Jewish Symposium: An In-Community Gathering for Jewish Writers and Illustrators*

**** UPDATED IN WEBSITE TO INCLUDE NEW INFORMATION FOR MAY 5 – 8 dates

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An In-Community Experience for Jewish Creatives

This 4-Day/3-Night in-community symposium engages in the rich and important discussions of what it means to grow as Jewish writers, tending to our Jewish joy with care, intention, and faith.

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• This is an in-person symposium for Jewish storytellers and professionals in the children’s book industry, with inspiring and engaging presentations focused on Jewish storytellers, and amplifying stories from the Jewish community. In addition, there will be time to work on your own stories, connect with fellow creatives, and retreat.
• Lodging and meals are included.
• Begins with dinner at 5:30pm Eastern on Sunday, November 12.
• Ends after lunch on Wednesday, November 15.
• 22 participants max

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Why This Workshop?

The heart of the Jewish Symposium is to offer community for Jewish writers and publishing professionals.

The program is designed to be an exchange of ideas, a place to connect, and a springboard for diversifying and amplifying Jewish content in literature for children and teens. This year our theme turns to the undeniably important topic of Jewish Joy!

Thoughtfully guided by Linda Epstein, this year’s symposium opens hearts and minds to the belief that Jewish Joy is something to take seriously, to value, and to incorporate into storytelling. During our time together we’ll explore:

• How Jewish joy might be an antidote to hate,
• Ways your Judaism does or doesn’t inform your writing,
• Ways your writing may or may not inform your Judaism,
• Ways to amplify and support one another on our journeys as Jewish creatives,
• and more!

There will be inspiring and engaging keynote addresses with follow up round table conversations, faculty panel discussions with Q&A, readings by faculty and participants, and time set aside to write, retreat, and connect with fellow creatives.

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Feedback Expected

• No formal feedback will be provided. Our symposiums focus on deep conversations that inform our craft and place in the greater context of writing for kids and teens.

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It’s a Great Fit If…

• You are a Jewish writer or Jewish publishing professional interested in engaging in an exchange of ideas about Jewish stories with other Jewish writers and publishing professionals.
• You could use some joyful inspiration. This year’s theme is meant to spark hope and inspire you to continue creating Jewish stories for kids and teens.
• You’d appreciate some retreat time. This course has plenty of built-in time to write, draw, hike, or rest–whatever you need.

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Tentative Agenda

All Times are Eastern Standard Time.

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Registration Notes:

You will be asked to provide a brief narrative and outline your goals for taking this program upon registration.

You will receive a link to our virtual classroom approximately one week before the symposium where you can introduce yourself to fellow attendees, engage in Highlights Foundation related resources (including our Community Standards), and view other pertinent information related to this program.

While the Highlights Foundation kitchen is not kosher, we are happy to provide kosher certified packaged meals for anyone who requests this at registration (and/or at least one week prior to the program). During the symposium, meals from our kitchen will be fish or vegetarian-based (no meat products).

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• 3 – 5pm Eastern: Arrival
• 5:30pm Eastern: Appetizers followed by dinner
• 7:15pm Eastern: Opening remarks by Linda Epstein

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Morning

• 8 am Breakfast
• 9am Morning Session with Sacha Lamb
• 10am Roundtable discussions facilitated by Linda Epstein
• Open community time: read, write, connect

Afternoon

• Lunch
• Group Photo
• 1:30pm Afternoon Session with [TK]
• 2:30pm Roundtable discussions facilitated by Linda Epstein
• Open community time: read, write, connect

Evening

• Appetizers & Dinner
• 7:30pm Fireside: In Conversation “History & Hope” with [TK] and Sacha Lamb moderated by Arielle Vishny

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Morning

• 8am Breakfast
• 9am Morning Session with [TK]
• 10am Roundtable discussions facilitated by Linda Epstein
• Open community time: read, write, connect

Afternoon

• Lunch
• 1:30pm Afternoon Session with [TK]
• 2:30pm Roundtable discussions facilitated by Linda Epstein
• Open community time: read, write, connect
• 4:30pm In Conversation “Love & Latkes” with [TK] & [TK] moderated by Arielle Vishny

Evening

• 5:30pm Faculty Readings during extended appetizers
• Dinner
• 7:30pm Participant Readings

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Morning

• 8am Breakfast
• Optional PJ Library & Kar-Ben Q & A
• 10 am Moderated Panel, “Making Our Joy Matter” lead by Arielle Vishny
• 11:15am  Closing comments from Linda Epstein
• Informal sharing from participants

Afternoon

• Lunch & Farewells

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Commitment Required for the Best Experience

As an in-person event at our Retreat Center, you’ll have a chance to step away from everyday life to experience the workshop. We try to build in breaks and independent time so you have space for your personal needs. While we encourage participation in all group events, we know that as an adult learner you can decide if you need more time to yourself. Please let someone from our staff or faculty know if you plan to step away from group activities.

The Highlights Foundation strives for a safe and inclusive environment. You will have access to our Community Standards prior to the workshop where we ask for your respectful engagement with fellow creatives, including our faculty and staff.

While the Highlights Foundation kitchen is not kosher, we are happy to provide kosher certified packaged meals for anyone who requests this at registration (and/or at least one week prior to the program). During the symposium, meals from our kitchen will be fish or vegetarian-based (no meat products).

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How It Impacts Kids

We will gather together in-community, so that more books will be written and published that provide Jewish children the opportunity to see themselves in books, and so all children can see Jewish people represented in the stories that we read and tell.

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Testimonials from Our Community

“This retreat was both a chance to spend hours alone, diving deep into my manuscript, and an opportunity for long conversations — both serious and silly — with other kidlit writers who share the varied experience of being Jewish.”

“Faculty were both incredibly generous with their time and inspiring and informative as experts. And the mix of participants — spanning levels of publishing experience and experiences with Judaism — blended into an egalitarian, no-cliques, supportive, respectful, thoughtful (and often hilarious!) atmosphere that opened the door to thoughtful, often-difficult, and ultimately clarifying conversations. I left with a great sense of community, which I will feel at my back as I move forward, writing *my* stories.”

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Resources

• Video: #HFGather: Sarah Aronson and Agent Linda Epstein Talk Feedback & Process
• A Weekend Without a Glossary
• Identity as Fairy Dust

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