A Series in Partnership with the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

When: August 6, 2026 - January 18, 2027

Where: The Vilna Shul, 18 Phillips St. Boston MA 02114 [view map]

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Queen Esther, of Purim fame, is a heroine of the Jewish people. But did you know that she is a beloved heroine to more than just the Jewish community, and was a muse in the 17th-century Dutch Republic?

A new exhibit at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, The Book of Esther in the Age of Rembrandt, explores Esther's story and is on display this fall (August - January). The Vilna is partnering with the Gardner to elevate the many facets of this story with a season of shared programming.

The Book of Esther in the Age of Rembrandt programming is co-presented by the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and The Vilna, and is part of The Only Woman in the Room series. Made possible with support from The Miriam Fund of Combined Jewish Philanthropies.

Image credit: Jan Steen (Dutch, 1626–1679) Esther, Ahasuerus, and Haman, about 1668. Oil on canvas. Cleveland Museum of Art, John L. Severance Fund

More in this series:

Live Performance: The Nightingale of Iran
October 8, 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM at The Vilna

Curating Esther: A Conversation with the Curators Behind The Book of Esther in the Age of Rembrandt
October 14, 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM at The Vilna

"For Such A Time As This": Calling on Esther Across the Ages
September 17, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM at the Gardner Museum

Empathy and Exoticism: Rembrandt's Multicultural Society
October 15, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM at the Gardner Museum

An Evening with Esther
November 12, 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM at the Gardner Museum

In partnership with:

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Information on getting to The Vilna Shul [view map]