You know it, you love it! The Jacksonville Jewish Cultural Arts Festival presented by the JCA is making moves and taking a huge leap this year. We are thrilled to share our festival with even more of the community as we host our events offsite!
Opening Night is on Sat, Oct 26 at the Ritz Theatre with the hilarious comedic duo, Joel Chasnoff and Benji Lovitt. The comedy show starts at 8 pm and promises a laugh-out-loud evening, sure to brighten everyone’s spirits! With a minimum gift of $150 or more, audience members are invited to join us early to drink, nosh, and schmooze with Joel and Benji like they are mishpacha (family) at the festival’s Patron Party.
Our visit from Joel and Benji doesn’t end on opening night. On Mon, Oct 28 at 7 pm, Joel and Benji will meet us at the Hicks Auditorium Conference Center at the Main Library to share details about their award-winning novel, Israel 201: Your Next Level Guide to the Magic, Mystery and Chaos of Life in the Holy Land. Our new Israeli Community Shaliach Oren Pery will join us to moderate the discussion with Joel and Benji.
We are headed to FSCJ Kent Campus’ Main Auditorium to watch our first festival film together on Tue, Oct 29. Irena’s Vow, is a drama that shares the story of displaced Jewish refugees who are saved from persecution and murder, the show starts at 7 pm.
Grab a cup of coffee at Happy Brew, and enjoy an evening with Author Sara Goodman Confino who will be regaling us with tales from her book, Don’t Forget to Write. Sara’s visit happens, Wed, Oct 30 at 7 pm; she will sign books and have her new book, Behind Every Good Man, available to purchase.
Following the success of our first Jewish Pop-Up Market on the JCA campus last year, we are moving to bigger spaces! Our Jewish Pop-Up Market is headed to the home of the Riverside Arts Market, Northbank Riverwalk Artists Square, 729 Riverside Avenue on Sun, Nov 3 from 11 am – 2 pm. Artists, crafters, and creators are invited to fill out a vendor application to sell your wares at our Jewish Pop-Up Market! Please follow this link to learn more details and submit a vendor application by Tue, Oct 15.
Comedy Film Night in Orange Park is on Mon, Nov 4 at 7 pm. We are showing two films, the comedy short, From Jerusalem with Love, and a musical comedy, Less than Kosher, at the Orange Park Community Theatre.
The next film screening happens during Art Walk in downtown Jacksonville on Wed, Nov 6. I hope you will all join us to see Nothing Except 34 Paintings, a documentary short we are showing at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA). There will be screenings of the film at 7, 7:30, and 8 pm.
Author June Hersh will meet us at the Museum of Science and History (MOSH), to share her book, Food, Hope & Resilience: Authentic Recipes and Remarkable Stories from Holocaust Survivors on Thu, Nov 7 at 7 pm. In partnership with Hadassah, this program promises to nourish us physically and spiritually. Attendees can also view the Lives Eliminated, Dreams Illuminated (LEDI) exhibit in the museum from 6 – 7 pm or after the program.
The LJD Jewish Family & Community Services (JFCS) will host an author and a film on Mon, Nov 11 at 7 pm. First, we will enjoy a short documentary, Jack & Sam, about Holocaust survivors who are reunited after 80 years apart. Then, Author Sam Cox, a Jacksonville native and retired US Army Reservist will share stories from teaching a Holocaust class at St. Johns Country Day School and his book, I will Give Them an Everlasting Name: Jacksonville’s Stories of the Holocaust. If you cannot join us at JFCS, you are welcome to attend our second event with Sam Cox and an additional screening of Jack & Sam at River Garden Hebrew Home on Wed, Nov 13 at 11:30 am, lunch will be provided.
Our children’s program with Author Barbara Kimmel and her book, Hanukkah Hippity-Hop will happen at the JCA on Tue, Nov 12 at 10 am. Hanukkah Hippity-Hop offers toddlers an active approach to Hanukkah using playful rhyme and movement to share joy and traditions with young children.
On Tue, Nov 12 we will host three Films to Honor Israel at the WJCT Sound Stage to remember those whose lives were lost and to support the safe return of the hostages being held since October 7th. Girl No. 60427, looks at the relationship between a Holocaust survivor and her granddaughter who discovers the stories that have been hidden from her. The second film, Supernova: The Music Festival Massacre, is a firsthand account of the atrocities of Oct 7. The finale of the evening is a poignant film, The Boy by filmmaker Yahav Winner, who was murdered Oct 7. Winner’s film gives a glimpse at life living on the Gaza-Israel border.
Closing Night is Thu, Nov 14 at Friday Musicale. Starting at 7 pm we will enjoy an evening dedicated to the life of Leonard Nimoy in true Vulcan style. Costumes are welcome as Leonard’s son Adam Nimoy shares his memoir, The Most Human: Reconciling with My Father Leonard Nimoy, about his complex relationship with his father.
We are very excited to share these incredible events with Jacksonville! Please click on any of the links throughout this article to buy your tickets, reserve your seats at our free events, or learn more information. This year, select films will cost $10 per ticket and author events cost $6 per ticket. Pricing details for Opening Night and our JJCAF Author and Film packages are available on jcajax.org/jcafest.
