2024 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. MLK Interfaith Commemoration

Join us for Penn’s Annual MLK Interfaith Commemoration event on January 25, 6 PM in Houston Hall.

During this event, we have the pleasure of enjoying performances by Penn West African Vibe, Off the Beat, Shabbatones, and New Spirit of Penn, as well as hearing a discussion with Penn Alumni Rabbi David Wolpe and Jonah Platt and moderated by Rev. William Gipson.

Rabbit David Wolpe (C’81) is currently the Visiting Scholar at Harvard Divinity School and is Max Webb Emeritus Rabbi of Sinai Temple. Jonah Platt (C’08) is a multi-platform creator and performer, working across many different aspects of the entertainment industry.

We will also be presenting the MLK Community Service Awards to deserving honorees.

Everyone is welcome! We hope to see you there!

About our guest speakers:

Rabbi David Wolpe (C’81) is the Max Webb Emeritus Rabbi of Sinai Temple and a Visiting Scholar at Harvard Divinity School. Author of eight books, including the national bestseller “Making Loss Matter,: Creating Meaning in Difficult Times,” Wolpe has been named the most influential Rabbi in America by Newsweek, among the 50 most influential Jews in the world by the Jerusalem Post and and twice named among the 50 most influential Angelinos by LA Magazine. He is the Senior Advisor at Maimonides Fund and the inaugural Rabbinic Fellow for the ADL. Rabbi Wolpe has taught at a number of universities before Harvard, including UCLA, Hunter college, Pepperdine and the Jewish Theological Seminary, and written for The NY Times, Washington Post, The Atlantic, The Jerusalem Post among other newspapers and journals. Wolpe’s most recent book, “David: The Divided Heart,” a biography of King David, was a finalist for the National Jewish Book award and optioned for a movie by Warner Brothers.

Jonah Platt (C’08) is a multi-platform creator and performer whose career spans many facets of the entertainment industry. He has appeared in prestigious projects from stage to screen, such as Broadway hit WICKED, Aaron Sorkin’s BEING THE RICARDOS, Darren Starr’s UNCOUPLED, and most recently THE ENGAGEMENT PARTY at the Geffen Playhouse. Jonah recently sold an adult animated TV series to Apple+, and is currently penning the lyrics and co-writing the music for the musical stage adaptation of bestselling classic THE GIVER.Jonah is also a highly engaged advocate for the Jewish community who uses his voice to empower, educate, and explore issues at home and abroad. His words have been featured in media publications such as Variety, KTLA News, New York Post, LA Magazine, Jewish Journal, Hey Alma, and The Forward. He sits on the board of 70 Faces Media, American Jewish University’s Maas Center, and The In[HEIR]itance Theater Project.