Sunday July 10, 2022
4:00-5:00 PM PDT/ 6:00-7:00 PM CT/7:00-8:00 PM EDT
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is the biggest thing in showbiz, with 28 films earning over $25 billion worldwide. But before all the glitz and glamor, comics were a disreputable, mostly Jewish, industry. Almost all of Marvel’s superheroes were co-created by Jews, including Captain America, Fantastic Four, Hulk, Thor, Ant-Man, Iron Man, Avengers, X-Men, Silver Surfer, Black Panther and many others. And they were more than just playful fantasies⁠—they were wish-fulfillment avatars of their creators, drawing on Jewish culture and folklore to fight Nazis, bigotry and intolerance. Join author, journalist and pop culture historian Roy Schwartz for a fascinating journey through comic book lore and Jewish-American history that’ll give you a newfound appreciation for your favorite superheroes!

Roy Schwartz is the Diagram Prize-winning author of Is Superman Circumcised? The Complete Jewish History of the World’s Greatest Hero and The Darkness in Lee’s Closet and the Others Waiting There. He’s written for a wide range of publications, including New York Daily News, Jerusalem Post and Philosophy Now. He writes about pop culture for The Forward and CNN.com. He can be found at royschwartz.com and on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook as @RealRoySchwartz.

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)