Free Online Event

In Concert: How Jewish Women Built Community Through Music

Thursday, March 19, 4-5 p.m. Eastern Time

From mandolin clubs to musical theatre, Jewish women found joy, bonds, and purpose through musical self-expression in the early twentieth century. JHC Historian in Residence Madeline DeDe-Panken explores how music was a means for women to navigate changing societal expectations, including pursuing education and careers. Music also provided women with roles and opportunities as community maestros, fostering Jewish social life while cultivating personal aspirations. Celebrating the lives and talents of unsung Jewish women, this webinar gives greater context for some favorite materials in the JHC’s collections and unearths new stories from the archive.

Madeline DeDe-Panken is a historian with broad interests in culture, gender and public knowledge. Her current research explores the rise of popular mycology at the turn of the twentieth century, focusing on women's roles in scientific and culinary foraging. Madeline has multifaceted experience in museums and non-profits, having held fellowships at institutions including the Schlesinger Library, Massachusetts Historical Society, and the Center for Women’s History at the New-York Historical Society. She holds a BA and Masters in History from Clark University and is completing her PhD at The Graduate Center, CUNY.