Coming up on Sunday, February 21st, the Museum at Eldridge presents a free panel discussion on “Jewish New York” with a focus on historic, cultural and culinary treasures of the Jewish Lower East Side.
The conversation, moderated by author Paul Kaplan (of the guidebook Jewish New York), will look at the changing face of Jewish New York, and the people and places that balance innovation with tradition.
Panelists include: Evan Giniger, co-owner of the newly remodelled Kossar’s Bialys, Zalmen Mlotek, Creative Director of the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene, which just moved to a new home in lower Manhattan, and local writer and filmmaker Laurie Gwen Shapiro.
Shapiro is a Lower East Side native and a self described “pop historian.” She has recently been sorting through, and contributing to, the archives at the Seward Park Library’s Lower East Side Heritage Collection. She told us she is fascinated by the histories of everyday people, “who may live down the hall from you.”
Although she acknowledges how exciting the changing face of the neighborhood can be, she said, “We need to preserve this history while we can, especially that of the older residents living on Grand Street…basically, your Aunt Edna is probably a rich, valuable resource!”
Shapiro’s latest book, The Happiest Boy in the World (published by Simon & Schuster), will be released in 2017. It focuses on a real life stowaway from the Lower East Side who ends up on an adventure in Antarctica.
A reception with wine donated by Kedem Winery and bialys and babka donated by Kossar’s Bialys will follow the discussion.
February 21st // 2:00 p.m. // FREE // 12 Eldridge Street (between Division and Canal Streets)
