Minnetonka Community Center - Coffee & Conversations Judaism Series: A Living Testimony From the Holocaust
2024-12-16 10:30 - 11:45 (America/New_York) | Minnetonka Community Center, 14600 Minnetonka Blvd., Minnetonka, MN, 55345, United States
Coffee & Conversation Judaism Series: A Living Testimony From the Holocaust

Coffee & Conversation: Judaism Series – 1180409
The Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas (JCRC) presents this thought-provoking series at a time in our history when it is of utmost importance to truly live out what it means to be a community. Coffee will be served.
The Holocaust was the systematic, state-sponsored persecution and murder of six million Jews by the Nazi regime, its allies, and collaborators. Hear from the granddaughter of two Holocaust survivors who represents her family’s story as they survived the Lodz Ghetto and Auschwitz Concentration Camp. Presented by Elly Fine Sternberg
Register by searching Activity Number 1180409 at https://minnetonkamn.gov/register

Open Session - Youth Fellowship for Jewish Identity & Leadership
2025-01-12 16:00 - 17:30 | Barry Family Campus, 4330 Cedar Lake Road, St. Louis Park, MN, 55416
The JCRC Youth Fellowship for Jewish Identity and Leadership is opening several upcoming sessions to Jewish 11th and 12th graders from across our community. You are invited and encouraged to join us!

These programs are intended to deepen your knowledge and strengthen your Jewish identity. Programs are free; registration is required to any or all of the open sessions.

Jewish Diversity and Solidarity Movements
Sunday, January 12, 2025
4:00PM – 5:30PM
Barry Family Campus room M54
4330 Cedar Lk Rd S, Minneapolis, MN 55416

Guest speakers: Yedidya Yasu, St. Paul Shaliach, and Iola Kostrzewski, ADL

In this session, participants will explore the diverse experiences and identities within the Jewish community, including Sephardi, Mizrahi, Ashkenazi, Beta Israel, and other Diaspora groups. The concept of intersectionality will be examined, highlighting how Jews can hold multiple identities that interact with one another. Yedidya Yasu, St. Paul’s Israel Shaliach, will share his story as a member of the Beta Yisrael (Jews whose families lived millennia in Ethiopia). Iola Kostrzewski, Minnesota Engagement Director for the ADL (Anti-Defamation League), will speak about her experiences as a Black Sephardi Jew and discuss the historical collaboration between Black and Jewish communities.

REGISTER

Save the dates and register for the next open sessions.

Americans and the Holocaust: Holocaust Education Webinar
2025-01-23 18:00 - 20:00 | https://minndakjcrc.org/event/americans-and-the-holocaust-holocaust-education-webinar/
Please join us with the US Holocaust Memorial Museum and the Heart of America Library for this free, educational webinar Thursday, January 23!
This webinar is held in conjunction with the USHMM’s traveling exhibition Americans and the Holocaust and the MinnDak JCRC. The first half of the webinar, beginning at 6:00 pm, is geared toward educators, highlighting some great resources available in teaching about the Holocaust. We will also showcase a ‘History Unfolded’ presentation that will look at historic ND newspapers to deepen our understanding of local input during this period. The public is welcome to join for the second half of the program, beginning at 6:40 pm, to hear the presentation of a Holocaust family descendant, Dr. Allen Kuperman, who will share how his parents survived the Holocaust, followed by time for Q and A.
REGISTER

Defining Antisemitism: A panel discussion on when criticism of Israel becomes antisemitism
2025-01-26 10:00 - 11:30 | Mount Zion Temple, 1300 Summit Avenue, St. Paul, MN, 55105, United States
The Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas and Mount Zion Temple present:
Defining Antisemitism: A panel discussion on when criticism of Israel becomes antisemitism
Sunday, January 26 10:00-11:30 am
Mount Zion Temple, 1300 Summit Ave, St. Paul
(Webinar option available)
Co-Sponsored by: Hineni, St. Paul Jewish Federation, Beth Jacob Congregation, Jewish Community Action, Anti-Defamation League, and Temple of Aaron
With massive increases in both anti-Israel and anti-Jewish activity worldwide, how do we discern the difference between healthy criticism of Israel and antisemitism?
Jewish tradition cherishes parsing the meaning of words. Together we will explore where the three most recognized – and debated – definitions of antisemitism (IHRA, Nexus, Jerusalem) overlap and diverge regarding rhetoric that is critical of Israel.

WATCH RECORDING

If you prefer to attend online only, sign up for the webinar to receive the link.

Moderated by Ben Sales, JTA News Editor

Panelists:
Addressing the IHRA Definition – Alyza D. Lewin – President, The Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law

Addressing the Nexus Definition – Susanah Heschel – Eli M. Black Distinguished Professor of Jewish Studies at Dartmouth College and chair of the Jewish Studies Program

Addressing the Jerusalem Definition – Rabbi Jill Jacobs, CEO of T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights

Moderator and panelists will be broadcasted into the event.
Register

If you prefer to attend online only, sign up for the webinar to receive the link.

Shanghailanders: A Dance Drama of Survival and Humanity
2025-03-16 18:00 - 19:30, 2025-03-17 19:00 - 20:30 | Barry Family Campus, 4330 Cedar Lake Road, St. Louis Park, MN, 55416
Produced and Performed by Shen Pei Art Studio
Shanghailanders: A Dance Drama of Survival and Humanity Part I: The Ghetto Produced and Performed by Shen Pei Art Studio. Premiering in 2025, Shanghailanders explores the lived experiences of Jewish refugees who escaped Nazi persecution and found shelter in Shanghai. Through movement and storytelling, this dance drama illuminates the challenges of displacement, the resilience of a community uprooted from their homelands, and the stark realities of survival as Jews during the Holocaust. It also honors the acts of kindness and friendship extended by Shanghai residents who, despite their own hardships, provide refuge at a time when so many others closed their doors.
Dates: Sunday, March 16, 6:00 PM | Monday, March 17, 7:00 PM
Location: SABES CENTER MINNEAPOLIS
Cost: $15 GENERAL ADMISSION • $5 STUDENTS
PURCHASE TICKETS
Pre and post-show discussion features world-renowned choreographer Shen Pei, Holocaust survivor and Shanghailander Manny Gabler, and Holocaust historian Dr. Sara Halpern.
Hosted by Natan Paradise, Director of the University of Minnesota Center for Jewish Studies.
Co-sponsored by The Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas, The Minnesota JCC, University of Minnesota Center for Jewish Studies, and the University of Minnesota Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies.
For questions about the event, email Katie Kline at katiek@minnesotajcc.org.

OCTOBER 8 Film Discussion
2025-03-20 18:30 - 20:30 | Barry Family Campus, 4330 Cedar Lake Road, St. Louis Park, MN, 55416
Please register if you will see the film and attend the discussion.
Watch the documentary film OCTOBER 8 in theaters and join us on March 20 for a follow up discussion on the explosion of antisemitism following October 7th, and what is happening on college campuses and beyond.
Kosher pizza provided
Photo ID required to enter building
Showtimes: Thursday, March 13 – Wednesday, March 19
Find a theater: https://www.october8film.com/tickets/?lat=44.99958&lon=-93.48451&location=Minneapolis&country=US&date=2025-03-13
Space is limited: In order to foster an intimate and meaningful discussion we ask that only those who plan to view the film, register for the event. If your plans change, please cancel your tickests or let us know at info@minndakjcrc.org.
For any questions, assistance in registering or checking if there are additional tickets available please contact JCRC at info@minndakjcrc.org or 612-338-7816.

Book Club: Never Again Will I Visit Auschwitz with Ari Richter
2025-03-27 13:00 - 14:15 | Zoom
Program
Ari Richter will present his book in an opening talk, with questions and discussion to follow. Even if you have not read his work, you are invited to attend the opening talk, ask questions, and be part of the discussion.

Finding the Book:
Directly From the Publisher
Amazon, both in print and for Kindle
The book can also be ordered through other bookstores. Copies can also now be checked out of many larger library systems

About Never Again Will I Visit Auschwitz: A Graphic Family Memoir of Trauma & Inheritance
In this debut graphic memoir, New York-based artist Ari Richter weaves together two haunting stories – his grand- and great-grandparents’ imprisonment in Dachau, Buchenwald, and Auschwitz, and his own awakening to the contemporary rise of authoritarianism and the continuing crisis of anti-Semitism – with delicacy, immediacy, and an attention to surreal detail.
Never Again Will I Visit Auschwitz is an act of self-discovery and the resuscitation of historical memory. At its heart is the intersection of a genocidal political moment in 20th century history and the author’s own family history. Told from the perspectives of four generations of the author’s family, spanning pre-war Germany to post-Trump America, it is both a celebration of Jewish cultural resilience and a warning of democracy’s fragility in the face of the seductive forces of authoritarianism. Part travelogue, part memoir, part historic retelling, author Ari Richter recreates his family’s journey leading up to and extending beyond the Holocaust.
Relying on extensive genealogical research and his family’s archiving, Richter illustrates the lives of his grandparents while reflecting on the burden of a storyteller to carry on these legacies. It is a rare glimpse into the firsthand stories of both Holocaust survivors and their descendants, told as an intertwined tapestry of faith, grief, and ultimately, survival. Never Again Will I Visit Auschwitz is an intimate reflection on coming to grips with the past. Harrowing and humorous in equal measure, this evocatively drawn graphic novel will be discussed for generations to come.

Ari Richter is a New York-based visual artist and comics creator, born in Tampa, FL in 1983. He received a fully public education from grade school to grad school, and is currently a Professor of Fine Arts at LaGuardia Community College in The City University of New York. Hi debut book, Never Again Will I Visit Auschwitz: A Graphic Family Memoir of Trauma & Inheritance is out now from Fantagraphics Books.
Richter has received fellowships from the Mellon Foundation/American Council of Learned Societies, and the Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture, multiple project grants from the CUNY Research Foundation, and residencies from the Vermont Studio Center, the Woodward Residency and the University of Texas at Dallas. His drawings, sculptures, videos and performances have been presented at The Skirball Cultural Center, The National Museum of American Jewish History, The Tampa Museum of Art, The Spartanburg Art Museum, The Weatherspoon Art Museum, The Bruce High Quality Foundation University, Flux Factory, CentralTrak, Athens Institute for Contemporary Art, Nexus Foundation for Today’s Art, and Celebrate Brooklyn! festival. His graphic work has been featured in Hyperallergic and Tablet Magazine.

JCRC is pleased to co-sponsor this program / book club in conjunction with Leo Baeck Institute. Ari Richter’s grandfather, one of the characters in his graphic novel, served as rabbi in Sioux Falls, SD, upon fleeing Europe.

Notable Jewish Women
2025-03-27 18:00 - 19:30 | Central Middle School, Room 314, 8025 School Rd, Eden Prairie, MN, 55344, United States
Join us at Central Middle School in Eden Prairie on March 27 to hear the stories of six fascinating, creative and impactful Jewish women, told by local Jewish women!

Team Israel National Flag Football Community Event
2025-04-02 18:00 - 21:00 | Vikings Museum, 2645 Vikings Circle, Eagan, MN, 55121, United States
Come join us for a fun evening celebrating Team Israel Flag Football at the Vikings Museum! Meet players and coaches + former NFL players.

Yom HaShoah 2025/5785: Holocaust Remembrance Day
2025-04-23 19:00 - 20:30 | Beth El Synagogue, 5225 Barry St W, St. Louis Park, MN, 55416, United States
Photo courtesy of Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum
Minnesota and the Dakotas Yom HaShoah Commemoration – 80th Anniversary of Liberation
Wednesday, April 23, 2025
25 Nisan, 5785
7:00 PM, Beth El Synagogue
7:00 PM: Yom HaShoah Commemoration, Beth El Synagogue
Minnesota and the Dakotas Holocaust Remembrance Day Commemoration. All are welcome to this free and public service. Please register to attend.
Additional opportunity available:
6:00 PM: Zikaron BaSalon, Beth El Synagogue
Zikaron BaSalon is a tradition started in Israel in 2011 – a way to commemorate the Holocaust in more intimate gatherings, taking place every year in thousands of private living rooms and public settings. In small groups, you will hear from a child or grandchild of a survivor to remember the Holocaust and the valuable lessons we’ve learned from it. Please register to attend Zikaron BaSalon by April 9 to allow us to plan how many speakers will be needed. If Zikaron BaSalon tickets are sold out and you’d like to inquire if open spots are available, please email meira@minndakjcrc.org.
REGISTER TO ATTEND
There will be ticket options for both the main commemoration service at 7:00 pm and the additional program offered at 6:00 pm, immediately prior to the commemoration service, called Zikaron BaSalon. Both are free and open to the public with registration.
WATCH RECORDING
The Yom HaShoah Commemoration is co-sponsored by the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Minnesota and the Dakotas, Children of Holocaust Survivors Association in Minnesota (CHAIM), Beth El Synagogue, the Minneapolis Jewish Federation, the Jewish Federation of Greater St. Paul, Generations After MN, and the Micki and Mort Naiman Holocaust Education Fund.

Yom Hazikaron: Israel Memorial Day Commemoration
2025-04-29 19:00 - 20:00 | Beth Jacob Congregation
Yom HaZikaron is the day of national remembrance in Israel to commemorate all the soldiers who lost their lives defending the State of Israel, as well as victims of terror in Israel and around the world. This Memorial Day is held immediately preceding Yom HaAtzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day.
Join us for a powerful program featuring moving music by Daniel Maguri and Gal Bar-Natan from St. Paul’s Partnership2Gether region of Sovev-Kinneret, along with personal reflections from IDF veterans of Minneapolis’ Partnership2Gether region of Rehovot.
Hosted by the St. Paul Jewish Federation, the Minneapolis Jewish Federation, Beth Jacob Congregation and the Jewish Agency for Israel

Yom Ha’atzmaut Community Celebration
2025-05-04 14:00 - 17:00 | Minnesota JCC Sabes Center (Minneapolis), 4330 Cedar Lake Rd S Minneapolis, MN 55416 United States, Minneapolis, MN, 55416, United States
Join us for this special family-friendly community event celebrating Israel Independence Day, featuring an Israeli market, music, crafts, food, bounce houses, and other exciting activities.
FREE FAMILY EVENT – REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.
*NOTE – All attendees will be required to show confirmation of their registration as well as a photo ID in order to enter the event.
DETAILS & REGISTRATION

Proudly presented in partnership with the Minnesota JCC, Israel Center of the Minneapolis Jewish Federation, St. Paul Jewish Federation, Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota & the Dakotas, and supported by the Israel Engagement Fund: A JCC Association of North America Program Accelerator, Ministry of Diaspora Affairs, Amos and Celia Heilicher Minneapolis Jewish Day School and RAJMN: Russian-American Jews in Minnesota.

2025 JCRC Annual Event
2025-06-08 17:30 - 21:00
PURCHASE TICKETS
Become a Sponsor
Featuring Speaker Dr. Mijal Bitton
Jewish Identity and Community in a Changing World
Since October 7, American Jews have faced a transformed landscape—challenging how we see ourselves, our communities, and our future. Join JCRC and keynote speaker Dr. Mijal Bitton – a spiritual leader, community builder, and sociologist – as she explores what’s changed, what it means, and how we move forward together.
Dr. Bitton will illuminate the shifts reshaping Jewish life, highlight paths toward resilience, and offer a vision for thriving—not just surviving—in this new environment. Together, we’ll discuss how Jews and allies can foster strength and understanding, individually and societally, in a complex moment.
Dr. Mijal Bitton is a spiritual leader, community builder, and sociologist. She is the co-founder and Rosh Kehilla of The Downtown Minyan in NYC and serves as Scholar in Residence at the Maimonides Fund. Dr. Bitton is also a Visiting Researcher at NYU Wagner, where she leads pioneering research on Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews in the United States. An alumna of the Wexner Graduate Fellowship, a New Pluralist Field Builder, and a Sacks Scholar, she lectures widely, co-hosts the podcast Wondering Jews, and was a featured speaker at the historic March for Israel in DC. Follow her on her Substack newsletter, Committed, where she shares weekly Jewish wisdom for living a meaningful Jewish life today.
Honoring Gary Tankenoff, z’’l and Harvey Feldman, z’’l
We will pay tribute to the lasting legacies of two remarkable donors whose generosity and vision continue to strengthen our mission.
We honor Gary Tankenoff, z’’l, whose deep commitment to Holocaust education and community security left an enduring mark on the JCRC. Fighting discrimination and prejudice was foundational to Gary; he was a man deeply moved by the stories and lives of Shoah survivors and WWII veterans in our community and strived to honor them. His unwavering dedication to preserving history and fostering Jewish life continues to inspire and uplift our work.
We also celebrate the life of Harvey Feldman, z’’l, whose generosity and civic spirit helped strengthen community security. A true “city kid,” Harvey was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He went on to become a successful investor which led to his philanthropy and giving back to the city and communities that he loved.
Event Details
Sunday, June 8, 2025
Downtown Minneapolis
5:30 p.m. – Reception on the outdoor covered patio (Light dairy dinner and beverages served)
7:00 p.m. – Program featuring Dr. Mijal Bitton (Program to be held indoors)
8:15 p.m. – Outdoor reception resumes (dessert served)
9:00 p.m. – Evening concludes
Dressy Casual Attire – dress comfortably for the weather (outdoor reception on covered patio and indoor program)
Complimentary Parking – All guests receive a complimentary parking pass. Valet parking will also be available.

PURCHASE TICKETS
Advertise in our ad-book (ads due Friday, May 9)
We encourage you to purchase your tickets early if you can join us since space is limited. All tickets include a light dinner, beverage, a seat for the program, and complimentary parking. A kosher meal is available upon request. $500.00 tickets include premium seating and breakfast on Monday, June 9, 2025. If you are unable to join us this year, please consider making a contribution.
Become a Sponsor
SPONSORSHIP LEVELS
Contact Nina Afremov at nina@minndakjcrc.org or 612.338.7816 to learn more about sponsorship opportunities.
Thank you to our current sponsors
Platinum: Bryan & Nina Badzin; Stan & Amy Baratz; Elmar Family Foundation; Mark & Debbie Glotter; Jacy & Jason Grais; Hunegs, LeNeave & Kvas P.A.; Stan & Jeanne Kagin; Hart & Susan Kuller; Gail & Steve Machov; Minnesota Vikings Football, LLC; Kevin & Nancy Rhein; Sharron Steinfeldt.
Gold: Allianz of America/Allianz Life; Robert & Roberta Aronson; Cozen O’Connor; The Mike & Linda Fiterman Family Foundation; Fredrikson and Byron, P.A.; Steven & Bonnie Heller; Gayle Kaplan; Jim Jacobson & Andrea Kaufman; Lerner Publishing; Living Word Christian Center; Madeira Partners LLC; Gil & Debbie Mann; Maslon LLP; Jeff Oberman and Kathy Conner; Jon and Robin Parritz; Mark and Beth Robbins; Allen & Linda Saeks; Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux community.
Silver: Best Buy; Holly & Jon Brod Farber; CBIZ MHM, LLC; Judy & Richard Cook; Dorsey and Whitney LLP; Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Minneapolis; Wendy and Nissim Khabie; Rhoda & Don Mains; Mall of America; Milavetz Law P.A.; Sholom Foundation; Stinson LLP.

The Power of Place: 2025 JCRC European Summer Institute for Holocaust Educators
2025-06-13 - 2025-06-24
The Power of Place
2025 JCRC European Summer Institute for Holocaust Educators
June 13 – June 24, 2025
“Space stands as a witness to what happened.”
– Yitskhok Rudashevski, diary excerpt, Salvaged Pages

Join us as we travel to historical sites to better understand the events of the Holocaust, WWII, antisemitism, as well as Jewish life today. Research has shown that traveling to authentic sites is an effective tool in moving people from empathy to action. In addition to gaining personal insight and knowledge, your students and community will benefit as you bring the lessons and experience home.
Power of Place educators institute in Europe is an experiential professional development for teachers where learning unfolds as we tour historical sites across Europe in order to transform our understanding of the Holocaust, WWII, antisemitism, and Jewish life today. Power of Place is planned and co-led by Humanus Network on behalf of JCRC and generously supported by the Minnesota Vikings, the Tankenoff Families Foundation, and Allianz of America Corporation.
Professional/Continuing Education credits for K-12 educators available through Minnesota State University, Mankato.
Applications for summer 2025 due by Friday, November 15, 2024 (application below)

2025 DAILY ITINERARY – Power of Place

Full payment for double occupancy $2775
Full payment for single occupancy $3775
$500 scholarships are available

Included in trip costs:

Accommodations each night
Breakfast daily at the hotel and any other meals listed on itinerary
Transportation between each European country (includes coach bus and airfare while in Europe)
Tours and local guides as listed on the itinerary
Site entry costs

Excluded:

Roundtrip Transcontinental Airfare (From U.S. to Europe; We can help you with options and purchasing.)
If you are flying from a city other than Minneapolis where the group will depart, and if your flight time is not coordinated with the group, you will be responsible for arranging and paying for your transportation between airport/hotel on arrival and departure.
Most lunches and dinners (see itinerary for meals included and those on your own)
Items of any personal nature
Optional (highly recommended) Trip Insurance

2025 trip leaders:
Susie Greenberg
Director of Holocaust Education and Programming, Jewish Community Relations Council of MN and the Dakotas (JCRC)

Susie Greenberg, Director of Holocaust Education, has spent the last 15 years working at the JCRC, devoting much of her time planning, facilitating, and implementing programming around Holocaust education and remembrance. Susie focuses on the Twin Cities community and beyond via an active speakers’ bureau, community trainings, charter trips to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, the annual Yom HaShoah Commemoration (Holocaust Remembrance Day), and more. Additionally, she co-curated Transfer of Memory, a traveling photography exhibit about Minnesota Holocaust survivors, and coordinated and supervised the exhibition, Kindertransport – Rescuing Children on the Brink of War in Minneapolis and curated the accompanying local component, The Story is Here.
Kristin Thompson
Founding Director, Humanus Network, Holocaust and Human Rights Education Consulting
Kristin is contracted by the JCRC to plan the trip itinerary and co-lead the experience in Europe. She is currently the founding director of Humanus Network, a consulting firm dedicated to professional development training and creating Holocaust and human rights educational resources. Prior to this work, she was a classroom history teacher in MN for 19-years and Education Program Coordinator at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. for 5 1/2 yrs where her primary task was training teachers in Holocaust education.
Laura Zelle
Director of Content, Emissary | Former Director of Holocaust Education, Jewish Community Relations Council of MN and the Dakotas (JCRC)
Laura Zelle is the former Director of Holocaust education at the JCRC. Currently, she is the Director of Content at Emissary, a mobile app platform designed to address the dramatic rise in antisemitism and combat hate speech. Laura oversees content management, curation, influencer initiatives and the content advisory council.

Questions? Contact: Susie Greenberg at susie@minndakjcrc.org

Planned and co-led by the following on behalf of JCRC

Iran and the Jews: History and Hope
2025-06-30 19:00 - 20:00
Hosted by the Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven:
REGISTER

JCRC Annual Meeting
2025-10-12 19:00 - 20:30
JCRC 2025 Annual Meeting
Featuring Professor, Dr. Jonathan Krasner
Welcoming Rabbi Jill Avrin as JCRC’s first Director of Campus Affairs
In conversation on Krasner’s research: Between Home and Homeland: Jewish College Students Confront the Israel-Gaza Conflict and Campus Divides
Sunday, October 12, 7:00-8:30 PM, St. Paul (location given prior to event)
Join us as we welcome new board members and thank departing members
Dessert reception to follow

VIEW RECORDING
Questions? Contact us at info@minndakjcrc.org or 612-338-7816
Jonathan Krasner
Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Chair of Jewish Education Research, Brandeis University
Chair of Jewish Studies Research at Brandeis University and former professor of Hebrew Union College in New York, Krasner’s latest research Between Home and Homeland: Jewish College StudentsConfront the Israel-Gaza Conflict and Campus Divides examines the experiences of Jewish college students in the United States following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel and the resulting Israel-Hamas war.
Jonathan Krasner’s 2020 book, “Hebrew Infusion: Language and Community at American Jewish Summer Camps” (Rutgers University Press), co-authored with Sarah Bunin Benor and Sharon Avni, was the recipient of the 2020 National Jewish Book Award in Education and Jewish Identity.
He is currently working on a history of the American Jewish Day School movement and was the recipient of the Sylvia and Moshe Ettenberg Prize of the Network for Research in Jewish Education to support his research.
In addition to the history of American Jewish education, his research interests include the teaching and learning of Jewish history and social studies, Jewish youth, and Jews and sexuality. His articles have appeared in a variety of academic journals and edited collections.
Krasner is also the co-founder of Keshet and a member of the executive board of Moving Traditions.

Twin Cities Jewish Film Festival: Elie Wiesel: Soul on Fire
2025-10-24 13:00 - 15:00 | Capp Center St. Paul, 1375 St. Paul Ave, St. Paul, 55116
Elie Wiesel: Soul on Fire

With his unforgettable and shattering 1958 memoir Night, Elie Wiesel forever changed the way the Holocaust would be written about. A survivor of Auschwitz and Buchenwald as a teenager, the Romanian-born Wiesel became an international spokesperson and renowned author, eloquently transforming his trauma into literature of the highest and most profound order. In this enthralling new documentary, filmmaker Oren Rudavsky goes deeper into Wiesel’s philosophically abundant inner life, depicted with nuance and tenderness, and enriched by access to his personal archives. In many ways a private man despite being one of the most public voices of Holocaust remembrance, Wiesel is presented here in newly intimate ways known only to his closest friends. Elie Wiesel: Soul on Fire stands as a crucial testament to an extraordinary man who helped shape our collective memory of the darkest chapter of the 20th century.

POST-SCREENING Q&A FEATURING
Kristin Thompson
Founding Director of the Humanus Network

Co-sponsored with the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas.

Twin Cities Jewish Film Festival: Among Neighbors
2025-10-27 14:00 - 16:00 | Minnesota JCC Sabes Center (Minneapolis), 4330 Cedar Lake Rd S Minneapolis, MN 55416 United States, Minneapolis, MN, 55416, United States
Among Neighbors

Combining magical realism and evocative hand-drawn animation with revelatory interviews and verité footage, Among Neighbors examines the story of a small, rural town where Jews and Polish Catholics lived side by side for centuries before World War II. The film brings the Polish response to the Holocaust to life through the last living eyewitnesses, revealing both love and betrayal as it zeroes in on the only living Holocaust survivor from the town, and an aging eyewitness who saw Jews murdered there — not by Nazis, but by her own Polish neighbors. Produced and directed by award-winning filmmaker Yoav Potash (“Crime After Crime,” Sundance Film Festival).
POST-SCREENING Q&A FEATURING
Yoav Potash (virtual)
Director, Among Neighbors

Co-sponsored with the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas.

Twin Cities Jewish Film Festival: Documentary Shorts: Quick Cuts, Deep Roots
2025-10-28 16:00 - 18:00 | Capp Center St. Paul, 1375 St. Paul Ave, St. Paul, 55116
Documentary Shorts: Quick Cuts, Deep Roots followed by a POST-SCREENING Q&A with Michael Potter Executive Producer, Tracks and Matt Nadel Director, The Stage is Ours

Days Between Rest

Grammy-nominated Ugandan Jewish singer Rachel Namadosi reflects on growing up Jewish in Uganda as she goes about her busy day and looks forward to her day of rest, Shabbat.
How To Make Challah
In 1975, Sarah Rosen’s aunt Jane filmed her 97-year-old immigrant grandmother baking challah, the traditional Jewish bread. In 2022, Sarah filmed her aunt Jane (now 80) baking challah herself for the very first time. Join us for a screening of the short documentary film “How to Make Challah,” about one Jewish family’s relationship with baking and Jewish tradition, followed by a discussion about the story of the film, family history, and the shifts in Jewish American identity reflected through the generations.

Food for the Chosen People

A group of LA friends battle for a table at legendary Chinese restaurant Yang Chow to continue the Jewish Christmas Day tradition.
Life Must Go On

On October 7, Ilya’s life was shattered when terrorists attacked his kibbutz — destroying his home, killing one of his children, and taking the other hostage. In the aftermath of an unthinkable loss, he faces the impossible question: How do you find a way forward?

We’ve Been Here Before

We’ve Been Here Before is an intimate look at the non-conformists in the punk subculture who fought back against white nationalists and neo-Nazis in the 1990s. The film draws connections between those battles and the current rise in antisemitism and hate that threaten democracy today, offering important lessons for the present.
Tracks: Stumbling Stones Amsterdam

Stolpersteine memorial stones glimmer along Amsterdam’s canals, honoring Holocaust victims, in this poetic and captivating exploration of memory, art, and the power of remembrance.
The Stage is Ours

Nearly 50 of the world’s best Jewish actors, playwrights, and directors gather at Broadway’s Lyceum Theatre to reflect on the history and meaning of Jewish theater. Featuring Jesse Eisenberg, Tony Kushner, Debra Messing, Alex Edelman, Idina Menzel, Matthew Broderick, and so many more!

Twin Cities Jewish Film Festival: Never Alone
2025-10-30 13:00 - 15:00 | Capp Center St. Paul, 1375 St. Paul Ave, St. Paul, 55116
Never Alone

Based on real events, Never Alone reveals a little-known chapter of World War II: the fate of Jewish refugees in Finland. Directed by Klaus Härö—the acclaimed filmmaker behind Oscar-shortlisted The Fencer and Golden Globe–nominated My Sailor, My Love—this powerful drama centers on Abraham Stiller, a businessman and philanthropist who risked everything to protect Jews fleeing Nazi persecution. As Finland navigates an uneasy alliance with Nazi Germany and deportations to Auschwitz loom, Stiller battles both external threats and internal opposition to save lives. A gripping portrait of courage and moral conviction, Never Alone is a moving testament to resilience, sacrifice, and the enduring power of hope in the darkest of times.

Co-sponsored by the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas.
Co-sponsored by the Finnish American Association.

Twin Cities Jewish Film Festival: The Safe House
2025-10-30 19:00 - 21:00 | Alliance Française, 227 Colfax Avenue N, Minneapolis, MN, 55405, United States
The Safe House

In this impeccably art-directed, Wes Anderson-esque film based on Christophe Boltanski’s memoir La Cache, a nine-year-old boy and his eccentric, artistic family witness the turbulence of Paris in May ’68 from the relative safety of their multigenerational home. When an illustrious guest seeks shelter in their venerated hideout, the family is forced to confront long-buried history and unexpected revelations.

Cast includes: Dominique Reymond, Michel Blanc, William Lebghil, Aurélien Gabrielli, Liliane Rovère, Ethan Chimienti, Adrien Barazzone, and Larisa Faber.
Co-sponsored by the Alliance Française.

Twin Cities Jewish Film Festival: Art Spiegelman: Disaster Is My Muse
2025-11-02 11:00 - 13:00 | Open Book, 1011 Washington Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN, 55415, United States
Art Spiegelman: Disaster Is My Muse

The life and career of Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Art Spiegelman are vividly illustrated in this penetrating biography, showcasing how his trailblazing graphic novel Maus redefined the medium. Deeply influenced by his Holocaust-survivor parents and personal tragedies, Spiegelman’s oeuvre boldly confronts themes of trauma, historical memory, and identity with uncompromising honesty. From his early days co-creating underground comics to his provocative, iconic New Yorker covers, he steadily pushed boundaries, legitimizing comics as a serious art form. Rich illustrations, personal archives, incisive interviews, and sharp analyses illuminate Spiegelman’s artistic process, his enduring influence, and his outspoken fight against censorship and fascism’s resurgence in today’s political landscape.

POST-SCREENING Q&A FEATURING
Philip Dolin & Molly Bernstein (Virtual)
Directors, Art Spiegelman: Disaster is My Muse

Co-sponsored by the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas.
This screening is made possible through the generous support of Katherine & Jeff Tane. We are deeply grateful for their role in bringing powerful stories to our community.

Twin Cities Jewish Film Festival: Milkweed: A Sneak Peek
2025-11-02 14:00 - 16:00 | Capp Center St. Paul, 1375 St. Paul Ave, St. Paul, 55116
Milkweed: A Sneak Peek

Be among the first to experience a preview of Milkweed, the first feature-length animation ever created in Minnesota (slated for completion in 2027). Based on Jerry Spinelli’s award-winning novel, the film is set in the Warsaw Ghetto in the years leading up to the Holocaust—its message of empathy and courage resonates with renewed urgency today.
You’ll hear from producer Gail Rosenblum, meet the animation and music teams, and discover how a film evolves from conceptual art and “animatic” to full production. You’ll also hear from Pondie Taylor, executive director of the Courage Coalition, which brings Milkweed and its teaching resources on Holocaust history, empathy, and Upstander behavior to schools across North America.
Co-sponsored by the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas.

Nostra Aetate 60th Anniversary Commemoration Dinner
2025-11-04 18:30 - 20:00
Join us for a plated dinner evening with Rabbi Abraham Skorka and Archbishop Bernard Hebda in celebration of the living document that serves as a touchstone for interfaith engagement today.
6:30 pm Social Hour and Appetizers
7:00 pm Dinner and Keynote Reflection by
Rabbi Abraham Skorka
Remarks by Archbishop Bernard Hebda
Minnetonka venue announced prior to event
PURCHASE TICKETS
The History
From 1962 to 1965 the Catholic bishops of the world gathered in Rome for the Second Vatican Council to discuss how the Catholic Church would express the faith and engage in the world in the 21st Century and beyond. On October 28, 1965, the bishops promulgated a document on interreligious relations entitled Nostra Aetate (In Our Time). It was immediately recognized as a significant step in healing among faiths, and placed a distinct emphasis on Jewish-Christian dialogue. The document continues to serve as a touchstone for interfaith engagement today.
The Celebration
Joining the many worldwide celebrations of the 60th anniversary of Nostra Aetate, and to encourage further solidarity among people of all faiths, the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas (JCRC) is hosting a community celebration in partnership with the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, the Jay Phillips Center for Interreligious Studies and the Encountering Judaism Initiative (Department of Theology) at the University of St. Thomas, and the Jay Phillips Center for Interfaith Learning at Saint John’s University.
From Generation to Generation l’dor va dor
JCRC and Catholic educators will be teaching about Nostra Aetate in Catholic K-12 Schools across Minnesota and the Dakotas this school year in partnership with Benilde-St.Margaret’s.

Jewish Civilization: The Roots of Our Shared Story
2025-11-04 19:00 - 20:30 | New Hope Church, 4225 Gettysburg Ave N, New Hope, MN, 55428, United States
The Jewish People continue to steward an ancient civilization indigenous to Eretz Yisrael (the Land of Israel). This resilient people introduced countercultural ideas about God, human dignity, and the responsibilities of freedom that shape our world’s moral foundations. For 2,500 years, Jews have also endured a distinctive pattern of hostility built on a big lie that casts Jews as threats to whatever society values most.
In this seminar, we’ll explore the core ideas of Jewish civilization and the pattern of antisemitism—and why recognizing both is essential for making sense of our shared story and its impact on our world.

Sixty Years of Challenge and Hope: Catholicism and the Future of Jewish-Catholic Relations
2025-11-05 19:00 - 20:30 | University of St. Thomas’ Anderson Student Center, 2115 Summit Ave, St Paul, MN, United States
Nostra Aetate, the “Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions,” was issued by the Second Vatican Council in 1965. Written in the shadow of the Shoah, this brief but groundbreaking document marked a historic shift in the Catholic Church’s relationship with the Jewish people. It calls for a renewed and respectful dialogue in the wake of nearly two thousand years of Christian misunderstanding, marginalization, and persecution of the Jewish people. In this lecture, Rabbi Abraham Skorka reflects on Nostra Aetate as both a profound response to tragedy and a beacon of hope grounded in biblical values. Drawing on his lifelong commitment to interfaith dialogue – and his close friendship and theological partnership with Pope Francis – Rabbi Skorka invites us to consider how the beauty of authentic encounter continues to reveal deeper truths and possibilities for hope. He also considers the challenges that remain, inviting us to reflect on how these obstacles might be overcome through the continued work of those who seek to build bridges between faith communities.

Scholar-in-Residence: Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger and Khaled Abu Awwad
2025-11-07 - 2025-11-08 | Adath Jeshurun Congregation, 10500 Hillside Lane West, Minnetonka, MN, 55305, United States
“Two Truths in One Heart, Two Peoples in One Land”
We will welcome Roots leadership, Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger (Co-Founder and Director of International Relations) and Khaled Abu Awwad (Palestinian Co-Director) to teach and share at Adath throughout Shabbat. We will hear from them on Friday during services and over dinner and Shabbat Morning during services and over kiddush lunch. Roots is an organization focused on fostering a grassroots movement of understanding, nonviolence, and transformation among Israelis and Palestinians.
SCHEDULE
​​Friday, November 7
6:00 – 7:00 PM | We hear D’var Torah from Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger during Friday Evening services.
7:00 PM | Shabbat Dinner with learning led by Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger. RSVP Required.
Saturday, November 8
9:30 AM – 12:00 PM | Shabbat Speaker: Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger
12:00 PM | Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger and Khaled Abu Awwad lead Lunch & Learn and a conversational Q&A.

Co-Sponsored by JCRC

Israel Study Tour
2025-11-10 - 2025-11-20
Israel Study Tour for Legislators, Educators, Community and Business Leaders
Next trip: November 10 – November 20, 2025
From $3750 + airfare
Sign up by August 31st and receive $250 off the final payment for the trip!
A firsthand encounter with Israel’s past, present, and future. From meetings with members of Israel’s government to walking the ancient streets of Jerusalem’s Old City and visiting Israeli border communities, participants will hear powerful stories of resilience and coexistence, bear witness to post–October 7 realities, experience Tel Aviv’s vibrancy, and engage directly with Israeli leaders and innovators.
Price per person sharing a double room: $3,750 | Single supplement: $1,350
Please note: Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas is a registered lobbyist principal under Minnesota law. Costs associated with the trip applicable to public officials may not be paid for or subsidized by JCRC in any manner.
Resources exist to help fund this trip. Click here to learn more. Third party funding resources are not in any way affiliated with JCRC and are not provided at the direction or suggestion of JCRC.

ITINERARY & BOOKING
Since 2016, JCRC has led 3 Israel trips for state legislators and community leaders and educators with the purpose of experiencing the importance of a strong partnership with Israel and building trusted relationships between participants and JCRC. Our previous trip in November 2019 was our largest and most bipartisan delegation to date.

HIGHLIGHTS & REVIEWS
Questions? Contact us at info@minndakjcrc.org

Dietrich Bonhoeffer - A Life and Legacy
2025-11-18 18:30 - 20:00 | St Paul College, 235 Marshall Ave, St Paul, MN, 55102, United States
Join us for a three-part evening series exploring the extraordinary life, faith, and moral courage of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. A Lutheran, German pastor and theologian, Dietrich was executed by the Nazis in April 1945, just two weeks before Allied forces liberated the Flossenbürg concentration camp where he spent his final hours.
What could lead a young, conservative Lutheran from an erudite, influential Berlin family to join a plot against Adolf Hitler? Why do Bonhoeffer’s writings continue to challenge and inspire people across political, theological, and cultural divides today? And how might his story help us wrestle with questions of conscience, community, and courage in our own time?
Led by Rev. John Matthews, past president of the International Bonhoeffer Society (English Language Section) and retired ELCA pastor and religion instructor at Augsburg University, this series will trace Bonhoeffer’s remarkable journey and the enduring impact of his thought. Rev. Matthews knew members of Bonhoeffer’s family and colleagues from the Confessing Church, offering rare personal insight into his life and legacy.
PURCHASE TICKETS
Session I – Ambiguous Inspiration (Nov. 18)
We begin with Bonhoeffer’s biography: his family roots, early education, theological formation, and work within the Confessing Church. His eventual involvement in military counterintelligence and his death by hanging in April 1945 reveals a life full of conviction and contradiction. His story offers what Rev. Matthews calls it “ambiguous inspiration.”
Session II – A Tapestry of Opposites (Nov. 25)
This session delves into the personal and theological tensions that defined Bonhoeffer’s life and the conflicting experiences within his family, friendships, education, vocation and theology, examining Bonhoeffer as a “tapestry of opposites.
Session III – Enlightened Patriot or Misguided Traitor? (Dec. 2)
In his final years, Bonhoeffer moved from pacifist theologian to active participant in the resistance. His choice to cooperate with military intelligence opens up the question for us to ask: Was Bonhoeffer an enlightened patriot or a misguided traitor? Together, we’ll explore the complexity of his final act of conscience and its continuing relevance for today.
