Since the Bernikow JCC opened, it has been our ambition to provide art and culture as a comprehensive part of our programming. Programs include lectures, musical performances, a book club, film club, theater trips, and more! 

If you love our cultural arts programs, please consider making a donation here. 
Your support helps us continue to present world-class entertainment and educational seminars.

Learn more about our upcoming programs below!

REGISTER HERE

HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR PROGRAM – CAFÉ EUROPA
​The JCC is looking for all Holocaust survivors on Staten Island to join its Café Europa program, which is an ongoing way to empower survivors to socialize, and share their experiences. Please, if you are a first or second generation Holocaust survivor, and are not yet participating in the Café Europa program, contact Sarah Cohen.
Contact person: Sarah Cohen
Email: Sacohen@SIJCC.com
Phone: (718) 475-524


If you missed any of the lectures or programs, you can also purchase access to a recording on demand by buying a ticket! For free programs, click here. For paid programs, click here. Recorded versions of the lectures will be available approximately 24 hours following the event.

SAJE Presents..."Toward a Feminist Interpretation of the Akedah": A Lecture by Dr. Wendy Zierler
Monday, April 12, 7pm

• Where can one find the story of the biblical Sarah in the story of the Akedah, Abraham's binding of his son Isaac? Using the tools of feminist theory and midrash, Dr. Zierler of Hebrew Union College will examine the "presence of Sarah's absence" and offer a distinctive reframing of the well-known story of Genesis 22.

Tickets are $10 and can be purchased here. Zoom information to follow registration.

​SAJE Presents... Virtual Music Lectures by Deborah Rosengaus, Mezzo Soprano
We are excited to present two new lecture series with Deborah Rosengaus, Mezzo Soprano. When she's not busy performing on stages around the world, Deborah is a skilled music history lecturer. A reviewer praised her lectures, saying: "Ms. Rosengaus’ inner performer is present in her lectures, fostering a fun, lighthearted and sometimes irreverent classroom atmosphere, perfect for classical music lovers and amateurs alike."

• In the first series, on Wednesday evenings from April 21 to May 12, Deborah will discuss Jewish Composers. This series celebrates Jewish composers from around the world, including many whose works were suppressed by the Nazis. We will listen to works by Hahn, Mendelssohn, Mahler, Bernstein, Copland, Weill, and Meyerbeer--from household names to those only now starting to receive the recognition they deserve.  Tickets are $12 per lecture OR $40 for the series and can be purchased here. Zoom information to follow registration.​
• In the second series, on Wednesday evenings from June 9 to June 30, Deborah will discuss Groundbreaking Jewish Performers. ​Jews have had a long history of distinction in the arts. We will take an in-depth look at some of the most influential Jewish performers across genres and examine their lives, their art, and how their Jewish identity played a role. From the silver screen to the concert halls of Europe, we'll explore the contributions of these incredible talents while enjoying historic recordings. Tickets are $12 per lecture OR $40 for the series and can be purchased here. Zoom information to follow registration.

​A Gracie Mansion Conservancy Virtual Art Tour... "Catalyst: Art and Social Justice"
Wednesday, April 14, 2:30pm

• Join us for a virtual tour of an art exhibition housed at Gracie Mansion! The tour will highlight works by New York artists & activists since 1960, celebrating the power of art to spark change & spur progress.

*Limited tickets available​​*
Tickets are $10 and can be purchased here. Zoom information will be sent to registered participants one week before the tour.

​SAJE Presents...The Tattooed Torah
Sunday, April 18, 6pm

• We are proud to partner with the Boulder JCC to present a FREE program in honor of Yom HaShoah. Join us for a free screening of the award-winning animated short film, "The Tattooed Torah," followed by a panel discussion with the filmmakers and narrator Ed Asner. 

"The Tattooed Torah" is a profound story of love, bonds across generations, tradition, resilience, and above all – a story of hope. Register for free here.​ Watch the film trailer here.

SAJE Presents... Derfner Judaica Museum: Impressions of Eastern Europe
Tuesday, April 20, 1pm

• Enjoy a special look at prints from the Derfner Judaica Museum's permanent collection, including lithographs, etchings, engravings and woodcuts by Eastern European artists who participated in some of the most significant art movements of the 20th century.

Donations are suggested 

SAJE Presents... Shtisel: Freudian Readings of the Hit Israeli Series with Dr. Julia Wagner
Sundays, April 25 & May 2, 12-1pm EST/ 5-6pm BST

• Shtisel tells stories of love and loss in an Israeli ultra-Orthodox Jewish community. This two-part lecture series explores the first two seasons of Shtisel in light of Freud’s writings about themes of mourning, attachment, death drives and libido. We will discuss the plots and character developments in Shtisel, as well as representations of dreams, memories and desires through a Freudian perspective, enriching our understanding of the emotional drama and its phenomenal audience appeal.
• Part 1 on April 25 focuses on Shulem and Akiva, their mourning, romantic relationships and creative libido. Part 2 on May 2 focuses on mother and daughter Giti and Ruchama, themes of femininity, money and attachment. No prior reading is necessary but familiarity with Shtisel (seasons 1 & 2) is recommended.

Tickets are $12 per lecture / $20 for series and can be purchased here. Zoom information to follow registration. Sponsored by Susan and Andrew Hirsch.

​SAJE Presents... A Virtual Lecture Series by Professor Gary A. Rendsburg, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Jewish Studies at Rutgers University
Join us for a series of fascinating lectures by Jewish History Professor Gary A. Rendsburg!

• The Bible in Our Hands - Monday, April 26, 7pm
• Scroll Down: Classical Jewish Texts From Parchment to Internet - Monday, May 24, 7pm
• Jews in Medieval England - Monday, June 21, 7pm

Tickets are $15 per lecture OR $35 for series and can be purchased here. Zoom information to follow registration.

SAJE Presents... Journey to Jewish Rome: A Virtual Tour
Tuesday, May 4, 12pm - 2pm

• Join tour guide and art historian Micaela Pavoncello as she introduces us to the rich history and culture of Jewish Rome! Explore the neighborhood home to the oldest Jewish community in all of Europe, visit a famous 200-year old Jewish Bakery, and hear stories from a local guide that won't be found in a travel book!

Tickets are $20 and can be purchased here. Zoom information to follow registration. We would like to thank the Italian Cultural Foundation at Casa Belvedere for partnering with us to present this program.

SAJE Presents... The Golden Age of Italian Cinema: 1940s-1960s, A Lecture Series by Dr. Julia Wagner
Sundays, May 23 – June 27, 12-1pm EST | 5-6pm BST (Note: No class on 6/20)

• Join us wherever you are for a 5-part online course exploring the films that brought audiences around the world to fall in love with Italian cinema! Film studies scholar Dr. Julia Wagner will examine the politics, style & aesthetics of Italian filmmaking during the landmark decades that saw new directions in storytelling on screen.

Week 1 (May 23) - Style & substance: How Italian cinema took the world by storm
Week 2 (May 30) - Focus on post-war neorealism
Week 3 (June 6) - Masculinity & femininity in Italian Cinema
Week 4 (June 13) - Antonioni: Aesthetics & alienation
Week 5 (June 27) - Fellini: Maestro of fantasy & memory
*Note: No class on 6/20
​
Tickets are $12 per lecture / $50 for series and can be purchased here. Zoom information to follow registration. Sponsored by Aaron Richman. We would also like to thank the Italian Cultural Foundation at Casa Belvedere for partnering with us to present this program.

SAJE Presents... Never Alone: A Conversation with Natan Sharansky & Gil Troy, Moderated by Amy Posner
Wednesday, May 26, 7pm

• Join us for a conversation with Israeli politician and human rights activist Natan Sharansky and historian Gil Troy about their new book, Never Alone. Never Alone is a classic account of courage, integrity, and most of all, belonging. 1977, Natan Sharansky, a leading activist in the democratic dissident movement in the Soviet Union and the movement for free Jewish emigration, was arrested by the KGB. He spent nine years as a political prisoner convicted of treason against the state. Every day, Sharansky fought for individual freedom in the face of overt tyranny, a struggle that would come to define the rest of his life. Never Alone reveals how Sharansky’s years in prison, many spent in harsh solitary confinement, prepared him for a very public life after his release. As an Israeli politician and the head of the Jewish Agency, Sharansky brought extraordinary moral clarity and uncompromising, often uncomfortable, honesty. His story is suffused with reflections from his time as a political prisoner, from his seat at the table as history unfolded in Israel and the Middle East, and from his passionate efforts to unite the Jewish people. Written with frankness, affection, and humor, the book offers us profound insights from a man who embraced the essential human struggle: to find his own voice, his own faith, and the people to whom he could belong.  Sharansky will discuss Never Alone with his co-author, historian Gil Troy. The conversation will be moderated by Amy Posner, Executive Director of Hillel at the College of Staten Island.

Tickets are $25 and include the link to the virtual event, a copy of Never Alone with a signed bookplate, and delivery of the book. You can purchase tickets here. *Note: Book must be purchased from the JCC in order to receive Zoom link for event. 

​Donations are welcome. This event is co-sponsored by Hillel at CSI and presented in collaboration with... Arden Heights Boulevard Jewish Center, Congregation B'Nai Jeshurun, Jewish Russian Learning Center, Congregation Toras Emes of Staten Island, Wagner College Holocaust Center, Aur Torah Sephardic Minyan

​​SAJE Presents... Rethinking Meir Kahane in the 21st Century: A Lecture by Shaul Magid, Dartmouth College
Thursday, June 10 7pm

• In this lecture, Shaul Magid, Distinguished Fellow in Jewish Studies at Dartmouth College, will explore Meir Kahane's program for American Jews and analyze his continued influence on American Jewry more than thirty years after his death.

Tickets are $15 and can be purchased here. Zoom information to follow registration.

​
Book Club:
All Book Club meetings take place at 12:30pm. 
Check back for Zoom information soon for these upcoming dates:
Gift of Diamonds and Love Odyssey both by Roberta Seret on April 22nd
Breasts and Eggs by Mieko Kawakami on May 20th

---

To purchase any of our past recordings, click here!
To see our free program recordings, click here!

Program Reviews

---

About SAJE

Dr. Esther Grushkin Seminars for Adult Jewish Education (SAJE)
This series is named for the late Dr. Esther Grushkin, an accomplished educator and Hebrew scholar who devoted her life to sharing her passion for Jewish learning. Events include lectures, musical performances, and our Rabbis lunch & learn series. We also partner with the College of Staten Island's Hillel to present several events.