“What does it mean to receive an ancient tradition and make it our own?”—Alicia Jo Rabins
Alicia Jo Rabins—writer, indie-folk musician, performer, filmmaker and Torah teacher—combines words, music, ritual and performance to create works of experimental beauty exploring the intersection of ancient wisdom texts, feminism and everyday life.
She joins us from Portland, OR, to discuss her memoir, “When We’re Born We Forget Everything,” about her spiritual journey from a secular Jewish childhood to studying ancient teachings and her relentless—often embarrassing, sometimes enlightening—search for the sacred.
The author of four books (including poetry collections, essays and a children’s book about Leonard Cohen), Rabins is the creator/star of the indie film “A Kaddish for Bernie Madoff” (2021) and will perform music from her indie-folk song cycle, “Girls in Trouble,” about the complicated lives of Biblical women.
Doors open 30 minutes before showtime for Happy Hour in the J Café where you can view a portrait of Rabins included in our photography exhibit “A Joyful Noise: Klezmer in Motion” before it closes.
Author reception, book sales + signing after the show.
In partnership with Jewish Book Council.
Part of Chew on This! Speaker Series theme: Blueprint for Belonging.
ABOUT “When We’re Born We Forget Everything: A Memoir”:
Recent Jewish memoirs document movement away from observant religious practices, particularly for people who identify as queer or feminist; Alicia Jo Rabins’ spiritual memoir is different. Over four sections, she narrates her journey from the secular Jewish life of her childhood to a more observant life as a musician and Torah teacher and explores ongoing negotiations of religious observance along the way. Learn more>>
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