Shakesperience

Is Shakespeare Timeless or Troubling? 

Please join Am Shalom Congregation along with NCJWC-Simcoe County and PJ LIbrary for this 90 minute interactive event with scenes by professional actors that uses the arts to examine its role in addressing anti-Semitism. 

Designed as a welcoming entry point to Jewish learning, the program engages participants who may not yet feel connected to Jewish spaces by centering shared human values rather than religious doctrine.

Using Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, professional actors will guide participants through live performance, close reading, and facilitated discussion. The program encourages critical thinking, ethical reflection, and open dialogue, aligning with Jewish educational traditions while remaining accessible to those with little or no prior Jewish background. Participants gain greater understanding of Jewish cultural and ethical perspectives, increased interfaith awareness, and tools for respectful conversations about antisemitism, identity, and belonging.

Light refreshments will be served.