4MORE: Tamara Harkavy

As part of our year-end issue, we are revisiting some of our favorite Cincinnati People from 2022.

We checked in with Tamara Harkavy, co-chair of the Jewish Cincinnati Bicentennial.

What’s been the biggest surprise to you in 2022? 

The committee intentionally planned offerings that were as diverse as our community. Activities were planned in partnership with Cincinnati’s many Jewish institutions; the Skirball Museum, Mayerson JCC, Jewish Cemeteries of Greater Cincinnati, and American Jewish Archives among them. But to our delight we found that so many of Cincinnati’s institutions were also eager to participate. From the Museum Center to the Cincinnati Art Museum to the Playhouse in the Park to the Opera, all going above and beyond to present relevant and captivating performances, exhibitions and events that celebrated our 200-year history in Cincinnati. 

What’s changed since we last spoke?

Initially, we offered a lot of amazing programming in celebration of the bicentennial. There were about 30 planned events, in total. But as the community became more involved and recognized the significance of the bicentennial, we actually doubled that number, to about 60 events! Some of the events were small and intimate, others were months-long and aimed at attracting the broader public. Many were postponed or retooled because of Covid.  The “Leaders in Light Speaker Series” was a great example of this. In partnership with the Mercantile Library, the series was to feature in-person engagements with four dynamic speakers; but we had to pivot. Still, we saw people log on and join us virtually for this very timely series. We believe each speaker made an impact on the audience. This was witnessed by the willingness of attendees (virtually or in person) to participate with questions and responses that showed how profoundly important it is to address issues that relate to hatred, racial bias and antisemitism.

What have you learned about our community this year?

I’ll use one amazing event as an example and it’s one that inspired me the most: Rainbow Shabbat. It was fun, colorful and filled with joy. This event, like no other, showed how eager the Jewish Community is to embrace diversity and celebrate differences. Music, food and even a drag queen were the backdrop of Rainbow Shabbat, but the real stars were the people who attended. LGBTQ+ Allies coming together to pray, eat, dance and share in a shabbat experience like no other. The minute it ended, people started talking about next year!  A new Jewish Cincinnati Tradition is born. I am already looking forward to Rainbow Shabbat 2023! 

What are you looking forward to in 2023?

Obviously, Rainbow Shabbat 2023! We have made so many new friends during this celebration and we want to strengthen those bonds as we move forward into 2023 and beyond. What we found, is that people are interested and appreciative of our Jewish community. When we opened our arms and invited people in, they responded with energy and excitement. To celebrate the way the Jewish culture and Jewish people are interwoven into Cincinnati’s history was a very significant aspect of the bicentennial, but equally significant, is the desire to look ahead and figure out how to be more inclusive, more welcoming, and more engaged. I think we created a solid foundation for that, that we will continue to build on, for another 200 years.