J.J. Keki of Uganda's Abayadayu Jewish community.
Two Jewish singles events will take place tomorrow and motzei Shabbat (Saturday night):
Tomorrow night, November 19th, will be Jewish singles night at New York City Opera: Flirt For Your Bashert?--Find Your Perfect Match at New York City Opera!?? Mingle with other Jewish singles on the Promenade of the David H. Koch Theater. Enjoy complimentary cocktails and light kosher fare before a performance of Hugo Weisgall’s critically acclaimed Esther, based on the Biblical tale of the brave young queen. Return to the Promenade during two intermissions to socialize over drinks. Seating for Esther will be in the 4th Ring.
See the link above to reserve tickets or call: 212.870.5570 or email: boxoffice@ccmd.org
Saturday night November 21st DavidShapiro.net presents I Love the '80s and '90s Party at Croton Reservoir Tavern (CRT) 108 W 40th St. (btwn Broadway & 6th Ave) in Manhattan from 9 PM To 3 AM. Not only will the famous DLJ spin all your favorite tunes from your favorite two decades, but The Steve Marshall Band will be playing a special covers set of all the best songs of the '80s.
PARTY DETAILS:
> '80s-priced specials: $2 beers and $4 well drinks 'til 11 PM!
> The first 100 guests will get a free shot!
> 2 floors + 2 bars + 2 decades of music = 1 totally awesome time!
> Celebrating the birthdays of our friends Shoshanna Rikon of Shoshanna's Matches and Danielle Vaccaro
> $10 with RSVP at http://www.davidshapiro.net/upcomingevents.asp
> $15 without RSVP
> Call 212-579-4844 for more info or to reserve a table for 8 or more guests free of charge
Also tomorrow evening, November 19th, at 6:30 PM author Jonathan Safran Foer reads from Eating Animals at Old First Reformed Church, 7th Avenue and Carroll Street in Brooklyn. Suggested $10 donation. After the reading (8:00 PM) there will be a wine & cheese reception at Community Bookstore (diagonally across the street).
Readers of this space may recall Simon Dinnerstein's drawing Rear Window from Tabla Rasa Gallery's About Face exhibit which I plugged in a previous article. Dinnerstein is having a solo show of Giclee Prints at Loupe Digital Studio, 117 E24th St, Studio 2B, in Manhattan 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM through January 15. On Monday evening November 23rd the gallery will remain open from 5:00 to 8:00 PM and Dinnerstein will talk with visitors about his work.
After meeting the artist in Manhattan head over to Brooklyn for what promises to be a fascinating talk by J.J. Keki about Uganda's Abayudaya Jewish community. Mr. Keki was the first chairperson of the Abayudaya community, serving 1986-1999, and will share the story of the 1000 member Abayudaya community established in 1919 and its struggle to maintain its Jewish identity in Uganda in the face of persecution and intolerance.
Mr. Keki will update the audience on the Kulanu-supported Abayudaya primary and secondary schools which feed and educate 700 Jewish, Muslim and Christian children studying together in peace. He will perform traditional Abayudaya music. Raphael Magarik, who spent two months this summer living with the Abayudaya and teaching in the school, will be present at the program to talk about his experiences as well. Monday November 23rd from 7:30-10:00 PM at Park Slope Jewish Center, Eighth Ave at 14th St in Brooklyn. Suggested donation $10. CO-SPONSORED BY: PSJC, Hannah Senesh community Day School, BYFI Alumni.
On Saturday evening December 5th at 7:30 PM and Sunday afternoon December 6th at 2:00 PM the musical theater work Bubby's Kitchen will be performed at The Museum of Jewish Heritage's Edmond J. Safra Hall. Bubby's Kitchen was created and and will be performed by Shira Ginsburg, directed by Adam Fitzgerald, produced by Donna Roseman, with musical direction, orchestrations and vocal arrangements by Jeff Marder. This touching and tuneful production will benefit East End Temple where Ms. Ginsburg serves as the congregation’s Cantor. Ticket prices range from $36-$180. Please note: Seats will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. No tickets will be mailed. All tickets will be available for will-call pick up ONLY on the day of the show.
In addition to the upcoming Israeli film festivals I discussed two and a half weeks ago several other Jewish film festivals will be held in the coming months. On Saturday evening December 12th and Sunday December 13th Park Slope Jewish Center will host a Maccabi Film Festival: Hanukkah Celebration of Contemporary Jewish Sports Films. The schedule of screenings:
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12
6:30 pm
Menorah Lighting + Festival Introduction
A.O. Scott, New York Times film critic, co-host of At the Movies, and PSJC member
7:00 pm
ORTHODOX STANCE
+ Q & A w/ Director & PSJC member, Jason Hutt & special guests
ORTHODOX STANCE is a portrait of Dmitriy Salita, a Russian immigrant, professional boxer and religious Jew, and the seemingly incompatible cultures and characters working together to support his rare and remarkable devotion to both Orthodox Judaism and the pursuit of a professional boxing title. In the end, the film is about more than just boxing and religion, but a young man's search for meaning in life.
Director: Jason Hutt (PSJC Member)
2007 / 82 min / English & Russian with English subtitles
To read about another Orthodox Jewish boxer see my article on WBA super welterweight champion Yuri Foreman.
9:15 pm
THE FIRST BASKET
( Brooklyn Premiere)
An examination of the link between basketball and Jewish culture, starting in 1946 with the first basket ever made in a professional game by Ossie Schectman of the New York Knickerbockers. The film explains why this uniquely American sport became a melting pot for Jewish immigrants in the early 20th century, and how the development of pro basketball leagues was intertwined with the emerging Jewish community.
Director: David Vyorst
2008 / 86 min / English
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 13
1:00 pm
MAX MINSKY & ME
(Family-friendly film!)
Nelly Edelmeister, daughter of a New York mother and Berlin musician is a highly intelligent, no-nonsense girl. Her only friends are her books and she idolizes the prince of Luxembourg , who shares her passion for outer space. At the news that her school basketball team is going to compete in Luxembourg , Max Minsky offers her a deal: she does his homework, he teaches her to play basketball. The trouble is that she is turning 13 and she is Jewish so she has to prepare for her bat mitzvah. Will she follow her heart or mind? Will she find her prince? Adapted from the best-selling novel by Holly-Jane Rahlens.
Director: Anna Justice
2007 / 95 min / German with English subtitles
3:00 pm
WATERMARKS
Sixty-five years after fleeing Austria to evade the Nazis, a group of champion women swimmers from the Jewish sports club Hakoah Vienna reunite to tell their inspiring story in this documentary. Now in their eighties, the women return to the Vienna pool where they trained for Hakoah Vienna, which was founded in 1909 after Austrian sports clubs were forbidden to admit Jews. The film captures the reunion and chronicles the athletes' story.
Director: Yaron Zilberman
77 min / English, Hebrew and German w/ English subtitles
5:00 pm
HOLYLAND HARDBALL
( Brooklyn Premiere)
+ Q & A w/ Director Erik Kesten & subject Nate Fish
When Boston bagel maker Larry Baras wanted to create a professional baseball league in Israel , his idea was met with incredulity, dismissal and even hostility. He attempted it anyway. Among the ballplayers swept up in his unlikely quest: a 41 year-old father, a 27 year-old Brooklyn artist, a 34 year-old father-to-be, and a 22 year-old African-American who was told by a preacher he would one day "play in front of God's people." HOLY LAND HARDBALL is an engaging account of their dream to bring America 's pastime to the Middle East .
Directors: Erik Kesten, Brett Rapkin
2008 / 78 min / English
7:00 pm
Menorah Lighting with Special Guests
9:15 PM
RUN FOR YOUR LIFE
( Brooklyn Premiere)
+ Q & A with Moshe Katz, nephew of Fred Lebow
PSJC member Judd Ehrlich's documentary recounts the fascinating life and work of Fred Lebow, the eccentric founder of the New York City Marathon whose love and passion for road running sparked a worldwide phenomenon. Featuring archival footage and candid interviews with Lebow's family, friends and contemporaries, Ehrlich paints a vivid portrait of a man who transcended his own shortcomings to become the figurehead of the sport he loved.
Director: Judd Ehrlich (PSJC Member)
2008 / 99 min / English
Admission to individual movies are $5 and a festival pass is $20. Park Slope Jewish Center is located at Eighth Ave at 14th St in Brooklyn.
Other Jewish film festivals early next year include The Jewish Museum's Jewish Film Festival in January, American Sephardi Fdderation/Sephardi House's NY Sephardic Jewish Film Festival in February, and across the river/harbor New Jersey Jewish Film Festival in March 2010.
For more events see the links under New York Jewish Culture Events Listings in the right margin of this page.
For more info: David Cooper
.
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