Dressed in traditional Middle Eastern garb, a UC Santa Barbara Middle East Ensemble dancer performs at the Santa Barbara Jewish Festival heralding Israel’s 63rd Independence Day. Photo by Eyal Nahmias
Free and open to the public, the May 15 Santa Barbara Jewish Festival included entertainment by Kol Sephardic Choir, Cantor Mark Childs, the Ventura Klezmer Band and Mikey Pauker & The Tribe. Photo by Eyal Nahmias
Body painting, games, a “mishpachah” stage with kids’ comedy and a costume parade were a few of the family-friendly attractions at the Santa Barbara festival. Photo by Violeta Palombo Levy
Stand By Me, a nonprofit dedicated to caring for cancer patients within the Jewish Israeli community, held its second gala event June 18 in Tarzana. Founder Gabe Ostrow is flanked by two supporters. Photos by Shabby Cohen
Singer Gilat Rapaport volunteered her talents for the Stand By Me gala, as did the InJoy Orchestra, Ram2 and DJ Gil.
CRUNCH! Kids enjoy certified kosher pickles on a stick at the Santa Clarita Valley’s Jewish Food & Cultural Festival on May 15, which boasted the world’s largest falafel ball. Photo by Adrienne Folde
