Join us for a four-part series exploring over 150 years of transformation in one of New York’s most iconic neighborhoods—the Lower East Side. Once a bustling enclave of pushcarts, pickled herring, and Yiddish theatre, this historic district has reinvented itself as a vibrant hub of boutique fashion, fusion cuisine, and cultural evolution. Through evocative images, rich stories, and sharp commentary, we’ll examine the changing landscape of entertainment, food, shopping, and social norms. Part 1 – Spotlight on the LES: Stages, Shtick, and Stardom, Part 2 – “I’ll Have What She’s Having!” Food Then and Now, Part 3 – Where Did You Buy Your Camp Clothes? From Pushcarts to Prada, and Part 4 – “They Were Good to Their Mothers,” But Were They? The Seamy Side of Life on the LES.
Dr. Sharon Keller, CSP’s 15th Annual One Month Scholar in Residence (January 2016), is a dynamic and engaging scholar known for making ancient texts and archaeology come alive. She earned her doctorate from NYU in Hebrew and Judaic Studies, specializing in the Bible and the Ancient Near East, and currently teaches in the Classics Department at Hofstra University. She has held faculty positions at JTS, HUC, NYU, and Hunter College, offering courses on biblical texts, ancient history, and Mediterranean archaeology. A prolific author, her work often explores the intersection of biblical Israel and ancient Egypt, and her acclaimed book Jews: A Treasury of Art and Literature received the National Jewish Book Award.
