SAT JULY 27
. Pasadena Playhouse, 39 S. El Molino Ave., Pasadena. (626) 356-7529. <a href=)
“>pasadenaplayhouse.org.
MATT HAIMOVITZ
The rock ’n’ roll cellist brings something edgy to an outdoor summer evening during “Moving Pictures With Matt Haimovitz,” presented as part of MUSE/IQUE’s Summer of Sound. Israeli born and educated at Harvard and Juilliard, Haimovitz has a wealth of world experience and knowledge to share through his music, which features highlights from acclaimed film scores, classical music, rock and other genres. The program also includes “American Idol” finalist Allison Iraheta and a world-premiere composition by Peter Golub. Sat. 7:30 p.m. $35-$96. Caltech, 332 S. Michigan Ave., Pasadena. (626) 539-7089. “>cinema.ucla.edu.
IPALPITI FESTIVAL GRAND FINALE
The world just got a little bit smaller — and louder. The Ipalpiti Orchestra performs the final songs of its festival under the direction of Eduard Schmieder. Musicians from multiple countries, including Israel, Denmark, Romania and Germany, will play pieces by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, Anton Webern, Marc-Olivier Dupin and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Let’s send them off with a nice farewell. Sat. 8 p.m. $24-$120. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown. (310) 205-0511. MON JULY 29
KLEZFEST “J.A.M. SESSION”
The Los Angeles Jewish Symphony is bringing Eastern Europe to you in its second annual klezmer music celebration. It’s all-inclusive, so bring an instrument or some dancing shoes, because the stage belongs to you, too. And if you’re a little nervous about dancing, don’t be. Yiddish dance master Bruce Bierman will lead the way. Mon. 7 p.m. Free (reservations required). Ford Amphitheatre, 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. E., Los Angeles. (323) 461-3673. THU AUG 1
SHYE BEN-TZUR
The acclaimed Israeli composer, producer and performer resets Hebrew prayers and poetry to Indian devotional music. Blending international and personal influences, Ben-Tzur’s West Coast premiere showcases exactly what it means to cross political and religious boundaries. Part of the Skirball Sunset Concert series. Thu. 8 p.m. Free. Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles. (310) 440-4500. FRI AUG 2
SHABBAT IN THE PARK
Spice up your Shabbat tradition with an outdoor escape. The Jewish Federation Valley Alliance, Shalom Institute and various Valley synagogues are partnering for a special Shabbat evening. Led by a medley of clergy, you won’t be wanting for a sense of community. The festivities include arts and crafts, a drum circle and social action projects. Bring a picnic dinner and stay for the after-service concert with family-friendly songs. Fri. 5 p.m. (activities), 6:15 p.m. (service). Free. Warner Center Park, 5800 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Woodland Hills. (818) 668-2336. “>thenohoartscenter.com.
“THE GARDENER”
Father and son collaborate to create this poetic exploration of religion, specifically the Baha’i faith, in these contemporary times. Iranian filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaf and his cinematographer son, Maysam, travel to Israel and follow a gardener from Papua New Guinea who shares who he is and why he has settled where he has. With different opinions and lots of questions, “The Gardner” opens up a dialogue about spirituality and family that will leave you in thoughtful reflection. Fri. Various times. $12-$15. Laemmle Music Hall, 9036 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills. (310) 478-3836.
Did you enjoy this article?
You'll love our roundtable.
Editor's Picks
What Ever Happened to the LA Times?
Who Are the Jews On Joe Biden’s Cabinet?
No Labels: The Group Fighting for the Political Center
Latest Articles
Boy George Stands with the Jews — And the Jewish People Will Never Forget It
Because — A poem for Parsha Eikev
The Blessings of a Broken World
A Bisl Torah — Never Care Less
In a world that often tells us to care less in order to hurt less, Judaism offers another path: never care less.
Print Issue: Troubled Marriage | July 31, 2026
As Netanyahu visits Trump, Israelis look to Washington with wearier eyes. What does the future hold for the relationship?
Chicken With a Lemony Twist
The huge plus is that a super, simple sheet pan recipe results in a dish that looks so impressive and sophisticated.
Delicious Plant-Based Treats for Wellness Month
With summer produce at its peak – and the heat so hard to beat – it’s a great time to add more light, healthy treats to your rotation.
Troubled Marriage
As Netanyahu visits Trump, Israelis look to Washington with wearier eyes. What does the future hold for the relationship?
A Rabbi Explains What’s Jewish About ‘The Odyssey’
In both, there’s sacrifices, there’s tribal identity, there’s a concern for honor and dignity. And then there are these huge, glaring differences
Tu b’Av and Redemption
On Tu b’Av, the full moon rises. The same people who mourned begin to dance. The same nation who splintered begins to seek one another out again in the vineyards, in the fields, in the moments of vulnerability and return.
Mission to the Jewish Community of Ethiopia
I didn’t even know that there were still Jews left in Ethiopia, but what I encountered there firsthand was a thriving Jewish community, with some very significant struggles.
The Myth of the Marxist Mishpacha
The Jewish immigrant who organized for a 40-hour work week did not do so to give his grandchildren a politics that asks them to feel guilty for their education, their professional success or their attachment to a Jewish state.
Professors Should Fight Campus Jew-Hatred as Educators, Not Bureaucrats
These are educational institutions. But most universities have allowed bureaucrats – in Washington and on campus – to hijack what could be “teachable moments.”
Framing the Faith of Maimonides
In this enriching new edition of the classic code of Jewish law, readers can delve deeply into the mind of Maimonides, from his analysis of the commandments to the controversies that have accompanied his writings, offering a window into the wisdom of one of our tradition’s preeminent thinkers.
Hope in Faith, Faith in Hope
Will Americans ever regain trust in our institutions? I think so.
Finding Communal Comfort
In the book of Isaiah, God calls the prophet to comfort the Jewish people. But we know this is really something we must do for one another.
Leaving Behind a Better World
The America my generation seems to be leaving our kids and grandkids is not safer nor saner, and it breaks my heart.
Boy George Releases Song Calling Out Israel’s Critics
The Culture Club singer shared a new song, “We Will Dance Again,” while calling out fellow musicians’ “selective memories” and “mouthing like sheep.”
Was Our Golden Age Fool’s Gold?
We didn’t think that we were living in a “Golden Age,” because it did not occur to us that what we were experiencing was only a temporary respite from centuries of animosity and intolerance.