Join us on Sunday September 18, 2022 for a special program in honor of Dr. Rachel Korazim, winner of CSP’s second annual “Maimonides Award for Excellence in Jewish Education” for her work in bringing Israeli poetry to life. In conversation with Basmat Hazan, a noted Israel theater director, playwright, author and educator, award-winning author Ruby Namdar will discuss his sources of inspiration, his new-found relationship to the great Jewish-American authors of the previous generation and the rewards–as well as the challenges–of living in one language while writing in another. Winner of the 2014 Sapir Prize, Israel’s most prestigious literary award, The Ruined House was translated into English by Hillel Halkin, and recognized by the NY Times as a “masterpiece of modern-religious literature.”

Ruby Namdar was born and raised in Jerusalem to a family of Iranian-Jewish heritage. His first book, Haviv (2000), won The Ministry of Culture’s Award for Best First Publication. His novel The Ruined House has won the Sapir Prize, Israel’s most prestigious literary award. He currently lives in New York City with his wife and two daughters and teaches Jewish literature, focusing on Biblical and Talmudic narrative.

Basmat Hazan is an award-winning theater director, playwright, author and facilitator of text study. She studied Jewish thought and theater at Hebrew University and the School of Visual Theater in Jerusalem. A cultural entrepreneur, Basmat is the founder of “LABA” – a Jewish house of study and culture laboratory located in New York city.  She is also co-founder artistic director of “Here and now” “B’Zman Emet” program for artists in Jerusalem as well as the host of the television program “Leshem Shinui” on the community channel in Jerusalem.

CSP Partners: Beth Israel (San Diego, CA), Brotherhood Synagogue (Gramercy Park, NYC), Congregation Beth Shalom (Seattle, WA), Congregation B’nai Tzedek (Fountain Valley, CA), Congregation B’nai Israel (Tustin, CA), Jewish Collaborative of Orange County, CA, Shomrei Torah Synagogue (San Fernando Valley, CA), Temple Bat Yahm (Newport Beach, CA), Temple Beth El of South Orange County (Aliso Viejo, CA), Temple Beth Emet (Anaheim, CA), Temple Beth Ohr (La Mirada, CA), Temple Beth Tikvah (Fullerton, CA), Temple Beth Shalom (Needham, MA), Temple Beth Sholom (Santa Ana, CA), Temple Emanuel (Newton, MA), Town & Village Synagogue (NYC, NY), University Synagogue (Irvine, CA), Valley Beth Shalom (Encino, CA) & Walnut Street Synagogue (Chelsea, MA)