Calendar Girls Picks and Clicks Dec. 20-26: Chanukah, Chanukah, Chanukah

[additional-authors]

Dikla Kadosh and Lilly Fowler

December 19, 2008

SAT | DECEMBER 20

(SPARKLING CHANUKAH)
JConnectLA is encouraging members of the young professional (YoPro) community to “get sparked for the Festival of Lights” by partaking in a little Fire and Ice. There to help fuel the fire will be the Chai Center, the Happy Minyan, ” target=”_blank”>http://www.jconnectla.com.

(SOCIAL JUSTICE CHANUKAH)
Join the only Chanukah party that combines hip music with serious social justice at the eighth annual Festival of Rights, sponsored by the Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles, JDub Records and the Progressive Jewish Alliance. Local activists will be lighting the menorah for their favorite cause. The Sway Machinery (featuring members of Arcade Fire, Balkan Beat Box and The Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs) and Spanish indie rockers DeLeon are set to perform. Free latkes, gelt and other goodies while supplies last. Past participants include L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Who knows who you’ll see rocking out and lighting a candle at the club this year. Sat. 8 p.m. $12. The Troubadour, 9081 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood. (310) 276-6168. ” border = 0 vspace = ‘8’ hspace = ‘8’ align = ‘left’>with lyrics by Woody Guthrie; Cantor Alberto Mizrahi, otherwise known as the “Jewish Pavorotti”; YouTube sensation Michelle Citrin (“Rosh Hashanah Girl” and “Twenty Things to Do With Matzah”); and saxophonist Dav Koz, who will offer up his version of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” Mare Winningham will share her conversion story in “A Convert Jig” and Rabbi David Wolpe will offer inspirational messages throughout. There’s more, but best to check out the program for yourself. Sun. 5 p.m. KCET. ” target=”_blank”>http://www.citywalkhollywood.com.

(FAMILY CHANUKAH)
The name of the event does not get points for originality (Shmooze-a-Palooza, Purimpalooza, Jewzapalooza, must we go on?), but Temple Beth Israel’s Latkepalooza certainly earns a gold star for having everything a Chanukah celebration should: fresh-off-the-frying-pan latkes with applesauce and sour cream, Chanukah songs, dancing, dreidel games, a community lighting of menorahs and a bonus raffle, at which menorahs, books and other goodies will be handed out. Ed Leibowitz wrote an enormously long article about this egalitarian Highland Park congregation in the September issue of Los Angeles magazine, so if you’re looking around for a synagogue to belong to, the article and this holiday party could serve as your orientation package. Sun. 4:30 p.m. (kids’ activity). 6 p.m. (celebration). $5 (raffle tickets). Temple Beth Israel, 5711 Monte Vista St., Highland Park, Los Angeles. (323) 255-5416. ” target=”_blank”>http://www.chabadcenturycity.com.

(CHUMANISTIC CHANUKAH)
Adat Chaverim’s Chanukah party features — or we should say, doesn’t feature — an element you’re likely to find at most holiday festivities: God. Humanistic Chanukah is part of Adat Chaverim’s overall mission of fostering a Jewish cultural identity and a sense of Jewish community within a nontheistic context. Cantorial soloist Terry Lieberstein will be performing Chanukah songs and leading the kids — from preschool to young adult — in games. Ecofriendly crafts and gift-making will also be part of the festivities. And, of course, lots of latkes for everyone. Sun. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. American Jewish University, Auerbach Student Lounge, 15600 Mulholland Drive, Los Angeles. R.S.V.P to (818) 623-7363 or info@humanisticjudaismla.org. ” target=”_blank”>http://www.farmersmarketla.com.

MON | DECEMBER 22

(WORLD RECORD CHANUKAH)
Were you that kid whose dreidel was always the last one left spinning? Are you a master at turning tops? Have you always dreamed of setting a world record? Even if you answered no to all three questions, Sha’arei Am, The Santa Monica ” target=”_blank”>http://www.thesms.org.

(CINEMATIC CHANUKAH)
Make the second night of Chanukah a cozy movie night: Turn off all the lights, light a few candles — oh, wait, you already did that — pop some bite-size latkes in a bowl and snuggle up on the couch for a marathon of Jewish flicks courtesy of the Turner Classic Movies channel. Their Happy Chanukah programming highlights three classics, “Exodus,” 8 p.m.; “Yentl,” 11:30 p.m.; and if you’re hungry for more Jewish tales, there’s “Fiddler on the Roof,” 2 a.m. ” target=”_blank”>http://www.holidaycelebration.org.

(DANCE CHANUKAH)
While the rest of the city is home enjoying Christmas dinner, young Jews will be feasting on hip-hop beats, salsa grooves and Israeli tracks at the Chanukah Dance Party being hosted by Cabana Club. Veteran Israeli maestro DJ Eyal will be handling the sounds, and the sexy Sunflower Dancers will be handling the moves in the special salsa room. Expect a nice mix of Jews in club attire at this festival of disco lights. Ages 21 and over. Wed. 9 p.m. $25. Cabana Club, 1439 Ivar Ave., Hollywood. (323) 309-1514. jsmp@pacbell.net.

ON-GOING

(POPCORN CHANUKAH)
The holidays also mark the season for movies, and there are several films well worth checking out. Tom Cruise stars in “Valkyrie,” based on the true story of the men who led an operation to try to assassinate Hitler (see story, Page 38). “Waltz With Bashir,” winner of six Israeli Academy Awards, is an animated film that digs into director Ari Folman’s past and his involvement in the Israeli army during the first Lebanon War. Finally, Kate Winslet and Ralph Fiennes star in “The Reader,” a film based on the best-selling novel that tells the story of a post-WWII love affair. The secret affair eventually ends, but the lovers find each other again years later — in a courtroom during the Nazi war crime trials. Check local listings. ” target=”_blank”>http://waltzwithbashir.com;