat on the other half with the black icing. Depending on how thickly the cookies are glazed, there may be some icing left. Set the glazed cookies back on the racks to set for a few minutes before serving.
“Witty, intelligent, and sprightly” —Wendy Lesser, author of Jerome Robbins: A Life in Dance
In 1916, the war in Europe having prevented a tour abroad, Harry Houdini wrote a film treatment for a rollicking motion picture. Though the movie was never made, its title, “The Marvelous Adventures of Houdini: The Justly Celebrated Elusive American,” provides a succinct summary of the Master Mystifier’s life.
Born Erik Weisz in Budapest in 1874, Houdini grew up an impoverished Jewish immigrant in the Midwest and became world-famous thanks to talent, industry, and ferocious determination. He concealed as a matter of temperament and professional ethics the secrets of his sensational success. Nobody knows how Houdini performed some of his dazzling, death-defying tricks, and nobody knows, finally, why he felt compelled to punish and imprison himself over and over again. Must a self-liberator also be a self-torturer? Tracking the restless Houdini’s wide-ranging exploits, acclaimed biographer Adam Begley asks the essential question: What kind of man was this?
Adam Begley is the author of Updike and The Great Nadar. He was a Guggenheim Fellow, a Fellow at the Leon Levy Center for Biography, and for many years the books editor of The New York Observer. He lives in England.
Author photograph © Zach Gross
“Witty, intelligent, and sprightly, Adam Begley’s Houdini tells a story that is not only central to the American experience, but strangely pertinent to the fakery, fraudulence, and self-promotion dominating our news waves at present.” —Wendy Lesser, author of Jerome Robbins: A Life in Dance
“Excellent” —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
The life of Theodor Herzl (1860–1904) was as puzzling as it was brief. How did this cosmopolitan and assimilated European Jew become the leader of the Zionist movement? How could he be both an artist and a statesman, a rationalist and an aesthete, a stern moralist yet possessed of deep, and at times dark, passions? And why did scores of thousands of Jews, many of them from traditional, observant backgrounds, embrace Herzl as their leader?
Drawing on a vast body of Herzl’s personal, literary, and political writings, historian Derek Penslar shows that Herzl’s path to Zionism had as much to do with personal crises as it did with antisemitism. Once Herzl devoted himself to Zionism, Penslar shows, he distinguished himself as a consummate leader—possessed of indefatigable energy, organizational ability, and electrifying charisma. Herzl became a screen onto which Jews of his era could project their deepest needs and longings.
Derek Penslar is the William Lee Frost Professor of Jewish History at Harvard University. His previous books include Jews and the Military: A History and Shylock’s Children: Economics and Jewish Identity in Modern Europe.
Author photograph © University of Toronto, Faculty of Arts and Sciences
"An excellent, concise biography of Theodor Herzl, architect of modern Zionism. . . . This is an exceptionally good, highly readable volume that will appeal to general readers and specialists alike." —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
"Derek Penslar, the most original scholar on the history of Zionism today, has written a masterful book, which may indeed become the definitive Herzl biography of our age." —Michael Brenner, author of A Short History of the Jews
“Theodor Herzl was the indispensable catalyst of the Zionist movement that began before him, developed independently of him, and prevailed on its own decades after his death. Penslar's book unlocks this paradox, and in richly providing the historical context of his leadership, magnifies its achievement.” —Ruth R. Wisse, author of Jews and Power
“Derek Penslar has found in Theodor Herzl an amazingly complex character and tells his story with deep insight and great fairness. This biography is innovative, carefully balanced, and engrossing.” —Tom Segev, author of A State at Any Cost: The Life of David Ben-Gurion
“In his pitch-perfect biography for a new century, accomplished historian Derek Penslar portrays the psychic traits that allowed Theodor Herzl to be elevated by the longings of a fledgling Zionist movement, which he in turn elevated into a political cause that has redefined Jewish and world history down to our present. An elegant masterpiece.” —Samuel Moyn, Yale University
"There is a lot of new information here and it is eloquently stated and wonderfully readable—so much so, that I read it in one sitting and then went back and read it again. This will become an indispensable text to today’s Zionist movement and its thinkers." —Reviews by Amos Lassen
Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. Moshe Dayan and Abdullah el Tell reach cease fire agreement, Jerusalem. 30 November 1948.
Moshe Dayan
Dates
1915-1981
Background
One of Israel's most charismatic—and controversial—personalities, Dayan led the Israel Defense Forces to stunning military victories. However, in the aftermath of the bungled 1973 Yom Kippur War, he shared the blame for operational mistakes and retired from the government. He later proved himself a talented diplomat, playing an integral role in peace negotiations with Egypt.
Famous Quote
"If you want to make peace, you don't talk to your friends. You talk to your enemies."
Image courtesy of Wikmedia Commons
Bernard Berenson
Dates
1865-1959
Background
When Gilded Age millionaires wanted to buy Italian Renaissance paintings, the expert whose opinion they sought was Bernard Berenson. He was a connoisseur who changed the art world and the way we see art to this day.
Famous Quote
"Taste begins when appetite is satisfied."
Watch a 1-hour program featuring Professor Paul Mendes-Flohr, author of Martin Buber: A Life of Faith and Dissent, and Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove of Park Avenue Synagogue as they explore the life and legacy of Jewish philosopher Martin Buber.
This program is part of the Jewish Lives Book Club and aired on the Jewish Broadcasting Service.
Irving Berlin (1888–1989) has been called—by George Gershwin, among others—the greatest songwriter of the golden age of the American popular song. “Berlin has no place in American music,” legendary composer Jerome Kern wrote; “he is American music.” In a career that spanned an astonishing nine decades, Berlin wrote some fifteen hundred tunes, including “Alexander’s Ragtime Band,” “God Bless America,” and “White Christmas.” From ragtime to the rock era, Berlin’s work has endured in the very fiber of American national identity.
Exploring the interplay of Berlin’s life with the life of New York City, noted biographer James Kaplan offers a visceral narrative of Berlin as self-made man and witty, wily, tough Jewish immigrant. This fast-paced, musically opinionated biography uncovers Berlin’s unique brilliance as a composer of music and lyrics. Masterfully written and insightful, Kaplan’s book underscores Berlin’s continued relevance in American popular culture.
"Kaplan tells the story briskly and with aplomb, adding plenty of showbiz antics, atmospheric evocations of Berlin’s New York, and shrewd critical passages that separate the musical schmaltz from the art (and find the art in the schmaltz). The result is a smart, entertaining biography of a great songwriter that will have readers humming along." —Publishers Weekly
“James Kaplan’s Irving Berlin is just like its subject: taut, vibrant, and thrumming with the irresistible words and music of America’s songwriter laureate. It’s by turns a buoyant and poignant trip across the tumultuous 20th century, through the eyes of an artist who helped define its popular taste. Kaplan reclaims the proud Jewish identity of the patriotic immigrant who knew that his country was blessed, because he had been.” —Todd S. Purdum, author of Something Wonderful: Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Broadway Revolution
James Kaplan has been writing noted biography, journalism, and fiction for more than four decades. The author of Frank: The Voice and Sinatra: The Chairman, the definitive two-volume biography of Frank Sinatra, he has written more than one hundred major profiles of figures ranging from Miles Davis to Meryl Streep, from Arthur Miller to Larry David.
Author photograph © Erinn Hartmann
Irving Berlin has been called-by George Gershwin, among others-the greatest songwriter of the golden age of American popular song. James Kaplan, author of the Jewish Lives biography Irving Berlin: New York Genius, underscores Berlin's unique brilliance as a composer, his witty, wily, and tough Jewish immigrant experience, and his continued relevance in American popular culture today.
Jewish Lives editorial director Ileene Smith is the winner of the 2019 Editorial Excellence Award, given each year by Biographers International Organization (BIO) to an outstanding editor, from nominations submitted by BIO members.
Smith has been vice president and executive editor at Farrar, Straus and Giroux since 2012. She is also editorial director of the Jewish Lives series published by Yale University Press and the Leon D. Black Foundation. Smith has previously been the recipient of the PEN/Roger Klein Award, the Tony Godwin Memorial Award, and a Jerusalem Fellowship.
The event honoring Smith will be held on Wednesday, November 13, starting at 6:30 p.m., in the Skylight Room at the CUNY Graduate Center, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York City. The evening will include remarks from some of Smith’s authors, along with a reception. The event is free but registration is required and is limited to 70 people. You can register here.
Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Sarah Bernhardt
Dates
1844-1923
Background
The illegitimate—and scandalous—daughter of a courtesan who transformed herself into the most famous actress who ever lived, and into a national icon, a symbol of France.
Famous Quote
"The theatre is the involuntary reflex of the ideas of the crowd."
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Hank Greenberg
Dates
1911-1986
Background
With his decision to sit out a 1934 game between his Tigers and the New York Yankees because it fell on Yom Kippur, Hank Greenberg became a hero to Jews throughout America.
Famous Quote
"...I came to feel that if I, as a Jew, hit a home run, I was hitting one against Hitler."
