Registration
7 a.m. to 8 p.m. | Pembroke Field Tent
Attendees should pick up their name badges when they arrive on campus. Name badges will grant access to all events throughout the weekend.
The Morning Spread: A Bagel and Lox Breakfast
8 to 10 a.m. | Pembroke Field Tent
Start your day with a breakfast catered by Brown’s Kosher Kitchen.
Shabbat Services
9:30 a.m. to noon | Brown RISD Hillel and Alumnae Hall, Auditorium and Crystal Room
Join Brown students and faculty to celebrate Shabbat and reflect on this week’s Torah portion alongside alumni rabbis and cantors. Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform minyanim are available.
Orthodox: Brown RISD Hillel
Reform: Alumnae Hall, Auditorium
Conservative: Alumnae Hall, Crystal Room
Highlights of Brown Library Collections Related to Jewish Life and History
10 a.m. to noon | drop-in hours at John Carter Brown and John Hay Libraries
The John Carter Brown and John Hay libraries contain superb materials related to Jewish life and history at Brown and in Rhode Island. Join one of four sessions to learn more about these collections, which house some of the best-kept secrets on campus. Drop in and visit these libraries, some of the best kept secrets on campus. At the John Carter Brown Library, view highlights from the early American collections and learn how they shed light on Brown’s history, as well as the legacy of religious freedom and tolerance for Jewish life in Rhode Island. At the John Hay Library, see highlights from the collections of Jewish alumni like American humorist and screenwriter S.J. Perelman (1925), material illustrating Jewish life at Brown in the 20th century, and highlights of the library’s Judaica collection, including rare Haggadot.
NOTE: The John Carter Brown and John Hay libraries are stops on a self-guided tour that highlights a number of locations on campus with a connection to Brown Jewish history; attendees can take the self-guided tour of campus at their leisure at any time during the weekend, although the libraries will be open only at limited times.
Faculty Seminar: Why Nothing Works
10 to 10:45 a.m. | Metcalf Research Building, Friedman Auditorium
The United States was once a country that built big things: the world’s greatest rail network, a vast electrical grid, interstate highways, abundant housing, the Social Security system, the Tennessee Valley Authority, and more. Now, amid a host of pressing challenges—a housing shortage, a climate crisis, a dilapidated infrastructure—the country feels stuck. Based on his new bestselling book, “Why Nothing Works: Who Killed Progress–and How to Bring it Back,” Marc Dunkelman will explain how progressives have historically swung back and forth between two opposing impulses: the desire to achieve progress by empowering government and institutions to tackle big problems and protecting the rights and freedoms of ordinary citizens. In this talk, he will discuss what progressives must do to break through today’s frustrations and paralysis—and to restore faith in democracy.
Speakers
- Marc J. Dunkelman, Fellow at the Thomas J. Watson Jr. School of International and Public Affairs
- Pamela Reeves ’87, P’22, international development and policy strategist, Vice Chancellor of the Corporation of Brown University
Faculty Seminar: Western Civilization and the Birth Rate
10 to 10:45 a.m. | Stephen Robert ’62 Campus Center, Kasper Multipurpose Room
In 1906, some of the most prominent economists and sociologists in the country met at Faunce House to discuss a perplexing phenomenon: American women, particularly educated women, were having fewer babies than they used to. The scholars discussed the drivers of this new phenomenon as well as its implications. Had the emancipation of women gone too far? Were excessive individualism and the decline in religion to blame? Did growing up in a small family stunt a child’s development? Should the government be subsidizing births? Participants celebrated the new vistas of professional accomplishment and upward mobility now open to women, but at the time worried about “race suicide,” a term that one of them had coined a few years earlier. David Weil discusses the 1906 conference in relation to the often problematic intellectual currents of that time as well as the current round of popular worry regarding low fertility in the United States and many other countries. Some modern concerns, such as how low fertility affects the financing of the Social Security system, were completely absent 12 decades ago. But many elements, including the denunciation of excessive individualism, worry about immigration, and uneasiness about women’s changing role in society and the economy, have persisted largely intact.
Faculty
- David Weil ’82, P’21, P’24, James and Merryl Tisch Professor of Economics
Faculty Seminar: The Cost of Conviction
10 to 10:45 a.m. | MacMillan Hall, Room 117
How do we make decisions? Do we consider the best outcomes or prioritize our deepest values when considering what action to take? Drawing on cognitive and decision sciences, philosophy, and other fields, Steven Sloman argues that we base many of our decisions too much on sacred values, strongly-held convictions that are not necessarily religious, and react with disgust when others violate those values. This leads to political polarization. Sloman will shed light on the many conscious and unconscious principles that guide our choices—and how absolute principles can lead us astray and cause us to neglect the consequences of our decisions.
Faculty
- Steven Sloman ADE’99 hon., Professor of Cognitive and Psychological Sciences
Panel: From Generation to Generation
11 to 11:45 a.m. | Metcalf Research Building, Friedman Auditorium
What was it like to be a Jewish student at Brown in the mid-20th century? This panel will explore the unique experience of Jewish men and women at Brown and Pembroke College in the 1950s and early 1960s. During this time, chapel attendance was mandatory, fraternities were segregated, and kosher food wouldn’t be available for decades. Discussion will then fast-forward to the early 1970s and examine how the on-campus Jewish experience changed just a half-generation later. And, compare all of this to the experience of students in the 1980s and 1990s, as well as today’s campus.
Join our panelists, who lived through each of these eras—including members of multi-generational Brown families—for an informal conversation about Jewish life on campus, then and now.
Moderator
- James Hirschfeld ’91, P’25
Panelists
- Neil Hirschfeld ’59, P’84, P’85, P’91, GP’25
- Ellen Shaffer Meyer ’61, P’94
- Stuart Himmelfarb ’74
- Abram Kirschenbaum ’82, P’18, P’19
- Elizabeth Hirschfeld ’25
- Aidan R. Berman ’25
Faculty Seminar: Women of Valor – How Early Modern Jewish Women Transformed Jewish Society
11 to 11:45 a.m. | Stephen Robert ’62 Campus Center, Kasper Multipurpose Room
Join historian Adam Teller for a fascinating exploration of Jewish women’s lives in the early modern era—one of the most dynamic and creative periods in Jewish history. Discover how women became central figures in the marketplace, how their changing roles influenced the very structure of the synagogue, and how their spiritual needs inspired a new wave of Jewish literature. Through powerful short texts in women’s own voices, Professor Teller will bring to life the vibrant world they created for themselves.
Faculty
- Adam Teller, Professor of History, Professor of Judaic Studies
Faculty Seminar: Jews Talking About Food
11 to 11:45 a.m. | MacMillan Hall, Room 117
Food has always been central to Jewish life, from time-honored traditions handed down across the generations to fusion cuisines that take their inspiration from Jewish diasporic communities across the globe. Jeffrey Yoskowitz, co-author of “The Gefilte Manifesto: New Recipes for Old World Jewish Foods” and owner of The Gefilteria, will discuss new Jewish cuisine, his career as a food entrepreneur, and his focus on food as a student at Brown. He will be in conversation with Rachel Herz, neuroscientist and author of “Why You Eat What You Eat: The Science Behind Our Relationship with Food,” which explores how our senses, brain, and psychology govern our perception of food and the experiences and consequences of eating.
Speakers
- Rachel Herz, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior
- Jeffrey Yoskowitz ’07, Owner of The Gefilteria
Midday Reflections: A Shabbat Community Lunch
noon to 1:30 p.m. | Pembroke Field Tent
Enjoy lunch prepared by Brown’s Kosher Kitchen. The meal will feature a special conversation between John N. Friedman, the inaugural Vascellaro Family Dean of the Thomas J. Watson Jr. School of International and Public Affairs, and his rabbi, Sarah Mack of Temple Beth-El in Providence. Together, they will have an engaging dialogue about the Jewish world as well as Friedman’s new role.
Special Guests
- John N. Friedman, inaugural Vascellaro Family Dean of the Thomas J. Watson Jr. School of International and Public Affairs
- Rabbi Sarah Mack, Senior Rabbi of Temple Beth-El
Panel: Jewish Alumni and Their Careers – Public Service
1:30 to 2:30 p.m. | Metcalf Research Building, Friedman Auditorium
This distinguished panel of Jewish alumni will reflect on their current work in the public service arena as well as the career paths that brought them to their current positions. Panelists will reflect on how Jewish values influenced their career choices and how both their Jewish identity and their Brown education shaped who they are today. Learn about how they drew on their Brown experiences to build successful public sector careers in the public and the challenges and triumphs they encountered along the way.
Moderator
- Brett Smiley, Mayor of the City of Providence
Panelists
- David N. Cicilline ’83, President and CEO of the Rhode Island Foundation, Former U.S. Representative from Rhode Island
- Ambassador Norman Eisen (ret.) ’85, Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution
- Tara Isa Koslov ’91, P’24, Deputy Director of the Bureau of Competition, Federal Trade Commission (ret.)
- Tara Levine ’92, Chief Partnership Officer at the Blue Square Alliance Against Hate
- Matthew Meyer ’94, Governor of the State of Delaware
Panel: Jewish Alumni and Their Careers – Journalism
1:30 to 2:30 p.m. | Stephen Robert ’62 Campus Center, Kasper Multipurpose Room
Brown has been a launchpad for many prominent journalists who have made their mark in local and international media. In this lively panel, alumni and parents will explore how Jewish life, politics, and storytelling intersected during their time at Brown and shaped their careers beyond College Hill. Get the inside scoop on their journeys from the Brown Daily Herald to Vanity Fair, the Jewish Press, and even the halls of Congress.
Moderator
- Jill Zuckman ’87, Partner at SKDKnickerbocker
Panelists
- M. Charles Bakst ’66, Providence Journal political columnist
- Philissa Cramer ’05, Editor-in-Chief of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency
- Amiram Eden ’95, P’24, CEO and Executive Editor of 70 Faces Media
- Marie Brenner P’04, Writer-at-Large, Vanity Fair
Panel: Jewish Alumni and Their Careers – Theater
1:30 to 2:30 p.m. | MacMillan Hall, Room 117
Join us for a thoughtful conversation with notable Brown alumni who have made their mark across the theater world as writers, directors, actors, producers, and educators. Panelists will share how they turned their creative passions into lives in the theater and reflect on how their time at Brown helped to shape their evolution as storytellers.
Moderator
- Randy Ellen Lutterman ’86, P’26, Founding Director of American Theatre Wing’s SpringboardNYC; Vice President of Development and Arts & Culture at JCC Association of North America; former Executive Director of Musical Theatre Works
Panelists
- Sarah Brown ’87, international playwright and site-specific theatre director (“A Secret About Joy,” “Heart of a Cabinetmaker,” “Citadel of Golems”)
- Isaac Hurwitz ’00, producer (“Maybe Happy Ending,” “Water for Elephants”) and co-founder of the New York Musical Theatre Festival
- Steven Levenson ’06, playwright (“If I Forget”) and book writer of “Dear Evan Hansen”
- Ben Steinfeld ’01 MFA’05, Co-Founder and Co-Artistic Director of Fiasco Theater (“Into the Woods,” “Merrily We Roll Along,” “Pericles,” “Cymbeline”)
Panel: Jewish Alumni and Their Careers – Lights, Camera, Action! Spotlight on Film, Television, and Entertainment
2:45 to 3:45 p.m. | Metcalf Research Building, Friedman Auditorium
Over the years, Brown has produced many of the film, television, and entertainment industry’s most prolific and influential names. Join us for a candid conversation with a group of alumni filmmakers as they reflect on their time at Brown and its lasting impact on their careers. Panelists will share their earliest inspirations, discuss career-defining moments, and address the current state of the industry.
Moderator
- Rich Topol ’84, P’25, actor, director, and teacher (“Indecent”, “The Merchant of Venice”, “The Normal Heart”, “The Godfather of Harlem”)
Panelists
- Liz Garbus ’92, P’29, director, producer, and documentary filmmaker (“The Farm: Angola, USA,” “What Happened, Miss Simone?”)
- Jessica Levin ’96.5, producer (“True Detective,” “His Dark Materials,” “Shirkers”)
- Susan J. Margolin ’85, P’24, producer (“A Tree of Life,” “The Rape of Recy Taylor,” “Generation Startup”)
- Michael Showalter ’92, comedian, writer, producer, director (“The Big Sick,” “The Eyes of Tammy Faye”)
Jewish Alumni and Their Careers – Philanthropy & Jewish Professionals
2:45 to 3:45 p.m. | Stephen Robert ’62 Campus Center, Kasper Multipurpose Room
What is it about the Brown experience that leads many Jewish students and graduates to explore and make deep commitments to social justice, philanthropy, public service, Jewish values, and strengthening Jewish life? This session will explore the impact of the Brown experience on the paths alumni have taken since their time on College Hill. This session features two panels—one composed of philanthropists and managers of philanthropic initiatives, and the other composed of professionals who have led Jewish organizations, religious institutions, or community initiatives.
Moderator
- Stuart Himmelfarb ’74, CEO of B3/The Jewish Boomer Platform
Panelists
- David Altshuler ’71 AM’71, P’06, P’09, founding director of the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust in New York City, former President of The Trust for Jewish Philanthropy
- Benjamin Freeman ’13, member of the ritual team at LabShul
- Margaret Munzer Loeb ’94, P’28, Trustee of the Corporation of Brown University and Director of the Margaret and Daniel Loeb Foundation
- Gavriel Rosenfeld ’89, P’19, President of the Center for Jewish History, Professor of History at Fairfield University
Alumni Panel: How Brown Women Broke through the Jewish Stained-Glass Ceiling
4 to 5 p.m. | Salomon Center, De Ciccio Family Auditorium
Remember when rabbis and cantors were men and the only public religious leadership roles for women were in synagogue Sisterhood groups? Well, that era is over—in large part because of visionary Brown women who, as Brown students tend to do, said, “No way.” This panel explores how these Brown alumnae began breaking the stained-glass ceiling while still undergraduates and why they made history.
Moderator
- Judith Rosenbaum AM’98 PhD’04, CEO of the Jewish Women’s Archive
Panelists
- Rabbi Ayelet Cohen ’96, Pearl Resnick Dean of The Rabbinical School and Dean of the Division of Religious Leadership at The Jewish Theological Seminary
- Rabbi Laura Geller ’71, P’03, P’10, Rabbi Emerita of Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills
- Rabbi Jane Kanarek ’92, Professor of Rabbinics and Dean of the Faculty at Hebrew College
- Rabbi Sienna Lotenberg ’18
- Rabbi Julie Roth ’95, Rabbi at Shomrei Emunah
- Cantor Laureate Sarah Sager ’70, Cantor at Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple
Building Connections: Alumni and Student Networking Event
4 to 5:30 p.m. | Sayles Hall
This networking program will connect current students with alumni from a wide range of professional fields to build meaningful connections and recognize the role of relationships in career exploration and professional development. Students and alumni will have an opportunity to connect and expand their professional and community networks. Alumni of all generations are encouraged to take part.
Hosted by the Center for Career Exploration.
Film Screening: “My Italian Secret”
4 to 6 p.m. | Granoff Center, Martinos Auditorium
This film follows four characters whose personal stories reflect the larger, untold saga of Italians who courageously saved Jews and other refugees fleeing the Nazis in World War II. It focuses on Gino Bartali, the charismatic Italian cycling star and Tour de France champion, whose role in this history was never revealed during his lifetime. The film’s living characters were children in Italy under fascism; each survived World War II thanks to Italians, like Bartali, willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to save a stranger.
The screening will be followed by a conversation with the director, Oscar nominee Oren Jacoby ’77, P’17 (“Sister Rose’s Passion,” “Constantine’s Sword,” “Shadowman,” “On Broadway,” “This Is Not a Drill”).
Panelist
- James Carroll, National Book Award and Pen Literary Award-winning author (“An American Requiem,” “Constantine’s Sword,” “House of War”), historian, journalist, and former Catholic priest
- Suzanne Stewart-Steinberg, John P. Birkelund Distinguished Professor of European History, Professor of Comparative Literature and Italian Studies, Chair of Italian Studies
Havdalah
5:15 to 6 p.m. | Brown RISD Hillel
Bid farewell to this joyful Shabbat with a traditional Havdalah service.
Hillel and Chabad Reunions and Open Houses
6 to 7 p.m. | Brown RISD Hillel and Chabad of College Hill
Hillel and Chabad have been meaningful parts of many students’ experiences at Brown. Join fellow alumni who spent time in these communities attending services, creating programming, studying, and socializing. Over drinks and live music, see old friends, meet the current staff, and explore how these important spaces have grown and developed over time.
While at Hillel, please join us in the meeting room for a slide presentation of artworks by current students Joe Katzenellenbogen ’27 and Eitan Boiarsky ’19 (RISD MFA’26).
Curtain Raiser: Gala Celebration
7 to 10:30 p.m. | The Lindemann Performing Arts Center
The Lindemann Performing Arts Center will come alive for a gala celebrating Jewish Brown alumni and students in the arts. Start the evening with a one-hour reception featuring heavy passed hors d’oeuvres, beer, wine and soft drinks from the Sharpe Refectory Kosher Kitchen. Then enjoy a tribute to Tony-, Oscar-, and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Alfred Uhry ’58, author of “Driving Miss Daisy,” “The Last Night of Ballyhoo,” and the book for “Parade.” The tribute will include the performance of a scene from one of Mr. Uhry’s works and an interview with Mr. Uhry by Steven Levenson ’06, the Tony-winning playwright of the book for “Dear Evan Hansen.” The evening will conclude with a cabaret featuring our talented alumni and students. Keep an eye out for some special guests!
Please note: The Gala Celebration is a separately ticketed event with a fee of $75 per person.
Funk Nite
10 p.m. to midnight | Alumnae Hall, Auditorium
Groove to the best music of the ’70s through today at this revival of an old Brown tradition with a multicultural twist.
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