METROPOLITAN NEW YORK
Lectures and Discussions
Solidarity: Lieutenant General Moshe Ya’alon, chief of staff of the Israeli army, speaks about “Solidarity with Israel” at Sabbath services. Ya’alon has served in military campaigns including the 1973 Yom Kippur War, the 1978 Litani Operation and Operation Peace for Galilee. The Hampton Synagogue, 154 Sunset Ave., Westhampton Beach; July 12, 11 a.m.; free. (631-288-0534)
Community Leader: The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany presents “Nahum Goldmann: Statesman Without a State,” a conference held in conjunction with the Leo Baeck Institute’s exhibit on the Zionist leader. Jehuda Reinharz, president of Brandeis University, is the keynote speaker, discussing “Nahum Goldmann and the Paradox of Jewish Leadership.” Together with Chaim Weizmann and David Ben-Gurion, Goldmann was involved in the efforts to establish the State of Israel. Believing in the importance of vibrant Jewish communities in the Diaspora, he also helped found the World Jewish Congress and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. Center for Jewish History, 15 W. 16th St.; July 21, reception 5 p.m., program 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m., exhibit through Sept. 8, Sun., Tue., Wed., 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Thu. 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; free. (646-485-2016 or www.lbi.org/exhibitions.html)
Bookish: Gary Shteyngart speaks about his recent comedic novel, “The Russian Debutante’s Handbook,” which follows Vladimir Grishkin’s search for a meaningful identity as he leaves a low-paying job in Manhattan for Prague, where he becomes the right-hand man of a Mafioso called Groundhog. The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, 365 Fifth Ave.; July 22, 7 p.m.; free. (212-817-8215 or web.gc.cuny.edu/cepp)
Music
Outdoor Klez: Eve Sicular and her band, Metropolitan Klezmer, perform in an outdoor concert — don’t forget blankets and chairs — sponsored by the Hempstead Department of Parks and Recreation. The band blends Latin, Balkan, Greek, traditional klezmer and jazz music. Rock Hall Museum, 199 Broadway, Lawrence; July 16, 8 p.m.; free. (516-239-1157 or www.metropolitanklezmer.com)
David Broza: Israeli singer-songwriter David Broza is back in the Big Apple for several nights at Makor before he heads to Los Angeles. With 19 albums to his name, Broza, who plays guitar, blends different cultures into his music, singing in Hebrew as well as English and Spanish. His latest recordings are “Painted Postcard,” in English and Hebrew; “All or Nothing,” in Hebrew, and its Spanish version, “Todo O Nada.” Makor, 35 W. 67th St.; July 12, 9:30 p.m., July 13 and July 14, 8 p.m.; $35. (212-601-1000 or www.makor.org)
Film
Breaking the Silence: Israeli filmmaker Anat Zuria’s 2002 film “Purity” is screened as part of the Hamptons Summer Film Series. The film examines the ancient Jewish laws of family purity, which regulate sexuality among Orthodox Jews. Zuria presents her own experiences adhering to these practices as well as those of several of her friends, all of whom feel confined by these rituals. The focus of their discussion is nidda, a 10- to 12-day period restricting women from touching or engaging in sexual intimacy with their husbands, culminating in a trip to the mikvah, or cleansing bath. The Hampton Synagogue, 154 Sunset Ave., Westhampton Beach; July 21, 7:30 p.m., series through Aug. 25, free. (631-288-0534 or www.jewishculture.org/events/hamptons_film_fest.html)
Poetry Readings: The Workmen’s Circle presents six poets reading from their works, which focus on secular Jewish themes. Participating are Bay Area poet Ruth Daigon, author of “Payday at the Triangle”; Sherman Pearl, co-founder of the Los Angeles Poetry Festival; Julia Stein, a Jewish literature scholar teaching at Santa Monica College and East Los Angeles College and author of “Shulamith”; Austin Straus, longtime host of KPFK’s “Poetry Connexion”; Florence Weinberger, author of “Breathing Like a Jew,” and Mel Weisburd, co-founder and editor of Coastlines literary journal. Workmen’s Circle, 1525 S. Robertson Blvd., Los Angeles; July 20, 3 p.m.; $5 suggested, $4 members, including refreshments. (310-453-0183 or www.circle.org)
Life of Sholom Aleichem: The Santa Monica Playhouse Jewish Heritage Program presents the premiere of Rudie-DeCarlo’s “Because of You: The Life and Loves of Sholom Aleichem,” a musical in which the Yiddish author and his family encounter foolish philosophers, comical shtetl folk and not-so-comical real-life scoundrels. The play is based on the author’s letters and stories, coupled with personal recollections of those who knew him firsthand. “Because of You” was adapted for the stage by Chris DeCarlo and Evelyn Rudie and features members of the Actors’ Repertory Theatre and words and music by Emery Bernauer, E. Rudie, Linn Yamah and Sholom Aleichem. Santa Monica Playhouse, 1211 4th St.; July 19-Sept. 27, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; $25.50, discounts available. (310-394-9779, ext. 1 or www.santamonicaplayhouse.com)
COLORADO
Sabbath Adventure: Rabbi Jamie Korngold takes participants on a hiking and camping trip through the alpine wilderness in Leadville. Through prayer, conversation and song, the rabbi guides participants toward a deeper understanding of the connection between Judaism and nature. Shabbat concludes with a Havdalah service. Korngold’s mission is to create opportunities “to allow the wilderness to re-awaken our Judaism,” as she says on her Web site. AdventureRabbi, as her Jewish wilderness program is called, is the realization of her dream to combine her two passions, Judaism and the outdoors. Bring luxury camping equipment. RSVP by July 19. Carpools leave Boulder July 26 or meet in Leadville between 9:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. that day, returning July 27 in the evening; $85. (303-443-2642 or www.adventurerabbi.com)
MASSACHUSETTS
The Cape on Canvas: The Cape Museum of Fine Arts displays “Tobi Kahn: Works from the Cape” featuring some 30 canvases by the painter and sculptor. Kahn, whose abstract works are often described as “biomorphic,” has had his works exhibited at roughly 60 museums around the globe. The cape paintings were created mainly over a decade of summer visits to Cape Cod with his friend Dr. Mark Tykocinski, a visiting scientist at the Marine Biological Laboratory at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. Cape May Museum of Fine Arts, Route 6A, Dennis; July 19-Sept. 7, Mon.-Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun. noon-5 p.m., members reception July 27, 2 p.m.-4 p.m., Kahn and Tykocinski speak together July 29, 11 a.m.; $7, $5 members. (508-385-4477 or www.cmfa.org)
WASHINGTON, D.C.
Out of Egypt: Rami Kimchi’s documentary “Cinema Egypt” portrays the experience of 20th-century Sephardic Jews using the life story of Henriette Azar, the director’s mother, who was born in an Egyptian village and immigrated to Israel at age 24. Her reminiscences are interwoven with scenes from the 1941 Egyptian fiction film “Leila the Village Girl,” featuring Egyptian Jewish stars of the era. The film is in Hebrew and Arabic with English subtitles. Kimchi leads a discussion following both screenings. Library of Congress, Mary Pickford Theatre, 101 Independence Ave., S.E., 3rd floor of Madison Building; July 16, noon; free. Magen David Sephardic Congregation, 12115 Woodglen Dr., Rockville; July 16, 7:30 p.m.; free. (202-707-9897 or www.loc.gov/loc/events/julaugindex.html)
Carlebach’s Style: New York-based singer Neshama Carlebach leads a Jewish spiritual music workshop and performance, following in the tradition of her late father, Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach. She incorporates her father’s music and her unique voice into her repertoire. Her performance includes piano accompaniment and audience participation. District of Columbia Jewish Community Center, Ina & Jack Kay Community Hall, 1529 16th St. N.W.; July 20, 1 p.m.; $18, $15 members. (202-777-3254 or www.dcjcc.org)
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