Tu b’Av, Tisha b’Av and Singer-Songwriter Goapele

FRI JULY 20
WELCOME SHABBAT

Sinai Temple’s Atid holds intimate Shabbat services and a dinner welcoming Rabbi Sam Rotenberg into its young professionals community. Rotenberg, known for his musical prayer leadership in a variety of communities, succeeds Rabbi Jason Fruithandler. Ages 21–39. 7:30–10 p.m. $10 for dinner. Dinner limited to the first 40 people to register. Sinai Temple, 10400 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. (310) 474-1518. atidla.com.

“SHABBAT AT THE SHORE”
Pray by the beach with Temple Akiba when the Reform congregation holds its eighth annual Shabbat at the Shore. Participants are encouraged to bring beach chairs, blankets and dinner for a picnic following services. 5:30–7 p.m. Free. Toes Beach, 6935 S. Trolley Place (end of Culver Boulevard), Playa Del Rey. Group gathers to the left of the lifeguard station. (310) 398-5783. templeakiba.net.

SHABBAT ON WHEELS
Open Temple, known for its innovative approaches to Judaism, holds Bike Shabbat Shul Crawl. Participants roll through Venice while praying and enjoying surprise street performances. A BYOB (Bring Your Own Basket) Shabbat dinner is held at Washington Boulevard Pier. The event concludes with a bike ride through the Venice-Playa Del Rey neighborhood with Marcus Gladney, founder of the Venice Electric Light Parade. Fancy bike lights not included. 5:30 p.m. Free, with reservation. $20 bike lights available. Open Temple House, 1422 Electric Ave., Venice. (310) 821-1414. opentemple.org. 

SAT JULY 21
TISHA B’AV IN THE VALLEY

Valley Beth Shalom, Adat Ari El and Stephen Wise Temple hold an evening of learning and services for Tisha b’Av. Once the fast begins, Rabbis Ed Feinstein, Jessica Yarkin and Sari Laufer discuss, “When It All Falls Apart: What Exile Taught the Jewish People.” The evening includes a megillah reading and Mincha/Ma’ariv. 6 p.m. Free. Valley Beth Shalom, 15739 Ventura Blvd., Encino. On Sunday, minyan held at 8:30 a.m., 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. (818) 788-6000. vbs.org. 

TISHA B’AV IN PICO-ROBERTSON
Synagogues IKAR, Temple Israel of Hollywood and Shtibl Minyan unite for Tisha b’Av after sundown. The evening includes learning led by IKAR rabbinic fellow Keilah Lebell, a candlelight service, the chanting of Eikhah (the Book of Lamentations) and Ma’ariv. As Tisha b’Av tradition calls for sitting on the floor, participants may want to bring a pillow for comfort. 8:15 p.m. Free. Workmen’s Circle Cultural Center, 1525 S. Robertson Blvd., Los Angeles. (323) 634-1870. ikar-la.org. 

“SIDE BY SIDE BY SONDHEIM”
A musical revue featuring the songs of award-winning Broadway and film composer Stephen Sondheim up to 1976. The production includes music from “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,” “A Little Night Music,” “Follies” and more. Visit the website for dates and showtimes. $17–$37. Odyssey Theatre, 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd., West Los Angeles. (310) 477-2055, ext. 2. odysseytheatre.com.

SUN JULY 22
TISHA B’AV NATURE HIKE
Sinai Temple’s young professionals organization Atid holds a light nature walk by the beach, commemorating Tisha b’Av, the saddest day on the Jewish calendar. Ages 21–39. 9:30–11:15 a.m. Free. Will Rogers State Historic Park, 1501 Will Rogers State Park Road, Los Angeles. (310) 474-1518. atidla.com.

“A WING AND A PRAYER”
Award-winning filmmaker Boaz Dvir’s documentary “A Wing and a Prayer” tells the story of American military aviators who, after World War II, risked their lives and their U.S. citizenship in 1948 to build an air force for Israel and to thwart what they feared would be an imminent second Holocaust. Dvir participates in a post-screening Q-and-A. 4 p.m. Included with museum admission: $15.50 adults, $12.50 seniors, $11.50 students. Museum of Tolerance, 9786 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles. (310) 772-2505. museumoftolerance.com.

TISHA B’AV AT TEMPLE BETH AM
Temple Beth Am, IKAR, Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills and B’nai David-Judea commemorate Tisha b’Av with serious discussion topics. Keynote speaker Gabrielle Birkner, co-founder and executive editor of the Modern Loss website, speaks on “Finding Comfort as Individuals and as a Nation.” Rabbis Matt Shapiro, Adam Kligfeld and Sarah Bassin lead these breakouts, respectively: “The Spirituality of Giving and Receiving Comfort,” “The Deep Meaning of the Root ‘Nachem,’ ” and “Seven Weeks of Comfort: When Prophets Stop Chastising.” 6:30 p.m. Free. Temple Beth Am, 1039 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles. (310) 652-7353. tbala.org.

MON JULY 23
“THE RIGHTEOUS GENTILE WHO SAVED MY FATHER”
Marta Fuchs, author of “Legacy of Rescue: A Daughter’s Tribute,” discusses the multigenerational impact of Zoltan Kubinyi, a devout Christian and a second lieutenant in a World War II Hungarian army battalion. Among the men under his command was Fuchs’ father, who, due to Kubinyi’s intervention, survived a unit in which 80 percent of the men perished. Her father’s story of rescue came full circle when Fuchs and her brother took their children to Hungary to meet Kubinyi’s family. Fuchs shares this story at Kehillat Ma’arav. 7 p.m. Suggested $5 donation. Kehillat Ma’arav, 1715 21st St., Santa Monica. (310) 829-0566. km-synagogue.org.

TUE JULY 24
TORAH AND MENTAL HEALTH
Beginning a two-night event on mental illness, Rabbi Sara Berman, manager of spiritual care at Providence Tarzana Medical Center, discusses “Mental Illness Through the Lens of Torah.” Berman examines what the book of Job says about depression and Jewish women who suffered from mental illness. The 45-minute presentation is followed by a Q–and-A moderated by Academy of Jewish Religion, California rabbinical student Jonah Sanderson. On Wednesday, clergy and leading mental health professionals participate in a roundtable, in which they share stories and provide resources for recovery. 7:45 p.m. both evenings. Free. Shomrei Torah Synagogue, 7353 Valley Circle Blvd., West Hills. (818) 336-4751. stsonline.org. 

WED JULY 25
SAFETY AND SECURITY CONFERENCE
The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles’ sixth annual Community Security Initiative Safety and Security Conference provides a forum for community leaders, decision makers, their staffs, board members and constituents to find practical ways to improve security at Jewish institutions throughout the region. Security experts in the private and public sectors will speak. Refreshments and light snacks provided. 8 a.m.–12:45 p.m. Free. Jewish Federation building, Sanders Board Room, 6505 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. (323) 761-8000. jewishla.org.

THU JULY 26
GOAPELE
Singer-songwriter Goapele, daughter of a South African activist father and a New York-born Israeli Jewish mother, draws on an array of genres, including R&B, soul, funk and hip-hop. Goapele, whose name in the African language of Setswana means “to move forward,” performs at the Skirball Cultural Center as part of the museum’s Sunset Concert Series. DJ Mamabear kicks off the evening at 6:30 p.m. Concert, 8 p.m. Free. Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles. (310) 440-4500. skirball.org.

TU B’AV UNDER THE STARS

THU JULY 26
LOVEFEST
Under a full moon and summer skies, eligible bachelors and bachelorettes give love a chance at the Pico Shul Tu b’Av garden party. Exotic cocktails, romantic live music and more. 7:30 p.m. $15–$50. Beverly Hills mansion on Mulholland Drive. Address provided upon RSVP. lovefest2018.evenium.net.

TU B’AV FESTIVAL
Valley Village congregation Shaarey Zedek holds an evening for couples and singles celebrating Tu b’Av, the Jewish festival of love. A panel featuring Rabbi Jonathan Rosenberg, Rabbi Avi Stewart and Renah Hirsch examines what the Torah teaches about how to be strong, resilient and open to love no matter what. Stewart also delivers a special musical performance. A social hour with refreshments follows. Singles in each age group have the opportunity to meet and mingle in different areas of the shul.
7:30–10:30 p.m.
$18. Shaarey Zedek Congregation, 12800 Chandler Blvd., Valley Village. (818) 763-0560. eventbrite.com.

FRI JULY 27
POTLOVE SHABBAT
Sinai Temple’s young professionals group, Atid, holds its fourth annual Tu b’Av Singles Potlove Shabbat, a dairy potluck dinner for Jewish singles in their 20s and 30s. Attendees should bring an item based on last name: A-H an appetizer; I-P an entrée; Q-Z dessert, wine or both. All items must be dairy or vegetarian. 7:30–10 p.m. Free. Private Beverly Hills home. Address given upon RSVP. (310) 474-1518. atidla.com.