Saturday, February 25

Havdallah includes a redemption song tonight. Following services at Beit T'Shuvah, con man turned rabbi Mark Borovitz talks to Rabbi Ed Feinstein about his story, as outlined in his bestselling book "The Holy Thief," newly released in paperback.

5:30 p.m. (havdallah), 6:30 p.m. (conversation). Free. 8831 Venice Blvd., Los Angeles. (310) 204-5200.

Sunday, February 26

Sephardic culture is placed center stage in this weekend's colloquium at Cal State University Long Beach, titled "My Heart Is in the East and I in the Uttermost West." The weekend begins with a concert of Ladino music by Vanessa Paloma and Jordan Charnofsky on Saturday, continues today with various lectures and closes with a presentation this evening on Sephardic musical traditions in Italy, Corfu, Salonica and the New World.

Saturday: 8 p.m. $5-$50. Sunday: Noon-8:30 p.m. Free. Locations on CSULB campus vary. (562) 985-4423. www.csulb.edu/programs/jewish-studies.

Monday, February 27

Jewish lit maven and Tel Aviv University professor Hana Wirth-Nesher visits us this week. Tonight, see her presentation on the writings of Grace Paley as part of the Jewish Community Library and The Jewish Federation's Tel Aviv/Los Angeles Book Salon. Tomorrow, USC Casden Institute sponsors her talk on "The Accented Imagination: Speaking and Writing Jewish America" at Temple Emanuel.

Monday: 7:30-9:30 p.m. Free. Private residence. R.S.V.P., (323) 761-8644 or resource@jclla.org.
Tuesday: 7 p.m. Free. 8844 Burton Way, Beverly Hills. R.S.V.P., (213) 740-3405 or casden@usc.edu

Tuesday, February 28

In theaters now is Academy Award nominee for best foreign language film of the year, "Sophie Scholl: The Final Days." The film tells the true story of the German anti-Nazi activist and heroine, and has already garnered awards in Germany -- its country of origin -- as well as three European Film Awards.

Laemmle Theaters: Town Center, Encino; Music Hall, Beverly Hills; Monica 4, Santa Monica; Playhouse, Pasadena. www.laemmle.com.

Wednesday, March 1

The controversial, and now out of hiding, Salman Rushdie, is tonight's star of the Music Center Speaker Series. The Indian-born British author's public appearances are rare, but he speaks this evening in conjunction with his newly released novel of magic realism, "Shalimar the Clown."

8 p.m. $45-$200. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. (310) 271-6631. www.ticketmaster.com.

Thursday, March 2

Hillel at UCLA and the Daniel Pearl Foundation present a Daniel Pearl Memorial Lecture by Larry King, on "The Art and Science of the Interview: Musings About Everything." Hear King speak live and in person, in a talk moderated by law professor Laurie Levenson.

7:30 p.m. Donation requested. Yitzhak Rabin Hillel Center for Jewish Life at UCLA, Lee and Irving Kalsman Campus, 574 Hilgard Ave., Los Angeles. (310) 208-3081, ext 107. R.S.V.P. by Feb. 27, www.uclahillel.org.

Friday, March 3

Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy with a little help from National Jewish Outreach Program. The group has organized the 10th annual "Shabbat Across America" tonight, which will have thousands of Jews across the country and Canada participating in the rituals of Shabbat prayer and dinner. Many L.A.-area synagogues are taking part, so see their Web site to find one near you.

(888) 742-2228. www.njop.org.