Celebrating 36 Years! Champagne Brunch with Renée Rosen
10:30AM | Lahn Social Hall
Let's Call Her Barbie
In Conversation with Marianne Aleardi, SJMAG Media, President/Publisher

Calling all Barbies and Kens! Join us for champagne brunch with Reneé Rosen, author of Let's Call Her Barbie, as we toast all the amazing talent we have had over the past 36 years and kick off this year’s Festival of Arts, Books and Culture! 

Member: $50 | Guest: $60 | Kosher brunch included

Sunday, November 2

Dr. Jared Dashevsky, MD
3:00PM | Lahn Social Hall 
Where Did My Doctor Go? The Impact of Corporate Medicine on YOUR Healthcare
In Conversation with Dr. Barney Kaplan, President of HQSI

Have you noticed your doctor’s office feels different than it used to? Join us for a conversation with Dr. Jared Dashevsky as he discusses how corporate takeovers and hospital system shifts are transforming our healthcare experience and reshaping patient care. Dr. Dashevsky, a Cherry Hill East alum, is a physician, healthcare systems engineer, and founder of Healthcare Huddle,
a newsletter reaching over 30,000 healthcare professionals. 

Free and open to the community. Pre-registration required.

Sponsored by: Healthcare Quality Strategies, Inc (HQSI)

Jane Eisner
7:00PM | Lahn Social Hall
Carole King: She Made the Earth Move
With music by Suzanne O Davis
In conversation with Suzanne O Davis

Jane Eisner chronicles Carole King’s extraordinary career and personal struggles, highlighting her impact on American music. Following the conversation with Jane, musician Suzanne O Davis will perform an energetic and heartfelt performance of songs from Carole King’s Grammy winning album, Tapestry. You will feel the Earth Move under your feet with this show! 

Sponsored by: Townsend Foundation, Judith Nadell and John Langan

Historical Fiction Panel
10:00AM | Lahn Social Hall
Moderated by Pam Jenoff

Last Twilight in Paris - Pam Jenoff
Louise, adjusting to postwar life, discovers a necklace linked to her Red Cross work in Nazi-occupied Europe and her friend Franny’s mysterious death. Tracing it to Paris with her former boss, she uncovers the dark history of Lévitan, a department store turned Nazi prison, and the story of Helaine, an imprisoned woman. Last Twilight in Paris is a gripping tale of mystery, resistance, and love.

The Forgotten Italian Restaurant - Barbara Josselsohn
When Callie arrives in the Italian village of Caccipulia, a faded menu from her Connecticut home sparks a search for her grandmother’s World War II past. Learning of a family who secretly fed Jews in hiding, Callie hopes her Nonna was involved—until she uncovers a grave mistake that endangered the town. Faced with the truth, Callie must decide whether to stay and make amends or leave Italy behind.

The Red House – Mary Morris
Thirty years after her mother Viola vanished, artist Laura returns to Italy seeking answers hidden in Viola’s haunting paintings of a red house. With only cryptic messages and fragments of the past, Laura embarks on a journey to uncover secrets buried since World War II. Blending elements of true crime, Laura follows her mother’s trajectory as she ventures north to Naples, Turin and finally home. Along the way she confronts the dark truth of her mother’s story and at last makes sense of her own.

Monday, November 3

B.A. Shapiro
1:00PM | Lahn Social Hall
The Lost Masterpiece

When Tamara Rubin inherits Party on the Seine, a long-lost Manet painting once believed destroyed, she also inherits a mystery tied to her ancestor, Impressionist Berthe Morisot. Spanning Paris in the late 1800s to the present, the story uncovers Berthe’s remarkable life and artistic legacy against the odds faced by women painters of her time.

Jonathan Branfman
7:00PM | Lahn Social Hall
Millennial Jewish Stars: Navigating Racial Antisemitism, Masculinity, and White Supremacy
In conversation with Allie Cogan McHaley, Jewish Millennial and Development Associate at JFSNJ

Branfman uses Jewish pop culture figures to show how antisemitism intersects with race, revealing its varied impact on white Jews and Jews of color. Whether or not you follow the stars that are highlighted, Branfman offers illuminating insights about race, antisemitism, and Jewishness in America today.

Tuesday, November 4

Laney Katz Becker
10:00AM | Lahn Social Hall
In the Family Way

In 1965, when women’s rights were sharply limited, Lily Berg takes in Betsy, a pregnant teen from a home for unwed mothers, setting off a chain of personal and moral complications. As secrets and crises unfold among friends and family, the women navigate pregnancy, marriage, and survival in a society stacked against them.

Alka Joshi
1:00PM | Lahn Social Hall
Six Days in Bombay
In conversation with Arielle Ben-Haim, Women's Philanthropy Associate at JFSNJ 

In 1937 Bombay, nurse Sona Falstaff is entrusted with three paintings and a cryptic note from Jewish-Indian artist Mira Novak, who dies mysteriously just days after they meet. Her journey to deliver them across Europe amid rising fascism becomes a dangerous path to uncovering Mira’s fate and her own self-discovery.

Wednesday, November 5

Judith Pearson
10:00AM | Lahn Social Hall
Radical Sisters

Radical Sisters tells the story of Rose Kushner, Shirley Temple Black, and Evelyn Lauder, three women whose personal battles with breast cancer ignited a movement to reform outdated medical practices, improve treatment access, and raise global awareness. Their activism and influence led to landmark legislation, major research funding, and the creation of the pink ribbon as an enduring symbol of the fight against breast cancer.

Adam Chandler
7:00PM | Lahn Social Hall
99% Perspiration: A New Working History of the American Way of Life

Adam Chandler explores America’s deepening wealth gap and the failing myth of meritocracy by interviewing people across the country and examining history’s true stories behind “hard work.” 99% Perspiration challenges the obsession with bootstrapping, revealing how the American dream has become a complex struggle for many.

David Denby
1:00PM | Lahn Social Hall
Eminent Jews
In conversation with Seth Friedman, Vice President at Creative Web Group and Creative Print Group

David Denby profiles Leonard Bernstein, Mel Brooks, Betty Friedan, and Norman Mailer—brilliant, brash, and deeply Jewish-American icons who reshaped culture after World War II. Though working in different fields, each used newfound freedom to challenge norms, transforming music, humor, gender roles, and the American psyche. Denby offers a candid, celebratory portrait of their genius and flaws, revealing ambition, vulnerability, and the fierce pride that drove their cultural revolutions.

Contemporary Fiction Panel
10:00AM | Lahn Social Hall
Moderated by Minna Siegel, Temple Beth Sholom Librarian 

Such Good People - Amy Blumenfeld
During her freshman year in Manhattan, April meets Rudy, and in an instant, their lives are upended—Rudy is arrested, April expelled, and Rudy imprisoned. Years later, married to attorney Peter with three children, April’s past resurfaces when Rudy is up for parole, threatening Peter’s political career. Suddenly, she must choose between protecting the life she built or confronting the man who sacrificed everything to make it possible.

The Eight Heartbreaks of Hanukkah - Jean Meltzer
Evelyn Schwartz has the perfect Hanukkah planned: eight busy days producing a live musical of A Christmas Carol. But an accident lands her in the medical bay, where her ex-husband David Adler is filling in. As hallucinations tied to past heartbreaks draw her back to him, Evelyn and David reconnect. Between a high-pressure production and lingering feelings, they wonder if a Hanukkah miracle could give them a future together.

Sisters of Fortune - Esther Chehebar
The Cohen sisters, three Syrian Jewish women from Brooklyn, navigate love, tradition, and modern life. Fortune questions her upcoming wedding, Nina faces temptation from a childhood friend, and Lucy sneaks around with an older bachelor. Under the watchful eyes of their grandmother and anxious mother, they balance family expectations, ambition, and romance. Sisters of Fortune is a heartfelt, humorous story of coming-of-age, community, and the ties that bind over food.

Thursday, November 6

Tova Mirvis
1:00PM | Lahn Social Hall
We Would Never

Hailey Gelman is stunned when she becomes a suspect in her soon-to-be ex-husband Jonah’s murder. Once the family peacemaker, she faces a bitter separation, custody battle, and escalating conflicts. Her mother Sherry will stop at nothing, brother Nate struggles to protect her, and patriarch Solomon harbors a dangerous secret. As tensions rise, the family must confront who they are and how far they’ll go for each other. Inspired by true events.

Holocaust Rescue Panel
1:00PM | Lahn Social Hall
In conversation with Robin Lewis, Esther Raab Holocaust Museum & Goodwin Education Center Volunteer

One in Six Million - Amy Fish
Tells the remarkable true story of Maria, found as an infant in 1942 near Krosno, Poland, with a note revealing her name and birthdate. Raised by a Polish couple, she wondered about her Jewish identity. Years later, Stanley Diamond and a team of volunteers used records, photos, and DNA to reconnect Maria with the family she thought was lost forever, uncovering astonishing revelations along the way.

In the Garden of the Righteous: The Heroes Who Risked Their Lives to Save Jews During the Holocaust - Richard Hurowitz Chronicles the extraordinary acts of courage during the Holocaust, focusing on ten non-Jewish heroes recognized by Yad Vashem as “Righteous Among the Nations.” Figures like Raoul Wallenberg, Oskar Schindler, Irena Sendler, and Gino Bartali risked their lives to save persecuted neighbors. Deeply researched and moving, the book reveals how these individuals defied authorities, secured safe passage, and provided hiding places despite immense danger.

Friday, November 7

Barrett Rollins
10:00AM | Lahn Social Hall
First the Patient: The Life & Times of David G. Nathan, MD
In conversation with Susan Bass Levin, former President of Cooper Hospital Foundation, former Mayor of Cherry Hill

David Nathan, MD, a pioneering hematologist and compassionate physician, transformed modern medicine by balancing scientific breakthroughs with deep empathy and patient care. Rising from his socially conscious Jewish upbringing, he led major hospitals through crises while always putting patients first.

Sponsored by: Virtua Physical Therapy

Dara Henry
11:00AM | Family Activity Center
Hanukkah Pajamakkahs (Family Friendly Event)

Join us for a one of a kind pajama party as we jump into a playful picture book that celebrates Hanukkah traditions, sibling bonds, and the joy of wearing pajamas. When Ruthie receives pajamakkahs for Hanukkah, she loves them so much she refuses to take them off―for all eight nights. With globs of humor, a big splatter of love, and out of the gift-box creativity, Hanukkah Pajamakkahs is a fresh, new celebration of a special holiday. 

Don’t forget to wear your favorite PJs! 

Community-Wide Kristallnacht Observance

Debórah Dwork
7:00PM | Lahn Social Hall
Saints and Liars: The Story of Americans Who Saved Refugees From the Nazis
 
Historian Debórah Dwork chronicles the courageous efforts of American aid workers like Martha and Waitstill Sharp who risked everything to rescue Jews and dissidents across Europe and beyond during WWII. Drawing on extensive archives, the book reveals the moral complexities and perilous decisions faced amid the refugee crisis and Nazi pursuit.

Sunday, November 9

Barbara Finkelstein & Séamus McElearney
10:00AM | Lahn Social Hall
Flipping Capo: How the FBI Dismantled the Real Sopranos 

In his early FBI days, Séamus McElearney went from transcribing mob wiretaps to helping arrest 39 mafia suspects, including DeCavalcante soldier Anthony Capo. Within a week, he made history by flipping Capo, who confessed to murders and conspiracies and agreed to aid the government. Their unlikely alliance exposed a vast criminal network, leading to RICO convictions of the entire DeCavalcante hierarchy—the “real Sopranos.”

Barry Joseph
2:00PM | Lahn Social Hall
Matching Minds with Sondheim: The Puzzles and Games of the Broadway Legend
 
Explores the lesser-known passion of Stephen Sondheim for puzzles and games, revealing how his playful creativity extended beyond musical theater. Drawing on rare materials and interviews, Barry Joseph invites readers to experience Sondheim’s inventive puzzles and the joy they brought to his collaborators 

Jewish Voices in Classic Literature Panel
10:00AM | Lahn Social Hall
Moderated by Lisa Muchnick Coriano, Associate Executive Director of the Katz JCC

Fagin the Thief - Allison Epstein
Reimagines Charles Dickens’ notorious character Jacob Fagin, portraying him as a skilled Jewish pickpocket navigating 19th-century London’s shadows while challenging antisemitic stereotypes.

Rebecca of Ivanhoe - Alison Bass
Continues the story of Rebecca, the Jewish healer from Ivanhoe, as she builds a life in medieval Spain amid persecution, forging alliances and love while surviving religious and political turmoil.

Monday, November 10

Elizabeth Hyman
1:00PM | Lahn Social Hall
The Girl Bandits of the Warsaw Ghetto: The True Story of Five Courageous Young Women Who Sparked an Uprising
In conversation with Joan Bloch, PhD, WHNP, Esther Raab Holocaust Museum & Goodwin Education Center Volunteer

Elizabeth Hyman uncovers the overlooked stories of five young Polish Jewish women who played vital roles as fighters and couriers in the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. Their bravery and resilience challenge the male-centered narrative of the Holocaust’s most famous act of resistance.

Historical Fiction Panel
10:00AM | Lahn Social Hall
Moderated by Amy Spiegel, Librarian at the Cherry Hill Public Library

Typewriter Beach - Meg Waite Clayton
In 1957 Isabella Giori, under a studio contract, meets Léon Chazan, a blacklisted Jewish screenwriter, during a secret Hollywood rendezvous that leads them down foggy Big Sur roads. Decades later, screenwriter Gemma Chazan discovers her grandfather’s Carmel cottage hiding a WWII-era passport, old camera, two scripts, and an uncredited writing Oscar—uncovering secrets that raise questions about the true identity and legacy of the elusive Chazan.

The Umbrella Maker’s Son: A Novel of WWII - Tod Lending
Seventeen-year-old Reuven, raised in a middle-class Polish Jewish family, loses everything when the Nazis invade Poland. Fleeing through the countryside, he faces betrayal, danger, and the fragile kindness of strangers while searching for Zelda, the girl he loves. The Umbrella Maker’s Son vividly captures Kraków during World War II, blending historical accuracy with a heartfelt story of family, love, survival, and resilience amid chaos and profound loss.

The Trade Off - Samantha Woodruff
Bea Abramovitz, a brilliant young Jewish woman in 1920s Wall Street, strives to turn her talent for numbers into success. In a world offering few opportunities for women, she secretly teams up with her charming but reckless twin brother, Jake, to navigate finance. As fortunes rise, Bea foresees disaster and must seize control. The Trade Off, inspired by a true male investing pioneer, explores identity, sacrifice, family, and the moral complexities of money.

Tuesday, November 11

Susan Dominus
1:00PM | Lahn Social Hall
The Family Dynamic: A Journey into the Mystery of Sibling Success 
In conversation with Cantor Jen Cohen, Temple Beth Sholom

Susan Dominus explores how families produce multiple high-achieving siblings, weaving stories of notable Jewish families like the Emanuels, Epsteins, and Wassersteins. Blending intimate histories with social science, the book examines the roles of parenting, ambition, and sibling rivalry in shaping success.

Film | Looking UP
7:00PM | Lahn Social Hall
ELENA NEUMAN | 2025
1 HR 11 MINS | USA | ENGLISH

Looking UP tells the inspiring story of Eitan Armon, who, despite losing most of his vision to Retinitis Pigmentosa, conquers the daunting climb of Yosemite’s El Capitan. Diagnosed at 20 during his military service, Eitan’s resilience and positivity drive his extraordinary journey. 
Following the film, producer/director Elena Neuman will join Adam Roth, Regional Director of Disability Services for JFSNJ, for a discussion.

Wednesday, November 12

Luncheon with Jennifer Weiner
11:30AM | Lahn Social Hall
The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits 
In conversation with Marcy Dash Friedman, owner, Dashing Designs Inc., past JCC President

Follows pop duo Cassie and Zoe Grossberg, whose rise and sudden breakup defined early 2000s stardom. Two decades later, their estranged lives collide when Zoe’s daughter tries to reunite them, uncovering long-buried secrets and testing their complicated family bonds.

Sponsored by: Dashing Designs Inc.

Christine Kuehn 
7:00PM | Lahn Social Hall
Family of Spies: A World War II Story of Nazi Espionage, Betrayal, and the Secret History Behind Pearl Harbor

Family of Spies is fast-paced history at its finest and will rewrite the narrative of December 7, 1941, which uncovers the shocking true story of the Kuehns, a Berlin family who became Nazi and Japanese agents and aided the attack on Pearl Harbor. After Ruth Kuehn’s affair with a Nazi leader, he sent her half-Jewish family to Hawaii to spy for Japan. Christine’s investigation intertwines with this gripping tale of wartime espionage in Germany, Japan, and Hawaii.

Thursday, November 13

Marilyn Simon Rothstein
10:00AM | Lahn Social Hall
Who Loves You Best
 
Jodi Wexler, a devoted grandmother and podiatrist, heads to the Berkshires to help care for her granddaughter, only to find two other grandmas already competing for Macallan’s affection. This heartfelt novel explores family dynamics and the humorous chaos of too many grandmothers.

Tami Luchow
1:00PM | Lahn Social Hall
Poems for a Memory
In conversation with Nina Staiman, Director of Disability Services 
 
Tami Luchow’s collection Poems for A Memory is more about notes on a life lived with purpose, thoughtfulness, and a search for meaning. The book inspires readers to take action and create meaningful change.

Ladies Night Out with Lauren Tetenbaum
7:00PM | Lahn Social Hall
Millennial Menopause: Preparing for Perimenopause, Menopause, and Life’s Next Period
In conversation with Lauren Butler Rosner, JCC Board Member

Bring your girlfriends for a night of cocktails (or mocktails) and let’s talk menopause—because some hot flashes are better shared with laughter, (kosher) light bites, and good company.

Lauren Tenenbaum tackles the stigma and mysteries surrounding menopause, offering millennial women a relatable, research-backed guide to navigating midlife hormonal changes. Drawing on expert insights and personal stories, the book addresses how menopause impacts health, emotions, careers, and relationships.

Member: $36 | Guest: $45 | Kosher snacks included 

Patron Perks

Patron ticket holders will receive a punch card to be shown at each event.

Diamond 

Member: $540 | Guest: $612

Includes reserved seating and access to all 36 events, including: 

Sapphire

Member: $360 | Guest: $420

Includes reserved seating and access to 30 events, including Saturday night events. 

Series

Member: $270 | Guest: $330

Includes reserved seating and access to 30 events.

*Does not include Champagne Brunch, Luncheon, and the Saturday night events. Tickets for these events must be purchased separately. 

Festival Schedule

Corey Paige
7:00PM | Lahn Social Hall
An Evening of Happiness with Artist Corey Paige

Corey Paige is a New York-based artist, muralist, and entrepreneur known for her vibrant designs that inspire positivity, kindness, and individuality. With collaborations spanning world-famous brands and murals featured from JFK Airport to Miami’s Wynwood Arts District, Corey’s joyful message has reached millions. Corey will share her story and her inspiration, followed by an opportunity to meet her and shop her collections.

Local Authors Panel
3:00PM | Family Activity Center
Moderated by: Anne McCracken, Katz JCC Librarian 

True Hospitality: Lessons Learned from Behind the Concierge Desk – Jamie Cooperstein
At twenty-two, Jamie Cooperstein dreamed of being a sports journalist, but a concierge uniform at the Rittenhouse Hotel changed everything. True Hospitality is her witty, humorous memoir about discovering a calling behind the concierge desk. Through stories of outrageous guest requests, lavish events, celebrity stays, and smoke-filled lobbies, Cooperstein explores the true meaning of hospitality and how working in luxury hotels shaped her journey and defined her career.

Emotion-Savvy Parenting: A Shame Free Guide to Navigating Emotional Storms and Deepening Connection – Dr. Alissa Jerud
Emotion-Savvy Parenting offers a science-based, empowering guide to managing the emotions that often overwhelm parents. Dr. Alissa Jerud presents the ART (Accept, Regulate, Tolerate) framework, rooted in cognitive-behavioral strategies, helping parents focus on what they can control—their own behaviors. With compassion, wit, real-life examples, and step-by-step techniques, the book teaches parents to model emotional skill, deepen connections with their children, and create a more harmonious home from infancy through the teen years.

The Master of Drums: Gene Krupa and the Music He Gave the World – Elizabeth Rosenthal
From the 1930s, Gene Krupa stood out as a drummer-fronted solo artist, bringing unrestrained passion to jazz. Rocking ballrooms, nightclubs, and movies, he thrilled audiences with a talent “in his blood.” Ms. Rosenthal delivers a celebratory, thoroughly researched portrait of this music legend, whose influence shaped rock-era drummers like Ringo Starr and John Bonham. Though Krupa has passed, his dynamic musical and cultural legacy endures.

Film | Of Dogs and Men
7:00PM | Lahn Social Hall
DANI ROSENBERG | 2024
1 HR 22 MINS | ISRAEL-ITALY | HEBREW WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES

As dawn breaks, 16-year-old Dar (played by actress Ori Avinoam) returns to her kibbutz in search of her missing dog who was lost in the attacks she had survived just days before. She confronts the aftermath of the massacre in her community and the horrors etched in the faces of the people around her while witnessing the stark reality of the tragedy unfolding across the fence in Gaza. Between those who seek revenge and those whose faith in mankind remains unwavering, Dar tries to find her own voice.

Film | Technion 10²
1:00PM | Lahn Social Hall
URI ROSENWAKS | 2024
1 HR 17 MINS | ISRAEL | HEBREW WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES

In 1924, the first class of the Technion opened in Haifa. It is hard to believe today that from that modest classroom on the fringes of the British Empire grew the Technion, one of the world’s leading technological research institutions. The story of the Technion’s 100 years on Mount Carmel offers a fascinating perspective on the history of the State of Israel, which the Technion grew alongside and supported. It is nearly impossible to imagine today’s 75-year-old State of Israel, with its strong economy and scientific and technological achievements, without the Technion. From the pre-state era, through dramatic wartime moments, the birth of the Startup Nation, and groundbreaking research on a global scale – the Technion has always been there. 

Friday, November 14

Saturday, November 15

Finding the Humor in History, A Night of Comedy
7:00PM | Lahn Social Hall

We are proud to celebrate 36 years of storytelling, honoring the traditions, history, and creativity that define our community. Philadelphia native Sharon Geller will open the evening with her one-woman show, Knock, Knock…Jews There? A Talmudic Take on Comedy, which highlights the vital role of laughter in Jewish life. Join us for an evening where history, humor, and tradition come together as we honor our past and look forward to the stories yet to be told. 

Member: $50 | Guest: $60
Sponsored by Platt Memorial Chapels, Inc.

Joshua S. Levy
11:00AM | Kellman Brown Academy
Finn and Ezra’s Bar Mitzvah Time Loop

Two bar mitzvah boys, Finn and Ezra, find themselves stuck reliving their big day over and over, Groundhog Day–style. Though strangers at first, they bond while trying to escape the loop. Finn, an only child from a secular family, and Ezra, from a large, traditional family, learn empathy and appreciation for each other’s differences. Their growing friendship and understanding ultimately free them from the frustrating cycle.

The Festival of Arts, Books and Culture is a cashless event.
Only credit card and checks will be accepted.  
Refunds will only be granted if program is cancelled. 

Saturday, November 8

Tal Ramon
7:00PM | Lahn Social Hall
Empower Through Music

To this day the Ramon family is a portrait of Israeli pride and heroism. Discover the personal journey of Tal Ramon, son of Israel’s first astronaut, Ilan Ramon (z”l), as he shares how he turned personal challenges into positive change by blending music, emotion, and powerful storytelling to encourage others to follow their dreams.  

Join us for an unforgettable evening of live music, celebration and inspiration.

The Festival of Arts, Books and Culture is a cashless event.
Only credit card and checks will be accepted.  
Refunds will only be granted if program is cancelled.

• November 8: Tal Ramon | Empower Through Music and post-show meet and greet
• November 9: Post-event game play with Barry Joseph 
• November 15: Finding the Humor in History, A Night of Comedy 
• Copy of Last Twilight in Paris by Pam Jenoff 
*Does not include Champagne Brunch and Luncheon. Tickets for these events must be purchased separately. 

• November 2: Champagne Brunch with Renée Rosen
• November 8: Tal Ramon | Empower Through Music and post-show meet and greet
• November 9: Post-event game play with Barry Joseph 
• November 12: Luncheon with Jennifer Weiner
• November 15: Finding the Humor in History, A Night of Comedy 
• Copy of Last Twilight in Paris by Pam Jenoff 
• Copy of Lost Masterpiece by B.A. Shapiro
• Copy of Eminent Jews by David Denby
• Special commemorative gift celebrating 36 years of the Festival of Arts, Books and Culture