Jonathan Samen Hot Buttons, Cool Conversations Discussion Series
What is Hot Buttons, Cool Conversations?
If you enjoy a lively exchange of ideas on today’s hot button topics, Jonathan Samen Hot Buttons, Cool Conversations — the JCC’s acclaimed discussion series — is for you.
We bring together distinguished scholars, thought leaders and expert moderators for thought-provoking dialogue on issues of concern to the Jewish community and beyond. The series is named in honor of Jonathan Samen, z”l (of blessed memory), past chair of the JCC Greater Boston Governing Board, to recognize his legacy of leadership.
All JCC arts and humanities offerings are programs of the Ryna Greenbaum JCC Center for the Arts. As a 501(c)(3), JCC Greater Boston does not endorse or oppose candidates for public office or political parties.
Upcoming Events
FOUR WINTERS: A Special Screening
Sunday, January 25 | 3–5:30pm
To commemorate International Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27, join us for an unforgettable cinematic experience as we present a special screening of the award-winning film FOUR WINTERS. FOUR WINTERS tells the powerful, true story of Jewish resistance fighters during WWII. Learn about the more than 25,000 courageous Jewish fighters who, against unimaginable odds, fought back fiercely against the Nazis from deep within the forests of WWII’s Belarus, Ukraine and Eastern Europe. In this film, the last surviving partisans relive their journey, sharing their stories of resistance. After the film, stay for a post-screening discussion with the film’s esteemed Director Julia Mintz. Considered for Best Documentary Feature at the 95th Academy Awards, this remarkable film has garnered critical acclaim and numerous accolades.
About the Film
“All I owned was a rifle, a leopard coat and my camera,” says Faye Schulman, whose clandestine photographs of Jewish partisans living in the forests of Eastern Europe documented their efforts to disrupt the Nazi killing machine by blowing up bridges, derailing trains, and smuggling Jews. The image of Schulman with an ammunition belt slung over her fashionable shoulder is only one of many jaw-dropping moments in Julia Mintz’s riveting documentary. Shattering the myth of Jewish passivity, the last surviving partisans tell their stories of cold, starvation, and fear but also of their capacity for courage, altruism, barbarism, resourcefulness and resistance. FOUR WINTERS reveals a stunning narrative of heroism and resilience. Maybe you think you’ve heard it all before. You haven’t.
Meet the Director
Director, Writer and Producer of FOUR WINTERS
Julia Mintz
Director, Writer and Producer of FOUR WINTERS
Julia Mintz is a writer, producer and director of documentary films, whose work focuses
on inspiring narratives that reflect on soulful bravery and resistance against unimaginable odds.
She has been on the producing team for films shortlisted for the Academy Awards, premiered at
Cannes, Sundance and TriBeCa, and won Emmy, Peabody and festival awards. Her films can be
seen on HBO, PBS, American Masters, NETFLIX, Amazon, and are shown on college and university
campuses across the country. Julia has worked on many of the country’s most celebrated
documentary films. Recent projects include Mr. SOUL!, premiered at TriBeCa and short-listed for
an Academy Award®; Joe Papp in Five Acts, premiered at TriBeCa for American Masters, and Get
Me Roger Stone, premiered at TriBeCa, NETFLIX. Mintz produced the Emmy-nominated
California State of Mind, PBS and post-produced Soundtrack for a Revolution, short-listed for an
Academy Award® Best Documentary, premiered at CANNES, nominated for Writers Guild, HBO;
Nanking, short-listed for Academy Award®, winner of Peabody®, Emmy®, and Editorial Award at
Sundance; and Love Free or Die: Story of Bishop Gene Robinson, winner Sundance Jurors Choice.
Additional projects include Equity, nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, winner of
the Women's Image Network Award; Muscle Shoals premiered Sundance; Bing Crosby
Rediscovered, American Masters; Life and Times of Frida Kahlo, Emmy® nominee; Billy
Strayhorn: Lush Life, Emmy® Award Best Documentary; Larry Kramer in Love and Anger, Emmy®
nominee; reality TV series Broadway or Bust; and Cyndi Lauper: Still So Unusual. Julia has also
produced programming for Discovery, NASA, National Geographic, NHK and SONY. Mintz’s
feature documentary, FOUR WINTERS, premiered at Lincoln Centre and is slated for its world
theatrical premiere at the Film Forum in NYC September 2022.
An award-winning filmmaker and artist, Mintz is an accomplished multi-grant recipient for her
work in film and visual arts. She has taught seminars on filmmaking and digital post-production
at workshops worldwide, including Santa Fe Cinematographers Workshops, the International
Film and Television Workshops in Camden, Maine, The SONY Production Workshops in Toronto,
and Film Arts in Hong Kong, where Mintz was featured as the keynote speaker for the Trade and
Development Council, and Film Arts International Seminar in China. Mintz has been a guest
lecturer at Amherst College, the Trinity School, and held an adjunct faculty position at Long Island
University in NYC.
To Be A Jew Today with Noah Feldman
Thursday, February 12 | 7–8:30pm
What it means to be a Jew today feels more urgent than ever. For some, Jewish identity has become a source of connection and belonging; for others, it prompts searching questions about who we are and how we show up in the world. In this timely and thought-provoking conversation, Harvard Law Professor Noah Feldman sits down with Rabbi Charlie Schwartz, Director of Lehrhaus, to explore this enduring and pressing question. Drawing on a lifetime of deep engagement with Judaism, Feldman offers a wide-ranging and nuanced reflection on Jewish identity, examining how Jews navigate their relationships to God, to Israel, and to one another in an era of profound change and challenge.
In partnership with GBH
About Noah Feldman
Arthur Kingsley Porter University Professor, Chair of the Society of Fellows, Founding Director of the Julis-Rabinowitz Program on Jewish and Israeli Law, Harvard University
Noah Feldman
Arthur Kingsley Porter University Professor, Chair of the Society of Fellows, Founding Director of the Julis-Rabinowitz Program on Jewish and Israeli Law, Harvard University
Noah Feldman is the Arthur Kingsley Porter University Professor, Chair of the Society of Fellows, and founding director of the Julis-Rabinowitz Program on Jewish and Israeli Law, all at Harvard University. A policy & public affairs columnist for Bloomberg Opinion, Feldman also writes for The New York Review of Books and was a contributing writer for the New York Times Magazine for nearly a decade. He hosts the Deep Background podcast, an interview show that explores the historical, scientific, legal and cultural context behind the biggest stories in the news. Feldman is the author of 10 books, including his latest, To Be a Jew Today: A New Guide to God, Israel, and the Jewish People.
About Rabbi Charlie Schwartz
Rabbi Schwartz is the director of Lehrhaus: A Jewish Tavern and House of Learning in Somerville, Massachusetts. He is also the director and co-founder of Not-a-Box Media Lab, a leader in the field of Jewish educational technology. Previously, he was the senior director of Jewish Education for Hillel.
Changing Hate to Hope: Conversations from the Front Line
Wednesday, April 29 | 7–8:30pm
Please join us for this powerful and hopeful conversation at a time when antisemitism is on the rise and fear of the “other” is heightened. We will hear from Arno Michaelis, a former Neo-Nazi and author of My Life After Hate, and Mubin Shaikh, a former jihadist supporter turned counterterrorism expert, who will share their journeys from radicalization to redemption. They will reflect on their transformations, the beliefs that once fueled their hatred, and the turning points that led them to turn their lives around and be agents of change. Together, they offer an honest and compassionate exploration of how hate develops, how people change, and how meaningful connections can emerge even in painful and traumatic times. The program is moderated by Dr. Miri Bar-Halpern, trauma psychologist and Director of Trauma Training & Services at Parents for Peace.
Past Events
Presidential Powers: Past, Present, and Future
CNN Presidential historian Timothy Naftali, and ABC News legal contributor Kimberly Wehle shed light on how presidential authority has evolved over time, the constitutional debates surrounding executive power, and how a historical lens is illuminating and relevant to the present-day. Moderated by Aaron Tang of the emmy-nominated TV series, “Breaking the Deadlock” that brings different voices together for civil debate on America’s toughest issues.
The Trump Effect: Examining the Impact on the Jewish Community
Gabby Deutch, Eli Lake, and Jonathan Weisman—three leading journalists—joined moderator Jane Eisner for a timely and thought-provoking conversation on the impact of Donald Trump’s policies on the Jewish community. Topics included Israel, anti-Semitism, and the evolving landscape of American Jewish values. The panel offered a range of perspectives and insights into how Trump’s presidency has shaped and challenged Jewish interests.
Unlocking the Key to Happiness: It's Never Too Late!
Dr. Robert Waldinger, author of, “The Good Life: Lessons from the World’s Longest Scientific Study of Happiness” reveals the answers to the question: What makes for a happy and fulfilling life? His TED Talk about the Harvard Study, “What Makes a Good Life,” has more than 47 million views and is one of the ten most-watched TED talks ever.
October 7 One Year Later: The War’s Far Reaching Impact
It has been nearly a year since the October 7th attacks, the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust. That day, and the ensuing war, sparked a surge in global antisemitism and immense suffering on both sides. Our Hot Buttons, Cool Conversations panel features American, Israeli, and Palestinian experts. They discuss the war’s impact in Israel and its political effects in the U.S.. The panel also explores how the war may influence upcoming elections and how election results could affect the ongoing conflict.
Israel and Gaza: Finding a Way Forward
As we approach six months since the horrendous massacre on October 7, there is no end in sight for the conflict in Gaza. With an incalculable human cost, our Hot Buttons Cool Conversations panel examines if there is another way forward. We look ahead to the time when Israelis, Palestinians and the rest of the world must wrestle with the future Gaza and its relationship with Israel. We examine Israel’s alternative paths and what role the U.S. has to play in managing the crisis.
An Evening with David Brooks
David Brooks is an op-ed columnist for The New York Times and a writer for The Atlantic. He is a regular on the PBS NewsHour. He is also the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Second Mountain and The Road to Character. David discusses his latest book, How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Seen. He offers a practical guide to truly knowing others and fostering deeper connections. This topic is especially relevant given the current state of our country and the world.
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