Members of the community are invited to join Alanna E. Cooper, the Abba Hillel Silver Professor of Jewish Studies, for an upcoming remote lecture titled “Windows Without a Home: 21st Century Congregations Repurposing Sacred Shards.” Hosted by the Siegal Lifelong Learning Program, this lecture will be held Thursday, Aug. 5, from noon to 1 p.m.
In 21st century America, as synagogues dissolve in small towns and peripheral areas of the county, congregants face the dilemma of what to do with their sacred objects. Stained glass poses a particularly difficult dilemma. In this talk, Cooper will address the history of stained-glass windows in American synagogues, their aesthetic and emotional allure, and crucially, the question of their destiny when their congregations disband and their buildings are sold.
This lecture costs $5 for Siegal Lifelong Learning Program members and $10 for nonmembers.