The JCC of San Francisco celebrated the opening of its newly renovated Kanbar Hall with a March 19 appearance by comedian Sarah Silverman, filling every one of the 438 plush seats and even drawing the mayor, who gave a little speech.
Mayor Daniel Lurie, introduced by JCC CEO Paul Geduldig as a graduate of the JCC preschool, started by joking to the audience. “I think I know all 438 of you,” he said, before going on to hail the $2.5 million, 18-month renovation and the promise of the JCC as a premier cultural destination for all of San Francisco and beyond.
Silverman, 55, is a taboo-breaking, award-winning comic, actor and political activist who can easily charm any Jewish crowd. She chose a fellow Jewish comic to interview her onstage: Robby Hoffman, 36, who has gained national notice for her recurring role on the HBO show “Hacks.”
The event was billed as a “conversation” — one that Hoffman largely dominated with hyper, in-your-face comic quips, taking Jewish overtalking to new levels. Silverman, who is accustomed to that Jewish cultural tick, seemed fine with it.
After an hour of banter between the two, with Hoffman asking unserious questions — “Do you remember meeting me?” “What do you think heaven is?” “Shower or bath?” — audience members had a chance to ask their own questions, which produced some of the evening’s more interesting exchanges.
One woman asked the comedian about her sister, Rabbi Susan Silverman, who lives with her family in Israel. “My family is in bomb shelters five times a day,” Silverman said, her voice breaking. “It’s very hard.”
A man asked, “As a Democrat, how do you navigate feeling abandoned by your own party on antisemitism and Jewish concerns while still believing in democratic values?” (His question got enthusiastic applause.)
“It’s disheartening,” Silverman said, “because as liberal Jews we stand side by side with every ‘other-other.’ And when the other-others don’t stand with us, it’s very painful. I have friends who are posting things that just break my heart, and I don’t know what to say. I don’t say anything. And I’ve never been afraid to speak out. Never. There’s so much misinformation to combat, and there are so many truths to hold as true. It’s madness, and I don’t know what the solution is, and I don’t know exactly how to navigate it, other than to touch grass.”
Kanbar Hall is named after benefactor Maurice Kanbar, the late inventor and entrepreneur who gave generously to the JCCSF. His gifts total $10 million, including an endowment that just grew by $2 million after a new gift from Kanbar’s estate that was announced at the event.
The upgrades, which the JCCSF calls a “generational investment in Jewish cultural excellence and pride,” include an immersive surround-sound system, a giant projection screen, improved acoustics, graded theater seating and cosmetic improvements.
The JCC also recently announced a partnership with the Jewish Film Institute, which will bring the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival to Kanbar Hall from July 17 to 26 and run programs there throughout the year. The closing weekend of the San Francisco International Film Festival will also take place in the new theater in early May.