METROPOLITAN NEW YORK
Lectures and Discussions
Heritage Night: Beta Israel of North America presents Ethiopian-Judaic Heritage Night. Ephraim Isaac, president of the Yemenite Jewish Federation of America, speaks on “Two Pictures of Ethiopia,” and a U.N. representative discusses Ethiopia’s drought. Ethiopian arts and crafts are displayed, as well as photographs of Ethiopian Jews by Joan Roth and Win Robbins. Proceeds benefit Ethiopian famine relief efforts. Center for Jewish History, 15 W. 16th St.; Aug. 21, 7 p.m.; $10. (212-294-8350, ext. 2 or www.sephardichouse.org)
On the Edge: Paul Zakrzewski, literary director of the JCC of Manhattan, has compiled an anthology of 25 short stories by young Jewish writers in “Lost Tribe: Jewish Fiction from the Edge.” To mark the book’s launch, writers Ellen Umansky, Jon Papernick and Nelly Reifler discuss their contributions. The following day, Zakrzewski moderates a panel discussion with contributors Joan Leegant and Rachel Kadish titled “A Thorn in the Heart,” about the themes of atonement and forgiveness in their stories, “The Argument” and “How to Comfort the Sick and Dying.” Eldridge Street Synagogue, 12 Eldridge St.; Aug. 20, 6 p.m.; $6, $4 students and seniors. (212-978-0803 or www.eldridgestreet.org) The Jewish Center of the Hamptons, 44 Woods Lane, East Hampton; Aug. 21, 8 p.m.-9:15 p.m.; free. (631-324-9858 or www.jcoh.org)
Performance
Picnic in the Park: New York Classical Theatre presents a picnic in Central Park catered by Kosher Creations and accompanied by classical music, followed by a performance of Pierre Marivaux’s “The Triumph of Love.” Set in the 18th century, the romantic comedy follows the adventures of the philosopher Hermocrate as his misanthropic ways are trumped by the ruses of Princess Léonide. The actors move 50 feet every 10 to 12 minutes to get to the next scene — using the theater company’s signature style. Please call or e-mail for reservations and meal choice. Central Park, 97th Street entrance; Aug. 22, dinner 5:30 p.m., play 7 p.m.; meal, T-shirt, live music $50 by Aug. 20, show free, reservations required. (212-252-4531 or www.newyorkclassical.org)
Festivals
A Life Re-Lived: Miri Ben Shalom’s “I Want the Whole World to See that I Can Cry!” is in this year’s International Fringe Festival lineup. Based on the journals of Ester Herschberg, the multimedia production tells the tale of a Holocaust survivor, now 70, who re-lives her wartime survival with her 14-year-old self. Together they recall and experience six years of horror, strength and hope and, ultimately, a joyful end. The Greenwich Street Theater, 547 Greenwich St.; Aug. 16, 2:45 p.m., Aug. 21, 5 p.m., Aug. 23, 8:15 p.m., festival through Aug. 24; $15, please see Web site or call for festival details. (888-FRINGENYC or www.fringenyc.org)
Poetry Tribute: Among the many enticements of the week-long Howl Festival of East Village Arts — with film, art, poetry, Wigstock, music and more music — is the Allen Ginsberg Poetry Festival, a celebration of the work and spirit of the poet, activist and community resident who passed away six years ago. Poets from the Poetry Project, Nuyorican Poets Café, Tribes and Bowery Poetry Club read their poetry, followed by “Planet News Digest,” a tribute to Ginsberg comprising readings from his poetry highlighting political convictions, including “America,” “Kaddish” and, of course, “Howl.” Steven Taylor, who accompanied Ginsberg on stage, plays songs on one of Ginsberg’s old harmoniums. Tompkins Square Park, bandshell, between Avenue A and Avenue B on the 7th Street side; Aug. 22, readings 5 p.m.-7 p.m., tribute 7 p.m.-7:30 p.m.; Howl Festival, Aug. 19-Aug. 26; free. (212-505-2225 or www.howlfestival.com)
Conference
Catskills Confab: The Catskills Institute presents “Return to the Mountains” at the ninth annual “History of the Catskills Conference.” Topics of discussion include the influence of Latin music in the Catskills resorts, the history of Jewish leisure and vacation, hotel basketball leagues, the story behind the screenplay for “Sweet Lorraine,” a film on Catskills hotel life and the history of bungalow life using old film footage. The opening night features a slide show of Catskills history, accompanied by live music and short reminiscences by conference attendees. “Catskills Culture” and “In the Catskills” author Phil Brown, a sociology professor at Brown University, leads a three-hour bus tour of the “Hotels of the Catskills.” Kutsher’s Country Club, Kutsher Road, Route 17, Monticello; Aug. 22-Aug. 24, registration begins 5 p.m.; full conference $50, Friday night only $20, Saturday only $25, Sunday only $20, bus tour $20, half price on everything except bus tour for members, does not include accommodations. (617-354-6138 or http://catskills.brown.edu)
Club Night: Dis/Orient, a fusion of musicians and musical groups, perform together as part of the Zeitgeist Jewish arts festival. Sephardic grandmaster of Algerian pop Maurice El Medioni and his ensemble El-Andalus play classical Arabic and Andalusian music; Oi-Va-Voi, a British band, play Eastern European and Jewish music; Middle Eastern dancer Mia Serra performs, and DJ Max Reinhardt mixes Middle Eastern and klezmer music with dance beats. Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 North Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles; Aug. 21, El Medioni, El-Andalus, Oi-Va-Voi, Serra 7:30 p.m.-10 p.m., Reinhardt 10 p.m.; $10, $5 students and guests with Sunset Concert admission sticker. (310-440-4515 or www.skirball.org)
‘Songs of the Sea’: The one-woman show “Sephardic Songs of the Sea” features soprano Vanessa Paloma and her medieval harp, sinfonia, guitarrita and percussion. The old Ladino songs she performs describe the sea as a presence, a friend, a confidant and a witness. Workmen’s Circle, 1525 S. Robertson Blvd., Los Angeles; Aug. 24, 4 p.m.; $10, $8 members. (310-552-2007 or www.circle.org)
FLORIDA
Turtle Day: The Mosaic Outdoor Club of South Florida invites participants to a Sabbath dinner at a restaurant preceding services on the beach. Sea-turtle expert and biologist Bill Ahern presents a slide show and presentation about turtles. Participants then watch turtle hatchlings emerge through the sand of the shore from their nests and help ensure the safety of the turtles as they head for the surf. Dinner, Rascal House, 17190 Collins Ave., North Miami Beach, 6:45 p.m.; services and turtle program, Haulover Park, 10800 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; services 8:15 p.m., turtle program 8:45 p.m.-10:30 p.m.; $4, does not include cost of dinner. (305-861-7793 or [email protected], 964-648-6696 or [email protected])
MAINE
Folk Festival: The ever-popular six-member klezmer group the Klezmatics perform in the 65th National Folk Festival, celebrating the depth and diversity of American culture and featuring a broad array of music and dance performances, workshops, storytelling, parades, dances, crafts exhibitions and food. The group has performed on PBS’s “Great Performances” with Itzhak Perlman and recorded sessions for NPR’s “New Sound Live,” “Soundcheck” and “A Prairie Home Companion,” as well as releasing several albums, including “Rise Up! Shteyt Oyf!” Bass Park, off Route I-395, Bangor; Klezmatics, Heritage Stage, Aug. 23, 2 p.m.; festival Aug. 22-Aug. 24; free, for complete listings, please call or visit Web site. (207-992-2630 or www.national- folkfestival.com)
MASSACHUSETTS
Paths of Migration: Jewish historian Yohanan Petrovsky-Shtern speaks about “Jewish Migration Within and Out of the Russian Empire: 1850-1914,” a program of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Boston. Petrovsky-Shtern explores the migration patterns of Jews in Russia during the mid-19th century, the reasons and logistics for the vast migration of Jews from Russia to the United States and the role the German Jewish community played in this migration. The Wellesley Public Library, Wakelin Room 1, 530 Washington St., Route 16; Aug. 20, 7 p.m.-9:30 p.m.; $5, members free. (617-796-8522 or www.jgsgb.org)
MINNESOTA
Sharansky: Natan Sharansky, Israel’s minister of Jerusalem and Diaspora affairs, speaks on “Israel and the Struggle for Peace” at a benefit reception and dinner for the Jewish Community Relations Council’s “Stand Up for Israel!” Israel advocacy initiatives in Minnesota and the Dakotas. Russian interpreters are provided. Sharansky, a former Soviet refusenik, is known for his human rights advocacy. Adath Jeshurun Congregation, 10500 Hillside Lane West, Minnetonka; Aug. 18, 7:30 p.m.; $25, $50, $125, $250, $500. (612-338-7816 or [email protected])
Traveling Exhibit: “Nazi Persecution of Homosexuals: 1933-1945” features over 200 reproductions of photos, documents and artwork documenting the Nazis’ persecution of homosexuals. More than 100,000 gay men were arrested under a broadly interpreted law against homosexuality. An unknown number were institutionalized in mental hospitals, and between 5,000 and 15,000 were imprisoned in concentration camps, where many died from starvation, disease, exhaustion, beatings and murder. Lesbians weren’t targeting in the same way, but they lost their gathering places and associations. The exhibit was curated by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. YWCA of Minneapolis, 1130 Nicollet Mall; through Sept. 26, Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m.-9 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Sun. noon-6 p.m.; free. (612-626-8387 or www.glbtstudies.umn.edu)
WASHINGTON, D.C.
Workshops on War: The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum presents two World War II-focused workshop-discussions: “Foreign Forced Laborers, POWs and Jewish Slave Workers in the Third Reich: Regional Studies and New Directions,” in which participants examine the history of Jewish and non-Jewish forced slave laborers, and “Jewish Resistance and Jews in National Resistance Movements,” which looks at the emergence, construction and roles of Jews within resistance, youth, underground and rescue movements. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place; Aug. 21 and Aug. 22, 2 p.m.-4 p.m.; free. (202-488-6162 or www.ushmm.org)
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