Calendar picks and clicks: Jan. 25–Feb. 4, 2011

TUE | JAN 25

(ISRAEL)
Galia Golan, a prominent Israeli political scientist and a Peace Now co-founder, leads a talk, “Is There an Arab-Israeli ‘Peace Process?’ ” for UCLA’s Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for Israeli Studies. Tue. 5-7 p.m. Free. Humanities 169, UCLA, Los Angeles. (310) 825-9646. international.ucla.edu/israel.

THU | JAN 27

(FILM)
Marian Kolodziej, a Polish Catholic, remained silent about his internment at Auschwitz for most of his life. During his later years, after suffering a stroke, he confronted his memories through art as part of his rehabilitation. The documentary short “The Labyrinth: The Testimony of Marian Kolodziej” explores his drawings and installations, which now fill a church basement near Auschwitz. The film screens tonight at the Museum of Tolerance to commemorate the United Nations International Holocaust Remembrance Day and the liberation of Auschwitz. A discussion follows. Thu. 7:30 p.m. Free. Museum of Tolerance, 9786 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles. (310) 772-2526. museumoftolerance.com.

(MUSIC)
Uruguayan musician Jorge Drexler, who won an Oscar in 2005 for his original “Motorcycle Diaries” song “Al Otro Lado del Rio,” makes a rare Los Angeles appearance. The chart-topping Jewish Latin pop singer blends traditional Uruguayan music with bossa nova, pop, jazz and electronica for deeply personal songs about love, identity, race and religion. Thu. 8 p.m. $25 (full-time students), $30 (Skirball members), $35 (general). Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles. (310) 440-4500. skirball.org.

FRI | JAN 28

(SPORTS)
Join JSki for a three-day ski and snowboarding trip to Mammoth Mountain. Includes round-trip luxury bus transportation, two nights condo lodging, round-trip transportation to and from slopes. Lift tickets, rental packages and lessons not included. Fri. Through Jan. 30. 5:15 p.m. (bus departs from the Federal building in Westwood). $232. (818) 342-9508.

SAT | JAN 29

(“Winterreise”)
Luminario Ballet and Le Salon de Musiques collaborate to transform a Santa Monica church into a 19th century German village in winter to recount this story of heartbreak, nature and introspection. Dancers Season Winquest and A.J. Abrams, pianist Francois Chouchan and baritone Christopher Herbert bring Franz Shubert’s song cycle, based on Wilhelm Müller’s poems, to life. Sat. 8 p.m. $20 (students), $40 (regular). First Presbyterian Church of Santa Monica, 1220 Second St., Santa Monica. angelesconcertsartists.com.

SUN | JAN 30

(Wendy Mogel)
The best-selling author’s new book, “The Blessing of a B Minus,” draws on Jewish teachings as well as her experience as a clinical psychologist and a parent to examine the challenge of raising teenagers. Mogel, who blends insight with humor, appears in conversation with Jewish Journal managing editor Susan Freudenheim. A Q-and-A follows. Sun. 2 p.m. $10. American Jewish University, 15600 Mulholland Drive, Los Angeles. (310) 476-9777. ajula.edu.

(Lil’ Rev)
Spend an evening with a traveling music-historian and storyteller whose repertoire includes blues, ragtime, Tin Pan Alley, folk, old-time country and novelty numbers on the ukulele. Described as a cross between Theodore Bikel, Al Jolson and Woody Guthrie, Lil’ Rev is a Jewish troubadour with vaudeville affections who moves seamlessly between song, story, poetry, folklore and humor. Sun. 7 p.m. $18. Coffee Gallery Backstage, 2029 Lake Ave., Altadena. (626) 794-2424. coffeegallery.com. 

TUE | FEB 1

(“World Outside My Shoes”)
USC Shoah Foundation Institute presents a discussion with education activist Carl Wilkens, the only American who remained in Rwanda at the outbreak of the 1994 genocide. Founder of World Outside My Shoes, a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring and equipping people to enter the world of “the other,” Wilkens shares his personal account of the genocide and his call to action against bigotry and violence. Tue. 4 p.m. Free. URC Fishbowl Chapel at USC, 825 W. 34th St., Los Angeles. (213) 740-6026. college.usc.edu/vhi.

(Arianna Reznik)
At just 13 years old, Reznik has a voice that can span four octaves. She began performing at 5 and has since been cast as the lead in such shows as “Fiddler on the Roof,” “The Wizard of Oz” and “Annie.” Winner of the 2007 Santa Monica Idol Competition and the 2009 Richard Carpenter Scholarship, Reznik performs as part of University Women’s Young Artists Concert Series. Tue. 11 a.m. $30 (University Women members, includes lunch), $35 (general, includes lunch), $15 (concert only). Gindi Auditorium, American Jewish University, 15600 Mulholland Drive, Los Angeles. (310) 476-9777. ajula.edu.

THU | FEB 3

(“100 Voices: A Journey Home”)
Director’s Danny Gold and Matthew Asner’s musical documentary traces the loss and resurgence of Jewish culture in Poland, the birthplace of cantorial music. The film follows the recent travels of a group of cantors and acclaimed composer Charles Fox to Poland, where they perform in Warsaw in Europe’s largest concert hall, join a Jewish festival in Krakow and pray at Auschwitz, a tribute to the 1,300 cantors who died in the Holocaust. After tonight’s screening, Gold, Asner, Cantor Nathan Lam and the film’s producer, Michael Lam, participate in a panel discussion. Jewish Journal columnist David Suissa moderates. Thu. 7:30 p.m. $12. Laemmle’s Town Center 5, 17200 Ventura Blvd., Encino. (800) 838-3006. lajfilmfest.org.

(“Let’s Eat”)
Foodies unite as Judy Zeidler (“Italy Cooks”) hosts a kosher gourmet dinner with four fellow cookbook writers, including Sheryll Bellman (“America’s Great Delis”), Roberta Kalechofsky (“The Vegetarian Shabbat Cookbook”), Paula Shoyer (“The Kosher Baker”) and Clara Silverstein (“A White House Garden Cookbook”), who share their personal stories and recipes. Thu. 7 p.m. $45 (includes dinner). Whizin Center for Continuing Education, American Jewish University. (310) 476-9777. ajula.edu.

(“Our Heritage, Our Health”)
Valley Beth Shalom synagogue presents a discussion about Jewish genetic diseases with genetics counselor Gary Frohlich and Wayne Grody, a professor of pathology and laboratory medicine. Terri Getzug, a UCLA School of Medicine professor, moderates. Thu. 7 p.m. Free. Valley Beth Shalom, 15739 Ventura Blvd., Encino. (818) 530-4056. vbs.org.

(“In Search of Hillel: Ethics as Judaism’s Essence”)
Rabbi Hillel (110 B.C.E.-10 C.E.) has a lot to teach contemporary Jews about ethical behavior, according to Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, author of, “Hillel: If Not Now, When?” Telushkin appears in conversation with Rabbi David Wolpe at Sinai Temple. A book signing follows. Thu. 7:30 p.m. $15 (members), $20 (general), both prices include copy of Telushkin’s book. Sinai Temple, 10400 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. (310) 481-3243. sinaitemple.org.