Writing, Editing & Creative Media Consulting
Events with Esther
Making Meaning in Their Memory
04 years ago
I was honored and delighted to run this workshop on creative loss rituals for Haggadot.com and their new HighHolidaysatHome.com microsite:
Judaism has a treasury of customs and rituals that keep us connected to the loved ones we’ve lost. With the High Holidays as a launchpad, this interactive workshop invited participants to share lessons from loved ones and included opportunities to reflect and create in their memory.
March 29: TVGoneJewy at Limmud North America eFestival (digital)
04 years ago
Honored to be presenting “TVGoneJewy: TV’s Jewish Renaissance” in this first ever Limmud North America eFestival, featuring 50 educators, thought-leaders and change-makers teaching about today’s most interesting Jewish ideas!
For more information or to register: https://www.limmudna.org/efestival
January 2020 is in the books; here’s to February!
04 years ago
Speaking at the Z3 conference, Los Angeles, January 26, 2020
Thrilled to have kicked off January with two speaking engagements on subjects near and dear to my heart. (Why are things always near and dear? Because they rhyme they always have to go together?) At Limmud Seattle, I got my TVGoneJewy on, talking about Jewish representation on the big and small screen, and at the Z3 conference, I spoke on behalf of civility on social media, especially in Jewish conversations and surrounding issues relating to Israel.
Presenting #TVGoneJewy at Limmud Seattle, Bellvue College, January 16, 2020
The Bagel Report was back with three new episodes in 2020, tackling pop culture topics like Friends, the West Wing, Batwoman, the Oscars, other awards shows and Star Wars. Check out those episodes and subscribe here.
You can also listen to my “Star Wars and Judaism” Limmudcast below.
As always, publishing in lots of places. Here are some recent highlights:
- Jewish Emojis We Need for Today’s Jewish Identity (The Forward, paywall)
- Daf Yomi Fever: How Daily Talmud Study Is Sweeping the Nation (Jewish Journal)
- The Potential of Alternate Universes (Jewish Journal)
- After ‘The Jewish Women Turned Invisible,’ Voices are Quietly Emerging (EJewishPhilanthropy.com)
- The Logistics, Wins and Losses of Jewish Conference Inclusion (EJewishPhilanthropy.com)
In February, the Limmud tour continues with Limmud NY, President’s Day Weekend (February 14-17)– see below for sessions. You can still register to attend at limmudny.org.)
Now booking gigs for March-December 2020, so be in touch! Thanks for staying connected to the world of EstherK…
Going Long with TVGoneJewy at Limmud Bay Area Festival
05 years ago
Getting started at #TVGoneJewy at Limmud Bay Area Festival
I arrived at Sonoma State University for the Limmud Bay Area Festival, excited about presenting three sessions to the attendees. But there was one lurking worry: that my first presentation was too long.
I had 70 minutes to cover “TV Gone Jewy” – the exploration of various scenes from contemporary television that mentions Jewish things or talks extensively about Jewish identity. But I definitely had more than 70 minutes of material. I went through the presentation and trimmed – starting clips when the Jewy things happened instead of at their start to provide context, cutting slides here and there. I had also built in about ten minutes at the end for conversation. I could do it in 70 minutes, I thought.
As we met that Friday afternoon as the Jewish conference/festival, gathering several hundred community learners interested in unfiltered or unaffiliated Jewish learning, began, I looked out at the room, about 40 attendees of all ages, Jewish identities and backgrounds and breathed. Here we go.
I spoke quickly, in tribute to my east coast roots, and before I knew it we were at 60 minutes.
“How are we doing on time?” I asked the crowd. “Have a few more minutes?”
Audience members enjoying #TVGoneJewy at Limmud Bay Area Festival
“Keep going!” the crowd urged.
“OK,” I said, “but if you need to leave to go to another session, or for whatever reason, we can officially end the session and if people want to stay, you’re welcome but not required. I’ll keep going for whoever stays!”
About five people walked out, waving, smiling and saying thank you. The rest of us continued…for another hour. About 25 people stayed to the very end.
That was just the beginning.
May The Faiths Be With You: An Interfaith Star Wars Panel
06 years ago
A Jew, a Christian and a Muslim walked into the Scum & Villainy Cantina in Hollywood to talk about the panel they were doing about Faith and Star Wars. And then, a few weeks later, they walked into a synagogue in Los Angeles, to do that panel on Faith and Star Wars!! This was fun! Check out the video excerpt of my opening comments below…
Hashtags & Haystacks – Social Media, “Ranch-Style”
010 years ago
Presenting at the #NCJHub with @see3 (#instagram nrabkin)
What’s “Ranch-Style” Social Media? Good question…well, it has little to do with the creamy dressing that people use to dip hot wings and occasionally vegetables into, and everything to do with the location of my last social media training .
I was honored to have been invited by the folks at See3 Communications to be part of the social media boot camp they were conducting for the Leichtag Foundation, a foundation whose mission it is to honor the legacy of Lee and Toni Leichtag through igniting and inspiring vibrant Jewish life, advancing self-sufficiency and stimulating social entrepreneurship in coastal North San Diego County and Jerusalem. The event was held Monday, September 15, at the Leichtag-run ranch in Encinitas (near San Diego), where a number of social entrepreneurship programs and Jewish organizations also were headquartered under an initiative called the North County Jewish Hub. (You can view tweets, photos & vines from the day at #NCJHub.)
My presentation on Twitter provided some best practices, as well as some examples of what constitutes good engagement (like the @midnight #HashtagWars) and what constitutes a Twitter #fail (for instance, the recent DiGiorno’s #WhyIStayed snafu).
The media session provided lots of hints about how to approach – and most importantly, develop ongoing relationships with – members of the media, to maximize your chances of getting coverage for an event or organization.
Stay tuned for more content in the weeks ahead…
Kicking off January With “Jewish Geography Goes Digital”
010 years ago
Presenting at "Moving the Needle 2014" - the RAVSAK & PARDES Jewish educators' conference
Mid-January arrived, and with it, the RAVSAK/PARDES Jewish educators’ conference – titled “Moving the Needle,” the content contained inspiring speakers, informative panels, deep dives into practical subject matters and workshops designed to give educators a skills upgrade. I was honored to present “Jewish Geography Goes Digital” to an involved and inquisitive group of Jewish educators from across the country – the interactive skills session featured extensive dialogue with those in the room, facilitated sharing of experience using social media in an educational context, and the introduction of new tools and awareness of social media culture as a way to deepen relationships with constituents.
You can check out my presentation below (and additional presentations are available here). And remember, if you’re interested in a consultation on social media culture or tools, creative content strategy, or communications methods for the digital age, please be in touch and we can discuss the possibilities.
Video Workshop: “Leadership in the Digital Age”
011 years ago
In May, I was invited to London to speak as part of the Jewish Leadership Council’s Lead Division’s newest initiative, Leading In which was created in response to the desire and need for more leadership skills training, expressed by alumni of Lead’s programmes as well as employers within the community. The JLC, in a blog post about the program, explained:
We believe that Jewish communal leaders need both a deep understanding and knowledge of the UK Jewish Community as well as a core range of leadership skills. Leading In consists of regular bi-monthly evening sessions, open to all who are in a leadership position in the community, both lay and professional. Each session will include a leadership skills based session (a choice of three with the option to participate in a fundraising series over several sessions), an opportunity to network and a masterclass with an inspirational, visionary leader.
The event, held at the London Jewish Museum, was attended by 60 lay and professional leaders from more than 30 Jewish communal organizations. Debbie Klein, chair of JW3 (the about-to-launch Jewish Community Centre), gave the opening keynote discussing leadership tips, and participants chose from workshops like, “Inside the mind of a leader” with Jeff Wolfin, “Fundraising” with Jeff Shear (the second in the series), and my session, “Leadership in the Digital Age: Conversing, Commenting and Creating Meaningful Relationships” (available in its entirety – 1 hour, 22 minutes – below.
“Leadership in the Digital Age” – Esther Kustanowitz, May 2013
Speaking at TribeFest (Las Vegas) – March 26
012 years ago
What happens in Vegas…is that I’ve been asked to be part of a session panel at TribeFest, the conference/gathering for young (and youngish) Jews that JFNA is organizing at the end of March:
Pitchfest! Jewish Stories Go Hollywood!
Join G-dcast’s Producer, Screenwriter, and a panel of celebrity judges in an interactive Hollywood style pitchfest. Each team gets a (very) colorful Jewish story that we promise you’ve never heard before and develops its own red carpet, scene-stealing pitch. (We’ll coach you on how the experts do it.) Then send your best rep up on stage to dazzle the executives and convince us why YOUR story should be turned into an animated film. Big sunglasses provided. (Session produced by Sarah Lefton, with supporting cast turns by Sean Mandell, Josh Walters, and Esther Kustanowitz)
Since I’m the “celebrity judge” who lives and works closest to Hollywood (geographically, Beverly Hills ain’t far), bringing the celebrity glamour will be my responsibility. You can check out my new TribeFest speaker’s bio here.
LimmudLA Sessions
013 years ago
This weekend, I’m presenting at LimmudLA – a number of the panels are through the “Future of Jewish L.A.” track, sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, and then there’s the “Improv for Jews” session, which is just for fun. (And education!)
Engaging the Next Generation Meaningfully in a World of Options
When it comes to social and community connections, today’s 20-somethings and 30-somethings are overwhelmed with online and offline options. How can we provide Jewish 20s and 30s with the online resources that they need and with in-person programs that engage them socially, communally and Jewishly? Hear from some of the people who are actively engaging this population in our community.
What’s the Next Big Idea for Jewish Los Angeles?
As we open a new decade, and Federation celebrates its Centennial, what does our community need most? Join Andrew Cushnir, Esther Kustanowitz, and other innovative and creative thinkers with big ideas for the Jewish future for an inside peek at some ideas from the Next Big Jewish Idea search. Then we’ll talk about our communal needs and how we can meet them through innovative community and cultural initiatives.
“Withinnovation”: Making Institutional Room for Partnerships and Innovation
People perceive Jewish innovation and Jewish institutions as two separate entities – but they don’t have to be. In our increasingly interconnected Jewish future, community institutions like synagogues and Federations are “withinnovating” – making room for innovation within their institutions, which can present challenges to innovators and institutions alike. Explore this emerging trend with some of LA’s resident innovation experts.
Improv for Jews
What’s so Jewish about basic improv comedy? This informal, participatory workshop introduces the basics of improv comedy within a Jewish community context – suitable for Jews and Judeophiles of all ages, and no comedy experience required.