Dear Babe follows the journey of a young Jewish American soldier who fought in World War II and was among the first to liberate a concentration camp. Rosanne Ehrlich, the film’s director and former VP of Paramount Pictures, will talk about the process of turning letters sent home and archival footage into an award-winning documentary […]

Before There Was Elvis with Michael Shamosh Elvis Presley, a cultural icon of the mid-20th century, borrowed from several musical styles during his career. In this lecture, we’ll discuss, and listen to, the music that influenced Elvis and learn how he brought these musical forms into the mainstream. We’ll hear the music of Sister Rosetta […]

The Rise of Anti-Semitism in the American Media with Noah Berger In the last 10 years, we’ve seen an alarming rise in antisemitism, both abroad and at home, and the American media has remained mostly silent. Noah Berger will look at how antisemitism in America is being portrayed–or not–and how the media typically responds. About […]

The Kosher Nostra, Jewish Mobsters with Ron Arons Join genealogist Ron Arons for a fascinating presentation about the history of Jewish organized crime in Westchester and beyond. In addition to discussing notorious Jewish criminals like Bugsy Siegel and Meyer Lansky, Ron will talk about his book The Jews of Sing Sing, which describes the famous […]

1930s New York City was a hotbed for extremist politics, from communism to fascism, fueled by ethnic rivalries. Jewish New Yorkers found themselves in the middle of this conflict, branded with accusations of being "internationalists" and "communists" bent on the destruction of America. Professor Gene Fein will discuss what anti-semitism in 1930s America was like, […]