What’s Happening: Pesach Prep, Sound Bath, ‘Klezmer Xylophone’

FRI APRIL 12

“WORKING WOMAN”
Israeli feminist filmmaker Michal Aviad’s Hebrew-language drama, “Working Woman,” opens at Laemmle Theatres. The fictional drama is about Oma, a wife and mother, who, while her husband struggles to start a restaurant, returns to the workforce to help support their three young children. As she rises through the ranks, she experiences sexual harassment at the hands of her boss (her former army superior), which threatens her solid marriage and career. Various times. $13 Friday–Sunday, $12 Monday–Thursday. Laemmle Royal, 11523 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles. Laemmle Playhouse 7, 673 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. Laemmle Town Center 5, 17200 Ventura Blvd., Encino. (310) 478-3836.

BROADWAY SHABBAT
Melodies from “The Lion King,” “The Sound of Music,” “Hamilton,” “Chicago” and other hits light up “Broadway Shabbat” at Kol Tikvah. An ensemble of musicians plays foot-tapping songs from the shows, and the audience is encouraged to sing along. After services, socializing, coffee and sweet treats are served. 6:30 p.m. Free. Kol Tikvah synagogue, 20400 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills. (818) 348-0670.

SAT APRIL 13

PRE-PESACH LUNCH AND LEARN
Rabbi Daniel Bouskila leads a Pre-Pesach “Lunch and Learn,” at the Westwood Village Synagogue. Attendees learn how to add spice to their seders by exploring Sephardic customs that are as tasty as they are different from Ashkenazic traditions. Bouskila leads the Sephardic-oriented program immediately after the 9:30 a.m. Shabbat morning services. Free for Westwood Village Synagogue members. $18 general admission. Westwood Village Synagogue, 1148 Westwood Blvd., Los Angeles. RSVP at eventswvs@gmail.com. 

HAVDALAH SOUND BATH
The concept of shavasana is to the body as Shabbat is to the soul. Explore this connection as Open Temple and Violet Sound Bath collaborate on “Sound Journey: A Havdalah Sound Bath,” with participants relaxing and restoring themselves while being bathed in the healing tones of gongs, crystal bowls and other instruments. 5:30–6:30 p.m. $25. Electric Lodge, 1416 Electric Ave., Venice. (310) 306-1854. .

“FROM HATRED TO ZIONISM”
Arab-Muslim Hussein Aboubakr tells the story of his transformation “From Hatred to Zionism” at American Jewish University. Aboubakr was born into an Egyptian family that taught him anti-Semitism. In school, he was taught that Jews were bloodthirsty Zionists. As he read about Jews and Jewish history, however, Aboubakr changed his mind. Today he is a Zionist. The program is organized by Club Z, a Zionist youth movement; the Israeli-American Council; the World Zionist Organization and JuRashki. 7:30–9:30 p.m. $10. American Jewish University, 15600 Mulholland Drive, Bel Air. Email jenny@clubz.org with questions.

PESACH PREP
Prepare your heart for Pesach during an artistically oriented Shabbaton at Ahavat Torah Synagogue, featuring the Israeli-born artist Revital Somekh-Goldreich on the topic “Part Your Personal Sea of Reeds With Our Sages, Mystics, Scholars and Artists.” 1 p.m. Free. Ahavat Torah Synagogue, 343 S. Church Lane, Los Angeles. (310) 362-1111. .

SEVEN SEDER TIPS
Adat Ari El board member Peter Levitan leads a “Passover 2.0” presentation on Shabbat afternoon, where attendees learn seven insights for hosting their best seders. The topics range from how to manage restless children, to how to free oneself from the tyranny of the haggadah. 1 p.m. Free. Deiber Chapel, Adat Ari El, 12020 Burbank Blvd., Valley Village. (818) 766-9426.

POLISH PASSOVER MUSIC
The live concert “On the Threshold of Freedom: Passover Music in Poland” features two of Poland’s progressive Jewish cantorial soloists, Menachem Mirski and Anna Silverman. They perform a diverse selection of music from seder melodies, spring songs, the Song of Songs, and Polish and Yiddish art songs. Joining them are Beth Shir Shalom Rabbi Neil Comess-Daniels, Temple Beth Israel Cantor Paul Buch, Congregation Beth Ohr Cantorial Soloist Andrew Henry, Congregation Ner Tamid Rabbi Shana Chandler Leon, performer Cindy Paley, violist Novi Novog and pianist Neal Brostoff. April 13: 8:14 p.m., Beth Shir Shalom, 1827 California Ave., Santa Monica. April 14: 3 p.m., Congregation Beth Ohr, 12355 Moorpark St., Studio City. April 14: 7:30 p.m. Temple Beth Israel, 3033 N. Towne Ave., Pomona. $18 general admission, $20 door. .

SUN APRIL 14

JEWISH CARTOON WORKSHOP
“Passover Hagaddah Graphic Novel” author Jordan Gorfinkel leads a workshop on drawing cartoons about Passover. No drawing ability necessary, only a sense of humor. Recommended for families, tweens and teens. Ages 6–10 must be accompanied by an adult. All materials provided. 10 a.m.–noon. $15, one adult and one child; $5 for each additional person. Temple Beth Am, 1039 S. La Cienega Blvd. (310) 652-7353. tbala.org/cartoon. 

“KLEZMER XYLOPHONE”
The live concert, “Klezmer Xylophone: An Unconventional Love Story,” features the unlikely pairing of xylophone with klezmer music. Percussionist Lorry Black brings the xylophone to the front of the band with his humorous and original arrangements of klezmer standards. The show takes place 10 years after Black’s senior recital as he returns to the Jan Popper Theater at UCLA with a band of friends from diverse musical backgrounds. The concert is organized by the Lowell Milken Fund for American Jewish Music. 4–5:30 p.m. Free. Jan Popper Theater, 445 Charles E. Young Drive East, Westwood.

LUNCH WITH HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS
In advance of Yom HaShoah — Holocaust Remembrance Day — on May 1, Nessah Synagogue invites the community to have lunch with Holocaust survivors. As age and death increasingly overtake survivors, Nessah’s LeDor VaDor (Generation to Generation) and the iCare Foundation organize this opportunity to meet, greet and serve the survivors in the community. All ages welcome. 11 a.m.–2 p.m. $10 donation. Nessah Synagogue, 142 S. Rexford Drive, Beverly Hills. (310) 273-2400.

ALL ABILITIES FAIR
Join the Malibu Jewish Center and Synagogue at its family-friendly fifth annual “Hand in Hand All Abilities Fair,” featuring games, art, robotics, music, dancing and resource tables. In the spirit of the day, entertainment will be provided by two integrated wheelchair dance companies and vocalists from The Miracle Project and the Kolot Tikvah Choir. Noon–3:30 p.m. Free. Malibu Jewish Center and Synagogue, 24855 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu. (310) 456-2178.

MON APRIL 15

ADL SPRING MIXER
The Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) Glass Leadership Institute’s Spring Mixer gathers young professionals in the stylish setting of one of the Westside’s newest restaurants. The free admission includes appetizers and one drink ticket. 7–9 p.m. Free. Registration required. Simonette Restaurant, Palihotel Culver City, 3927 Van Buren Place, Culver City. (310) 446-2000.

WED APRIL 17

ANTI-SEMITISM, ANTI-ZIONISM ON CAMPUS
The recent rise of anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism on college campuses is the topic of discussion among UCLA Hillel Director Rabbi Aaron Lerner, Loyola Marymount University Director of Jewish Life Rabbi Zachary Zysman, Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles’ Campus Impact Network director Jonathan Grunin and a panel of students. Moderated by Kehillat Israel Rabbi Micah Hyman. 7 p.m. Free. Kehillat Israel, 16019 W. Sunset Blvd., Pacific Palisades. (310) 459-2328.

“THE TATTOOIST OF AUSCHWITZ”
Best-selling author Heather Morris appears at American Jewish University to discuss her debut novel, “The Tattooist of Auschwitz,” which is based on true events. Morris, a retired social worker from Melbourne, Australia, has turned Lale Sokolov’s story of how he met his wife at Auschwitz into a novel that has become an international hit. 7:30 p.m. $10. Sperber Library, American Jewish University, 15600 Mulholland Drive, Bel Air. (310) 440-1572.

“DEFIANT REQUIEM”
“Defiant Requiem: Verdi at Terezin,” a multimedia concert-drama by the Pacific Symphony and Pacific Chorale, tells the story of courageous Jewish prisoners at Terezin. Presented by the Defiant Requiem Foundation and Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust, the concert seeks to replay the drama of camp prisoners performing the legendary Verdi’s “Requiem” 16 times, including the final performance before senior Nazi officials and an international Red Cross delegation. VIP tickets available for reception with Rabbi David Wolpe and former U.S. ambassador to the European Union Stuart Eizenstat. 6 p.m. reception; 8 p.m. concert. $45–$133. Royce Hall, UCLA, 10745 Dickson Court, Los Angeles. (323) 651-3704.