Ezra Furman, supporting “Mysterious Power,” performs tonight in Los Angeles

Published on May 6, 2011

Debbie Friedman, L.A. Opera, Norman Mailer and David Mamet

By Keren Engelberg
Published on February 1, 2007

Calendar

Time for the last dance at folk dancing venue

By Karla S. Blume
Published on February 1, 2007

Café Danssa opened for business in December 1965 on a nondescript block of West Los Angeles on Pico Boulevard. The name of the business was a morphing of the first three letters of Dani Dassa's first name and the last three letters of his last name.

Radio DJ Jimmy Kay brings folksy charm to folkie L.A

By Karla S. Blume
Published on November 9, 2006

A radio DJ might not be your idea of an innovative storyteller, but who can't relate to the desire to inflict your own personal interests onto the greater Los Angeles listening public? DJ Jimmy Kay does just this every Sunday night from 9 p.m. to midnight on KKGO 1260AM, where he hosts the program "Sunday Night Folk."

7 Days in the Arts

By Keren Engelberg
Published on October 5, 2006

7 days in the Arts

P. F. Sloan:  does he still believe we’re on the ‘Eve of Destruction’?

By Steven Rosen
Published on September 21, 2006

"Eve of Destruction" by P. F. Sloan.

Can Artwork Mend Fences?

By Naomi Pfefferman
Published on August 24, 2006

"Sovereign Threads: A History of Palestinian Embroidery". "Threads" offered a different window into the region: a rare opportunity to view Palestinian embroidery, considered among the finest in the world, in what is perhaps the first show of its kind in Los Angeles.

Classical Musicians’ Volume Decreases

By Beverly Gray
Published on March 9, 2006

There was a time when Jews dominated the ranks of American orchestras, and superstars like Leonard Bernstein and Isaac Stern were musical ambassadors to the world. The fact that today's master Jewish musicians tend to have proteges with names like Yo Yo Ma, Kyung-Wha Chung and Lang Lang is one hint that for many Jews, classical music is no longer a top priority.

Dancing the Chai Life

By Gaby Wenig
Published on 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.

Robbo to Sing at Center Gala

By Stefanee Freedman
Published on August 5, 2004

Robb Zelonky is scheduled to appear in Irvine after a two-month tour of California, bringing a special show with songs tailored to Jewish culture. He has also produced four secular CDs.

Folk Singer Observes a Pensive ‘Holiday’

By Naomi Pfefferman
Published on January 1, 2004

Some years ago, folk diva Chava Alberstein discovered the rundown immigrant neighborhood around the south Tel Aviv central bus station. For the Israeli superstar, the area became a refuge, a place to stroll or sip coffee unmolested by fans. The residents were foreign workers from countries such as China, Thailand, Nigeria and Romania.

But as their numbers swelled to replace Palestinians after the intifada, Alberstein -- considered Israel's Joan Baez -- saw conditions deteriorating.

"These people are brought to Israel, their passports are confiscated so they can't go anywhere and they're forced to live in the worst situations," she said. "You see people crawling out of the most unbelievable hovels. It's bothered me for a long time."

Clay Feat

By Michael Aushenker
Published on April 17, 2003

It may have been a silent film, but Paul Wegener made an international noise with "Der Golem." The 1920 German Expressionist classic -- screening April 21 at the Skirball Cultural Center -- remains a popular incarnation of the Golem.

Sunday in the Park

By Michael Aushenker
Published on May 3, 2001

Maybe the post-apocalyptic parking situation was a tip-off. The overcapacity of automobiles surrounding Woodley Park seemed to confirm that this year's Israeli Independence Day Festival outdid itself in terms of spectacle and attendance. An estimated 50,000 attended, festival director Yoram Gutman confirmed, making this year's festival the biggest yet. As Gutman told The Journal, "There are so many Israelis who live in the Valley, so maybe that has something to do with it. I never saw so many Persian Jews and American Jews."