Events
December 16, 2002
Association for Jewish Studies
MorningStar Board co-hosted an evening event with Temple University in sponsoring an annual gathering of the Association for Jewish Studies. The commission comes to the AJS this year for the first time to promote scholarly work. MSC joins the AJS in this annual event, in order to meet and involve in our work, a broader spectrum of Jewish studies scholars, especially feminist scholars. Rabbi Debra Orenstein and Joan Hyler spoke at the event. Shelly Goldstein performed original songs, which were thematically geared to the theme of: the portrayal of Jewish women in the media.
November 13, 2002
Hollywood Comes to Hillel at UCLA
MorningStar Board presented a panel discussion in conjunction with the Film School. Group mentoring followed. The event was a wonderful success. More than 50 college students were in the audience. New MSC Board Member, actress Laraine Newman was on the panel along with Paula Silver, Arlene Sarner, Joan Hyler and the moderator was Olivia Cohen-Cutler.
October 17-18, 2002
MTV's Featured Jewish Sorority Meets With MorningStar
MorningStar Board members Linda Shayne and Olivia Cohen-Cutler present an intensive program on working with the media to the young women of UC Davis' Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi. Sigma House is the Jewish Sorority featured in MTV's "Sorority Life" reality series all summer. Sigma House was inundated with interview requests after the young women of the Jewish interest house became instant MTV celebrities. MorningStar was requested to meet with Sigma in order to assist the young women how to work with the media to not fall victim to journalism and TV, but to empower themselves with the skills needed to promote their mission and messages of living a productive life based on Jewish values. After the workshop, hosted by the UC Davis Hillel House, Linda Shayne and Olivia Cohen-Cutler and a local rabbi, lead a panel discussion for the Davis community. The press attendee and the young women of Sigma had the opportunity to put their new skills to work in responding to media questions. The next day, Shayne worked with the young women in one-on-one sessions on specific media strategies. Cohen-Cutler met with another 15 young women at the Hillel House Shabbat dinner. Shayne is currently mentoring the president of Sigma. Plans for joint programs between Sigma and MorningStar, which would benefit the Jewish community, are being discussed.
September 24, 2002
2002 Annual Women of Inspiration Award
The MorningStar Commission, in conjunction with the National Foundation for Jewish Culture, gave its Woman of Inspiration Award to Sheila Nevins, vice-president of HBO documentary programming. The event was held at the Four Seasons Hotel. MSC Advisory Board Member, Jerry Offsay, president of Showtime Network, received the Lifetime Achievement Award. The ballroom was filled with stars and entertainment industry leaders. Presenters and awardees included Hank Azaria, Tovah Feldshuh, Doris Roberts, Dinah Manoff and Larraine Newman.
May 5, 2002
"Through The Looking Glass at Media Impressions" - Arizona
Scottsdale Western States Hadassah conference MorningStar Board members Andrea King and Sharon Krischer led two workshops with panel discussions, moderated by Molly Novak. An overflow room of delegates responded and a lively question and answer session ensued. The delegates expressed their appreciation to the Commission for their dedication to enhance the images of Jewish women in the media.
April 16, 2002
"Women of the Exodus" - Tarzana, CA
The MorningStar Commission co-hosted an event entitled "Women of the Exodus." Torah scholar and acclaimed author Dr. Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg was the primary speaker, with opening remarks by MorningStar Board Member, Rabbi Debra Orenstein. The event was held at Temple MakomOhr in Tarzana. In attendance were 150 people and the audience participated in a lively discussion.
March 10, 2002
Education Day HSC South - San Diego, CA
MSC Board Members Rabbi Deborah Orenstein and Shelly Goldstein were the featured speakers for the Education Day of San Diego Hadassah. The two Board Members spoke about MorningStar's mission to promote the diverse and positive images of Jewish women in the media. They also performed a selection of monologues from the ECHOES production.
February 17, 2002
"Echoes: Voices of Esther" - Skirball Cultural Center, L.A.
MorningStar Commission Board Members produced, wrote and staged an original theatrical reading entitled "Echoes: Voices of Esther." a celebration of woman who in the past century who emanate the qualities of Queen Esther. The production featured a cast of 15 actors, who performed intertwined original monologues. These monologues presented the voices of the not famous and the famous, including literary icon, Lillian Hellman, Israeli Premier Golda Meier and Hadassah founder Henrietta Szold. The event was held in the elegant theater of the Skirball Cultural Center. The one-night-only performance, co-sponsored by Hadassah Southern California, was played to an over- capacity crowd of nearly 400 people.
