‘CRESCENDO’
Loosely inspired by Daniel Barenboim’s West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, this feature film directed by the Academy Award-nominated Dror Zahavi focuses on world-famous conductor Eduard Sporck (Peter Simonischek, “Toni Erdmann”), who creates an Israeli-Palestinian youth orchestra. But the young musicians from both sides are far from able to form a team, forming two parties that deeply mistrust each other, both on and off stage. — Opening May 1 at virtual theaters nationwide, menemshafilms.com/crescendo.
‘THOSE WHO REMAINED’
‘HEADING HOME: THE TALE OF TEAM ISRAEL’
This documentary charts the underdog journey of Israel’s national baseball team competing for the first time in the World Baseball Classic. Its lineup included several Jewish American Major League players — Ike Davis, Josh Zeid and ex-Braves catcher Ryan Lavarnway — most with a tenuous relationship to Judaism, let alone ever having set foot in Israel. — Available May 5 on DVD and Blu-ray (now available on Digital HD and Video-on-Demand), menemshafilms.com/heading-home.
‘STILLS’
Grandma Goldy has a hardware store, five children, no money and a dead husband. She also has a story about getting involved with Prohibition, rum-running and the mob, and she’s the subject of a one-woman show by LABA London Fellow Sarah Sigal. Tune in for excerpts from a developmental preview followed by a Q&A with the creative team. — Wednesday, May 6, 2 p.m., 14Y LABA Arts + Culture, 14streety.org/virtual-14y/virtual-arts-culture/. Free.
RADIO THEATER
CONVERSATIONS FROM THE JERUSALEM BIENNALE: YONATAN ULLMAN
Anna Solomon appears in a Zoom webinar about her kaleidoscopic new novel intertwining the lives of three women — Lily, grappling with her sexual and intellectual desires as an at-home mother preparing for Purim in 2016 Brooklyn; Vivian, who seems to be the perfect Watergate-era political wife; and Queen Esther, a fiercely independent young woman in ancient Persia — across three different centuries as their stories of sex, power and desire finally collide in the present day. “Finely written … cerebral … almost old-school in its feminist commitment.” (Kirkus) — Thursday, May 7, 7-8 p.m., Books Are Magic, facebook.com/events/
JESUS AND THE JEWS: WHY THE CONNECTION MATTERS
Best-selling authors Nicole Krauss (USA) and Zeruya Shalev (Israel) will join Israeli writer and editor Rana Werbin for an intimate conversation between Brooklyn, Tel Aviv and Haifa. They will talk about inspiration; their writing routines in normal times and in times of turmoil; and their thoughts on the changes in the literary and material worlds that may be in store for us. The conversation will be in English. — Sunday, May 10, 10 a.m. EDT, The Jerusalem Writers Festival, http://fest.mishkenot.org.il/
The last few months have seen an alarming rise in white nationalist violence, anti-Semitic conspiracy theories, anti-Asian attacks and even plans to use the virus as a weapon. One innovative legal strategy is taking on the leadership of this violent movement with a lawsuit that holds accountable those responsible for the August 2017 Charlottesville violence. Scheduled for trial this fall, it has the potential to bankrupt and dismantle the leaders and hate groups at the center of this movement. Join leading litigator Roberta Kaplan and Integrity First for America Executive Director Amy Spitalnick for a discussion of this landmark case and the broader fight against violent extremism. — Monday, May 11, 7 p.m., 92Y, 92y.org/event/a-trial-for-our-
Alan Zweibel will discuss his new memoir, “Laugh Lines,” and his life in comedy from the early days as an original “Saturday Night Live” writer to television work that includes “The Late Show With David Letterman” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” There is nothing we need now more than a laugh. Don’t miss it! — Wednesday, May 13, 7 p.m., 92y.org/event/alan-zweibel-
‘CITIZEN 865: THE HUNT FOR HITLER’S HIDDEN SOLDIERS IN AMERICAN’
KLEZMER FIDDLE PROJECT — ‘A NIGN A DAY’
VIRAL: ANTISEMITISM IN FOUR MUTATIONS
Filmmaker Andrew Goldberg explores anti-Semitism’s infectious behavior as he travels through four countries to speak with victims, witnesses and anti-Semites as well as Bill Clinton, Tony Blair, Fareed Zakaria, George Will and Deborah Lipstadt. The film spotlights the American far-right, the English far-left, the Hungarian prime minister’s campaign against Jewish philanthropist George Soros and violence against Jews in France. — Premieres Tuesday, May 26, 9 p.m., on PBS.
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Ongoing:
For decades, a nice, straight, square Jewish couple led a double life, making ends meet as proprietors of a porn shop and epicenter for gay L.A. They didn’t tell their kids or their synagogue what they did for a living, but now they’re ready to open up, and their film director daughter documents their life and times (and some religious differences about homosexuality). The film includes interviews with Larry Flynt and gay porn superstar Jeff Stryker. — Available to download on Netflix, netflix.com/title/81011569.
Based on true events, acclaimed fiilmmaker Yaron Zilberman chronicles the disturbing descent of a promising law student to a delusional ultranationalist obsessed with murdering his country’s leader, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.”Incitement” is an unnerving look through the eyes of a murderer who, encouraged by increasingly militant political rhetoric, silenced a powerful voice for peace. Winner, Best Picture, Ophir Awards (Israeli Oscars). — Streaming at Film Forum, filmforum.org/film/incitement. $9.99.
The Tony Award-winning play follows a troupe of actors, the cast members of Sholem Asch’s “God of Vengeance,” who risked their lives and careers to perform a work in which they deeply believed, at a time when art, freedom and truth were on trial. It is a serious story told with great theatricality, and joyous songs and dances. — Airing through Nov. 17, THIRTEEN Passport, https://www.pbs.org/wnet/
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