NYC Jewish-y Events, July 27 – August 6

Editor’s Picks: 

CELIA DROPKIN: BENT LIKE A QUESTION MARK
Although Yiddish poet Celia Dropkin’s first published her work in 1917 and died in 1956, she wrote about desire and violence in a way that feels shockingly contemporary. And she is currently receiving renewed interest from contemporary artists and musicians, as well as queer performers and theorists. YIVO’s artists-in-residence for the month of July, the “Book of J” duo — The Sway Machinery’s Jeremiah Lockwood and guitarist and vocalist Jewlia Eisenberg, founder of the Balkan funk-punk band Charming Hostess — are setting Dropkin’s revolutionary poems to their own provocative compositions. Drawing from musical materials they have uncovered at YIVO, the two fuse American psalmody, Yiddish folklore and Jewish liturgy to explore the intersection of religion and radical politics. — Monday, July 30, 3:30 p.m., YIVO Institute, 15 W. 16th St., (212) 246-6080, yivo.org.

MITZVAH TANTZ

This acoustic quartet explores the uplifting sounds of chasidic nigunim and klezmer. Led by Binyomin Ginzberg on vibrandoneon (a mouth-blown variation of the Argentinian bandoneon) and melodeon, with Boris Corchesko on violin, Ari Folman-Cohen on bass and Allen Watsky on acoustic guitar. — Sunday, Aug. 5, 11 a.m. doors, 12:30 p.m. concert, City Winery, 155 Varick St., (212) 608- 0555, citywinery.com $10.

ISRAELI JAZZ SPOTLIGHT
Hosted by Israeli-American jazz guitarist Nadav Remez, Cornelia’s monthly gig morphs into a three-night mini-festival featuring six genre-benders. Pianist Eitan Kenner and his quartet (echoes of Emerson, Lake and Palmer) play tunes from his upcoming debut album, “8ball City” (Thursday, Aug. 2, 8 p.m.); vocalist Gaya Feldheim Schorr, who blends everything from standards to classical to Israeli folk, brings a septet to the date (Thursday, Aug. 2, 9:30 p.m.); guitarist Or Bareket and his trio tilt jazz toward the Mediterranean and North Africa (Friday, Aug. 3, 8:30 p.m.); guitarist Nadav Remez brings a little alt-rock into his Organ Trio (Friday, Aug. 3, 10 p.m.); flutist Itai Kriss’ Televana mixes timba, soul, North African and Israeli music (Saturday, Aug. 4, 8:30 p.m.); and flutist Hadar Noiberg, with guitarist Cesar Garabini, play originals and new arrangements of Brazilian choro and samba tunes (Saturday, Aug. 4, 10:30 p.m.) — Thursday-Saturday, Aug. 2-4, Cornelia Street Café, 29 Cornelia St., (212) 989-9319, corneliastreetcafe.com. $10 cover, $10 minimum.

Theater

MY LIFE ON A DIET

Renée Taylor, the Emmy-winning writer and actress best known for her role as Fran Fine’s (“The Nanny”) food-obsessed mother, tells about her highs and lows, both in life and on the scale, as well as personal anecdotes and weight loss tips from Hollywood legends such as Joan Crawford, Marilyn Monroe and Marlon Brando. — Through Sunday, Aug. 19, Theatre at St. Clement’s, 423 W. 46th St. For tickets call (212) 239-6200 or visit MyLifeOnADietPlay.com.

TEVYE SERVED RAW
Find out what happens to the beloved characters in “Fiddler on the Roof” after the musical ends with “Tevye Served Raw.” The show includes Sholem Aleichem’s account of what happened (“the Tevye tales they left out of the musical”), adaptations of his Tevye stories, scenes from his long-unseen Yiddish stage version and three of his newly adapted stories. —Through Aug. 14, Playroom Theatre, 151 W. 46th St., tevyeservedraw.com and (800) 838-3006

FIDDLER IN YIDDISH
Directed by Oscar- and Tony Award-winner Joel Grey, a rich Yiddish translation by the late Shraga Friedman adds new depth and dimension to the iconic musical. Presented by National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene at the Museum of Jewish Heritage. — Extended through Sept. 2, Museum of Jewish Heritage, 36 Battery Place, (866) 811-4111, mjhnyc.org.

VITALY: AN EVENING OF WONDERS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhzPmpzu7zc

Israel-raised magician Vitaly Beckman has wowed audiences with innovative illusions, and he is now making his NYC debut. Recommended for ages 8 and up. — Through Sept. 30, Westside Theatre, 407 W. 43rd St. (9th-10th avenues), telecharge.com. $89.

Music

BOOK OF J

Jeremiah Lockwood of The Sway Machinery and Jewlia Eisenberg of Charming Hostess (“blithe and frisky,” says The Times) team up in a new duo project, Book of J. Drawing from American psalmody, Yiddish folklore and Jewish liturgy, the two explore the intersection of religion and radical politics. According to The New Yorker, “This affecting West Coast duo covers an expansive musical landscape that encompasses gothic Yiddish songs, Piedmont Blues, Queer Politics and Leonard Cohen covers.” With special guest Shoko Nagai. — Saturday, July 28, 6 p.m., Barbès, 376 Ninth St., Brooklyn, (347) 422-0248, barbesbrooklyn.com.

LIOR MILLIGER QUARTET
Milliger, an Israeli-raised, New York-based saxophonist, combines avant-garde jazz, Middle Eastern and modern classical influences. — Sunday, July 29, 8 p.m., Cornelia Street Café, 29 Cornelia St., (212) 989-9319, corneliastreetcafe.com.

MATT PAVOLKA HORNS BAND

For 20 years, the bassist, composer and former trombonist has been a vital force in the New York klezmer revival and jazz scenes. — Thursday, Aug. 2, 10:30 p.m.-1 a.m., Smalls Jazz Club, 183 W. 10th St., (646) 476-4346, smallslive.com.

ELEONORE BIEZUNSKI
As both an archivist for YIVO and a klezmer musician, the French violinist (Klezmographers, Shtetl Stompers, Shpilkes) has been exploring Yiddish traditions of old and new for quite some time now. — Sunday, July 29, 5 p.m., Barbès, 376 Ninth St., Brooklyn, (347) 422-0248, barbesbrooklyn.com.

ANDY STATMAN
A disciple of the great klezmer clarinetist Dave Tarras, Statman, a pioneer in the klez revival and a virtuoso mandolinist and clarinetist, plays his trademark blend of American roots music, prayerful chasidic music, klezmer and free jazz. — Wednesday, Aug. 1, 8 p.m., Barbès, 376 Ninth St., Brooklyn, (347) 422-0248, barbesbrooklyn.com. $10.

Film

HEADING HOME: THE TALE OF TEAM ISRAEL

A story of sports, patriotism and personal growth, director Seth Kramer’s documentary charts the underdog journey of Israel’s national baseball team as it competes for the first time in the World Baseball Classic. — Sunday-Tuesday, Aug. 5-7, Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan, 334 Amsterdam Ave., (646) 505-4444, jccmanhattan.org.

THE CAKEMAKER

In this tender and moving debut, Ofir Raul Graizer explores the connection formed by a gay German baker, Thomas (Tim Kalkhof), and Anat (Sarah Adler), the Israeli widow of the man whom they both loved, Oren (Roy Miller). —Sunday, July 29, Quad Cinema, 34 W. 13th St., (212) 255-2243, quadcinema.com.

Talk

FLEEING FUNDAMENTALISM
Three women — a Muslim, a Christian and a Jew — describe their lives and escapes from fundamentalist backgrounds. Yasmine Mohammed speaks about her marriage to an al-Qaeda member. Megan Phelps-Roper describes her experiences of picketing funerals with a “God Hates Fags” sign, and radio journalist Frimet Goldberger, a former chasid, discusses living in fear of the modesty police. — Tuesday, July 31, 7:30 p.m., Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway, (212) 864-5400, symphonyspace.org

Exhibitions

PLACING MEMORY
Trying to bridge between the place they came from and the place they are now, two Israeli-American artists, Gal Cohen and Zac Hacmon, examine the relations between architecture and collective memory in their multimedia exhibit, “Placing Memory.” — Through Saturday, July 28, 3:30 – 7 p.m., The Clemente, 107 Suffolk St., theclementecenter.org.

INSIGHT
Curated by Emily Lambert and designed by The Studio Art program at Stern College for Women, this exhibit features a selection of works by this year’s graduating studio art majors. — Through Aug. 8, Yeshiva University Museum at the Center for Jewish History, (212) 294-8330/8805, yumuseum.org. RSVP to RSVP@yum.cjh.org.

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