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
Presidential Powers: Past, Present, and Future
Thursday, November 20 | 7–8pm | Virtual Session
Please join us for a meaningful conversation with CNN Presidential historian, Timothy Naftali, and ABC News legal contributor, Kimberly Wehle. They will 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.
Meet the Panelists
Professor of Law, University of Baltimore School of Law
Kimberly Wehle
Professor of Law, University of Baltimore School of Law
Kimberly Wehle (pronounced “Whale-ee”) is an expert in constitutional law and the separation of powers. She is a Professor of Law at the University of Baltimore School of Law, where she teaches Constitutional Law, Civil Procedure, Administrative law, and Federal Courts, and a recipient of the University of Maryland System Board of Regents Award for excellence in scholarship. She is a legal contributor for ABC News and Zeteo, and regularly writes for Politico, The Atlantic, and The Bulwark. She was an Assistant United States Attorney in the Washington D.C. office and Associate Independent Counsel in the Whitewater Investigation. She is author of the books, What You Need to Know about Voting—and Why, How to Read The Constitution—and Why, and How to Think Like a Lawyer—and Why: A Common-Sense Guide to Everyday Dilemmas, and Pardon Power: How the Pardon System Works—and Why, which won the 2025 Silver Award in the Political & Current Events category by the Independent Book Publishers Association.
Kim was also 2024-2025 Fulbright US Scholar Award in the University of Leiden, The Netherlands and a Thinker-in-Residence at the John Adams Institute in Amsterdam. During her time in The Netherlands, Kim lectured throughout Europe on the U.S. Constitution and global democracy.
Senior Research Scholar in the Faculty of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University
Timothy Naftali
Senior Research Scholar in the Faculty of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University
Dr. Timothy Naftali, formerly a clinical professor of public service at NYU’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, clinical professor of history in NYU’s College of Arts and Science, and director of NYU’s undergraduate public policy program, joined Columbia in July 2023 as a Senior Research Scholar at SIPA. Naftali, whose book Khrushchev’s Cold War with Aleksandr Fursenko, won the Royal United Services Institute’s Duke of Westminster’s medal for military literature in 2007, is a pioneer in the study of modern international and espionage history and is a well-recognized presidential historian. After serving as the first director of the Miller Center of Public Affairs’ presidential recordings program. Naftali became the founding director of the federal Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in 2007, where he curated a nationally recognized nonpartisan permanent exhibit on Watergate and oversaw the release of 1.3 million pages of records. Naftali is the author, co-author or editor of 8 books, including a biography of George Herbert Walker Bush and histories of US counterterrorism policy and of presidential impeachment. Naftali was an historical consultant to both the Nazi War Crimes and Imperial Japanese Government Records Interagency Working Group and to the 9/11 Commission.
He is currently a member of the State Department’s Historical Advisory Committee, which provides oversight for the Foreign Relations of the United States series. Naftali, who is a CNN presidential historian, has appeared in several documentaries, most recently Prime Video’s “The Devil’s Confession: The Lost Eichmann Tapes” and CNN’s “2010s,” and has also consulted on CNN’s “Tricky Dick” and Netflix’s “Designated Survivor.”
Meet the Moderator
Host, PBS series, Breaking the Deadlock & Professor of Law, University of California, Davis
Aaron Tang
Host, PBS series, Breaking the Deadlock & Professor of Law, University of California, Davis
Aaron Tang is a law professor at the University of California, Davis and a former law clerk to Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. He is the host and moderator of PBS's newest, Emmy-nominated TV show, Breaking the Deadlock, which Variety magazine called “more erudite than The West Wing and more intense than 24.” Tang is also a frequent Supreme Court commentator whose essays have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, The Atlantic, Slate, Politico, USA Today, and elsewhere. He is the author of Supreme Hubris: How Overconfidence is Destroying the Court—and How We Can Fix It (Yale University Press, 2023).
Past Events
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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