At the Hoover Public Library, 200 Municipal Drive, Hoover, AL on Tuesday, September 5, 2023 at 6:00 pm, there was an opening reception for the "Stories of Exile."  People enjoyed light refreshments as we kicked off our “Stories of Exile” program series. Rabbi Yossi Friedman from Chabad of Alabama discussed the Yiddish language and its history. Olena Vyshyvanyuk spoke on her family’s experiences as a Ukrainian refugee. You can find more about this event and the upcoming project at this link.

Each month, through December, events will be held such as a memoir writing workshop (led by Malta expat Miriam Calleja Shaw); an Empathy Project play (overseen by Anne Ledvina) in conjunction with the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute's welcoming activities surrounding the arrival of Little Amal to Birmingham; and a presentation by UA History professor Janek Wasserman on the history of exile throughout Europe. The library will also be showing films and documentaries corresponding to the theme in the Library Theatre each month. 

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