fbpx
ADVERTISE
pick up locations
donate

Jewish Journal

Connect. Inform. Inspire.

Category

dancing

Dancing the Chai Life

Gaby Wenig February 3, 2005

Now, 40 years later, The Sarah Sommer Chai Folk Ensemble (Sommer died in 1969) is no longer dancing in basements or clicking their heels to accordion music. The nonprofit troupe is run by a board of directors and has a full artistic staff, including costume designers, choreographers from Israel and Argentina, and a technical team that ensures that Sommer\’s Israeli folk-dancing vision stays alive. The troupe itself now numbers 47 — including eight vocalists, nine musicians and 20 dancers. They perform in large venues all over the world.

And There Was Music

Naomi Pfefferman June 3, 2004

At Sinai Akiba Academy recently, Bryna Vener vigorously conducted close to 100 first- through-eighth-graders in a passionate rendition of \”Hava Nagila\” as students danced in their seats. If the atmosphere was celebratory, it was because the assembly was a dress rehearsal for the orchestra\’s 25th anniversary concert and alumni reunion June 10, when graduates will return to fete Vener and her remarkable group.

VBS Reaches Out With Tunes and Tie-Dye

David Finnigan February 19, 2004

Jewish tunes, Grateful Dead-style tie-dyed T-shirts and rows of singing, swaying, arm-in-arm Jews gave a summer camp feel to Valley Beth Shalom\’s (VBS) \”25th Hour\” event, which marked the end of the Valentine\’s Day Shabbat.

Nearly 400 people came to the Conservative Encino synagogue\’s festive but compact Feb. 14 outreach to the 90 percent of San Fernando Valley Jews not affiliated with a synagogue.

Cantor Steven Puzarne of Breeyah.

Gaby Wenig May 8, 2003

Carole Levine had been a member of Temple Israel of Hollywood for 28 years. During that time, she attended temple only during the High Holidays. Recently, Levine has started going to temple more often. As a flautist for The Chai Tones, a 10-piece temple band, Levine finds herself at the temple now at least once a month, playing jazzed-up versions of the regular synagogue melodies.

Chabad rocks!

Michael Aushenker September 5, 2002

Chabad of California\’s 22nd annual \”L\’Chaim to Life Telethon,\” hosted by Dennis Prager, was humming along nicely with a long roster of talent that included classic actors James Caan and Elliott Gould, comic actor Dom DeLuise and Israeli singer David \”Dudu\” Fisher. Then 10:30 p.m. rolls around and the KCET soundstage — where the telethon is broadcast — went amok. Enter the Sand Man.

Sunday in the Park

Michael Aushenker April 25, 2002

\n\”Security\” and \”unity.\” Those were the two buzzwords of this year\’s Israel Independence Day Festival. And both were in great supply in what turned out to be a festive and safe celebration of Israel and Jewish culture.

A Portion of Parshat Ki Tisa

Abby Gilad February 28, 2002

Oh boy, do the Israelites slip up this week. They have just received the Ten Commandments, have heard God speak to them and have vowed to do all that God commands them, even if they do not fully understand why they must. Forty days later, they\’re dancing around a calf made of melted golden earrings and calling it a god! What happened?

Chabad’s Big Bash

Rob Eshman August 28, 1997

Rabbi Boruch Shlomo Cunin will once again be joined by JonVoight (left) and Jan Murray (right), at Chabad\’s annual telethon. As sure as the swallows returning to San Juan Capistrano, the dancing rabbis are returning to TV stations nationwide for the annual Chabad telethon. Nothing in modern culture quite compares, or quite illustrates just how topsy-turvy modern culture can be: Here are Orthodox rabbis in traditional 17th-century Polish noble garb dancing with Hollywood stars in Armani suits, espousing lines of ancient Torah via the most advanced satellite technology, giving a centuries-old pitch for charity, and taking payment via credit card.What a wonderful world….\n\nThis year\’s telethon will take place on Sunday, Sept. 7, from 5p.m. to midnight, on UPN Channel 13. Rabbi Boruch Shlomo Cunin, theWest Coast director of Chabad and founder of the telethon 17 yearsago, will lead the marathon endeavor, and comedian Freddie Roman willhost. Among the stars slated to show up — and eventually dance withthe rabbis — are James Caan, Mayim Bialik, Tony Curtis, Sid Caesar,Fyvush Finkel, Estelle Getty, Jan Murray, Tony Danza, Judd Nelson,Jon Voight, Regis Philbin, Edward James Olmos, Shelley Winters, theLimelighters, the Tokens and Ed Ames. Producer Jerry Weintraub ischairman of the event.

New Articles

More news and opinions than at a
Shabbat dinner, right in your inbox.

More news and opinions than at a Shabbat dinner, right in your inbox.

Jewish Journal

Connect. Inform. Inspire.
© Copyright 2024 Tribe Media Corp • Powered by Lightdrop

More news and opinions than at a Shabbat dinner, right in your inbox.