Hebrew Language, Literature and Culture

September 24, 2024

12:45 pm, Mandel Center for Humanities, G11

Dr. Shlomit Aharoni Lir is a Research Fellow at Bar Ilan and Haifa University. She has authored seven books, and has been published in leading journals. Dr. Aharoni combines scholarly research with practical advocacy for social issues and gender equality.

October 7, 2024

All sessions take place in Abraham Shapiro Academic Complex, Room 209 and are open to the Brandeis community. Made possible by generous support from the Morningstar Foundation. Bagels and cream cheese from Kupel's Bakery will be served throughout the day.

10:10-11 am
Omri Nahmias is an MBA Sloan Fellow at MIT and a veteran Israeli journalist. He served as the Jerusalem Post Washington bureau chief, covering the US-Israel relationship and Israel-related legislation on Capitol Hill. Conducted in Hebrew and English.

11:15 am-12:05 pm, 12:20-1:10 pm
Itamar Haviv, Agricultural Zionism in the "Negev." Itamar Haviv has extensive experience teaching and mentoring on Jewish and Israeli heritage with a profound commitment to nurturing the younger generation in Israel. With a background in farming date trees in the Arava desert, his lectures are about the unique challenges of agriculture and life in the desert. Conducted in Hebrew and English.

2:30-3:50 pm, 4:05- 5:25 pm
Amichai Hason, an Israeli poet, curator and filmmaker, has worked as a journalist and literary critic for Israeli papers. He is one of the editors of the poetry journal "Meshiv Haruach." His poems often deal with the tension between his religious faith and artistic sensibilities and stand on the border between cultures, identities, sources and places. Conducted in Hebrew.

October 28, 2024

Dr. Liram Koblentz-Stenzler is a scholar and practitioner with a wealth of experience in the fields of counterterrorism, antisemitism, and extremism. She is the head of the Antisemitism & Global Far-Right Extremism desk at the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT), and adjunct lecturer at Reichman University. As well as a visiting Scholar at Brandeis University. She advises security agencies, organizations, and communities to understand the language, connections, and action patterns of extremist right and left wing individuals in real time, aiming to prevent acts of terrorism, incitement, and antisemitism.

Dr. Liram Koblentz-Stenzler will be speaking at: 

10-10:50 am at Golding 103

 11:15 am-12:05 pm at Golding 109 (Hebrew & English)

2:30-3:50 pm at Abraham Shapiro Academic Complex 209

4:05-5:25 pm at Abraham Shapiro Academic Complex 209 (Hebrew)

November 19, 2024

Mandel Center for the Humanities G11

Filmmaker and author Arnon Z. Shorr ’05 will delve into his latest publication, the graphic novel from the comic book series "Ben Mortara and the Thieves of the Golden Table."

The series follows a Jewish archaeologist on a globe-trotting quest to find the legendary Table of Solomon. Arnon will explore the origins of the series, his creative process, and the unique challenge he faced in guiding non-Jewish collaborators through illustrating and incorporating Hebrew into an American comic book.

Arnon Z. Shorr is an author and filmmaker of character-driven adventures and thrillers, where heroes grapple with the extraordinary, and in doing so, learn important truths about themselves. Arnon is perhaps best known for his swashbuckling graphic novel, "José and the Pirate Captain Toledano." It is an expansion of his award-winning short film about Jewish pirates in the 16th-century Caribbean. He is a 2024 Fellow of the JWI Screenwriters Lab, and a 2024-25 Fellow of the PJ Library Sephardic Stories Initiative. For more about Arnon and his work, visit www.arnonshorr.com.

Every fall, we offer a dynamic series of talks and events featuring a diverse lineup of engaging guests. Our Hebrew Language and Arts Festival emphasizes experiential learning methods, fostering a sense of agency, belonging, and competency.

Festival Highlights

• Interactive Workshops: Explore hands-on sessions that blend language learning with artistic expression.
• Guest Speaker Talks: Gain insights from leading figures in Hebrew language, music, theater, film, fine arts, and more.
• Cultural Immersion: Experience the rich aspects of Israeli culture through performances, exhibitions, and discussions.
• Community Interaction: Connect with fellow enthusiasts and practitioners in a supportive and stimulating environment.

• "The Evolution of U.S.-Israel Relations: Insights from Jerusalem to Washington" by Omri Nahmias, Veteran Israeli Journalist
• "Narratives of Politics and Conflict: A Deep Dive" by Michal Ben-Josef Hirsch
• "Middle Eastern Geopolitics: The Israeli-Arab Conflict and Agricultural Innovation" by Itamar Haviv

• "The Israeli Flute: A Cultural and Musical Journey" by Amir Milstein
• "Contemporary Middle Eastern Music: Trends and Influences" by Akram Haddad

• Angels in America in Israel: Diversity in Modern Israeli Theater Repertoire
  • The Brandeis Hebrew program welcomes theater translator, writer, and director Eli Bijaoui. Eli Bijaoui has translated and adapted nearly 100 classics, modern plays, and musicals from both English and French into Hebrew, along with writing original creations and directing for Israel's repertory theaters. His works include classics such as Molière’s Tartuffe and Miser and Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and Othello; modern plays such as Tony Kushner’s Angels in America; and musicals such as Mamma Mia, Cabaret, West Side Story, Avenue Q and Stephen Sondheim's Passion.
• "In Between: A Personal Exploration of Palestinian-Israeli Identity" by Ibrahim Miari
  • This semi-autobiographical one-man show portrays the complexities and contradictions inherent in Palestinian-Israeli identity. Those same complexities and contradictions define Miari's life “in between” two worlds. Miari transcends today’s political distractions and reminds us of the deeper inner struggles and bonds that link us all.
• "The Rhythm Connection" by Noa Barankin, Israeli performing artist
  • Barankin created "DrumatiX," a rhythm based dance company where participants explore different rhythms and beats through percussion.

• "Meet the Director: Renen Schorr and the Legacy of 'Late Summer Blues'"
• "The Israeli Film Industry Post-October 7th" by Film Critic Avner Shavit

• "Reviving Hebrew: Insights from My Great Grandfather, the Prophet" by Gil Hovav
• "The Linguistic Identity of Modern Israelis: Do We Really Speak Hebrew?" by Ghil'ad Zuckermann
• "Text and the City: Learning Hebrew through Urban Exploration" by Guy Sharett

• "Cinematic Photography and Identity: A Conversation" by Adi Nes (bilingual presentation)
• "Exploring Israeli Masculinity and War through Photography" by Adi Nes

• "Overcoming Second Language Anxiety and Optimizing Problem Solving" by Dr. Dalia Olshvang
• "Designing Small Spaces for Balance and Harmony" by Vered Rosen

• "Innovative Education: Comparing High Tech Schools in Tel Aviv and the U.S." by Ran Cohen
• "Art Without Boundaries: Engaging Local Voices in Israeli Cultural Institutions"

• "The Neuroscience of Storytelling: Insights from 'Jerusalem Beach'" by Iddo Gefen

• "The Evolution of Israeli Food Culture in America" by Ilan Barniv