Skirball Cultural Center

Honored to attend the 14th Annual Report on the Status of Women and Girls in California at the Skirball Cultural Center representing American #LegionPost #283.; also proud to be presenting on the Women Legionnaires, highlighting the incredible contributions of women veterans and their impact on our communities. Grateful for the opportunity to advocate for positive change and empower the next generation of girls. #WomenVeterans #Leadership #CommunityImpact #AmericanLegion #GirlsInSTEM #Empowerment

This month we'd like you to meet Sophie Levy, a Research fellow in our Museum Department. Sophie recently joined our team and sat down with us to discuss some of her interests and tell us a little more about her work as the Nazarian Research Fellow in Persian Jewish Art, Culture, and History here at the Skirball Cultural Center. Q: Tell us about a past or present exhibition that you enjoyed and why. A: Since starting my fellowship, I've learned a lot from my colleagues about RECLAIMED: A Family Painting (on view from October 2023 to February 2024), a temporary exhibition curated by my supervisor, Alissa Schapiro. The exhibition told the story of a Jewish family in Czechoslovakia and a Baroque painting that belonged to them, which was stolen by the Nazis and eventually recovered decades later. I was living in New York at the time so I unfortunately couldn't see the show in person, but I've since looked into its content. Beyond highlighting the central painting, RECLAIMED also foregrounded the object's history and brought it to life, lending a meaningful role to contextual objects like the Bloch family's letters, suitcases, and a reconstruction of their living room. Since I'll be working with objects that belonged to exiled Iranian Jewish families, this exhibition has stayed with me as a powerful example of how museums can honor displaced histories in a transparent, sophisticated way and invite us to see that objects can hold entire worlds within them. Q: Describe a Skirball event you had the opportunity to attend. What made it special for you?  A: On December 3, I got the chance to attend the reception for the 2024 Howard I. Friedman Memorial Graduate Essay Prize. Alona Bach discussed her winning essay, “Electric Yiddishkeit,” and Sophia Shoulson, the runner-up, talked about her work on Yiddish print culture. It was a really warm, sweet, and happy occasion all around, and I learned so much from Alona and Sophia. I had a great time chatting with them and other Skirball community members about Jewish languages, the history and politics of Jewish assimilation in America, and lots of other interests we had in common. →To read the full article, visit us at https://lnkd.in/gupds2eV We want to extend our thanks to Sophie for her contributions and are thrilled to have her help grow our celebration of Persian Jewish culture here at the Skirball. Through partnerships like this, we deepen our connection to Jewish identity, its diaspora, and the broader world around us.

Here at #musiccenterla we’re celebrating #womenshistorymonth with a spotlight on the incredible women in the arts who are making her-story and raising the bar all across Los Angeles County! 🙌🎉 #whm #internationalwomensday #iwd2025 #losangeles #womenleaders #arts Featured Orgs: MOCA | The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County The Huntington LA County Library J. Paul Getty Trust LA Commons LA Phil The Broad Library Foundation of Los Angeles Skirball Cultural Center Los Angeles Women's Theatre Festival Center Theatre Group FilAm ARTS: The Association for the Advancement of Filipino American Arts and Culture LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes KCRW

We thought we'd spread some love 💗and acknowledge the incredible contributions of our Skirballers, whose hard work has a profound impact on our community. Meet Skirballer Sabrina Wurf, the Membership Manager in our Development department. Sabrina has been with us for twenty years and sat down to discuss some of her interests and tell us stories about her time here. Q: Tell us about a past or present exhibition that you enjoyed and why. A: The Jim Henson Exhibition: Imagination Unlimited was wonderful. It appealed to all ages and generations. The exhibition—and Henson's creations—evoked joy, play, fun, and fantasy while simultaneously offering us messages of inclusion and acceptance across all cultures and abilities. People were so happy to attend this exhibition. It just hit all the right notes. Q: Describe a Skirball event you had the opportunity to attend. What made it special for you? A: We have countless incredible events. A unique one which I remember from 2016 was a theater performance by Touretteshero, Backstage in Biscuit Land, performed by Jess Thom and Jess Mabel Jones. It was presented as "relaxed performance" and was an important step forward in accessibility and inclusiveness. Guests were able to move around freely during the program, as not everyone is able to follow traditional theater etiquette. This neurotypical performance made accessible to all, was groundbreaking for our public programs team. →To read the full article, visit us at https://lnkd.in/g3uA8kQb --- About Skirballer Spotlights Our institution is more than just a workplace—it's a community where each team member plays a vital role in bringing the Skirball's mission and values to life, and creating memorable experiences for all who walk through our doors. As a loving tribute to our original benefactors, Jack and Audrey Skirball, and because of the Skirballs' dedication to education and cultural exchange, we proudly call ourselves "Skirballers." We regularly spotlight one of these Skirballers, showcasing their unique talents, passions, and contributions to our community. Through these introductions, we invite you to get to know the people who make working here truly something special.

"Los Angeles is our home, and Los Angeles is a place of neighborhoods. Our identity as Angelenos is often based on belonging to a smaller community within the larger metropolis. Altadena. Pacific Palisades. Malibu. I know you are all consumed, as we are, by the fight to survive these fires. I feel awe for the courage and fortitude of firefighters and first responders. Terror at the speed and power of the wind and flames. Shock at the destruction of homes, businesses, schools, and environment. Concern for the displaced. Uncertainty as to how to help. Grief for ten people who died trying to save their homes and thousands who are newly homeless. Numb, when it’s all too much. Tonight, as the sun sets, many Jews will begin to observe Shabbat—a weekly ritual for rest and reflection. There is no rest in an emergency. There is no reflection during trauma. And yet, taking a moment, however brief, to quiet the noise and calm the mind is the ancient wisdom Jewish tradition offers us. In that spirit, we share this note from the third century writings of the great Judaic scholars of that era: “Do not separate yourself from the community.” —Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers) 2:4 Wherever you are, you are not alone. A friend of the Skirball wrote to me to say, “Your faraway friends are holding you,” and I say the same to each and every one of you. Whatever place you called home, wherever you are now, Skirball is holding you tonight. Shabbat Shalom: a peace of mind and body." In community,  Jessie Kornberg President and CEO  Skirball Cultural Center

🗣️We are looking for a Creative Exhibition Partner to work with us on our Core Exhibition Renewal. Could this be you or someone you've worked with? Project Overview: The Skirball Cultural Center’s core exhibition, Visions & Values: Jewish Life from Antiquity to America, opened in 1996. As the institution approaches its 30th anniversary, the board and staff leadership have identified the re-visioning of this central narrative on Jewish American experience as its key priority and opportunity. The new 14,000 square foot core exhibition will distinguish the Skirball by: →Presenting a broadly relevant and compelling narrative on the Jewish American experience that celebrates the unique history of Los Angeles’ Jewish people and the full diversity of American Jewry’s cultural influences and traditions. →Creating identity and emotional connections within and among visitors. →Building greater understanding and sense of belonging. →Exploring “big hard questions” on a human scale with multiple perspectives. Opening in spring 2029, a re-envisioned core exhibition will grow and expand audience reach and engage visitors more deeply with the Skirball’s Jewish roots. Priority design audiences for the core reflect a focus on diversification and community impact. The primary audience is younger than the current average visitor—in their “Age of Becoming.” Secondary audiences include individuals 65+; grandparents, and members of the Jewish community—especially people who may not see their histories and stories reflected in existing Jewish content, including those with limited knowledge of Jewish culture, history, or religion; those in non-Ashkenazi ancestral groups (such as Sephardic and Yemenite); and those adjacent to Jewish people through family or community connections. We assume that the majority of people in these groups will reside in Los Angeles or Southern California more broadly; while we welcome tourists, we do not see them as a primary or secondary audience. We have articulated a three-phase selection process and are looking for an expression of interest no later than Friday, January 24, 2025. Learn more about our selection process by following the link below. 👇 https://lnkd.in/gK3kEwyg About the Skirball: The Skirball Cultural Center is a place of meeting guided by the Jewish tradition of welcoming the stranger and inspired by the American democratic ideals of freedom and equality. We welcome people of all communities and generations to participate in cultural experiences that celebrate discovery and hope, foster human connections, and call upon us to help build a more just society. We present Jewish stories as American experiences to build a sense of shared humanity and strengthen a society where diverse views can be shared respectfully. We emphasize the connections between Jewish identities and other American immigration and civil rights experiences to a diverse and representative audience.

Common Ground, a project by LA based ceramic artist Adam Silverman, is absolutely what we need more of in the world. An ambitious community driven project that unites art and food and conversation, Silverman took clay, wood ash and water from all 50 states plus the 6 US territories and made a series of 56 dishes, cups, bowls and ceremonial vessels. The project now has a permanent home at the Skirball Cultural Center, where Silverman was also artist-in-residence for the past year. Read more about this project: https://lnkd.in/ge9exN4v

Diane von Furstenberg: Woman Before Fashion is now on view at Skirball Cultural Center! Last week, friends and family of the brand have gathered in Los Angeles to celebrate this multidisciplinary exploration that chronicles Diane's extraordinary life and career from the 1970s to the present day.

🌟 Epic night with an iconic woman celebrating the woman of women: Diane Von Furstenberg! 🎉 A 50-year legacy that has redefined women not only in life but also at work, empowering us to embrace our femininity, sexuality, bodies, abilities, intellect, and essence! 💪✨ Diane von Furstenberg I was lucky enough to have a heartfelt conversation with Diane about her incredible journey and share my own. Let me tell you, I felt her power, strength, and humanity! 🙌❤️ Exciting news—the exhibit is now open at Skirball Cultural Center! 🎨✨ Ladies, please take your daughters to see it and get to know the women of modern-day inspiration! 🌸 🎥Plus, Diane’s documentary about her life is now available on Hulu 📺💕 A huge thank you to my dearest @elisasednaoui for an unforgettable night! Love you! 💖 #DianeVonFurstenberg #WomenEmpowerment #Legacy #Iconic #Inspiration #EmpoweredWomen #Femininity #Strength #UnforgettableNight #GirlPower #SkirballCulturalCenter #ModernInspiration #MotherDaughter #Documentary #Hulu #ThankYou

Thank you to all who celebrated with us at the 49th Annual FDR Dinner at the Skirball Cultural Center on October 5th! The unforgettable evening highlighted DRLC’s victories and mission to champion the rights of people with disabilities, set in exquisite old Hollywood glamour. We are grateful to our sponsors and community partners for a wonderful evening honoring Lauren Ridloff, Jennifer Kumiyama, Keker, Van Nest & Peters LLP, Salesforce, and Toyota North America. Find a preview of our official event photos, courtesy of Isabel Gomes and Lawrence Gund of Isabel Lawrence Photographers, at https://lnkd.in/eFAecF_Y.