Connect to Jewish life + culture
Join SJCC Arts + Ideas for an extraordinary season of performances, conversations, films and shared experiences.
Enjoy captivating concerts, family shows, scintillating speakers, authors and thought leaders, and tasty chefs—plus evocative exhibits and the annual Seattle Jewish Film Festival. Our season amplifies profound Jewish connections to global Jewish life, conversations, cinema and culture for everyone.
Download the season lineup in PDF here >>
EXHIBIT | HYPHEN: Graphic Novels of Jewish Diversity
October 12 - December 6
Explore Jewish diversity through HYPHEN: Jewish Stories in Our Own Words, a graphic novel exhibit featuring stories of identity, immigration and belonging.
MUSIC | Jewish Country Music Artist: Joe Buchanan + The Family Band
November 21 • 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
7:00 pm
Jewish country music artist Joe Buchanan + his band deliver a boot-stomping, backyard boogying joyous evening of country ballads, connection, healing and celebration. Featuring line dancing with Seattle’s Boot Boogie Babes.
EXHIBIT | Author/Photographer Lloyd Wolf, “A Joyful Noise: Klezmer in Motion”
December 5, 2026 - March 31, 2027
For 30 years, award-winning photographer Lloyd Wolf has documented klezmer musicians, a uniquely Jewish art form—from old-school performers to cutting-edge upstarts.
MUSIC | The Klezmatics: Hanukkah & 40th Anniversary Celebration
December 5 • 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
7:00 pm
The Grammy-winning klezmer superstars mark their 40th anniversary with a powerful new album and Hanukkah show rooted in protest, hope and resilience. Hanukkah Happy Hour features Manischewitz cocktails.
HANUKKAH FAMILY SHOW | Mark Nizer 4D Juggling + Laser Show
December 6 • 1:30 pm - 4:30 pm
1:30 pm
Mark Nizer’s mix of juggling, laser beams and 3D glasses brings a "new dimension" of family-friendly entertainment to the J for Hanukkah. Come early for Hands on Hanukkah crafts + latkes before the show.
EXHIBIT+SPEAKER | Author/Photographer Lloyd Wolf, “A Joyful Noise: Klezmer in Motion”
December 13 • 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
2:00 pm
For 30 years, award-winning photographer Lloyd Wolf has documented klezmer musicians, a uniquely Jewish art form—from old-school performers to cutting-edge upstarts.
SJCC Book Club: “Enormous Wings” + Author Laurie Frankel
December 15 • 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
6:30 pm
SJCC Book Club pick for this month is “Enormous Wings” by New York Times bestselling author Laurie Frankel. We will discuss the book and then be joined in person by the Seattle author.
CHEF TALK + TASTING | PBS star Pati Jinich, “Foods of La Frontera” Cookbook Event
January 21, 2027 • 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
7:00 pm
In her new cookbook, acclaimed chef, NY Times bestselling author and James Beard- and Emmy-winning PBS TV star celebrates the rich cultures and foods of the US/Mexico border, and her own Jewish-Mexican heritage. Moderated by Rachel Belle of Cascade PBS's "The Nosh.”
MUSIC | “Different Ships, Same Boat,” a Jazz/Slam Poet Musical Journey
January 31, 2027 • 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm
2:00 pm
A stirring, multidisciplinary jazz/slam poet musical journey of stories and Sephardic songs exploring the joys, tensions and complexities of America and to foster civic healing.
FILM TRIVIA | MovieCat Trivia: Presented by Seattle Jewish Film Festival
February 7, 2027 • 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
4:00 pm
Grab your fellow film lovers for MovieCat Trivia, an event packed with silver-screen clips and category brain-busters, belly laughs and fun community vibes. Happy Hour drinks, pizza slices and snacks for sale.
AUTHOR + CONCERT | Indie Musician Alicia Jo Rabins’ Spiritual Memoir
March 27, 2027 • 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm
7:30 pm
Writer, musician, filmmaker and Torah teacher—Alicia Jo Rabins discusses her new memoir, "When We're Born We Forget Everything" and performs from her indie-folk song cycle, "Girls in Trouble" about the complicated lives of Biblical Women.
EXHIBIT | Michael Shapiro, “Ketubah Renaissance”
April 1, 2027 - July 1, 2027
Illuminating the contemporary revival and novel designs of the Jewish marriage contract, "Ketubah Renaissance" showcases the most innovative and artful ketubot of the last half century. See the exhibit, meet the author/curator and CEO of ketubah.com.
AUTHOR | Roberta Kwall, “Polarized: Why American Jews are Divided and What to Do About It”
April 1, 2027 • 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
7:00 pm
A multidisciplinary examination of major divides within the American Jewish community that lays out a blueprint for developing much-needed, productive discourse despite areas of disagreement.
FILM | CineBeliefs: SPIRITED AWAY + Interfaith Discussion
April 11, 2027 • 3:00 pm - 5:30 pm
3:00 pm
Screen Hayao Miyazaki’s classic SPIRITED AWAY and explore the film's Shinto-Buddhist foundation with Jewish, Christian and Shinto faith leaders responding to the film's themes.
AUTHOR BOOK CLUB | Elaine Culbertson, “Mamaleh” Memoir
May 5, 2027 • 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
6:30 pm
For Yom Hashoah (Holocaust Remembrance), join author Elaine Culbertson for a virtual presentation and intimate book-club-style conversation about her gorgeous memoir, "Mamaleh: A Legacy of Love & Loss." Reading in advance recommended but not necessary.
EXHIBIT+SPEAKER | Michael Shapiro, “Ketubah Renaissance”
May 13, 2027 • 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
6:30 pm
Illuminating the contemporary revival and novel designs of the Jewish marriage contract, "Ketubah Renaissance" showcases the most innovative and artful ketubot of the last half century. See the exhibit, meet the author/curator and CEO of ketubah.com.
AUTHOR | Judy Batalion, “The Last Woman of Warsaw”
May 23, 2027 • 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
4:00 pm
From the critically acclaimed, NYT bestselling author of "The Light of Days," a debut novel about two very different, courageous Jewish women who unexpectedly come together and grapple with mounting danger in 1930s Warsaw.
CHEF + DEMO | Leah Koenig, “The Dessert Table: 100 Joyous Jewish Sweets”
June 6, 2027 • 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
4:00 pm
A richly researched, love letter to 2,000 years of Jewish sweets—from historic Venice, Syria and Curaçao, to home bakers in Hungary and Poland, and up-and-coming bakeries in the US and diaspora.
