JCC Greater Boston

JCC Greater Boston is the primary destination for Jewish engagement, a hub of learning and celebration, and a connector to Jewish life. Whether it's in an early learning classroom, on the fields of one of many camps, or on stage at a public lecture, the JCC is a place where individuals and families encounter Jewish ideas and values. Serving more than 50,000 people in the Greater Boston area, the JCC offers innovative programs for children, youth, and adults.

http://www.bostonjcc.org/Home.aspx

The War on Ukraine: Can Putin be Stopped?

Thu, May 18, 2023

It's been more than a year since Russia launched its devastating invasion of Ukraine. The conflict has challenged the world order and fueled geopolitical and economic uncertainty around the world. We examine the U.S. role in the War in Ukraine, providing more than $30 billion in military aid since the conflict began, but stopping short of deploying American forces. Panel of experts discusses how to continue to support Ukraine without inching closer to a direct U.S.-Russian confrontation and if we are at risk of World War III. Photo credit : Envato

Forum Network

Jonathan Samen Hot Buttons, Cool Conversations

Partner:

JCC Greater Boston
Parent Trap: Are We Raising Wimps or Warriors?

Wed, Jan 25, 2023

For decades, parents have been bombarded by messages imploring them to do more for their children. There has been a cultural shift expecting parents to do everything from playing to problem solving. In this effort to protect their children, many parents have actually stripped them of their coping capabilities. In our latest Jonathan Samen Hot Buttons, Cool Conversations discussion series we ask, how can those who mean only the best for their kids end up hampering their development? We will look at cultural differences and varying parenting styles to examine if doing less is actually helping more.

Forum Network

Jonathan Samen Hot Buttons, Cool Conversations

Partner:

JCC Greater Boston
Michael Twitty on Dishes on Food, Faith & Koshersoul

Wed, Sep 21, 2022

The Jonathan Samen Hot Buttons, Cool Conversations Discussion Series gets off to an exciting start. Michael Twitty is the James Beard award-winning author and culinary historian of The Cooking Gene and the recently released Koshersoul: The Faith & Food Identity of an African American Jew. He has baked challah with Jewish cooking maestro Joan Nathan and guided Padma Lakshmi of "Top Chef" fame on southern cooking. As a Black, Jewish, gay man, Twitty embodies many identities. Food is where he brings his whole self. Michael Twitty is in conversation with Robin Washington, an acclaimed veteran journalist and The Forward's Editor-at-Large.

Forum Network

Jonathan Samen Hot Buttons, Cool Conversations, Food and Wellness

Partner:

JCC Greater Boston
Hot Buttons - An Unprecedented Court

Thu, Mar 31, 2022

We examine the nation’s top court and its power to determine the direction of a host of hot button issues. With the court's actions to leave an abortion law in place last fall, we look to what the public should expect in laws on privacy and reproductive rights this spring. As the court signals its willingness to reconsider precedents, we will look at what other laws may be up for grabs. Our expert panel will examine how the current court see issues like gay marriage, gun rights, and religion from various perspectives. Panelists: Gary Lawson, Boston University Law Professor Melissa Murray, New York University Law Professor Jed Handelsman Shugerman, Fordham Law School Professor Moderator: Michael J. Gerhardt, Burton Craige Distinguished Professor of Jurisprudence IMAGE CREDITS: [The U.S. Supreme Court” by Geoff Livingston. Image cropped and blurred. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.](https://www.flickr.com/photos/9397412@N06/32889246102) [“A protester against the confirmation of U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh outside the Warren E. Burger Federal Building in St. Paul, Minnesota” by Lorie Shaull. Image cropped. CC BY-SA 2.0.](https://www.flickr.com/photos/11020019@N04/29600407857) "A protester against the confirmation of U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh outside the Warren E. Burger Federal Building in St. Paul, Minnesota" by Lorie Shaull. CC BY-SA 2.0.

Forum Network

Jonathan Samen Hot Buttons, Cool Conversations

Partner:

JCC Greater Boston
Book Bans, CRT and a Country Divided in the Classroom

Tue, Jan 25, 2022

From book banning to teaching of critical race theory, educators and parents across the county are clashing over what can and can’t be taught in the classroom. Teachers are caught in the middle of some of the biggest flash points in this country’s culture wars. We examine the role of school boards and some state laws that are fueling the latest culture wars. Tom Edsall, Professor of Political Journalism at Columbia University and New York Times Opinion Writer, moderates a discussion with Adam Harris, Staff Writer at the Atlantic, Nicholas Tampio, Professor of Political Science at Fordham University, and Rebecca Jacobsen, Professor of Education Policy at Michigan State University.

Forum Network

Jonathan Samen Hot Buttons, Cool Conversations

Partner:

JCC Greater Boston
Hot Buttons/Cool Conversations: Covid Culture Wars

Thu, Oct 14, 2021

President Biden’s aggressive plan to boost vaccination levels in this country comes as millions of Americans refuse to protect themselves against the deadly virus. Those opposing vaccines and masks mandates fall along partisan lines, making the issue more about politics than public health. Mask wearing and vaccines have emerged as a new front in America’s culture wars. David Graham, staff writer at The Atlantic, leads a discussion examining how these public health measures have become a hot button political calling card. Joining him are Art Caplan, Professor of Bioethics at NYU Langone Medical Center; Lawrence Gostin, Professor in Global Health Law at Georgetown; and Carmel Shachar, Executive Director of the Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology & Bioethics at Harvard Law School.

Forum Network

Partner:

JCC Greater Boston
Cancel Culture through a Jewish Lens

Tue, May 25, 2021

Whether it’s Dr. Seuss, J.K. Rowling, or Mr. Potato Head, allegations of cancel culture seem to dominate the recent headlines. Fueled by social media, cancel culture has earned a consistent spot in the news cycle this past year. Yet the exact meaning of this phenomenon and movement is still up for debate as society weighs the balance of free speech and accountability. Rachel Fish, Executive Director of the Foundation to Combat Anti-Semitism, moderates a discussion with Rabbi Irwin Kula, Co-President of Clal, The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership; Andrew Rehfeld, President of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion; and Cathy Young, Journalist and Author of "Growing up in Moscow: Memories of a Soviet Girlhood." _This event is part of the JCC Greater Boston's Hot Buttons, Cool Conversations acclaimed discussion series bringing together distinguished scholars, thought leaders and expert moderators for thought-provoking dialogue on issues of concern to the Jewish community and beyond. Produced in partnership with GBH Forum Network._

Forum Network

Jonathan Samen Hot Buttons, Cool Conversations

Partner:

JCC Greater Boston
Racial Justice in America: Reflections on the Past, Present and Future

Tue, Mar 02, 2021

In 2020, people across the United States took to the streets to protest racism and police brutality. In this Hot Buttons, Cool Conversations event, we examine how structural racism has fueled inequity and reflect on our nation’s long legacy of racial injustice. We explore how America's current engagement in fighting racial oppression differs from movements in the past, and look ahead to the future, and the hope for meaningful change. Associated Press investigative reporter Kat Stafford moderates a conversation with Dr. Keisha N. Blain, Associate Professor of History at the University of Pittsburgh and the president of the African American Intellectual History Society and Dr. Khalil Gibran Muhammad, professor of History, Race and Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School and the Suzanne Young Murray Professor at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Studies. This event is part of the JCC Greater Boston's Hot Buttons, Cool Conversations acclaimed discussion series bringing together distinguished scholars, thought leaders and expert moderators for thought-provoking dialogue on issues of concern to the Jewish community and beyond. Produced in partnership with GBH Forum Network. Image: Life Matters, Pexels

Forum Network

Jonathan Samen Hot Buttons, Cool Conversations

Partner:

JCC Greater Boston
The Electoral College: Is Reform Needed?

Wed, Dec 16, 2020

As we move past the contentious 2020 election, one particular question has surfaced once again this election cycle: Is the way we elect the President in this country still working? The electoral college – our nation’s complicated method of electing presidents -- has been under fire since its inception more than 200 years ago. The system allows one candidate to win the popular vote but another to win the electoral vote and thus the Presidency. Four candidates in U.S. history have won the popular vote but not the Presidency as they did not secure enough votes in the Electoral College. Join us for a closer look at the roles race, politics, and geography have played in the electoral college and explore if reform is needed or not. Panelists representing varying perspectives on voting and the electoral college include Amel Ahmed, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Massachusetts Amherst and Erin Geiger Smith, journalist and author of the book “Thank you for Voting.” Jesse Wegman, a member of the New York Times editorial board, will moderate the discussion. Presented by JCC Greater Boston as the latest in their Jonathan Samen Hot Buttons, Cool Conversations discussion series and co-produced with GBH Forum Network .

Forum Network

Partner:

JCC Greater Boston
Can Faith and Politics be Separated?

Thu, Jan 30, 2020

Communities across America are divided over politics, culture, identity, and the direction of the country. Are religious congregations any different? How do religious leaders today navigate deeply divisive issues — like the Middle East, gay marriage, abortion, the immigration crisis — in their own communities? We'll look at the intersection of faith and politics and discuss religious leaders views on engaging in social activism. We’ll examine the role religious leaders play in such partisan times.

Forum Network

Jonathan Samen Hot Buttons, Cool Conversations

Partner:

JCC Greater Boston