Brace yourselves! The Center for Jewish History (CJH) has announced a series of events celebrating the rich tapestry of Jewish culture in comics. From heart-pounding musicals to mind-bending panels, this supercharged program guarantees an epic experience for every comic enthusiast and cultural afficionado.

Meet renowned cartoonists, writers, and illustrators like Frank Miller, Paul Levitz, Trina Robbins, Jules Feiffer, Stephanie Phillips, Brian Michael Bendis, Neil Kleid, and E. Lockhart.

Wednesday, November 8, 07:00 PM – LABZIK: TALES OF A CLEVER PUP – IN-PERSON EVENT

Adapted from Yiddish author Chaver Paver’s children’s stories, Labzik: Tales of a Clever Pup brings to life the adventures of Labzik, a clever mutt, and a working-class Jewish family in the Bronx. This trilingual Yiddish-English-Yinglish short film, presented in cinematic “miniature theater” style, features lavishly illustrated paper puppets and explores themes that remain relevant today. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with director Jake Krakovsky and translator Miriam Udel.

Thursday, November 9, 06:30 PM – HEREVILLE: A NEW JEWISH MUSICAL – IN-PERSON EVENT & LIVESTREAMED ON YOUTUBE

Experience Hereville, a female-driven, family-friendly musical based on Barry Deutsch’s award-winning graphic novels. The story follows Mirka, an 11-year-old girl in an Orthodox Jewish town, as she grapples with family dynamics and a looming threat. Directed by Laura Brandel, this musical promises a love story and is rated PG for its exploration of grief and loss. Attend in person or join the livestream on YouTube.

Saturday, November 11, 07:30 PM – JewCie Awards Ceremony

Be part of history at the first-ever JewCie Awards! Join industry titans, nominees, and judges for an unforgettable evening celebrating excellence in Jewish comics. Limited tickets are available for this exclusive event.

Sunday, November 12 – PANELS, WORKSHOPS, AND EVENTS

A series of dynamic panels and workshops will delve into various aspects of Jewish culture in comics:

• Jewish Roots of the Comic Industry: Explore the influence of Jewish creators on iconic characters like Superman and Batman. Moderator: Danny Fingeroth; Roy Schwartz; Simcha Weinstein, and Ari Kaplan
• Will Eisner: the First Poet Laureate of the Jewish Graphic Novel: Join a discussion on the groundbreaking work of Will Eisner and his enduring impact on the graphic novel genre. Paul Levitz & Jules Feiffer
• Queering Jewish Comics: Delve into comics that challenge normative notions of Jewish identity and explore themes of gender and sexuality. Moderator: Tahneer Oksman; Ben Kahn, Shira Spector, Barry Deutsch, and Miriam Libicki.
• From Strength to Strength: Jewish Superheroes Through the Ages: Discover the Jewish context, themes, and identity in the world of superheroes. Moderator: Roy Schwartz; Brian Michael Bendis; E. Lockhart; Dean Haspiel, and Frank Miller.
• Breaking the Mainstream: Getting Past Ashkenormativity and Secularism in Comics: Discuss the representation of diverse Jewish experiences in comics. Moderator: Arnon Shorr; Daniel Lobell; Emily Bowen Cohen; Dan Goldman, and Carol Isaacs.
• Canons Are Made to Blow Up! Retconning, Rebooting, Jossing, and Other Paradigm Shifts: Explore the dynamic nature of continuity changes in long-running comics. Moderator: Jenny Caplan; Brian Michael Bendis; Brian Assarello; Joshua Sky, and Barbara Slate.
• Telling Other People’s Stories: Hear from creators who approach the craft of storytelling from different perspectives. Moderator: Julian Voloj; Tracy White; Stephanie Phillips; Koren Shadmi, and Neil Kleid.
• Kids Comics for Mini Mensches: Explore the creation of Jewish comics for young readers. Moderator: Jeremy Dauber; Yehudi Mercado; Terri Libenson; Chari Pere, and Barry Deutsch.
• The New Maimonides: How Comics & Graphic Novels Illuminate & Elucidate Jewish Texts: Learn how comics bring new life to traditional Jewish texts. Moderator: Jordan B. Gorfinkel; JT Waldman; Yael Nathanmat Tonti, and Willy Mendes.
• Jewish Female Narratives in the Graphic Arts: Engage with female creators discussing gender and Jewish identity in personal narratives. Moderator: Karen Green; Leela Corman; Amy Kurzweil; Alisa Kwitney, and Miriam Libicki.
• Jewish Folklore in Comics: Examine how graphic novels use folklore to enrich Jewish storytelling. Moderator: Eddy Portnoy; Dani Colman; Trina Robbins; Chanan Beizer, and Yehudi Mercado.
• Jewish Comics and Remembrance Culture: Discuss the role of comics in engaging with Jewish history, Holocaust narratives, and memory. Moderator: Gavriel Rosenfeld; Rafael Medoff; Ken Krimstein; Stan Mack, and Trina Robbins.