The Sea - Ann Arbor Jewish Film Festival
2026-05-06 18:30 - 21:00 (America/Detroit) | The State Theatre 233 S State St, Ann Arbor
Please join us at the**State Theater** for the **Ann Arbor Jewish Film
Festival**! The festival is celebrating its 25th year and this year’s showings
are sure to amaze and move you. The primary festival runs from**May 3 to May
13** , but stay tuned throughout the year for special events!
**Doors Open at 6:00 pm **
**Film Starts at 6:30 pm **
**Synopsis:** Khaled, a 12-year-old boy from a Palestinian village, is
thrilled to join a school trip to see the sea for the first time. However, at
an Israeli military checkpoint, soldiers declare his travel permit invalid and
send him back, while his classmates continue on. Determined and heartbroken,
Khaled sets out alone to reach the sea, despite not knowing the way or
speaking Hebrew. His father, Ribhi, an undocumented laborer working in Israel,
abandons his job and risks arrest to search for his missing son.
Organized by: JCC of Greater Ann Arbor
View event on Jlive: https://jlive.app/events/14828

The Last Spy - Ann Arbor Jewish Film Festival
2026-05-07 18:30 - 21:00 | The State Theatre 233 S State St, Ann Arbor
Please join us at the**State Theater** for the **Ann Arbor Jewish Film
Festival**! The festival is celebrating its 25th year and this year’s showings
are sure to amaze and move you. The primary festival runs from**May 3 to May
13** , but stay tuned throughout the year for special events!
**Doors Open at 6:00 pm **
**Film Starts at 6:30 pm **
**Synopsis:**_The Last Spy_ is the riveting biography of 102-year-old CIA
spymaster Peter Sichel, revealing for the first time the epic and unvarnished
history of the US foreign intelligence service from the inside. With a good
dose of wit and humor to boot, Sichel unpacks the obscured roots of conflicts
that plague today’s world and the toll espionage took on his personal life.
Organized by: JCC of Greater Ann Arbor
View event on Jlive: https://jlive.app/events/14829

Girls Like Us - Ann Arbor Jewish Film Festival
2026-05-11 18:30 - 21:00 | The State Theatre 233 S State St, Ann Arbor
Please join us at the**State Theater** for the **Ann Arbor Jewish Film
Festival**! The festival is celebrating its 25th year and this year’s showings
are sure to amaze and move you. The primary festival runs from**May 3 to May
13** , but stay tuned throughout the year for special events!
**Doors Open at 6:00 pm **
**Film Starts at 6:30 pm **
**Synopsis:** Shahar lives in a tough neighborhood with her dysfunctional
family. Her divorced father is in a mental institution, and her alcoholic
mother dreams of remarriage. Shahar essentially raises her younger sister
alone. Expelled from regular school, she now studies at an alternative school
for at-risk girls. When a new counselor arrives as an unconventional and
enigmatic guide, their intense relationship, marked by attraction and
repulsion, pushes them both to the edge.
Organized by: JCC of Greater Ann Arbor
View event on Jlive: https://jlive.app/events/14830

Stay Forte - Ann Arbor Jewish Film Festival
2026-05-12 17:00 - 21:30 | The State Theatre 233 S State St, Ann Arbor
Please join us at the**State Theatre** for the **Ann Arbor Jewish Film
Festival**! The festival is celebrating its 25th year and this year’s showings
are sure to amaze and move you. The primary festival runs from**May 3 to May
13** , but stay tuned throughout the year for special events!
**Doors Open at 6:00 pm **
**Film Starts at 6:30 pm **
**Synopsis:** The film explores the harrowing journey of Alon Shamiriz, Yotam
Chai, and Samer Tallaka, three innocent Israeli hostages who were plucked from
their homes and held captive in the terror tunnels of Gaza. They were
tragically killed after escaping captivity while attempting to find their way
home to Israel. Their story resonates as a profound reminder of resilience,
humanity, and the indomitable will to survive amid turmoil.
Organized by: JCC of Greater Ann Arbor
View event on Jlive: https://jlive.app/events/14831

Ann Arbor Jewish Film Festival Shorts Series - Oscar Shorts Showcase: 4 Films, Light Snacks & Community Discussion
2026-05-26 14:00 - 15:00 | Jewish Community Center of Greater Ann Arbor 2935 Birch Hollow Dr, Ann Arbor
Celebrating 25 Years of Jewish Cinema
In honor of the **Ann Arbor Jewish Film Festival’s 25th Anniversary** , we are
proud to present a special showcase of **25 films** throughout the season. We
are excited to launch our new **Shorts Series Discussion Panels** , providing
a space for powerful storytelling followed by community conversation.
When & Where
* **Time:** 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM weekly
* **Location:** The JCC of Greater Ann Arbor
* **Format:** Screenings followed by moderated panels and light snacks.
Expert Panels
Each week features guest experts, including local professors, rabbis,
directors, artists, and filmmakers, offering unique insights into Jewish
history and identity.
Tickets & Sponsorship
* **General Admission:** $15 per session at check-in, or $72 for the series online in advance.
* **Sponsorship:** All films in this series are **included** with Festival Sponsorship.
* **To Support:** To become a sponsor, please reach out to **Marci Sturman** or visit the **JCC Front Desk**.
The Shorts Series Lineup
* **Oscar Nominees Night:** Featuring 2026 Academy Award® nominees **_Butcher’s Stain_** and **_Children No More_** , plus two bonus shorts: **_Frequency_** and **_Last Respects_**.
* **_Windows on Rue de St. Dominique_** : An artistic exploration featuring filmmaker **Simcha Shtull** (sister of our own **Dina Shtull**), alongside **Professor Karla Goldman** and local artist and community favorite **Ron Sussman**.
* **Food & Family:** A double feature of **_Babka_** and **_Double Happiness_**. Includes a recipe share and food competition! **_Please bring your favorite Babka or Jewish recipes and your best Babka for our Bubbe’s Best Babka competition!_**
* **_That’s How You Make a Torah_** : A deep dive into sacred craft with the film’s cinematographer and local Rabbinical leadership.
* **History & Heroism:** A poignant screening of **_Wallenberg_** and **_Ice Cream Man_** with a discussion led by an expert panel.
* **_The Niggun_** : An exploration of Yiddish culture, music, and spirituality with **Rabbi Chazan Pescador** and **Professor Julian Levinson**.
Organized by: JCC of Greater Ann Arbor
View event on Jlive: https://jlive.app/events/15756

TBE Talking About Israel Together
2026-06-01 18:30 - 20:30, 2026-06-08 18:30 - 20:30, 2026-06-15 18:30 - 20:30, 2026-06-22 18:30 - 20:30 | Temple Beth Emeth 2309 Packard St, Ann Arbor
This June, TBE is hosting a four-session series called Talking About Israel
Together — dinner first, honest conversation after, with a framework that
makes it feel safe to actually speak.
Organized by: Temple Beth Emeth
View event on Jlive: https://jlive.app/events/15908

Ann Arbor Jewish Film Festival Shorts Series - Windows on Rue de St. Dominique: Film Screening, Panel & Local Artist
2026-06-04 14:00 - 15:00 | Jewish Community Center of Greater Ann Arbor 2935 Birch Hollow Dr, Ann Arbor

InStepWithSam Legacy Run
2026-06-07 09:00 - 12:00 | 1320 Baldwin Ave 1320 Baldwin Ave, Ann Arbor
**Proceeds support the Samantha Woll Center for Jewish Detroit**
Join the 3rd annual InStepWithSam Legacy Run as we celebrate Sam Woll’s spirit
of unity, kindness, and community. Choose from a 5K, a 1-mile walk/run, or a
Kids Fun Run, and enjoy a festive day with food trucks, a bounce house, and a
Sam-inspired service project. Not in Ann Arbor? You can still participate with
a virtual option or join a meetup happening in cities across the U.S. and
abroad. Register by April 10 to save $5, and by May 10 to receive a free
t-shirt. For more information, click
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Organized by: Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor
View event on Jlive: https://jlive.app/events/15382

TBE Congregational Experiences with Zionism and Anti-Zionism
2026-06-07 14:00 - 17:00
Our synagogues have always held multitudes. We come from different
backgrounds, hold different politics, and bring different Jewish journeys to
our congregations, and somehow we find a way to be a community, together. But
the question of Zionism is testing that capacity in new ways. Across the
country, congregations are grappling with how to remain whole when their
members hold fundamentally different, sometimes irreconcilable, views.
How do we stay in relationship with one another? How do rabbis and lay leaders
create space for genuine disagreement without fracturing the community they’ve
worked so hard to build? These are not easy questions, and there are no simple
answers, but they are exactly the questions this program is designed to
explore.
Karla Goldman, who directs the University of Michigan’s Jewish Communal
Leadership Program, will bring her expertise in Jewish institutions to
moderate a conversation on that can engage the diverse perspectives within the
room. Andrew Lapin will offer on-the-ground reporting on how Liberal Jewish
congregations nationally are wrestling with this challenge. Then Rabbi Stella,
Rabbi Caine, and Rabbi Whinston will join a panel discussion moderated by
Robert Erlewine, turning the lens on our own Ann Arbor congregations.
Come ready to listen, to question, and to be part of the conversation.
Organized by: Temple Beth Emeth
View event on Jlive: https://jlive.app/events/15910

Jewish Book Series: Lunch & Learn with Yishay Ishi Ron
2026-06-09 12:00 - 13:30 | Jewish Community Center of Greater Ann Arbor 2935 Birch Hollow Dr, Ann Arbor
Please join us at the JCC on **Tuesday, June 9** from **12-1:30 PM** for an
in-person Lunch & Learn and a virtual visit from Yishay Ishi Ron, author of
_Dog_. Enjoy a delicious lunch while listening to Yishay speak about his book
over Zoom.
_Dog_ is a raw, unflinching novel, drawing on the author’s own experiences as
a former elite IDF combat officer suffering from PTSD and addiction. The story
follows Geller, a decorated soldier who returns from Gaza to Tel Aviv only to
be haunted by the trauma of combat — including the memory of a soldier killing
a dog in the field. Haunted and estranged from family and comrades, Geller
spirals into heroin addiction, living in the underbelly of Tel Aviv among
misfit junkies.
His life takes a turn when a stray dog enters his world. Initially
indifferent, Geller eventually rescues the dog, forming an unexpected bond.
The narrative alternates between Geller’s fragmented, drug-addled perspective
and brief, often humorous, chapters from the dog’s point of view, as well as
from the perspective of Doris, a lonely apartment cleaner who sees potential
in Geller. These shifts broaden the scope beyond Geller’s self-absorbed
despair, hinting at the possibility of redemption.
This event is part of the JCC’s ongoing **Book Series** , where visiting
authors give public talks on their work to bring new ideas and literature to
the community. **The cost of this program is $12.50/person**.
_JCC community events and programs are open to all regardless of faith or
background. All are welcome._
Organized by: JCC of Greater Ann Arbor
View event on Jlive: https://jlive.app/events/14834

Ann Arbor Jewish Film Festival Shorts Series - Films: Babka & Double Happiness + Recipe Share & Food Competition
2026-06-09 14:00 - 15:00 | Jewish Community Center of Greater Ann Arbor 2935 Birch Hollow Dr, Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor Jewish Film Festival Shorts Series - hat’s How You Make a Torah: Film & Expert Panel Q&A
2026-06-16 14:00 - 15:00 | Jewish Community Center of Greater Ann Arbor 2935 Birch Hollow Dr, Ann Arbor

TBE Retreat
2026-06-19 00:00 - 2026-06-21 00:00 | Ralph A. MacMullan Conference Center Conservation Dr, Roscommon
Miracles surround us every day, but we often don’t notice them. The theme of
our weekend retreat is Nisim b’Chol Yom, or “Everyday Miracles.” Through
prayer, text, song, and community, surrounded by the beauty of Northern
Michigan, we will explore the daily miracles we encounter within and around
us.
Organized by: Temple Beth Emeth
View event on Jlive: https://jlive.app/events/15152

Ann Arbor Jewish Film Festival Shorts Series - Wallenberg & Ice Cream Man: Short Films & Expert Discussion
2026-06-23 14:00 - 15:00 | Jewish Community Center of Greater Ann Arbor 2935 Birch Hollow Dr, Ann Arbor

A2 Summer Fest Jewish Community Meet Up
2026-06-28 17:00 - 19:00 | 915 E Washington St 915 E Washington St, Ann Arbor
Join us for an Annual Jewish Community Meetup at the Ann Arbor Summerfest
Event! We will have drink tickets while supplies last, snacks, and community
members all joining in on the Summer music and fun!
NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED, YOU CAN JUST SHOW UP!
Organized by: Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor
View event on Jlive: https://jlive.app/events/14692

Ann Arbor Jewish Film Festival Shorts Series - Film: The Niggun + Discussion w/ Rabbi Chazan Pescador & Prof. Julian Levinson
2026-06-30 14:00 - 15:00 | Jewish Community Center of Greater Ann Arbor 2935 Birch Hollow Dr, Ann Arbor

America's Seder
2026-07-01 18:00 - 20:00
America’s Seder: Celebrating 250 Years of Democracy and Freedom
Please join our community for Kosher (fish or vegetarian) food, and drinks at
an exciting Ann Arbor location (provided upon registration). An evening of
discussion, civic learning and engagement – and a few songs!
Organized by: Beth Israel Congregation, Jewish Federation of Greater Ann
Arbor, Temple Beth Emeth, JCRC of Greater Ann Arbor
View event on Jlive: https://jlive.app/events/15913

2026 Wallenberg Medal and Lecture
2026-09-29 16:30 - 18:15
Event details to be announced Spring 2026.
Free and open to the public. Wheelchair and handicap accessible. ASL
interpreted. CART provided.
Calendar listing available at https://events.umich.edu/event/145865.
Organized by: Wallenberg Medal and Lecture
View event on Jlive: https://jlive.app/events/15070
