Events

December 2004 - Ongoing

MorningStar Video Programming For Jewish Teen Outreach Initiative in Ohio

MorningStar is providing video programming for the Jewish Teen Outreach Initiative in Columbus , Ohio , Each wee the director of the program, Abigail Glass, meets with a grou of public school students. One of the programs includes the discussion topic: Jewis in the Media. MorningStar provides a video on the work they do to promote positive images of Jewish women in tv and film. And of special interest to the teens is the MorningStar video on the commissions involvement with the Jewish sorority, Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi and their experience of being featured on the MTV reality TV series, SORORITY LIFE. The outreach program is sponsored by the Leo Yassenoff Jewish Community Center.

November 16, 2004

MorningStar Speaks at Jewish Film Festival in Boynton Beach, Florida

MorningStar Board member, writer, Andrea King spoke to a crowd of 160 about the MorningStar Commission. She also lead an evening of discussion and Q and A about Jewish images in film, in particular about a controversial British comedy that was screened. The event was a fundraiser for the new Young Judea youth hostel that is being built in Israel.

November 14, 2004

MorningStar Presentation in San Francisco

With a full page article in the "J"- the Jewish Journal of San Francisco, promoting the event-three MorningStar Board members presented a half-hour multi-media presentation of 100 years of Jewish women in film at a fund-raising luncheon put on by the Hadassah Chapter of San Francisco . Over 100 people were in the audience and raised funds to support the new Young Judaean Youth Hostel in Israel. Shelly Goldstein sang, Arlene Sarner and Linda Shayne spoke and the audience was captivated by the live performance. Silent auction items included original paintings by Senator Diane Feinstein.

October 11, 2004

MorningStar Presents Award at the Fourth Annual Jewish Image Awards in Beverly Hills

In front of a glamorous, star-studded audience of 500, MSC Joan Hyler opened the annual Jewish Image Awards (co-sponsored by the National Foundation of Jewish Culture) at the Beverly Hilton Hotel’s Grand Ballroom. Actress Kristin Davis ("Sex in the City") and actors Peter Gallagher and Kelly Rowan ("The O.C.") and top film and network executives were in the audience as MSC chair, Joan Hyler, presented producer Caryn Mandabach with the MorningStar Marlene Adler Marks, Woman of Inspiration Award. Actor Jeffrey Tambor ("Arrested Development") was the M.C. of the evening as Jewish Image Awards were handed out to actors, directors, writers, producers and studio executives.

September 2004

MorningStar Speaks in Los Angeles

Award winning screenwriter, Stephanie Liss, spoke at a Hevra Group meeting of Hadassah of Southern California. Stephanie spoke passionately about the need for more positive and diverse images of Jewish women in film and television.

August 2004

MorningStar Speaks to Springfield , Illinois

MorningStar Board member Sharon Krischer spoke to a group of 50 Hadassah members in Springfield, Illinois about MorningStar’s programs and mission. Sharon is a past president of Hadassah of Southern California.

July 14, 2004

MorningStar Presentation at National Hadassah Convention in Phoenix , Arizona

To an audience of 2,500, three members of the MorningStar Commission, Shelly Goldstein, Arlene Sarner and Linda Shayne gave a multi-media presentation about the portrayal of Jewish women in film and tv during the last 100 years. With film clips, live narration and interspersed with original song parodies, the three women of MorningStar informed and entertained and fascinated the audience with information on Fanny Brice, Hedy Lamarr, Bette Midler, Barbra Streisand and Debra Messing. At the end, MorningStar gave a "Call to Action" about media that matters and spoke to the audience about how to personally be a change agent.

June 8, 2004

"Created in G-d’s Image: Jewish Women on TV" – Los Angeles , California

MorningStar Board member, lawyer, Patti Felker introduced the panel and the mission of the MorningStar Commission. MSC board member, Olivia Cohen-Cutler moderated a panel on the discussion of image-making on television. The panel included Jim Hayman (producer "Joan of Arcadia " Tracy Newman (writer "According to Jim" "The Nanny") and MSC board member and actress Caroine Aaron ("Tuesdays with Morrie" "Primary Colors"). Over 150 audience members listened and then questioned the panel. The audience was filled with writers, producers, filmmakers, actors and community members. This successful event will be updated yearly.

May 7, 2004

Shabbat Dinner with Author Jessica Weiner MorningStar invited 30 prominent women in the film and tv industry to a Shabbat dinner at a private home. Writer Andrea King introduced actress Caroline Aaron who spoke inspirationally about her experiences of being Jewish and being an actress and how her mother’s sense of social justice inspired her on many levels. Author Jessica Weiner spoke to MorningStar about young women and body image, including specifically the effects of images on tv effecting self-esteem of young Jewish women.

May 1, 2004 MorningStar Presentation in Texas MorningStar Board member, screenwriter, Arlene Sarner and Advisory Board member, publicist, Becca Ballon speak at the Great Southwest Region of Hadassah’s Spring Conference. "Grow in Hadassah" was the theme of this weekend conference in McAllen , Texas . Arlene spoke in the morning about MSC’s mission to promote the positive and diverse image of Jewish women in film and tv. Becca spoke to about 120 women in the afternoon about MorningStar’s mentoring program with college students.

April 25-26, 2004 MorningStar Speaks to Brandeis University in Massachusetts "Double or Nothing: Jewish Families and Mixed Marraiage in the U.S." At Brandeis University, in Waltham, Massachusetts , MSC chair, producer/manager Joan Hyler gave the opening presentation on the extraordinary acceptance of Jews and Judaism in contemporary American society and how it both reflects and sets the stage for the growing rate of mixed marriage. Topics discussed during this keynote session included the increase of interfaith households – and as they are increasingly seen as the norm in wider society – what are the implications for the American Jewish community? Other questions that were addressed included how do couples negotiate the ethnic and religious identity of their families and does gender play a role in determining familial outcomes? This presentation brought together a distinguished group of internationally recognized scholars; the conference used Sylvia Barack Fishman’s long-awaited new book Double or Nothing? Jewish Families and Mixed Marriage as a reference point for discussing cutting-edge research and new findings from the fields of sociology, history and cultural study.Website: http://www.brandeis.edu/hbi

April 20, 2004 MorningStar & the Business and Professional Women’s Division of the Jewish Federation MorningStar chair, Joan Hyler, moderated a prestigious panel on the images of Jewish women at the annual gala diner sponsored by the Jewish Federation. In front of a packed ballroom of 500 professional and business women, Joan Hyler spoke about MorningStar and the work the commission does to promote changing and positive images in tv and film. On the panel was a rabbi, a business entrepreneur and MorningStar’s Olivia Cohen-Cutler, senior vice-president of ABC Television.

April 1-2, 2004 MorningStar Speaks to Hadassah of Greater Baltimore and the local University MorningStar Board member, ABC Television senior vice-president, Olivia Cohen-Cutler and Advisory Board member, publicist, Becca Ballon spoke to a group of 75 women of Hadassah’s Greater Baltimore. Then Olivia and Becca spoke in a media class at the local University. Becca Ballon is now a publicist working in New York . Previously, Becca Ballon was the president of the Alpha Sigma Epsilon Sorority featured on MTV’s reality TV show, "Sorority Life" and was mentored by members of the MorningStar Commission. Becca is now on MorningStar’s Advisory Board and is speaking across the country with MSC board members.

March 21, 2004 MorningStar in Denver MorningStar Board member, writer, cabaret singer, Shelly Goldstein spoke and sang at a major Hadassah fundraising event designated for breast cancer research. The event in Denver was a success and Shelly spoke and sang about the images of Jewish women in film and TV.

March 14, 2004 MorningStar Presentation at Hadassah Young Leaders in New Orleans MorningStar Board member, filmmaker, Linda Shayne, made a presentation at the Southern United Network (SUN) Cooperative Young Leaders Institute held this year in New Orleans . An enthusiastic group of 120 young women, who are making a difference in their Hadassah chapters, were excited to learn about MorningStar and its mission and about the potential of creating unique programs for their own communities.

January 30, 2004MorningStar Receives Jewish Sorority Inspiration Award at UC Davis The MTV featured Jewish Sorority of the TV series "Sorority Life," Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi, presented their first "Sigma AEPI / MorningStar Woman of Inspiration" Award to MSC board member Linda Shayne. Filmmaker Shayne accepted the award on behalf for all of the women of MorningStar who have been mentoring the sorority for the past year. Over 100 people attended the dinner and awards presentation at the Hillel House in Davis, California. Also honored with a Sigma/ MorningStar Woman of Inspiration Award, was Dr. Naomi Janowitz, a Davis professor and the Director of Religious Studies at the university. Sigma created the award in the tradition of the MorningStar Woman Of Inspiration Award, and Sigma will be presenting an award each year. MorningStar is also coordinating the sorority’s involvement with the Hadassah "Check It Out" breast cancer awareness program. Board member Molly Novak is instrumental in facilitating this partnership.