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Talks & Conversations

Ages 18+

At the JCCSF, we’re always on a quest for something intangible but ever-so valuable: ideas! As a community, sharing thoughts and ideas is part of our core mission. Fresh dialogue fuels our sense of discovery. And it brings us even closer together.

  • Arts & Ideas

To keep the ideas coming and the conversations going, we bring you thought leaders, entertainers, authors and innovators.

Whether in panel discussions, intimate chats or virtual workshops, these distinguished guests offer diverse perspectives and windows into other cultures and mindsets.

Over the years, we’ve welcomed many luminaries to our stage. Some are well known. Others are rising stars and ones to watch. All are making an impact and elevating our sense of purpose.

Schedule

View All Talks & Conversations
May 2024
Thu
9

Arts & Ideas

Art Nouveau & Art Deco: The Quest for Beauty

Date
Thu, May 9
Time
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Take a deep dive into the enduring world of Art Deco and Art Nouveau. After being introduced to each, we’ll learn how to appreciate their differences.
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Free
Thu
9

Arts & Ideas

JEWISH MOMS ARE AWESOME

Date
Thu, May 9
Time
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
As we approach Mother’s Day, listen in as Elissa Strauss, Yael Goldstein-Love, Deena Aranoff and Lauren Schiller tell a new story about Jewish Motherhood
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Free
Tue
21

Arts & Ideas

YOSSI KLEIN HALEVI & KRISTA TIPPETT - ISRAEL SINCE OCTOBER 7

Date
Tue, May 21
Time
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
The award-winning Israeli-American journalist joins the acclaimed broadcaster and host of On Being to discuss how October 7 and the Gaza War have transformed Israel and its relationship to the Diaspora.
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$20
June 2024
Wed
5

Arts & Ideas

TOM STEYER – WINNING THE CLIMATE WAR

Date
Wed, June 5
Time
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
The renowned investor and activist shares how we can all fight climate change – joyfully, knowledgeably, and even profitably – at a time of unparalleled consequence and opportunity.
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$35- Includes Book
Mon
10

Arts & Ideas

Glimpses of the Fillmore District’s Jewish Past

Date
Mon, June 10
Time
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Learn about the period a century ago when San Francisco’s Fillmore District contained the second largest Jewish neighborhood west of the Mississippi.
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Free
Tue
11

Arts & Ideas

Irving Penn: Docent Lecture at the JCCSF

Date
Tue, June 11
Time
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Photography fans, Summer of Love afficionados, this talk is for you! Relish an up-close examination of Penn’s opus, some of which were captured nearby.
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Free
Tue
18

Arts & Ideas

Matinee Movie Screening: Summer of Soul Documentary

Date
Tue, June 18
Time
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Discover “Black Woodstock,” a Harlem music festival that took place in the summer of 1969, drew thousands of locals and was held a short distance away.
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Free
Thu
20

Arts & Ideas

Summer of Soulstice: Soul Music of the Late 1960s

Date
Thu, June 20
Time
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Join us on the longest day of the year for a talk highlighting rare, filmed performances of soul stars featured in the Summer of Soul documentary.
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Free
Thu
20

Arts & Ideas

Daniel Handler - Tries His Best Answering Questions & Making Cocktails

Date
Thu, June 20
Time
7:30 PM - 9:00 PM
With And Then? And Then? What Else?, Daniel Handler examines the challenging and often amusing path toward one of the most spectacularly successful writing careers of the twenty-first century.
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$39
Mon
24

Arts & Ideas

RetroBlakesberg: The Music Never Stopped

Date
Mon, June 24
Time
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Discover the personal journey of Jay Blakesberg, a Jewish kid from New Jersey who followed his passion for music and photography to San Francisco.
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Free

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