President Trump appointed himself chairman of the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts and fired the Board president, David Rubenstein. He also removed board members who had been appointed by President Biden. Most analysts see this move as revenge by Trump in response to events related to the Kennedy Center in Trump’s first term. This started with television producer Norman Lear and choreographer Carmen de Lavallade who had pulled out of the 2017 Kennedy Center Honors ceremony as a protest against the president. Since Trump’s decision, other board members have resigned and many artists have canceled their performances at the Center.

The Kennedy Center was authorized by Congress and President Eisenhower in 1958 as the National Cultural Center, and was renamed after the assassination of President Kennedy. The Kennedy Center presents performances in all areas of the arts, including ballet, opera, musical theater, pop music, classical concerts and more. In addition, the Kennedy Center facilities are available for rental for private events. Among the rental options are the Main Concert Hall (2465 capacity) for $39,000, the Eisenhower Theater (1161 capacity) for $18,080, the Opera House Circles Lounge (180 capacity) for $2560, and the PT-109 Board Room (capacity 85) for $1280. What other space at the Kennedy Center is available for rental, which has a “Jewish” connection?

Kennedy Center seen from the Potomac River, June 2010 by Tom is licensed under CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

A. The Schusterman Lounge, which seats 75 and rents for $1500. This space was funded by a grant from Jewish philanthropists Charles and Lynn Schusterman of Tulsa, Oklahoma. The Schusterman Foundation is also a major funder of Birthright Israel.

B. The Israeli Lounge Concert Hall, seating 80 and renting for $1700. This space is dedicated by the State of Israel and was inaugurated by Yitchak Rabin in 1971. The facility is designed with Jerusalem stone and art panels representing the Biblical tribes of Israel.

C. The David ben-Gurion Library can be rented for small meetings, up to 25 people, for $500. The space, funded by AIPAC in honor of the Israeli Prime Minister who was in office during the presidential term of John F. Kennedy, includes shelves of book about the arts, as well as artwork, records, sheet music, and CDs.

D. The Batsheva Dance Company Dance Studio. The practice space used by dance troupes who are performing at the Kennedy Center can also be rented for $1200. The room was funded by philanthropist Baroness Bethsabee de Rothschild, founder of the Batsheva Dance Company, which was the first foreign dance troupe to perform at the Kennedy Center.

E. The Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Kosher Kitchen. The facility includes full sets of milchig (dairy) and fleishig (meat) dishes, pots, pans, and blenders. Above the fleishig blender is a sign stating “Because this is a kosher kitchen, this meat blender can only be used with baby chickens, not mice.”

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