Presented as part of the 24th Annual JAHLIT Conference; The Betsy - South Beach is proud to present public programs for the 2018 Jewish American and Holocaust Literature Conference.
5PM: Yiddish in American-Jewish Literature: More Than You Think
In The Gallery - The American-Jewish philosopher Berel Lang, Artist in Residence at The Betsy Writer's Room, has left an indelible impression on an unusually broad range of fields that few scholars can rival. From his earliest innovations in philosophy and meta-philosophy, to his ground-breaking work on representation, historical writing, and art after Auschwitz, he has contributed original and penetrating insights to the philosophical, literary, and historical debates on ethics, art, and the representation of the Nazi Genocide.
6:00PM: My Holocaust: How Growing Up in Israel with the Memory of the Holocaust Shaped My Identity and Influenced My Work
In The Gallery - Dr. Ruby Namdar was born and raised in Jerusalem to a family of Iranian-Jewish heritage. His first book, Havivi (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.
7:30PM: Klezmer Tango
In The Carlton Room - During World War II, tango was the rave on both sides of the Atlantic and Jewish composers added their voice to this popular genre. Aaron Kula has arranged Yiddish and Klezmer tunes to tango beats including I Love You Too Much by Olshanetsky & Leibeh (Love) Tango by Ellstein, performed with Kula on accordion, Mia Vassilev on piano and vocals by the Yiddishkeit Initiative's very own, along with The Betsy's Yiddish Salon's favorite son, Avi Hoffman.
All events are open to the community but your RSVP is requested.
The Betsy - South Beach is host hotel and principal sponsor of The Jewish American and Holocaust Literature Conference, held annually in Miami Beach. Additional support is provided by The Plutzik Goldwasser Family Foundation and The Betsy Community Fund at The Miami Foundation.
Sponsors: JAHLIT, The Betsy Hotel, PG Family Foundation, LT Steak & Seafood, The Alley, FIU Music, Books and Books, The Betsy Community Fund at The Miami Foundation, Yiddishkeit Initiative.