Channelling The Alchemist, The Princess Bride and The Little Prince, Joanne Fedler’s new work — The Whale’s Last Song — is a celebration of the beauty and mystery of being alive in a world in which we are part of everything, and everything is part of us. In this conversation with MJBW Director Debbie Lee, Joanne discusses the inspiration for a book unlike anything she has written before.
Event Topic: Literature & Writing
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Writing Lives: Joanne Fedler on ‘The Whale’s Last Song’
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Global Conversations: Samuel Kassow & David Slucki Discuss ‘The Rudashevski Diary’
The upcoming issue of The Jewish Quarterly presents the diary of Yitskhok Rudashevski, a Jewish teenager in the Vilna Ghetto. An only child, Rudashevski was transferred to the ghetto at age 13 and used a small notebook to chronicle his experiences, wonder, hopes and regrets. The diary was later discovered in an attic which was the final hiding place for him and his parents. On Tuesday 12 November, join Samuel Kassow in conversation with David Slucki as they discuss Yitskhok Rudashevski’s remarkable diary, filled with the observations of a teenager whose belief in culture, history and knowledge defied the cruelty that surrounded him.
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Film Screening: Kafka – Part 1 – Introduction
Presented as part of the just-launched 2024 Jewish International Film Festival, Kafka is a 2024 German-Austrian television series which centres on Franz Kafka, his love affairs with Felice Bauer, Milena Jesenská and Dora Diamant and his friendship with Max Brod.
Join us for a live introduction to this critically acclaimed series delving into the enigmatic life of the greatest and most famous writer of the twentieth century, with author and Kafka fanatic Bram Presser introducing the screening.
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Melbourne Jewish Book Week Opening Night Gala: Of Ghosts and Golems
Step into an evening of grand theatricality as our writers and performers dazzle us with mystical tales, dipping their toes in the dark landscapes of ghosts and golems…
Prepare to be enchanted, entertained, and transported across the shtetls and oceans of your dreams, all the way from Prague to Ripponlea.
Hosted and curated by award- winning author, playwright and performer Elise Esther Hearst, and featuring the incredible talents of international authors Eleanor Reissa (USA), Marina Benjamin (UK) and Hila Blum (Israel), and local writers and performers Bram Presser, Arnold Zable, Alex Skovron, Octopussy, and Evelyn Krape. With haunting artworks from Anita Lester as well as live music from Susan-Ann Walker (piano), Helen Mountfort (cello) and Alice Hurwood (cello).
Set Design: Dann Barber
Event image: Anita Lester, from her book The Hidden Farmacopeia
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Scratch and Sniff with Tami — Children’s Session
Tami Sussman’s hilarious and heart-warming debut So That Happened … tackles leaving your childhood home and memories behind, how to be a good friend (and realise when you have been a bad one) and most importantly, how to get back up when it feels like the world has knocked you down. Aspiring (and reluctant) writers aged 9-12 are invited to tap into their own creative juices at this exclusive ‘scratch and sniff’ workshop and Q&A hosted by the author.
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The World According to Idan — Children’s Session
Idan Ben Barak’s Do Not Lick This Book! can be found in most homes around Australia. Idan likes writing about things in the world – and ourselves – that we normally don’t pay attention to. Come and find out about what your brain can and cannot do; how many senses you really have (hint: more than five); what your skin looks like from up close and what lives there, and other weird things that happen to be true.
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Hila Tells Stories: Max and The Wild Things — Children’s Session
Max and The Wild Things – an Interactive Theatre Show based on Maurice Sendak’s iconic book, that invites children to Max’s wild world where big emotions rule! The show follows a boy named Max who takes the audience on an adventure to a magical land filled with strange and wonderful creatures known as The Wild Things. Through music, dance, and storytelling, Max learns valuable lessons about family, imagination, and the power of being true to oneself.
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In conversation with Marina Benjamin: Secret Messengers – housework, sleepless nights and midlife crises
What do these experiences all have in common? They are times when uninvited introspection and reflection rise from the shadows to unsettle us. These are the deep waters in which British author and journalist Marina Benjamin bathes. Senior editor at Aeon, a digital magazine of ideas and culture, her insightful and lyrical writing deftly explores themes such as identity and memory. Her latest book is A Little Give. Marina will be in conversation with physician and author Leah Kaminsky, whose most recent novel is Doll’s Eye.
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The Ultimate Betrayal: When children are prey
Since time immemorial, people in power have sought to take advantage of their innocent subjects. This is no more prevalent than within religious institutions, where the semblance of piety, coupled with the naivety of the young and faithful, provides a perfect cloak and cover for child sexual abuse. Michael Visontay discusses the ultimate betrayal with survivors from within the ultra orthodox Jewish community, Dassi Erlich and Manny Waks, as well as Anne Manne whose research covers a particularly sinister, pedophilic network within the Anglican church.
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Laugh a Little: An exposé on resilience
All of us go through good times and bad and develop coping mechanisms through life’s experience. But how much of our resilience is in-built and how much can be learnt with positive behavioural techniques, self-care and mindfulness? Hear from the experts about the power of laughter, the importance of alone time, and the ability to rebuild our foundations when rocked by a crisis, perhaps even coming back stronger as a result.