Merage JCC News

Distinguished Scholars in Residence Dr. Emily Katz & Bree Burgess will present four mornings of learning about the Jewish mosaic of California history and the music industry. The eight class series at the Merage Jewish Community Center in Irvine will run Monday through Thursday May 20 – 23 from 8:30 am to 1 pm and include continental breakfast and lunch. Based on the Elderhostel concept of in-depth intellectual discovery this JCC School of Lifelong Jewish Learning program explores these two important topics relating to Jewish history and culture. Reservations for the entire series are $118 for JCC members and $136 for the public ($133/$151 after May 14) and can be made by calling 949-435-3400 or online at www.jccoc.org .

DR. EMILY ALICE KATZ is currently a professor in the Department of History at the University of California, Irvine. She specializes in American Jewish History, which provides an important lens for examining modern Jewish experience and American History. One of the classes she teaches at UCI is on California Jews.  Dr. Katz received her PhD in Modern Jewish studies from the Jewish Theological Seminary and was designated a Recent Doctoral Recipient Fellow of the Mellon Foundation and the American Council of Learned Societies’ Early Career Fellowship Program. Dr. Katz received her Master’s Degree in Jewish Art and Visual Culture from the Jewish Theological Seminary and served as curator at the Judaica Museum in Riverdale, New York.

BREE BURGESS has more than four decades of experience in the performing arts as a professional performer, writer, producer, director, and educator. She is a member of the Actors’ Equity Association, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and the Screen Actors Guild. Since 2006, Bree has worked as writer/director, and recently as a performer, with Pacific Symphony’s “Class Act” and their Family Musical Mornings concert series. She is a former member of the Laguna Playhouse Board of Directors, is the creator and writer of LAGUNATICS and serves as the founding artistic director of No Square Theatre in Laguna Beach. For her on-going work in Laguna Beach, Bree has been recognized as Woman of the Year and Citizen of the Year, one of Laguna’s Most Influential People, and as Orange County’s 2012 Theater Woman of the Year.

 Award-winning professor Jacqueline Hahn  is presenting  ”Beyond the Canvas”, a fascinating art lecture series offering insights into legendary artists’ lives and artistic movements at  the Merage Jewish Community Center in Irvine beginning Thursday May 2 at 2 pm.  Professor Hahn received a Distinguished Instructor honor from UCI and has traveled the world lecturing on art history, literature and philosophy. The series, running May 2-30, will include talks on renowned artists Renoir, Cezanne, Van Gogh, and Dali. Tickets for the entire series of four are $75 and individual lectures are $25 each. For more information visit the Merage JCC website at www.jccoc.org or contact Geri Dorman gerid@jccoc.org, (949) 435-3400 x303.  The Merage JCC is located at 1 Federation Way in Irvine.