The problem with holding an industry conference in New York City is not mainly the high cost of hotel rooms or conference spaces. It’s the temptation of what’s happening outside. There is no way I could be in Manhattan for the annual American Jewish Press Assn. meeting without visiting family and friends.
One outing was to Rockefeller Center to meet a friend who works at JP Morgan. Oddly I’d never been outside or inside the stunning art deco building. The relief at the entrance reads “Wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy time,” the exact opposite of our current reality — in my friend’s words, “Idiocy and making stuff up.”
His bank is playing a small part in the Starlink IPO set for June 11. While my husband and I didn’t get a peek, JP’s lobby was apparently filled with paraphernalia, including moon rock, to stimulate interest.
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It was serendipity that the trip overlapped with my five-year-old nephew’s siddur party. Living in the UK, Switzerland and Denver has made it difficult to attend any such milestone events.
The ceremony at the Clifton Cheder was impressive. It was clear how much the boys prepared; a good reminder of the satisfaction, happiness and pride that comes with meeting expectations — and the importance of an educational environment that sets expectations and facilitates the students’ ability to meet them.
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In case you’re wondering, I did also attend the conference! A major highlight was catching up with my friend Gabriel Sanders, originally from Denver, who works at the Center for Jewish History, one of the conference spaces.
Also exciting was visiting the headquarters of Bloomberg, where colorful rows of sweet and savory packaged goodies fill the airy lobby. There are always lessons to learn from other media companies.
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Intersectionalism is the social justice philosophy that includes any minority group aside from Jews (especially those who believe in self-determination). One session featured a panel of creatives who personified the right kind of intersectionalism — and a reminder that the Jewish people are inherently intersectional.
Esther Chehebar is the author of a novel set in Brooklyn’s Syrian community, Sisters of Fortune.
Beejhy Barhany is an Ethiopian-Israeli cook who was forced to close her Tsion Café in Harlem following sustained harassment by anti-Zionists.
Ariel Stachel is a Yemenite-Ashkenzi actor who performs his one-man show, “Out of Character,” about his ethnic and religious identity. He and Barhany also host Yemenite-Ethiopian Shabbat dinners.
The vibe was to celebrate the vibrant and diverse tapestry of Jewish identities. Fortunately for conference attendees, Barhany brought treats to share, all vegan, such as injera stuffed with a spicy red pepper purée.
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As it is everywhere, the talk of the conference was all things AI. I learned about many new tools available — but also their pitfalls. This lesson applies to anyone: Be very careful about data you input. Unless you’re sure you’ve opted in to the data privacy, the AI will use it to learn. So if you’re asking ChatGPT about the best surprise party reveals, it just may end up revealing the party to the guest of honor.
Shana Goldberg may be reached at shana@ijn.com
