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Saturday, April 9 The city of Malibu honors the surfer girl who helped launch a subculture. This year’s One Book, One City – Malibu month celebrates Frederick Kohner’s novella, “Gidget.” Based on Kohner’s daughter, Kathy, “Gidget” the book spawned the Sandra Dee movie, the Sally Field TV show and a surf culture now practically synonymous with Malibu. The kickoff celebration takes place today, with keynote speakers Kathy Kohner and author Deanne Stillman, who wrote the introduction in the book’s recent re-issue. Other events are scheduled throughout the month. 3 p.m. Malibu Library, 23519 W. Civic Center Way, Malibu. (310) 456-6438. |
 
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Sunday, April 10 Hear cantors and rabbis perform jazz, pop, Broadway and folk numbers at this afternoon’s Cure FD Foundation Second Annual Concert and Auction. The organization is dedicated to the prevention and cure of Familial Dysautonomia (FD), a progressive, degenerative, neurological, fatal and genetic disease carried by 1 in 27 Jews of Central or Eastern European descent. Today’s event supports their efforts. 1:30-4 p.m. $18-$54. University Synagogue, 11960 Sunset Blvd., Brentwood. (310) 459-1056. Monday, April 11 It’s a Hoodios kind of week. Saturday, April 9, check out the Hip Hop Hoodio’s Long Beach concert at the Alpert JCC, then, on Sunday, April 10, see the Latino-Jewish urban collective live at the Joint on Pico Boulevard. Today, combat withdrawal symptoms by purchasing their new CD, “Agua Pa’ La Gente,” which features cameos from Jaguares, Santana and the Klezmatics. $15.98. Tuesday, April 12 The ancient scriptures have gotten with the 21st century. Voices of Heritage has produced what they say is the first audio CD box set of the Torah. The elegantly packaged 13-CD set contains recordings of the five books of Moses read in Hebrew by Israeli narrator Omer Frenkel. $129.95. www.safraonline.com. Wednesday, April 13 Peter Himmelman gets you over hump day this month. The son-in-law of Bob Dylan and acclaimed musician in his own right has a new album out, titled, “Imperfect World,” and also performs his spiritually tinged pop/rock songs at Cinema Bar in Los Angeles on Wednesdays, April 13 and 20. 8:30 p.m. No cover charge. 3967 Sepulveda Blvd., Culver City. (310) 390-1328. Thursday, April 14 Willy Wonka and Mr. Spock converse tonight, as the Writers Bloc presents Gene Wilder in conversation with Leonard Nimoy. They’ll discuss Wilder’s new memoir, “Kiss Me Like a Stranger: My Search for Love and Art.” 7:30 p.m. $20. The Writers Guild Theater, 135 S. Doheny Drive, Beverly Hills. (310) 335-0917. Friday, April 15 Get an amen or two this evening at Temple Shalom for the Arts’ multicultural interfaith service, aimed at uniting the Jewish and African American communities through our shared heritage of exodus from slavery. Rabbi David Baron leads the service that will incorporate gospel and Hebrew music by two choirs: West Angeles Church of God in Christ Choir and the Tova Marcos Singers. Bishop Charles E. Blake of West Angeles will also participate. 8 p.m. Free (includes refreshments following the service). The Wilshire Theatre, 8440 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills. (310) 444-7500 The life of Sara ends with death. Is attraction based solely on the physical? Or is chemistry based on something deeper? The tight relationship between Trump and Netanyahu masks the real debate over Israel churning in the Republican Party, and Israel’s standing among Democrats has never been lower. Some emphasized the importance of combating antisemitism and protecting Jewish safety, while others called for political engagement and cooperation across party lines. So here we are, stuck with just a few bad options to consider. And that’s just the political superposition of undetermined future – alongside it there’s also the possible – probable? – war with Iran. That is my hope: that by finding things we can do together, by recognizing each other’s humanity, we might come to see each other more fully. At a time when Jewish education is competing for attention in a world dominated by screens, sports, short-form videos and endless streams of content, these easily collectable cards offer a different kind of engagement. There is little chance that the combination of a weakened Trump and an emboldened Democratic Congress produces similar levels of support for aggressive action against Iran and its proxies, and other policies that a wide spectrum of Israelis see as crucial to their security. In the diaspora and in Israel, we cannot turn back the clock and undo the harm that was done to us. But we can shape our own future. Israel is strong and resolute. So must we be. Democrats who were long considered “moderates” or even pro-Israel have been signaling over the course of the last year that they can no longer be relied upon to back a Jewish state under assault by Iran and its terrorist proxies. When each dispute seems existential, an error is a catastrophe and disagreement seems like betrayal. The Torah offers a comforting view of a life beyond this life. We aren’t told what it will be exactly — yes, it’s abstract and vague — but we are told it’s waiting for us as it was for Abraham. History teaches that you can always trust the fanatics to overplay their hand, allowing muscular moderates to reassert power. How do voters reconcile longstanding party loyalties with changing views of Israel, communal security and American political leadership? For me, the disaster isn’t that Democrats won or Republicans lost. It’s that politicians who demonize Israel, deny Jewish self-determination and explain away antisemitism are finding an increasingly receptive electorate in the world’s most important democracy. The central issue is not whether Jewish voters should support Democrats or Republicans. It is whether either party can demonstrate that Jewish security, Jewish identity and Jewish self-determination are compatible with its broader political agenda. Abdul El-Sayed (D-Michigan) becomes first Muslim elected to U.S. Senate, longtime Republican strongholds turn Democratic, and at least five Democratic Socialists of America-backed candidates win U.S. House seats. |
