An Evening with Esther

Kantika is a boundary-crossing musical project that bridges centuries, languages, and traditions. Led by vocalist and songwriter Tutti Druyan, Kantika combines traditional Sephardic melodies in Ladino with original compositions in English and Hebrew—blending ancient heritage with a contemporary voice.

A collaboration with acclaimed Puerto Rican saxophonist and composer Edmar Colón and drummer, producer, and sound engineer Shaqed Druyan, Kantika weaves together diverse musical influences with rich improvisation, evocative soundscapes, and deeply personal storytelling. The result is a compelling musical experience that celebrates cultural memory, artistic collaboration, and the enduring power of song to connect people across generations and traditions.
 

Laura Conrad Mandel is Managing Director of Program Strategy and Impact at The Vilna Shul, Boston's Center for Jewish Culture. She joined The Vilna after serving as founding Executive Director of the Jewish Arts Collaborative. Mandel came to the non-profit world after graduating Carnegie Mellon University with a degree in Art and English. She is Immediate Past Board Chair of the Council of American Jewish Museums, co-chair of the Boston Lyric Stage Advisory Committee, and board member of the Boston Lyric Opera.

Miriam Anzovin is the creator of the “Daf Reactions” and "Jewish Lore Reactions" video series on social media. She shares her authentic reactions to Jewish learning, with commentary both heartfelt and comedic, putting ancient discourse in direct communication with modern internet culture. Miriam's work invites others to connect with Jewish teachings in ways that resonate personally with them. Miriam is represented exclusively by the Jewish Speakers Bureau.
@MiriamAnzovin on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Threads, BlueSky, and Facebook.
 

Sara M. Gardner, PhD, is a culinary historian and cooking instructor. Sara is a scholar of the literature, culture, and cuisine of the Sephardic Jewish community from the medieval to the modern periods. A 2016-2017 Fulbright Graduate Research Scholar, she received her PhD in Spanish and Portuguese Studies from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities in 2026. She has presented her work at various international conferences, including the Oxford Symposium on Food & Cookery and the Dublin Gastronomy Symposium, and her scholarship has also been published in academic journals including the World History Bulletin and Brepols. Over the past decade, Sara has also taught cooking classes centered on Jewish foodways and identity from across the global diaspora. As a JArts/Vilna Shul Community Creative Fellow this past year, Sara taught Jewish cooking workshops across the Greater Boston area and hosted a culinary pop-up with Chef Noah Clickstein (Lehrhaus) and Wild Child Chocolates in Somerville exploring the flavors of the Sephardic Caribbean. Sara is also a published cookbook author; her first cookbook The Rosh Hashanah Seder Cookbook: Stories and Recipes from the Reform Jewish Community of Madrid was published in 2018. Currently, Sara shares recipes found through her research and learning opportunities through her online Jewish cooking school, Boka Dulse (www.bokadulse.com, @bokadulse on Instagram).