Sept. 10-20, 2006

 

 
Special Pre-Festival Event:
Nora Ephron
I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts on Being a Woman

From the creative mind of When Harry Met Sally and Sleepless in Seattle, and best-sellers Heartburn, Scribble Scribble and Crazy Salad, comes Nora Ephron’s new book on creams, lotions, dyes and other products that supposedly stop the clock.  Utterly courageous and wickedly funny, Ephron delivers tales of her youth and what it’s like to be “of a certain age.”  		     

Opening Night
Familiar Streets:
A Century of Jewish Life in the City


A literary excursion through the city streets that have shaped the American Jewish experience over the past century:the sights, sounds and soul of our cities through selected fiction, memoir and poetry of such luminaries as Frank Rich, Isaac Bashevis Singer, Grace Paley and Phillip Roth, read by acclaimed local actors.


Peter Beinart
The Good Fight: Why Liberals – and Only Liberals – Can Win the War On Terror and Make America Great Again

On the fifth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, The New Republic’s editor-at-large urges Americans to rediscover their roots and remember that America’s greatness must not be simply asserted, but proven.

Laurel Snyder and authors
Half/Life: Jew-ish Tales from Interfaith Homes

Join in a lively conversation with the editor and several contributors to this anthology about the struggles and successes of growing up in a tough situation: as a “half-Jew.”

Peace Café Open Mic

Back by popular demand, this night gives DC’s poets, musicians and spoken word artists a chance to speak their minds on their hopes for peace. At Busboys and Poets (14th and V Streets).

 Gerald L. Bernstein Memorial Lecture Presents Madeleine Albright
The Mighty and the Almighty: Reflections on America, God, and World Affairs

Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright shares her insights, gained from a lifetime of public service, on the interconnectedness of religion and politics.
Dual Identity: Reflections on Gay Jewish Life

Authors Michael Lowenthal, Leslea Newman and Lev Raphael discuss their Jewish and gay identity and how the two mix and mingle.  Moderated by Bruce Shenitz, executive director of Out Magazine.		 Michelle Markel
Dreamer from the Village: The Story of Marc Chagall

Grown-ups, bring your kids for an interactive reading full of the colors and life story of legendary artist Marc Chagall.
Rebecca Goldstein
Betraying Spinoza: The Renegade Jew Who Gave Us Modernity

Explore the real story of the man who pioneered modern day, Jewish thought and questioning.  Presented by Nextbook.
The Chaim Kempner Author Series Presents Authors from
What Israel Means to Me: By 80 Prominent Writers, Performers,Scholars, Politicians and Journalists

Washington DC area contributors to this anthology share their personal connections to this unique, challenging land.
Annabelle Gurwitch
Fired!  Tales of the Canned, Canceled, Downsized and Dismissed

After being fired by Woody Allen, Annabelle Gurwitch made this hilarious documentary about her own and others’ experiences of hearing those dreaded words: “You’re fired!”  Following the film, Gurwitch signs her book of the same name.

The Chaim Kempner Author Series Presents Ira Berkow with George Solomon
Full Swing: Hits, Runs and Errors in a Writer’s Life

Join Pulitzer Prize winning sportswriter Ira Berkow as he discusses his new memoir about his rise from the gritty streets of Chicago to The New York Times sportsdesk.

Closing Night
Harry Shearer
Not Enough Indians: A Novel
 
When a small town on the brink of bankruptcy decides to go “native” and build a casino, hilarity and trouble ensues.  Don’t miss the always hilarious Harry Shearer whose voice you may recognize from “The Simpsons” and “Le Show.”