JAI Featured Member/March 2025
Anne Hromadka Greenwald
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JAI Featured Member
Anne Hromadka Greenwald
March 2025
JAI Featured Member
Anne Hromadka Greenwald
March 2025
My experiences with the Jewish Artists Initiative (JAI) have provided a vital framework for integrating Jewish perspectives into broader cultural narratives. For the past twenty years, my education and career have been deeply intertwined with the mission of enriching American and Jewish culture through the arts. My work focuses on fostering dynamic partnerships, engaging diverse audiences, and advancing innovative programming that reflects the complexities of contemporary Jewish life. These goals align with the values of JAI, an organization that has profoundly influenced my curatorial practice and personal commitment to the arts.
With over two decades of experience in curating, cultural production, and strategic leadership within the Jewish and fine arts communities, I have cultivated a deep understanding of how art serves as a powerful tool for dialogue, education, and connection. My involvement with JAI has been a cornerstone of this journey, offering a platform to connect with Jewish artists, amplify their voices, and explore the intersections of identity, tradition, and creativity.
As the founder of AMH Art Advisory, I have represented mid-career Jewish artists and co-curated JAI initiatives, including entries in the 2015 and 2017 Jerusalem Biennale. I served as curator and exhibition designer for the nationally touring exhibition Windows on Death Row. My work has included producing significant cultural events and collaborating with institutions such as the Skirball Museum, Billy Ireland Museum, Hebrew Union College-JIR, the Council of American Jewish Museums (CAJM), UCLA Fowler Museum, Artis, and others. As the founding Co-Director and Curator of Shulamit Nazarian Gallery, I developed exhibitions highlighting Jewish and contemporary themes. My ongoing advisory role with the Y&S Nazarian Family Foundation has further deepened my commitment to advancing Jewish cultural initiatives.
Currently, as Curator of the Arts Program at the Jewish Community Foundation Orange County (JCFOC), I develop partnerships and curate exhibitions. Over the past three years, I reimagined the JCFOC Weissman Arts Fund, establishing its current mission and vision. Through this role, I have produced large-scale cultural events that have united 30+ Jewish and secular organizations and reached over 36,000 individuals. A highlight was the Fall Sukkot design and learning festival, DWELL: Welcome, Harvest, Gather. Modeled after Sukkah City (NYC), this event engaged over 2,000+ participants at a 28-acre regenerative farm, fostering meaningful connections through design, sustainability, and Jewish tradition.
Windows on Death Row, Exhibition Installation, Billy Ireland Museum, Ohio
JCFOC Weissman Arts Program, Anne Hromadka Greenwald giving instructions to the crowd, DWELL Festival, Ecology Center (2024)
My consulting work with CAJM has also allowed me to address critical challenges facing the Jewish community. I was honored to contribute to a resource toolkit and national convening requested in conjunction with The White House’s Strategy to Combat Antisemitism. My work on projects such as the Museums Respond: Strategies for Countering Antisemitism & Hate Summit and corresponding Engagement Guide and Toolkit aims to raise awareness of how antisemitism and hatred weaken our civic landscape. This toolkit will be distributed to museums, libraries, and archives nationwide through the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and CAJM networks.
Throughout my career, I have balanced curatorial innovation with a dedication to fostering inclusivity and dialogue. My academic foundation – a Master of Arts in Jewish Nonprofit Management from Hebrew Union College and a Master of Public Art Studies/Curatorial Practices from the University of Southern California – has equipped me with the tools to approach curation and leadership with depth and intention.
Orit Hofshi, Cessation, Shulamit Gallery | Culture Lab: Sacrifice, project of the Silverlake JCC, Atwater Village Theater (2015)
My passion for Jewish culture and the arts is both a professional focus and a personal commitment. As a graduate student, I worked alongside JAI founder Ruth Weisberg on early exhibitions, which later led to my role as the first program director for JAI from 2008 to 2011. After my tenure as staff, I became an Arts Professional member and eventually joined the board. My enduring connection with JAI has been a throughline in my career, and my work supporting mid-career Jewish artists – many of whom are JAI members – reflects the collaborative spirit that defines the organization.
The intersection of my work with JAI’s vision continues to fuel my belief in the capacity of Jewish art to serve as a catalyst for change, a platform for storytelling, and a space for community-building. Together, these efforts play an essential role in shaping the narratives of Jewish life and contributing to the broader cultural fabric.
Anne Hromadka Greenwald is co-president of Jewish Artists Initiative of Southern California, curator and culture producer for the Jewish Community Foundation, Orange County and maintains an arts consulting practice for a small group of clients based in the U.S.
Thank you!
About JAI
Jewish Artists Initiative (JAI) is a Southern California organization committed to supporting Jewish artists and arts professionals. JAI aspires to be an agent of transformative change by organizing provocative exhibitions and thoughtful programs promoting diverse dialogue about Jewish identity and experiences. Founded in 2004, JAI remains committed to fostering Jewish culture in our community and beyond.
MISSION AND HISTORY
JAI was conceived by the Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles in 2004. It was originally in partnership with the University of Southern California Casden Institute and the USC Roski School of Art and Design. For many years we have been under the fiscal sponsorship of the Center for Jewish Culture and Creativity. Members include primarily artists, as well as curators and art historians based in Southern California. The artists go through a jurying process to be admitted as members.
We have collaborated with a great range of Southern California institutions including American Jewish University, Hebrew Union College, UCLA Hillel and USC Hillel as well as a variety of art galleries and public spaces. We have also worked and exhibited in institutions in other parts of the United States and Israel such as the Jewish Art Salon, Hebrew Union College, New York, the New York UJA and the Jerusalem Biennale.
JAI BOARD MEMBERS
Bill Aron, Isaac Brynjegard-Bialik, Anne Hromadka Greenwald, Gilah Yelin Hirsch, Sagi Refael, Doni Silver Simons, Hillel Smith, Debra Sokolow, Ruth Weisberg, Cathy Weiss
How to Become a JAI Member: JAI welcomes applications for membership from artists and arts professionals. For how to apply and to view the selection criteria click on Join JAI in the navigation links at the top or bottom of any page. Questions: contact JAI at admin@jaisocal.org