arts & entertainment Life Lessons Suzanne Chessler Contributing Writer I t took falling in love with a man who wasn't Jewish to start Anita Diamant along a journey of religious introspec- tion, activities and writing. The man, Jim Ball, who became her husband, shared the journey as he con- verted to Judaism; they have a grown daughter, Emilia. Diamant, moving between nonfiction and fiction projects, will address the opening meeting of the Greater Detroit Chapter of Hadassah Tuesday, Sept. 20, at Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Southfield, where there will be lunch and boutiques. Diamant, 60, a member of Hadassah, came to public attention through lifecycle subjects and her first novel, The Red Tent, a national bestseller published in 25 coun- tries. She extends her sphere by writing lyrics for jazz composed by a friend. The author, currently completing her fifth novel, set in early 20th-century Massachusetts, will have another event in Southfield next year. SRO Productions will stage a comedic play, A Little Work, which she co-wrote. In anticipation of her Hadassah appearance, Diamant answered questions in a phone interview with the Detroit Jewish News. IN: What do you plan on covering in your talk? AD: It will be very personal, based on a Author Anita Diamant will speak from personal experience at Hadassah's opening meeting. collection of essays I wrote. I'm going to be talking about important moments in my life connected to my Jewish life — getting married, having a child and being part of a community. Ifs serious and humorous. I think it's substantive, and I always enjoy a question-and-answer period. IN: What impels you to write with Jewish themes? AD: After falling in love with someone who wasn't Jewish, I realized that making a life together would require me to learn more about my traditions. I was raised in a non-observant but very ethnically identified Jewish home. My parents were survivors. I didn't have much of a Jewish education, but I knew that if I were going to have a child, I would have to figure out what to pass on. decision making with basic information. - IN: How did you get started writing? AD: I fell into it. I wanted to be a poet but knew I couldn't make a living at that. I got a job writing grant proposals, did some free- lance journalism and wanted to do a book. When I was getting married, I looked at the books, and they didn't answer the ques- tions that I had so I wrote The New Jewish Wedding. Then I had a baby, and there were no books about how to do a baby-naming ceremony so I wrote that book. I wrote six of them, and they somewhat followed the trajectory of my life. I never would have written Saying Kaddish except as a mourn- er after my dad's death. The Red Tent came out of a need for a challenge, and I was very blessed with that success. It gave me the freedom to pursue whatever I wanted to do next. IN: What makes you approach most fic- tion with historical perspective? AD: I've written four novels, and three of them are historical. It wasn't a plan of mine, but I came across stories that appealed to me. I thought they deserved to be told. IN: In writing about Jewish living, what sources did you use? AD: I went to the library, used the Internet and interviewed people I thought were thoughtful and creative in their approach to contemporary Jewish life. I spoke with rabbis, cantors, educators and laypeople. My lifecycle books are intended to give liberal Jews thoughtful choices and encourage IN: What is an important activity for you in the Jewish community? AD: I've been a very active volunteer, starting Mayyim Hayyim: Living Waters Community Mikveh in the Greater Boston area. When I was working on my book about conversion, Choosing a Jewish Life, I went to the Boston mikvah available for the non-Orthodox. It really struck me that the place was not as welcoming or as beautiful as it ought to be. I started talk- ing to people around town, and the local clergy agreed that we might make [the tra- ditional immersion ceremony] something more meaningful. Anita Diamant: "After falling in love with someone who wasn't Jewish, I realized that making a life together would require me to learn more about my traditions." IN: What has writing brought to your religious outlook? AD: Getting to work on lifecycle books was a way for me to focus and give shape to what I know and believe. I don't write theologically; I write about customs. The opening meeting of the Greater Detroit Chapter of Hadassah is set for Tuesday, Sept. 20, at Congregation Shaarey Zedek, 27375 Bell Road, Southfield. Boutiques will be open 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Lunch is at noon; speaker is at 1 p.m. $55-$65/$36 speaker only. (248) 683-5030. Out & About from page 54 THE ART SCENE Jay Strongwater Nicknamed the "Jeweler For The Home" and renowned for his opulent picture frames, figurines, vases and furniture, Jay Strongwater (ne Feinberg — he uses his 56 September 15 « 2011 mother's maiden name) creates hand-cast molds that are hand-enameled and then finished with hand-set Swarovski crystals to make them sparkle and glisten in the light. The designer makes an appearance in the Gift Galleries Department on the third floor at Neiman Marcus in the Somerset Collection in Troy noon-5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17. There will be a formal presentation at 1 p.m., followed by signing of purchases. Each $350 purchase of a Jay Strongwater product during the event will entitle the buyer to a complimentary mini frame val- ued at $100. (248) 643-3300, ext. 3440. MOCAD (Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit) hosts two exhibitions Sept. 16 Dec. 30: barely there (part two), the second part of a multigenerational group exhibition exploring large concepts, per- formance and dematerialization, with art- ists including Luis Camnitzer and Max Ophuls, among others; and Stephanie Nava Considering a Plot (Dig for Victory), which features the French artist in her first solo U.S. show. Outgoing chief curator Luis Croquer will give a contextual talk and walk-thru 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30. Free. 4454 Woodward Ave., Detroit. (313) 832-6622; mocadetroit.org . David Klein Gallery presents Cubism in America, a group show featuring work by more than two dozen artists, including Ilya Bolotowsky, Abraham Walkowitz and Max Weber, Sept. 17-Oct. 22. Opening reception: 5-7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17. 163 Townsend St., Birmingham. (248) 433- 3700; dkgallery.com . FESTIVALS - The 23rd annual Victorian Festival, with period costumes, old-fashioned games, magicians, music and storytellers, comes to downtown Northville Friday-Sunday, Sept. 16-18. Free. More info: northville.org . Hundreds of artists and crafters — along with free activities for children and two stages featuring local and regional musicians — will be part of the Funky Ferndale Art Show/Street Fair, Friday-Sunday, Sept. 16-18, in downtown Ferndale at Nine Mile and Woodward. diystreetfair.corn. The inaugural Detroit Design Festival, a crowd-sourced event developed to show- case the talents and abilities of Detroit's creative community, runs Sept. 21-28 with a variety of "design happenings" — studio tours, panels and roundtable discussions, fashion shows and art wars, to name a few — taking place at venues across the city of Detroit. For a complete list of activities, go to detroitdesignfestival.com . Please email items you wish to submit for Out & About to Gail Zimmerman at gzimmerman@thejewishnews.com . Notice is requested at least three weeks before the scheduled event.