What’s Going On In NYC This Week

HELLO, DOLLY!
The Broadway hit that became an even more famous Barbra Streisand movie is now returning to its Broadway roots. In Michael Stewart’s (book) and Jerry Herman’s (music and lyrics) masterpiece, the widowed, brassy matchmaker Dolly Levi travels to Yonkers to find a match for the miserly “well-known unmarried half-a-millionaire” Horace Vandergelder. She convinces his niece, his niece’s intended and Horace’s two clerks to travel with them to New York City to find the match, and … (we won’t spoil the ending for you). Played on film by the legendary Streisand, this Broadway revival features the no-less-legendary Bette Midler as Dolly. Directed by four-time Tony Award-winner Jerry Zaks. — Opens March 15, Shubert Theatre, 225 W. 44th St., (212) 239-6200, hellodollyonbroadway.com. $59-$189

JEWISH BROADWAY
From the 1889 opening of Hammerstein’s Victoria Theater to the just-closed “Fiddler on the Roof” (the musical’s fifth Broadway revival), the long-term relationship between Jews and Broadway has produced countless icons. Enjoy an entire show’s worth of Broadway hits, featuring a stellar cast of modern Broadway stars, including special guest and four-time Tony-nominee Tovah Feldshuh. — Monday, March 13, 8 p.m., Temple Emanu-El Streicker Center, One E. 65th St., (212) 507-9580, emanuelstreickernyc.org. $55 reserved seating/$36 general.

P.S. JERUSALEM
In 2002, disillusioned by Israeli policies regarding the Palestinians, noted Israeli writer and intellectual Amos Elon moved to Italy with his family. On his deathbed he asked his daughter Danae to never return to Israel. But in 2011, pregnant and living in Brooklyn with her husband and two children, Danae Elon broke that promise and relocated her family to Jerusalem, enrolling her sons at the Hand in Hand School, the only school in Israel where Arab and Jewish children study together and learn each other’s language and culture. “P.S. Jerusalem,” which Elon shot over the following three years, chronicles the family’s move and the inherent struggle faced by those who are both liberal-minded and deeply loyal to Israel. — Opens March 17, Lincoln Plaza Cinema, 1886 Broadway, (212) 757-0359. lincolnplazacinema.com.

Theater

GOD OF VENGEANCE

New Yiddish Rep restages its popular revival of Sholem Asch’s “Got fun nekome,” or “God of Vengeance.” Considered one of the most psychologically revealing plays of the first half of the 20th century, it tells the story of a brothel owner’s attempt to marry off his daughter so she may lead a dignified religious life, only to have her drawn back into a life of sin with another woman. — Tuesday, March 17 – Sunday, March 26, Theatre at St. Clement’s, 423 W. 46th St., New York, newyiddishrep.org. $36-$65.

THROUGH THE DARKNESS

Sensing that first-hand Holocaust memory is slipping away, playwright Alan C. Breindel creates a theatrical vehicle whereby a group of fictional survivors tell their stories simply and directly, answering questions posed by a narrator/interviewer. Leslie Kincaid Burby directs. — Through April 1, The MainStage at The Workshop Theater, 312 W. 36th St., 4th floor. 866-811-4111, workshoptheater.org.

KUNSTLER

He was the ACLU lawyer to beat all ACLU lawyers, and his middle name was Moses. At a time when the ACLU lawyers camped out at JFK helping detained immigrants have become heroes to half (plus three million) of the country, the revival of Jeffrey Sweet’s play about William Kunstler hits at a particularly ripe moment. Was the fiery lawyer who defended the Chicago Seven, the American Indian Movement, the Black Panther Party and the prison rioters at Attica a radical or a fearless defender of people’s Constitutional rights? Starring Jeff McCarthy as Kunstler and Nambi E. Kelley as his legal assistant. — Through March 13 at 59E59 Theaters, 59 E. 59th St., $35. 59e59.org.

IF I FORGET

In the final months before 9/11, liberal (to say the least; he’s publishing a book about forgetting the Holocaust) Jewish studies Professor Michael Fischer has reunited with his two sisters to celebrate their father’s 75th birthday. Each deeply invested in their own version of family history, destructive secrets and long-held resentments bubble to the surface — with biting humor and razor-sharp insight — in this powerful tale of a family, and culture, at odds with itself. — Through April 30, The Laura Pels Theatre, 111 W. 46th St., (212) 719-1300, roundabouttheatre.org. $79.

LEAH, THE FORSAKEN

A tale of forbidden love, betrayal and redemption from master of melodrama Augustin Daly. In early 18th-century Austria, a Jewish emigrant fleeing persecution in Hungary finds love and betrayal among the good people who could be her salvation — if they would only see through their fear of the Other. — Through March 12, Metropolitan Playhouse, 220 E. Fourth St., (800) 838-3006, metropolitanplayhouse.org/leahtheforsaken. $30/$25 seniors & students/$10 children.

LAVENDER SONGS: A QUEER WEIMAR BERLIN CABARET

In a bold reminder that our times bear a striking resemblance to Weimar Germany, restaurant-theater hybrid Pangea uses Inauguration Day to debut “Lavender Songs,” an award-winning, risqué and gender-bending show starring Jeremy Lawrence — or, more aptly, his cabaret alter ego “Tante Fritzy” — and incorporating music by queer composers from the Berlin underground during Nazi Germany. — Through April 8, 7 p.m., Pangea, 178 Second Ave. (bet. 11th & 12th), (212) 995-0900, pangeanyc.com. $20, plus $20 food/beverage minimum.

NOT THAT JEWISH

Written by and starring the Emmy Award-winning and Golden Globe nominated writer, actress and comedian Monica Piper, this has been lauded as a hilarious and heartfelt autobiographical tale of a Jew-“ish” woman’s life. — Through April 30, New World Stages, 340 W. 50th St., (212) 239-6200, notthatjewish.com. From $49.

Music

MICHAEL ATTIAS QUARTET

The Israeli-born saxophonist/composer/bandleader Michael Attias celebrates the release of his sixth album, “Nerve Dance.” Featuring Aruán Ortiz on piano, John Hébert on bass and Nasheet Waits on drums. — Saturday, March 18, 9 p.m. and 10:30 p.m., Cornelia Street Café, 29 Cornelia St., (212) 989-9319, corneliastreetcafe.com. $20, drinks included.

SETH KIBEL TRIO

One of the Mid-Atlantic’s premier woodwind specialists, Seth Kibel is a saxophone, clarinet and flute virtuoso. A tune from his recent album, “No Words – Instrumental Jazz & Klezmer by Seth Kibel,” was just awarded the Grand Prize in the Mid-Atlantic Song Contest. With Simone Baron on accordion and piano and Brian Glassman on bass. – Sunday, March 12, 10 a.m. doors, 11 a.m. concert, City Winery, 155 Varick St., (212) 608-0555, citywinery.com/newyork/tickets. $10.

THE LEVITT LEGACY KLEZTET

Dave Levitt is a fourth-generation klezmer musician and is known as a leading authority on this music’s history. His Kleztet performs dance, popular and concert music stemming from Poland, Russia, Hungary and Romania, as well as the Yiddish theater favorites. – Sunday, March 19, 10 a.m. doors, 11 a.m. concert, City Winery, 155 Varick St., (212) 608-0555, citywinery.com/newyork/tickets. $10.

DIDA PELLED

Hailed for her “simplicity and warmth,” (All About Jazz), New York-based, Israeli-born jazz/folk guitarist and vocalist Dida Pelled writes and performs playfully sexy and intelligent vocal and guitar standards, mostly of the hard-bop variety. “Dida sings in a voice sometimes playful, warm, resonant, no frills,” the French magazine Jazz Hot noted. – Thursday, March 16, 7 p.m., Fat Cat Jazz Club, 75 Christopher St., (212) 675-6056, fatcatmusic.org.

TAKING THE WHEEL

Featuring the music of Cole Porter, Carole King, Leonard Bernstein and others, Ari Axelrod’s “Taking the Wheel” delivers the “unfailingly engaging and intelligent” (KDHX St. Louis) story of one Jewish man, happily a passenger in life’s normal journey, who is thrust into the driver’s seat when he encounters unforeseen twists and turns. Directed by Tony Award-winner Faith Prince, with music direction by the MAC Award winner Alex Rybeck. — Friday, March 10, 11:30 p.m., 54 Below, 254 W. 54th St., (646) 476-3551, 54below.com.

Film

THE SETTLERS

Directed by Shimon Dotan, this documentary takes on the controversial Israeli settlement movement, beginning with its history, and affording insight into its philosophy and the range of personalities who have militantly supported and vehemently opposed its growth. — Through Tuesday, March 14, Film Forum, 209 W. Houston St., (212) 727-8110, filmforum.org.

JUNCTION 48

“Junction 48,” Udi Aloni’s award-winning drama, follows two young Palestinian hip-hop artists as they rise from poverty to fame. Hailing from Lod — a largely Arab, poverty- and crime-stricken city in Israel — the two use their music both as a coping mechanism and as a way out. The film is based on the life story of rapper Tamer Nafar, the charismatic front man of the first Palestinian rap group DAM, who also plays the main character. — Lincoln Plaza Cinema, 1886 Broadway, (212) 757-0359. For tickets and show times visit lincolnplazacinema.com.

THE LAST LAUGH

The Holocaust would seem to be an absolutely off-limits topic for comedy. But is it? Weaving together an intimate portrait of Auschwitz survivor Renee Firestone with interviews with influential comedians and thinkers, from Mel Brooks and Sarah Silverman to Abraham Foxman of the Anti-Defamation League, this film examines where, and if, one should draw the line. — Lincoln Plaza Cinema, 1886 Broadway, (212) 757-0359. For tickets and show times visit lincolnplazacinema.com.

CRIES FROM SYRIA

Drawing on testimonies of everyone from child protestors to high-ranking army generals who defected from the government, as well as war footage from Syrian activists and citizen journalists, Cries From Syria is a searing, comprehensive account of the brutal five-year conflict from the inside out. — Cinema Village, 22 E. 12th St., (212) 924-3363, cinemavillage.com

Talk

A JEWISH AND ITALIAN POETIC CELEBRATION

A poetry reading featuring several prominent Jewish and Italian poets, including award-winning chasidic poet Yehoshua November (“God’s Optimism,” “Two Worlds Exist”), Maria Mazziotti, Carol V. Davis, Maria Lisella and Baruch November. — Sunday, March 19, 6 p.m., Cornelia Street Café, 29 Cornelia St., (212) 989-9319, corneliastreetcafe.com. $20, drinks included.

THE JEWISH RESPONSE TO RACISM

The 2016 presidential campaign has energized a dangerous segment of the population, elevating hateful racial rhetoric that was once a fringe phenomena to the mainstream. Discuss the connections and distinctions between racism and anti-Semitism, as well as the Jewish community’s responsibility to the fight for racial justice. With panelists April N. Baskin (Union for Reform Judaism,) Bend the Arc CEO Stosh Cotler and civil rights strategist Eric Ward. — Wednesday, March 15, 7 p.m., Temple Emanu-El Streicker Center, One E. 65th St., (212) 507-9580, emanuelstreickernyc.org. Free.

IN THE NEWS WITH JEFF GREENFIELD

Is American democracy in peril? Jeff Greenfield, five-time Emmy-winning network television analyst and author, speaks with award-winning columnist, essayist and television producer Frank Rich about the biggest political and cultural stories of the day. — Sunday, March 12, 8 p.m., 92nd Street Y, 1395 Lexington Ave., 92y.org. $32.

Exhibitions

LOST SYNAGOGUES OF EUROPE

The Museum at Eldridge Street presents an exhibition of vintage postcards of Central and Eastern European synagogues from Prague-based collector Frantisek Bányai. The postcards depict a range of Jewish architecture, culture and community that were all but destroyed during the Second World War. — Opens Thursday, March 16, 6-8 p.m., Museum at Eldridge Street, 12 Eldridge St., (212) 219-0302, eldridgestreet.org. On display through June 8.

HEROES OF THE KNISH

The lowly, Old World staple gets the high-brow treatment with a month-long museum show at The City Reliquary. The chronicler-queen of the knish, Laura Silver, author of the 2014 “Knish: In Search of the Jewish Soul Food” (Brandeis), curates the just-opened show, whose aptly stuffed title is “Heroes of the Knish: Making a Living and Making a Life.” It features a history of the potato pie, from the Old Country to the sidewalk carts of the Lower East Side to the pricey delis of Midtown, and documents the lives of the men and women who made the crusty-chewy delicacy. — City Reliquary Museum, 370 Metropolitan Ave., Brooklyn. Through May 7. $5. Cityreliquary.org.

SHABBAT: INSIDE AND OUT

With the cessation of the workday routine on Shabbat, the Jewish day of rest, relationships and the spirit are revitalized as families share precious time at festive meals. The objects on display highlight two aspects of this holy day: the private/domestic and the communal/ceremonial. — Through May 11, Yeshiva University Museum, 15 W. 16th St., (212) 294-8330, info@yum.cjh.org. Members and children under 5 free/$6 seniors and students/$8 adults.

UNCOMMON THREADS

Our ancestors used clothing and textiles to beautify their synagogues, their tables and themselves on Shabbat and holidays as well as important lifecycle events. Many of these were preserved, with highlights including a sumptuous 18th-century lectern cover that belonged to a former Chief Rabbi of Izmir, a 19th-century dress and a 1950 custom-made lace wedding gown. — Through April 29, Yeshiva University Museum, 15 W. 16th St., (212) 294-8330, info@yum.cjh.org. For hours and admission rates: yumuseum.org/visit.

GANZE MEGILLAH

In celebration of Purim, The Laurie M. Tisch Gallery is pleased to exhibit the stunning, large-scale illuminated Scroll of Esther created by the well-known Israeli painter Avner Moriah. The ancient story of Esther is told by mixing Persian, Indian and Islamic art, miniature-style painting with Italian Renaissance styling and contemporary humor, politics and sensibilities. — Through March. 29, 8 a.m.-11 p.m., JCC Manhattan, 334 Amsterdam Ave. (at 76th St.), (646) 505-4444, info@jccmanhattan.org.

To publish events, submit them to jewishweekcalendar@gmail.com two weeks or more in advance, or post them online at JWCalendar.com. In the print edition, we cannot guarantee inclusion due to space limitations. Since scheduling changes may occur, we recommend contacting the venue before heading out to an event.