August 8, 2012

SPERTUS ANNOUNCES DYNAMIC,
THOUGHT-PROVOKING SPEAKER SERIES

Cokie Roberts to discuss the impact of the Jewish vote,
Jonathan Safran Foer to reveal what inspires his writing, and
Tzipi Livni to share her insider's view of recent developments
in the Mideast

(CHICAGO)  Starting this fall, Spertus Institute brings a series of dynamic, thought-provoking speakers to Chicago for programs that address Jewish themes and their impact on today’s world. The program series — titled Spertus Prime — kicks off with news analyst and political commentator Cokie Roberts, who will discuss The Impact of the Jewish Vote: Election 2012. Ms. Roberts will appear on Sunday, October 28 at 1 pm, just ten days before the presidential election.

Continuing the series, on Sunday, January 13 at 2 pm, award-winning author Jonathan Safran Foer comes to Spertus to talk about Judaism, Writing, and Inspiration. Closing the series, on Sunday, March 10 at 2 pm, former Vice Prime Minister of Israel Tzipi Livni will present An Insider’s View of Recent Developments in the Middle East.

Spertus President and CEO Dr. Hal M. Lewis announced the series this morning. He said, “At Spertus, we strive to enrich the Chicago community through dynamic learning opportunities rooted in Jewish wisdom and culture. These three distinguished speakers will address topics that resonate in the Jewish community. I expect that each of them will inspire new ways of thinking about current issues.”

The programs all take place at Spertus Institute, 610 S. Michigan Avenue. Discount parking is available for $10 with Spertus validation at the Essex Inn, two blocks south of Spertus.

Tickets for each program are $75, $50, and $35. All seats are reserved. Tickets go on sale today online at spertus.edu and by phone at 312.322.1773.

A private reception with the presenter follows each program. Admission to each of these receptions is $250 per person, with the price including one VIP ticket to the corresponding program. Proceeds support Spertus Institute’s work fostering Jewish learning and leadership. To reserve for the VIP seating and private reception, call 312.322.1758.

Each of the speakers in the Spertus Prime series is a leader rightfully known for groundbreaking achievements. Cokie Roberts is a senior news analyst for NPR and a political commentator for ABC News. She was cited by the American Women in Radio and Television as one of the 50 greatest women in the history of broadcasting, has been inducted into the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame, and was named a “Living Legend” by the Library of Congress. Ms. Roberts and her husband, Steven V. Roberts, are contributing writers for USA Weekend. Together they wrote From This Day Forward, an account of their more than 40-year marriage. The book became a New York Times bestseller, following Ms. Roberts’ bestselling We Are Our Mother’s Daughters. She and her husband also co-wrote Our Haggadah: Uniting Traditions for Interfaith Families.

Jonathan Safran Foer is an author of several bestselling books. His debut novel, Everything is Illuminated, was named “Book of the Year” by the Los Angeles Times. It and his second novel, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, have both been made into feature-length films. Foer is the winner of numerous awards, including the Guardian First Book Prize, the National Jewish Book Award, and the New York Public Library Young Lions Prize. He’s been named one of Rolling Stone's "People of the Year" and Esquire Magazine's "Best and Brightest." He is currently the Lillian Vernon Distinguished Writer-in-Residence at New York University and working on a TV pilot for HBO starring Ben Stiller. 

Tzipi Livni is the former Vice Prime Minister of Israel and former Chief Negotiator in the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. As the head of Kadima, Israel's centrist political party, she served as Israel's Opposition Leader from 2009 to 2011. During her tenure in Israeli politics, she also served as Israel’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Justice. An attorney by profession, she received her law degree from Bar-Ilan University. In 2011, Newsweek named her one of the “150 Women Who Shake the World."

ABOUT SPERTUS 
Spertus is a center for Jewish learning and culture that invites people of all backgrounds to explore the multifaceted Jewish experience. Spertus offers accredited graduate-level degree programs in areas that are critical to the Jewish and wider communities—including Jewish studies, leadership training, and nonprofit management. Recognizing that learning is sparked by many points of entry, Spertus also presents public lectures, seminars, exhibits, concerts, and films, grounded in Jewish thought and open to all. Programs are offered at Spertus’ innovative facility on Chicago’s historic South Michigan Avenue, at locations in the Chicago suburbs, and in select cities across North America. For more information, please visit spertus.edu.

The Spertus Prime speaker series is made possible with the support of the Harvey L. Miller Family Foundation and other generous donors.

Spertus is a partner in serving our community, supported by the JUF/Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago. #