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Twin Cities Jewish Humor Fest – Engage! An Afternoon of Jewish Learning and Culture
February 25 @ 1:00 pm - 4:30 pm
ENGAGE! is Hineni & the Minnesota JCC’s annual community-wide celebration of Jewish learning and life. This year, we’ve added a keynote to dovetail with the Twin Cities Jewish Humor Fest and a special track, for teachers but not limited to teachers, with two of Minnesota’s finest educators. After the keynote, enjoy snacking and shmoozing, then choose among fabulous options for workshops Alef and Bet.
Matt Goldman is a New York Times Bestselling author and Emmy Award winning television writer. He has been nominated for the Shamus Award and Nero Award. Matt’s television writing credits include Seinfeld, Ellen, The New Adventures of Old Christine, and Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency. Matt lives in Minneapolis with his wife, two dogs, and two cats.
Eli Leonard is an “undeniably Jewish” comedian, writer, actor, and clown. Leonard has written storylines, and appeared on HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm, written for and appeared on Curb Your Enthusiasm. You can find Leonard in the stand-up comedy circuit as a paid regular at the Hollywood Laugh Factory, opening shows for headliner, Elon Gold, and traveling on tour with The Chosen Comedy Festival. Leonard is a member of the internet sketch group, No That’s Okay, and their TBS Pilot, “Eli in a Big Shirt” can be seen on Eternal Family.
1 PM: Antisemitism: A Laughing Matter?! Comedians Eli Leonard and Matt Goldman will engage with Rabbi Debra Rappaport about the human need for laughter in and at the darkest moments, where the lines are between funny and offensive, and the use of verbal vs physical humor.
1:55-2:10 PM: Snack/social break
2:15-3:15 PM and 3:30-4:30PM: Breakout sessions, with faculty including Noam Sienna, Earl Schwartz, Rabbi Marcus Rubenstein, and more!
Presented by Hineni and the Minnesota JCC
