Calendar Picks and Clicks: October 8-14, 2010

SAT | OCT 9

(SHABBAT)
Actor-comedian Larry Miller (“10 Things I Hate About You,” “Waiting for Guffman”) joins Rabbi David Wolpe and musician Craig Taubman during Sinai Temple’s ShabbatLIVE to examine the theme “Wrestling, Laughing, and Crying With God” through prayer, song, stories and jokes. Sat. 11 a.m. Free. Sinai Temple, 10400 WilshireBlvd., Los Angeles. (310) 481-3244. sinaitemple.org.

SUN | OCT 10

(OPERA)
Giuseppe Verdi’s opera “La Traviata,” a love story and adaptation of an Alexander Dumas novel, kicks off the Center Stage Opera’s 2010-2011 season. Sun. 3 p.m. $20-$36 Madrid Theatre, 21622 Sherman Way, Canoga Park. (818) 517-4102. centerstageopera.org.

(THEATER)
Former L.A. Raiders cheerleader Sandy Wolshin plays herself and various people from her life in “The Kosher Cheerleader,” the “truish” story of how she dropped her pompoms and cartwheeled onto the path of Modern Orthodox Judaism. Sun. 3 p.m. $39. Janet and Ray Scherr Forum Theatre, Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, 2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks. (805) 449-2787. toaks.org/cap.

MON | OCT 11

(BOOKS)
After North Korea officials imprisoned journalist Laura Ling in a labor camp in 2009, her sister, Lisa Ling, with the help of government officials and former President Bill Clinton, struggled with international red tape to secure her freedom. The Ling sisters discuss and sign their new book, “Somewhere Inside: One Sister’s Captivity in North Korea and the Other’s Fight to Bring Her Home.” Mon. 7:30 p.m. $35 (includes a copy of “Somewhere Inside”). American Jewish University Familian Campus, 15600 Mulholland Drive, Bel Air. (310) 440-1246. wcce.ajula.edu.

TUE | OCT 12

(BOOKS)
What started out as a small-scale opportunity to give back through Temple Israel of Hollywood eventually inspired David Levinson to create Big Sunday, one of the largest regional volunteer networks in the country. Levinson discusses and signs his new book, “Everyone Helps, Everyone Wins,” which lays out how, where and why we should volunteer. Tue. 7 p.m. Free. Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. (626) 449-5320. vromansbookstore.com.

(LECTURE)
Anna Sapir Abulafia, a Cambridge history lecturer and author of the forthcoming book “Jews in the Service of Medieval Christendom,” analyzes interfaith interactions from 1000 to 1300 C.E. during “Who Serves Whom in Medieval Jewish-Christian Relations.” Tue. Noon-2 p.m. Free. 314 Royce Hall, UCLA Center for Jewish Studies, Los Angeles. (310) 825-5387. cjs.ucla.edu.

(MUSIC)
Violinist Mitchell Newman and pianist Russell Steinberg perform music and read the words of slain Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl during “Stories From My Favorite Planet: A Musical Tribute to Journalist Daniel Pearl,” held in conjunction with more than 800 concerts worldwide as part of Daniel Pearl World Music Day. Tue. 7:30-9:30 p.m. $10 (advance), $15 (door). Valley Beth Shalom, 15739 Ventura Blvd., Encino. (818) 788-6000. jewishmusicla.org.

THU | OCT 14

(FAMILY)
“Keeping Our Families Safe,” a discussion on Internet safety and teenagers, sponsored by the Orthodox Union West Coast, features David Pelcovitz, a professor at Yeshiva University, delivering the keynote on “Talking Tachlis: Tools and Strategies.” FBI special agent Marc Botello lectures on “Teens and the Internet.” Thu. 7 p.m. Free. Museum of Tolerance Peltz Theatre, 9786 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles. (310) 229-9000, ext. 200. ou.org.

(MUSIC)
Oran Etkin, an Israeli-born clarinetist and saxophonist, and Malian collaborators Balla Kouyate (balafon) and Makane Kouyate (calabash and vocals) create a new soundscape as the band Kelenia, fusing modern jazz with traditional African and Jewish music. The performance is part of Daniel Pearl World Music Days. Thu. 8 p.m. $20 (students), $25 (members), $30 (general). Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles. (310) 440-4500. skirball.org.

(THEATER)
Hollywood couple Renée Taylor and Joe Bologna star in the world premiere of “Sort of a Love Story,” the funny tale of an unlikely pair — a street-smart con woman and a career criminal — who fall for each other. Thu. Through Oct. 24. 8 p.m. (Thu.-Sat.), 3 p.m. (Sun.). $45-$55. El Portal Theatre, 5269 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood. (818) 508-4200. elportaltheatre.com.