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.
