There’s more than one way to catch a world-class lecture at the Jewish Community Centers in San Francisco and Marin these days.
Many of the presentations in the JCCSF’s Arts & Ideas lecture series — including talks by author Salman Rushdie, social critic Naomi Wolf and “Breaking Bad” creator Vince Gilligan — are heard in edited form on “Binah,” a one-hour show on KALW-91.7 FM in San Francisco.
The JCCSF-produced program airs on Thursdays from 12 to 1 p.m. “Binah” is also available as an audio podcast (for immediate listening online, or downloading to listen later), on the JCC of San Francisco and KALW websites, as well as on iTunes.
While many talks and activities at the JCCSF are geared toward Jewish audiences, a lot of the Arts & Ideas programs appeal to a wider audience, according to Barbara Lane, the program’s director. Those are the talks that usually end up in “Binah.”
“We have mainstream programs, such as an interview with [playwright] David Mamet or a program on early puberty in young girls,” Lane said. “We like to be eclectic and we like to have diverse audiences.”
To attract broader audiences, the center also has been trying new things. In addition to producing “Binah” and other podcasts, for example, for the past year Arts & Ideas presentations have been streamed live at www.3200stories.org. The website also includes archived videos of JCC talks.
Meanwhile, in San Rafael, the Osher Marin JCC has been showcasing its lineup of speakers via podcasts, too. However, its “Jewish Thought Leaders” series focuses on Jewish topics. The series is a production of the Koret Taube Center for Jewish Peoplehood.
Presenters have included Rabbi Harold Kushner, speaking on his recent “The Book of Job: When Bad Things Happened to a Good Person”; journalists Cokie and Steve Roberts describing their interfaith Passover practices; and filmmakers Bonnie Burt and Judith Montell discussing “A Home on the Range,” their documentary about Jewish chicken ranchers who lived in Petaluma.
“Binah” has been on the air since 2005, when the JCCSF’s podcasts began, while the Marin JCC started its podcasts in 2010. Both have growing followings.
“Binah” attracts 2,500 to 3,500 listeners for each program and an additional 1,900 listeners monthly through iTunes, according to Matt Martin, general manager of KALW.
Marin JCC podcasts have been downloaded approximately 200,000 times, and the podcast page had 6,432 visits in November alone, according to Alaina Yoakum, administrative assistant at the Koret Taube Center for Jewish Peoplehood.
Providing the multimedia platform requires significant staff time and investment in equipment.
David Kwan has produced and edited the JCCSF podcasts and “Binah” for four years. From a computer work station in his foam-lined, somewhat soundproof office, Kwan leads a staff of three audio engineers to “produce 13 shows per quarter that are radio programs. As far as podcasts, it could be upwards to 18 or 19 per quarter. Add to that we are producing video.”
Each Arts & Ideas lecture lasts about 90 minutes, including audience questions. Kwan edits the content to about 56 minutes, including the introduction and closing. “If I know a show is going to be on the air, I will try to be at the event, if not recording, then attending. I want to see how the material works in the room,” Kwan said.
Lane approached KALW’s Martin with the idea for “Binah” in 2005. The name, which means “understanding” in Hebrew, was suggested by a rabbi on staff.
Broadcasting the lectures fits the radio station’s mission. “We take the work the JCC is doing and bring it to a larger audience,” Martin explained. “If we can bring forward what’s really interesting and exciting in the Bay Area community, we’ll have great radio.”
Where to catch JCC programs
Arts & Ideas
• “Binah,” KALW-91.7 FM, 12 to 1 p.m. Thursdays
• www.kalw.com/programs/binah
• http://podcasts.jccsf.org
• www.3200stories.org/blog/category/live
“Jewish Thought Leaders”
• www.marinjcc.org/jewishlife/jewish-thought-leaders-podcasts