About Charter Oak Cultural Center
ART THAT MOVES THE WORLD
Charter Oak Cultural Center, a beautiful historic landmark and vibrant non-profit multi-cultural arts center, doing the work of social justice through the arts.
Charter Oak Cultural Center harnesses the power of the arts to create positive social change, loving community and a safe place for self-expression.
Located in a historic building, we present multi-cultural arts programming that we make accessible for free or at a very low cost, we provide completely free classes in the arts to 1000 underserved Hartford young people, work extensively with the homeless community and present performances and exhibits that bring to light the burning issues of our day.
Our Goals Are
- To do the work of social justice through the arts
- To provide wide access to the magic of the arts for all, regardless of income
- To celebrate the heritage of our historic building and to preserve it in perpetuity
Our History
Charter Oak Cultural Center lives in Connecticut’s oldest synagogue building. Built in 1876, our home was born from the struggle for religious freedom.
The first mention of a Jewish presence in Hartford occurs in court records dating back to 1659. But it wasn’t until 1843 that a special enactment of the Connecticut Legislature provided Jews the same rights as Christians to build religious structures. Congregation Beth Israel’s founders petitioned the State to pass that act. They commissioned famed architect George Keller, known for the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial arch in Bushnell Park, to build it.
The building was home to Congregation Beth Israel and, then, Calvary Baptist Church, until it was abandoned in the 1970s.
By the late 70s, left open and empty, the City of Hartford planned to demolish it. A small group of Jewish leaders mobilized to save this Hartford gem. The group formed the Charter Oak Temple Restoration Association. They saved the building in the interest of historic preservation, but they also envisioned its use not as a house of worship, but as a neighborhood center. They wanted to reaffirm Jewish engagement in Hartford, while serving a multi-ethnic urban neighborhood that would become a vital part of the downtown revival. They wanted the building and the institution it would become to be a vital part of the downtown revival.
But financial pressures on the new center were hard to overcome. By 2001, when Rabbi Donna Berman took the helm at Charter Oak Cultural Center, the organization was on the verge of closing its doors forever. Donna breathed new life into Charter Oak. Under her leadership, Charter Oak Cultural Center has become one of the area’s most vibrant arts centers, the only one whose mission is explicitly to do the work of social justice through the arts.
Today, Charter Oak Cultural Center is a haven for multicultural arts and the exploration of burning issues of our day.
RABBI DONNA BERMAN, PH.D.
About Rabbi Donna Berman
Rabbi Donna Berman is the executive director of the Charter Oak Cultural Center. Donna is known as one of the region’s most moving speakers and visionary leaders. She has touched thousands of lives through her work at the Charter Oak.
Rabbi Donna holds a Ph.D. in Religion and Social Ethics from Drew University. At the core of her theology is a commitment to the Jewish tradition of tikkun olam, repairing the world through acts of justice. This is a commitment that she brings to her work at Charter Oak.
More about Donna
In 2001, when Donna took the helm at Charter Oak Cultural Center, the organization was in a state of ruin and on the verge of closing its doors permanently. Donna breathed new life into the organization and today Charter Oak has become one of the area’s most vibrant multi-cultural arts centers. Donna instituted Charter Oak’s policy of never turning anyone away for lack of funds. Through her vision, leadership and commitment to social justice, she has made Charter Oak Cultural Center a haven for diverse groups to enjoy multi-cultural arts and explore the burning issues of our day.
Donna started Charter Oak’s youth programming in 2001 with four students because the children in our neighborhood wanted to learn to dance. It became clear that no-cost, non-audition-based out-of-school time arts programming is largely unavailable to young people in our community. Under her leadership, Charter Oak determined our mission would be best served by offering high-quality classes in the arts to these students who need it the most. Today, Charter Oak is still one of the only organizations in Hartford to provide youth art programming completely free of charge to all who wish to enter the program. Over the years, Charter Oak’s Youth Arts Institute has continued to grow to serve nearly 1,000 students, with a waiting list. In 2012, the program was selected as a finalist by the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities, distinguishing it as one of the top arts and humanities-based youth programs in the country.
Donna was awarded the 2012 Elizabeth L. Mahaffey Arts Administration Fellowship through Connecticut’s Department of Community and Economic Development. She was also highlighted as one of Hartford Magazine’s 2012 Amazing Women and recently named one of Greater Hartford’s 12 most influential people, also by Hartford Magazine, along with individuals such as Governor Dannel Malloy, Mayor Pedro Segarra and Jim Calhoun. In the spring of 2010, Donna received the Human Relations Award from the National Conference for Community and Justice. In June 2010, she graduated from Hartford Family Institute’s training program in body-centered Gestalt therapy. In 2009, she was given the Dance Pioneer Award by Trinity College and in the spring of 2007 she was honored by American Friends Service Committee for her work in social justice. In 2006, Rabbi Berman received Leadership Greater Hartford’s Polaris Award in arts and culture.
Donna is rabbi emerita of Port Jewish Center in Port Washington, New York, where, prior to her work at Charter Oak Cultural Center, she served as spiritual leader and principal of the Hebrew school for 12 years. She is the founder and co-chair of The South Bronx—Port Washington Community Partnership, a mutually beneficial collaboration between one of the poorest communities in the nation and one of the wealthiest. She has taught at Molloy College in New York, Wesleyan University and Hartford Seminary, where she teaches presently. She has served as the Jewish chaplain at Mount Holyoke College in Hadley, Massachusetts. Donna is the co-editor of a special edition of The Journal of Reform Judaism and is the author of numerous articles. She co-edited and wrote the foreword for The Coming of Lilith: Essays on Feminism, Judaism, and Sexual Ethics, 1973-2003 by Judith Plaskow. Donna is the co-author, with Barbara Bennett, of Fork in the Road: A Companion for Women Who Are Going Back to School Later in Life (and Those Who Want To).
Official Bio
Click here for Donna’s official bio.
Board of Directors
Advisory Board
Eva Jacobson, Chair
Barbara Vita, Vice Chair
Rebekka Laskowski, Treasurer
Rachna Agrawal
Ana Alfaro
Alvin Carter
Ingrid Dupuy
Stuart W. Alpert
Aaron Crosson
William Cuddy
Naomi Baline Kleinman
Leta Marks
Gil Martinez
Dollie McLean
Honorable Jon O. Newman
Flora Parisky
Bernadine Silvers
Jack Waggett
Board members can access the board’s private page here
Staff
Rabbi Donna Berman, Ph.D.
Executive Director
860.310.2584 or
860.310.2580 Ext. 1003
DonnaB@charteroakcenter.org
Laurie Leader
Managing Director
860.310.2583 or
860.310.2580 Ext. 1002
LaurieL@charteroakcenter.org
Susan Mazer
Youth Arts Institute Director
860.310.2590 or
860.310.2580 Ext. 1009
SusanM@charteroakcenter.org
Allie McConnell
Office Manager
860-310-2586 or
860-310-2580 Ext. 1005
AllieM@charteroakcenter.org
Danielle Russell
Youth Arts Institute Coordinator
860-310-2589
DanielleR@charteroakcenter.org
Dee Davis, Barbara Gunterman & Rohan Kataria
YAI Virtual/House Managers
Ileia Belton, Peyton Echelson-Russell, Emily Kievra & Riley Kloecknerr
Events House Managers
Meenu Sharma
Beat of the Street Manager
860.310.2591 or
860.310.2580 Ext. 1010
BOTS@charteroakcenter.org
Jacques Lamarre
Marketing and Programming Consultant
860.953.0444
JLamarre@Buzz-Engine.com
Raul Santiago
Facilities Manager
Mark Naberschnig
Technical Director
Events Manager
860-310-2588 or
860-310-2580 Ext. 1007
MarkN@charteroakcenter.org
Spencer Brunet
Technical Assistant
Partners, Sponsors & Benefactors
State of Connecticut Department of Community Development/Office of the Arts
Connecticut Humanities
City of Hartford
Greater Hartford Arts Council
Hartford Foundation for Public Giving
HSB
Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford
Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford
Bank of America
J. Walton Bissell Foundation
Ensworth Foundation
Banerjee Family Education Foundation
Charles Nelson Robinson Fund
Connecticare
D’Addario Foundation
LAZ Parking
Scripps Family Fund for Education/Arts
SpreadMusicNow
Special Thanks To
Directions
From points west
Take 84 East to 48B (the “Capitol Avenue” exit). At the end of the ramp, take a left onto Capitol Avenue and go straight until the road ends. Take a right onto Main Street. Turn left at the first light onto Charter Oak Avenue and the Cultural Center is the first building on the right with two domes on top.
From points east
Take 84 West to exit 54 (the “Downtown Hartford” exit). At the end of the ramp, turn left onto Columbus Boulevard. At the fifth light, turn right onto Charter Oak Avenue. After the second light, the Cultural Center is the building with two domes on top on the left side of the street just before Main Street.
From points north or south
Take 91 to exit 29A in Hartford, labeled “Capitol Area”. Bear right and take the second exit labeled “Prospect Street to Main Street”. Turn left at the stoplight at the end of the ramp and go straight. At the second light turn right onto Charter Oak Avenue. After the turn, the center is the third building on the left with two domes on top.
Parking
DO NOT PARK next door at 25 Charter Oak Avenue or in the lot behind the building. They will tow in both locations.
Free parking is available after 5:00 pm in the lot across the street from the center at 330 Main Street and at Betances School located diagonally across the street.
There is also metered parking available on the street in front of the Cultural Center and on Prospect Street.
These spots are free after 5:00 pm Monday through Friday and on the weekends.
Free spaces can be found further down Charter Oak Avenue and on John Street.
Free parking is no longer available on Charter Oak Place.
Contact Us
Charter Oak Cultural Center
21 Charter Oak Avenue
Hartford, CT 06106
(860) 310-2580
Send us a message
Hours of Operation
Our staff are available by email or phone Monday through Friday, 10AM – 5PM. Our building remains closed due to COVID-19 but all of our programs and events are being held virtually!
For delays and cancellations, please visit our Facebook page, Twitter, or check WFSB.
For our differently abled and disabled patrons, don’t hesitate to call our office line to ensure we can make every accommodation you may need during your visit.
Employment
House Manager
Charter Oak Cultural Center
House Managers at Charter Oak Cultural Center serve as a welcoming and helpful resource for all who enter through our doors for a variety of performance and visual events, student and family activities, and private events.
Duties include but are not limited to:
- Room set-up/break down
- Ensuring a clean and tidy environment (cleaning the kitchen, stocking bathrooms, picking up debris on our grounds)
- Managing our box office and concessions
- Recording information about our events and its attendees
- Unlocking and locking our building, assuring that it is well secured
The ideal House Manager is a friendly, caring individual who is self-motivated who is well-suited to following directions and established protocols. House Managers possess the ability to multi-task, and quickly and calmly respond to occasional problems and rare emergencies.
Qualifications: Equivalent of 2 years full-time or part-time experience providing support for a theater or related business including box office and food service is preferred. This is a per-diem, part-time position with variable hours based on the schedule of events. Weekend and evening availability is a must. Applicants must be able to navigate stairs and lift items.
Please submit your resume to Mark Naberschnig, markn@charteroakcenter.org, and tell us why you believe this position could be a great fit for you!
Youth Arts Program Coordinator
Charter Oak Cultural Center’s Youth Arts Institute (YAI) is dedicated to providing wide access to the arts for Hartford youth and to strengthening family and community through professional and community arts programming. We do this by offering free, inclusive, visual art, music, theater and dance classes both onsite at Charter Oak and through partnerships –– and by offering free family events that encourage life-long learning through the arts.
The Program Coordinator will ensure the efficient operation of the Youth Arts Institute general administrative support (inventory, scheduling, database management, and communication with families). This role will interact with parents, students, staff, and community contacts to coordinate program logistics.
This is a great opportunity for someone who is seeking a growth-oriented position and is committed to social justice and advancing the education of our youth!
Key Job Responsibilities of the Youth Arts Institute Coordinator Office Support
Manage schedules and worksheets utilizing MS Excel and Google Sheets
Collect and analyze data for grants and year-end reports using Excel pivot tables and charts
Work with YAI Director to adjust programming when necessary, and coordinate staff and volunteers accordingly
Design online and printed flyers and brochures, using publishing software, and distribute to parents, students, and/or office
Work with YAI Director and Family Coordinator to register, enroll, and schedule all students
Assist with payroll and billing needs
Class Support
Assist with planning and overseeing community events
Observe online and in-person classes, and report incidents and issues to YAI Director on a daily basis
Support teaching staff and house managers by assisting with behavior issues and classroom management
Manage inventory of snacks, art supplies, and instruments and alert director of needed supplies
Community Support
Serve as point of contact for Hartford Public School partnerships
Act as YAI representative for occasional off-site classes and events
Assist in building community partnerships
Requirements for Consideration
Bachelor’s degree
Previous experience managing an office or a complex program
Strong administrative background
Excellent interpersonal and relationship building skills
Organized, self-starter with the ability to multi-task
Strong computer skills in Word, Excel, shared networks and Microsoft Publisher
Must have self-transportation to travel within the community
Bi-lingual (English/Spanish) preferred
Ability to anticipate and problem solve programmatic issues
Must pass background check
Hours and Compensation
• This is a part-time position at 20 hours per week OR full-time at 30 hours per week with benefits. Schedule – weekday afternoons and early evenings when classes are in session the spring and fall semesters; mornings in the summer when camps are in session; daytime hours when classes and camps are not in session with some flexibility possible.
Salary commensurate with experience
This is not a remote position
Please submit cover letter and resume by August 5th 2022 via email.
Attn: Susan Mazer, Youth Arts Institute Director Charter Oak Cultural Center