Beginning Conversational Hebrew

Wednesdays, September 18-December 11, 2019 | 7:00-8:30 pm
Youth J Team Room
Lawrence Family JCC

Come and learn basic Hebrew vocabulary and improve your conversation skills. While most of the class will be dedicated to speaking, there will be time to practice reading as well. Instructor Orli Moses is an enthusiastic and experienced teacher of all levels of Hebrew - she will make it fun and interesting! Book provided.

Instructor: Orli Moses

Price: $145 | JCC Member Price: $120

The Joyce Forum Jewish Short Film Festival

Saturday, September 21 & Sunday September 22, 2019
David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre
Lawrence Family JCC

Be a part of the second annual international, stand-alone Jewish short film festival. After many years as a successful single day event, the Joyce Forum has blossomed into its own two-day festival offering imagination-stretching films from across the globe. With over 130 submissions from 21 different countries, the expansion of the Joyce Forum Jewish Short Film Festival was a given. This year, the Joyce Forum Jewish Short Film Festival offers 32 imagination-stretching short films from across the globe and from almost every cinematic genre: documentary, drama, comedy, animation, and more. This two-day festival will include Q&As and discussions with renowned filmmakers and other special guests.

In partnership with the Murray Galinson San Diego Israeli Initiative and the Jerusalem Film Workshop. 

Learn More

Get your tickets now!

Bari Weiss
How to Fight Anti-Semitism

Wednesday, September 25, 2019 | 7:00 pm
David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre
Lawrence Family JCC

The prescient New York Times writer delivers an urgent wake-up call to all Americans exposing the alarming rise of anti-Semitism in this country--and explains what we can do to defeat it. Bari Weiss has become known for her insightful, passionate columns about the resurgence of the world’s most ancient hatred. She is unafraid to call it out, whether it rears its head at the Tree of Life Synagogue in her native Pittsburgh, on the streets of Paris, in the Labor Party in England, or in the leadership of the Women’s March. This timely book is Weiss's reminder that Jews must never lose their instinct for danger, and a powerful case for renewing Jewish and liberal values to guide us through this uncertain moment: not just for the sake of America's Jews, but for the sake of America.

Seating: Reserved | Seat Map B
Tickets: Standard $28 | JCC Members $25
Premium $38 | JCC Member: $35
Book Price: $18+tax

How To Fight Anti-Semitism book by Bari Weiss Add to Cart

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LA Theatre Works: SEVEN

Saturday, October 12, 2019 | 7:00 pm
David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre
Lawrence Family JCC

Seven is a riveting documentary play in which seven women give voice to the voiceless. Created with the support of Vital Voices Global Partnership, the play is a collaboration between the playwrights and seven female activists from around the globe who faced life-threatening obstacles before bringing heroic changes to their home countries of Pakistan, Nigeria, Ireland, Afghanistan, Guatemala, Russia and Cambodia. Their stories of overcoming adversity to effect real change and improve the lives of women will inspire everyone. L.A. Theatre Works has been the foremost radio theater company in the United States for four decades and is broadcast weekly on public radio stations and the BBC. The cast, TBA, includes recognizable and respected television, theater, and film actors.

Written by: Paula Cizmar, Catherine Filloux, Gail Kriegel, Carol K. Mack, Ruth Margraff, Anna Deavere Smith, and Susan Yankowitz

“L.A. Theatre Works is a national theatrical treasure...”-The Philadelphia Inquirer

Seating: Reserved | Seat Map B
Tickets: Standard $38 | JCC Members $ 33 | Premium $52 | Premium JCC Members $47

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Jodi Kantor She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement

Tuesday, October 22, 2019 | 7:00 pm
David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre
Lawrence Family JCC

On October 5, 2017, a New York Times article by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey changed the world. When these reporters broke the story of Harvey Weinstein’s decades of sexual harassment and abuse, they helped ignite the #MeToo movement, exposing systematic abuses across industries. Together with a team of colleagues, Kantor was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service, journalism’s highest award. As detailed in the reporters’ new book, She Said, Kantor takes audiences into the very heart of this social shift, sharing what it took to get the story and giving an up-close portrait of the forces that hindered and spurred change.

Seating: Reserved | Seat Map B
Tickets: Standard $38 | JCC Members $33
Premium $52 | Premium JCC Members $47

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Chef Einat Admony at Our Shabbat Table

Friday, October 25, 2019 | 6:30 pm
David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre
Lawrence Family JCC

Israeli food has become the it cuisine, with Israeli restaurants opening throughout the country. But what makes Israeli food so special? Israel is a culinary crossroads, a mishmash of foods best represented in its shuks, or markets, where foods from Yemen, Morocco, Bulgaria, Libya, Turkey, Russia, the Levant, and many other regions sit side by side to create a totally unique food culture. In Shuk Chef Einat Admony of New York City’s acclaimed Balaboosta restaurant and Israeli food writer Janna Gur take us deeper into this trending cuisine. Come taste Admony’s long-simmered stews, herb-dominant rice pilafs, toasted-nut-studded grain salads, and of course loads of vegetable dishes—from snappy, fresh, and raw to roasted every way you can think of. With Shuk in your kitchen, you’ll soon be cooking with the warmth and passion of an Israeli, creating the treasures of this multicultural table in your own home. A full menu will be posted prior to the event at sdcjc.org.

“Einat and Janna’s journey into the vibrant world of Israeli food is one you seriously want to join. It covers everything from the famous chopped salads to hummus (of course!) to couscous to chicken to cheesecake-and it’s laid out beautifully by two skillful experts.”
-Yotam Ottolenghi, chef and author of Jerusalem and Plenty

Seating: General Admission | Seat Map A | Garfield Theatre Stage
Tickets: Shabbat Dinner $45 | JCC Members $40 | Shabbat Dinner + one signed copy of Shuk: $69 | JCC Members: $66

Add: Shuk by Chef Einat Admony Add to Cart

Chef Einat Admony at Our Shabbat Table
Dinner only Add to Cart

Ensemble Lucidarium: Sounds from Shylock’s Venice

Tuesday, November 5, 2019 | 7:30 pm
David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre
Lawrence Family JCC

“Sounds from Shylock's Venice” conjures the soundscape of a day in the life of Shylock, in and out of the Jewish quarter, in the vibrant, colorful world that was Renaissance Venice. The music is a combination of poems by Jewish authors that the ensemble has set to music, liturgical works, and the music that all Venetians, Jews or not, would have enjoyed while celebrating; combined with texts of Venice Senate declarations, the Inquisition records, and selections from Leon Modena's autobiography. Based in Geneva and Milan, Lucidarium specializes in bringing little-known repertoires from the Renaissance and Middle Ages back to life in an entertaining, engaging way designed for a 21st century public. This unique combination of cutting-edge research and high-energy, spontaneous performance-style has earned them kudos from the international press. “Pure energy on period instruments”-Gramophone

Seating: Reserved | Seat Map B
Tickets: Standard $38 | JCC Members $33 | Premium $52 | Premium JCC Members $47

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"A Way with Words" Live

Wednesday, November 6, 2019 | 7:30 pm
David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre
Lawrence Family JCC

Language lovers rejoice as Martha Barnette and Grant Barrett, hosts of KPBS Radio’s "A Way with Words" return to the Garfield Theatre for a live adaptation of their nationally-syndicated public radio show. Humorous, insightful and passionate, this dynamic duo delivers an evening of linguistic fun as they share the meaning and history behind cultural quips, bizarre banter and silly sayings. If you’ve ever wondered why we say the things we say, then grab your seats for this very special event.

Seating: Reserved | Seat Map B
Tickets: Standard $32 | JCC Members $29 | Premium $45 | Premium JCC Members $42

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What Will Become of Us

Wednesday, November 13, 2019 | 7:00 pm
David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre
Lawrence Family JCC

Frank Lowry’s rise from teenage refugee during World War II to billionaire Chairman of the multinational Westfield Corporation is the inspirational story of perseverance, talent, and family devotion. The film traces Lowry's amazing personal story, his life’s work and his legacy. Along the way, he shows us the value of memory and rejects “the silence of the survivors” to illustrate the courage and strength that made him a success.

What Will Become of Us (FULL TRAILER)

San Diego Premiere

Directed by: Steven Cantor / USA / 2019 / 72 minutes / English / Documentary

Tickets: Standard $16.25 | JCC Members $14.25

What Will Become of Us Add to Cart

8 Nights of Eight Nights: Proceeds to benefit HIAS

Tuesday, November 19, 2019 | 7:30 pm
Rehearsal Room
Lawrence Family JCC

“8 Nights of Eight Nights” is a series of staged readings of Eight Nights, a new play by Jennifer Maisel, on 8 different nights in 8 different cities, to raise funds and awareness for HIAS in the wake of the Tree of Life shooting in Pittsburgh, and to stand with all those who are persecuted on the basis of race or religion the world over. EIGHT NIGHTS tells the story of the lives that inhabit an apartment from 1949 to 2016. Rebecca, a young Holocaust survivor and refugee, is finally free to start anew in the United States, as she confronts the past that haunts her, alongside her father, husband, friends, daughter and granddaughter. The play takes place over the eight nights of Chanukah, spanning eight decades of Rebecca’s life, gracefully weaving together heart-aching moments with dark yet life-affirming humor. The play touches upon not only the story of Jewish Holocaust survivors, but also that of interned Japanese citizens, the trauma mirrored in the African-American community, the current Syrian crisis and the global refugee experience.

Seating: General Admission | Seat Map A | JCC Rehearsal Room
Tickets: Standard $18 | JCC Members $15

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The Gates: An Evening of Stories With Adam Gopnik

Thursday, November 21, 2019 | 7:30pm
David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre
Lawrence Family JCC

Directed by Catherine Burns, Artistic Director of The Moth
With his signature wit and keen observational eye for everyday life, bestselling author and New Yorker staff writer Adam Gopnik chronicles his early days in the tumultuous 1980s–where a life begun in the smallest apartment in Manhattan opened the gate to professional misadventures in the worlds of high fashion, art and public speaking. Jumping forward twenty years, Gopnik also tells the story of raising two children in the utterly different New York of the aughts and builds a moving portrait where imaginary friends, misunderstood texts and even steam bath sexuality all manage to confound and shape his understanding. This one-man show of stories from his 30 years as a husband, father, and writer is based on material developed with public radio’s The Moth and most recently played for a sold-out run at NYC’s Public Theater. A book signing will follow.

“A dazzling talent—hilarious, winning and deft.” -author Malcolm Gladwell

Seating: Reserved | Seat Map B
Tickets: Standard $38 | JCC Members $33 | Premium $52 | Premium JCC Members $47

The Gates: An Evening of Stories With Adam Gopnik Add to Cart

Add: A Thousand Small Sanities: The Moral Adventure of Liberalism by Adam Gopnik Add to Cart

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Light and Truth (Urim VeTumim) A Screening and conversation with Screenwriter Shuki Ben-Naim

Monday, November 25, 2019 | 7:00pm
David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre
Lawrence Family JCC

The Israeli television series “Light and Truth (Urim VeTumim)” takes viewers deep inside the secret world of a yeshiva, an elite Orthodox boarding school devoted to producing the next generation of scholars of the religious Zionist movement. The series follows the lives of the yeshiva's teachers, rabbis, students and parents through a series of twists and turns as they grapple with changing times, declining enrollment, financial hardship and soul-searing scandal. The series creator and head screenwriter Shuki Ben-Naim is an MGSDII Visiting Professor at SDSU this fall. Ben-Naim has also written for the series ”Nuyork,” ”A Touch Away,” ”Meorav Yerushalmi” and ”Five Men and a Wedding.” He is currently writing for a new, as-yet-untitled series for HBO based on the true story and the aftermath of the kidnapping and murder of three Jewish teenagers by Hamas militants in the summer of 2014.
Presented in partnership with the Murray Galinson San Diego-Israel Initiative MGSDII Logo

Seating: General Admission | Seat Map A
Tickets: Standard $16.25 | JCC Members $14.25 | Students & Faculty: FREE
Please call Guest Services to RSVP at 858-362-1348. Must show valid I.D. at the door.

Light and Truth (Urim VeTumim) A Screening and conversation with Screenwriter Shuki Ben-Naim Add to Cart

Aakash Odedra Company: “Rising"

Tuesday, December 3, 2019 | 8:00pm
David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre
Lawrence Family JCC

One of the most exciting young contemporary dancers and choreographer in the U.K., the “simply breathtaking” (Globe and Mail), Aakash Odedra takes the stage in the captivating solo “Rising” with choreography from acclaimed international artists Akram Khan, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Russell Maliphant, and Odedra himself. In “Rising,” Odedra draws on his background in the classical Indian dance disciplines of Kathak and Bharatanatyam while remaining intrinsically contemporary in style and concept. Exploring different processes and aesthetics in the pieces created for “Rising,” Odedra highlights different aspects of himself to create a new personal language: lyrical and graceful, brutal and raw, edgy and animalistic.
“ ‘Rising’ reveals an exceptionally agile dancer who, it appears, has no trouble slipping between styles, effortlessly multilingual.’-The New York Times

Seating: Reserved | Seat Map D
Tickets: Standard $40 | JCC Members $35 | Premium $50 | Premium JCC Members $45

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An Evening with Ruth Reichl

Tuesday, December 10, 2019 | 7:00 pm
David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre
Lawrence Family JCC

Bestselling author, restaurant critic, six-time James Beard Award-winner and judge on Bravo's "Top Chef Masters" Ruth Reichl is one of the nation’s most influential figures in the food world. Most recognizable as a writer and editor, Reichl’s latest bestselling memoir, Save Me the Plums, chronicles her groundbreaking tenure as Editor-in-Chief of Gourmet magazine, during which she spearheaded a revolution in the way we think about food. Join us for some great foodie conversation!

"Ruth is one of our greatest storytellers today, which you will feel from the moment you open this book and begin to read: No one writes as warmly and engagingly about the all-important intersection of food, life, love, and loss."— Alice Waters

Seating: Reserved | Seat Map B
Tickets: Standard $38 | JCC Members $33
Premium: $52 (includes reception with Ruth Reichel at 6:00 pm)
Premium Member: $47 (includes reception with Ruth Reichel at 6:00pm)
Book signing to follow.

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Jewish Poets-Jewish Voices

Tuesday, December 17, 2019 | 7:00 pm
The Samuel & Rebecca Astor Judaica Library
Lawrence Family JCC

Adam Greenfield, Lucy Lehman and Anna Abraham Gasaway are the three local poets to be featured on the opening program of the new season of Jewish Poets-Jewish Voices. Following the featured poets, there will be a half hour of open mic. The evening will conclude with a reception. There is no charge for this program, although donations are welcome.

Price: FREE

Jewish Poets-Jewish Voices Add to Cart

Dirty Dancing Film Screening & Chinese Dinner

Wednesday, December 25, 2019 | 5:00 pm
David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre
Lawrence Family JCC

Dirty Dancing Film Screening & Chinese Dinner. It’s December 25, and that means Chinese food and a movie: the Chinese food will be Kosher and the movie will be Dirty Dancing. In the summer of 1963, innocent 17-year-old Baby (Jennifer Grey) vacations with her parents at a Catskills resort. One evening, she is drawn to the staff quarters by stirring music, and there she meets Johnny (Patrick Swayze), the hotel dance instructor, who is as experienced as Baby is naive. She soon becomes Johnny's pupil in dance and love.

Director: Emile Ardolino | USA | 1987 | 100 min | English | Drama
For the full menu visit sdcjc.org.
Registration required by December 19, 2019

Seating: General Admission | Seat Map A | JCC Galleria
Tickets: Standard $38 | JCC Members $35 | Family 4-pack $100
All tickets include Glatt kosher Chinese dinner “Baby’s Jewishness is a huge part of her character...Baby, at her core, is haimish, and she spends most of the movie trying to convince others to be haimish too.” — The Forward

Dirty Dancing Film Screening & Chinese Dinner Add to Cart

Jews on the Chocolate Trail with Rabbi Deborah Prinz

Tuesday, January 14, 2020 | 7:00pm
Rehearsal Room
Lawrence Family JCC

Join Rabbi Deborah Prinz on the chocolate trail as we explore the surprising Jewish connections to chocolate in this gastronomic and historical adventure through cultures, countries, centuries and convictions. Rabbi Deborah Prinz draws from her world travels on the trail of chocolate to enchant chocolate lovers as she unravels Jewish specialization in the business of chocolate. A book signing will follow the event.

Seating: General Admission | Seat Map A | JCC Rehearsal Room
Tickets: Standard $18 | JCC Members $15

Jews on the Chocolate Trail with Rabbi Deborah Prinz Add to Cart

Add: On the Chocolate Trail: A Delicious Adventure Connecting Jews, Religions, History, Travel, Rituals and Recipes to the Magic of Cacao by Rabbi Deborah R. Prinz Add to Cart

Adam Davidson

Thursday, January 23, 2020 | 7:00pm
David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre
Lawrence Family JCC

Adam Davidson, the brilliant creator of NPR's Planet Money podcast and award-winning New Yorker staff writer, explains our current economy with a user’s guide to making it in the 21st century. He examines the fundamental question of why some people thrive and others do not. He offers new ways of making money, fresh paths toward professional fulfillment, and unprecedented opportunities to combine what people love with their careers. Included are everyday heroes telling exciting, relatable stories packed with useful insights. This groundbreaking book is an exciting read filled with important lessons that will teach readers how to find their unique place in the economy and do well by doing the things they love.

Seating: Reserved | Seat Map B
Tickets: Standard $18 | JCC Members $15
Premium $38 (includes one copy of The Passion Economy)
Premium JCC Members $33 (includes one copy of The Passion Economy)

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Klezmer Buenos Aires: The Lerner-Moguilevsky Duo

Wednesday, January 29, 2020 | 7:30 pm
David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre
Lawrence Family JCC

Direct from Argentina, this brilliant duo presents a stellar blend of klezmer, Argentinean folk music, tango and jazz improvisation. Their stunning virtuosity on flutes, bagpipe, duduk (wind instrument), clarinet, bass clarinet, soprano sax, harmonica, accordion, piano and percussion makes them sound more like an orchestra than a duet. For over two decades, they have brought audiences to their feet from Poland to Canada with breathtaking intensity.

"Surrender yourself to their ecstatic joy . . . dance with it. Moguilevsky and Lerner are your hosts, satisfaction guaranteed." Carlos Pages, Contumancia Magazine

Seating: Reserved | Seat Map B
Tickets: Standard $38 | JCC Members $33 | Premium $52 | Premium JCC Members $47

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Kevin Nealon: An Evening of Stand-up Comedy

Saturday, February 29, 2020 | 8:00pm
David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre
Lawrence Family JCC

As one of the longest-running cast members on NBC’s Saturday Night Live (1986-1995), Kevin Nealon created some of the show’s most memorable characters, including ‘The Subliminal Man’ and ‘Hans and Franz.’ Nealon’s recurring role as an anchor on ‘Weekend Update’ helped make the sketch a show staple. Nealon sets himself apart from other comedic performers with his unique sense of humor, dry wit and likeable demeanor. He has received critical acclaim for his role in the Showtime series, Weeds, and is currently seen as one of the stars on the CBS-TV comedy series Man With A Plan.

Seating: Reserved | Seat Map C
Tickets: Standard $38 | JCC Members $33
Premium $52 | Premium JCC Members $47
Premium + Meet-and-Greet following the performance $65
Premium JCC Members + Meet-and-Greet following the performance $55

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Tiffany Shlain

Friday, March 6, 2020 | 6:30 pm
David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre
Lawrence Family JCC

In 24/6 , Tiffany Shlain explores how turning off screens one day a week can work wonders on your brain, body, and soul.

Internet pioneer and renowned filmmaker Tiffany Shlain takes us on a provocative and entertaining journey through time and technology, introducing a strategy for living in our 24/7 world: turning off all screens for twenty-four hours each week. This practice, which she’s done for nearly a decade with her husband and kids (sixteen and ten), has completely changed their lives, giving them more time, productivity, connection, and presence. She and her family call it “Technology Shabbat.”

Seating: General Admission | Seat Map A
Tickets: Standard $18 | JCC Members $15

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Blue Like Me: The Art of Siona Benjamin
A Lecture with Film Screening

Wednesday, March 11, 2020 | 7:00pm
David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre
Lawrence Family JCC

Blue Like Me is a documentary that profiles Indian-American artist Siona Benjamin. Raised in the small Bene Israel Jewish community in Mumbai, India, Benjamin’s art fuses world religions with Eastern myths and Western pop culture to create vibrant new worlds. Blue Like Me travels with Siona to Mumbai, revisiting the Bene Israel Jews portrayed in her recent Fulbright project. A lecture with Siona Benjamin will follow the screening.

Seating: General Admission | Seat Map A
Tickets: Standard $18 | JCC Members $15

Blue Like Me: The Art of Siona Benjamin
A Lecture with Film Screening Add to Cart

Jacob Goldberg

Monday, March 16 - Wednesday, March 18, 2020 | 7:00 pm
David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre
Lawrence Family JCC

Professor Jacob Goldberg--a former senior advisor to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak--presents an annual three-day lecture series centered on the current political landscape in the ever-changing Middle East. The author of The Foreign Policy of Saudi Arabia, Goldberg has also been published in The New York Times and The Washington Post.

Seating: General Admission | Seat Map A
Tickets: Standard $28 | JCC Members $23
Series 3-pack $63 | JCC Members $52

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Koresh Dance Company Presents: La Danse
A new dance production inspired by Matisse’s famous painting “La Danse”

Wednesday, March 25, 2020 | 7:30 pm
David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre
Lawrence Family JCC

Koresh Dance Company was founded in 1991 by Israeli-born choreographer and artistic director Ronen (Roni) Koresh. Known for its engaging performance and technically superb dancers, the company performs critically acclaimed works at its biannual Philadelphia seasons, as well as in touring performances around the country. This production is a tender, joyful, passionate and humorous interpretation of Matisse’s three permutations of the painting, starting with “the joy of life” followed by the two versions of “La Danse.” They are danced to original music by John Levis and poetry by Karl Mullen.

“The most exciting dance experience I’ve ever seen in Philadelphia—and my life. … this, with its outstanding lighting and technically-honed music, was an experience I wholeheartedly advocate for anyone even slightly interested in dance.”
-Philadelphia Weekly

Seating: Reserved | Seat Map B
Tickets: Standard $38 | JCC Members $33 | Premium $52 | Premium JCC Members $47

Koresh Dance Company Presents: La Danse
A new dance production inspired by Matisse’s famous painting “La Danse” Add to Cart

Merima Kljuco The Sarajevo Haggadah: Music of the Book

Thurday, March 26, 2020 | 7:30pm
David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre
Lawrence Family JCC

Bosnian-born composer-performer Merima Kljuco's multimedia work for accordion, piano, and video traces the dramatic story of one of Jewish culture's most treasured manuscripts. Using the musical traditions of Spain, Italy, Austria, and Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kljuco illustrates and illuminates the Haggadah's travels from medieval Spain to 20th-century Bosnia, where it was hidden from the Nazis by a Muslim Imam during World War II, to its restoration by the National Museum in Sarajevo after the 1992-95 war. Inspired by People of the Book, the historical novel by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Geraldine Brooks, Kljuco creatively interprets this miraculous artifact as a universal symbol of exile, return, and co-existence. Featuring Merima Kljuco (accordion) and Seth Knopp (piano).
"Powerful music. An incredible story. Haunting images...Oozing from its every measure were palpable senses of the book's beauty and value and of the loss and human tragedies it has witnessed over half a millennium." -The Cleveland Plain Dealer

Seating: Reserved | Seat Map B
Tickets: Standard $38 | JCC Members $33 | Premium $52 | Premium JCC Members $47

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Bob Mankoff

Thursday, April 7, 2020 | 7:00 pm
David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre
Lawrence Family JCC

In HAVE I GOT A CARTOON FOR YOU! The Moment Magazine Book of Jewish Cartoons ,, Mankoff gathers his favorite Jewish cartoons – from his own collection as well as from 27 of the best cartoonists in America including Lars Kenseth, Amy Kurzweil and Robert Leighton. In the introduction to this entertaining collection, he shows how his Jewish heritage helped him to become a successful cartoonist, examines the place of cartoons in the vibrant history of Jewish humor, and plumbs Jewish thought, wisdom, and shtick for humorous insights. The book also features a foreword by the award-winning New Yorker cartoonist Roz Chast, as well as some of her cartoons.

Seating: General Admission | Seat Map A
Tickets: Standard $18 | JCC Members $15

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Fred Hersch: A Solo Piano Concert

Monday, April 13, 2020 | 7:30pm
David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre
Lawrence Family JCC

A select member of jazz’s piano pantheon, Fred Hersch is a pervasively influential creative force who has shaped the music’s course over more than three decades. He has been proclaimed “the most arrestingly innovative pianist in jazz over the last decade” by Vanity Fair, “an elegant force of musical invention” by The Los Angeles Times, and “a living legend” by The New Yorker. A 14-time Grammy nominee, Hersch has remained committed to exploring the possibilities and limits of solo piano improvisation. A solo performance by Hersch is an elegant, pensive and playful invitation to explore the possibilities of both the instrument and the song.
“When it comes to the art of solo piano in jazz, there are currently two classes of performers: Fred Hersch and everybody else.” -Dan Bilawsky, All About Jazz

Seating: Reserved | Seat Map B
Tickets: Standard $38 | JCC Members $33 | Premium $52 | Premium JCC Members $47

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Sandglass Theater Residency | Babylon (Journeys of Refugees)

Saturday, April 18, 2020 | 8:00pm
David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre
Lawrence Family JCC

For almost 40 years, Vermont’s acclaimed Sandglass Theater has been dedicated to the arts of theater and puppetry as a means of exploring contemporary issues, inspiring dialogue, and sparking wonder. The company visits with a series of programs focused around refugees. This action-packed, high energy production is Sandglass’ response to the worldwide refugee crisis. The work examines the relationship of refugees to their homelands, and the conflicts that exist within the American communities to which they have fled. Working with the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, Sandglass interviewed asylum-seekers to gain insight into their plight and the challenges of resettlement. Using puppets, moving panoramic scrolls, and original four-part choral songs, Babylon tells the stories of seven refugees at a metaphorical hearing about their need for asylum. Their stories intertwine: one of the refugees is a ghost; another is a voiceless caterpillar. The others come from Syria, Afghanistan, El Salvador, and Burundi. Babylon blends first-hand testimony with imaginary figures to give us a perspective on how we respond to the enormity of this crisis.

This project received support from the California Arts Council; WESTAF (the Western States Arts Federation); and the NEA (National Endowment for the Arts

Seating: Reserved | Seat Map B
Tickets: Standard $38 | JCC Members $33
Premium $52 | Premium JCC Members $47

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Sandglass Theater Residency | Don’t Rock the Boat: A Performance for Young Audiences

Sunday, April 19, 2020 | 11:00am
Astor Judaica Library
Lawrence Family JCC

For almost 40 years, Vermont’s acclaimed Sandglass Theater has been dedicated to the arts of theater and puppetry as means of exploring contemporary issues, inspiring dialogue, and sparking wonder. The company visits with a series of programs focused around refugees.
Don't Rock the Boat is a puppet show for young audiences exploring themes of refugees, inclusion and respectful curiosity. A man in a boat, alone at sea writing poems and observing his routines, finds his boat filling with new characters seeking shelter and a safer environment. They have fled war, fire and flood. As the man’s life changes to accommodate the newcomers, he meets conflict within himself about what they bring him that he didn't have before, what brought them to this situation, and what his responsibility towards these newcomers is. The piece gets young audiences thinking about what it means to be displaced and have to relocate, and it presents different attitudes and ideas about accepting someone who comes from another country or culture or who speaks a different language. Appropriate for ages 6 - 12.

This project received support from the California Arts Council; WESTAF (the Western States Arts Federation); and the NEA (National Endowment for the Arts

Seating: General Admission | Seat Map A | The Samuel and Rebecca Astor Judaica Library at the JCC
Tickets: Standard $15 | JCC Members $10

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Sandglass Theater Residency | Interactive Community Workshop Exclusively for High School Students

Monday, April 20, 2020 | 7:00pm
Teen Lounge
Lawrence Family JCC

For almost 40 years, Vermont’s acclaimed Sandglass Theater has been dedicated to the arts of theater and puppetry as a means of exploring contemporary issues, inspiring dialogue, and sparking wonder. The company visits with a series of programs focused around refugees. What does it take to get someone to safety? Join Sandglass Theater artists for an interactive workshop and discussion designed to engage audiences in the real-life stories and global political circumstances that inspired Babylon (Journeys of Refugees). Using an interactive board game format, cast members take participants through life in a refugee camp and the process of being granted refugee status. To portray the refugee experience and its inherent dangers, unfairness, and bureaucracy, Sandglass performers play the roles of border guards, smugglers, medical officers, and immigration interviewers who directly confront participants. Participants will experience the hopes, fears, discrimination, and occasional luck of people fleeing war and violence. Following the simulation, participants will engage in community dialogue about their experience.
Space is limited! Register today with Jason Lobenstein, Teen Director, jasonl@lfjcc.org.

This project received support from the California Arts Council; WESTAF (the Western States Arts Federation); and the NEA (National Endowment for the Arts

Seating: General Admission | Seat Map A | JCC Teen Lounge
Tickets: Standard $15 | CC Members $10

Sandglass Theater Residency | Interactive Community Workshop Exclusively for High School Students Add to Cart

Marc Cohn & Band in Concert

Thursday, April 23, 2020 | 7:30 pm
David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre
Lawrence Family JCC

After winning a Grammy for his soulful ballad “Walking in Memphis,” Marc Cohn solidified his place as one of this generation’s most compelling singer-songwriters, combining the precision of a brilliant tunesmith with the passion of a great soul man. Rooted in the rich ground of American rhythm and blues, soul and gospel, and possessed of a deft storyteller’s pen, he weaves vivid, detailed, often drawn-from-life tales that evoke some of our most universal human feelings: love, hope, faith, joy, heartbreak.

"One of the honest, emotional voices we need in this decade" -TIME magazine

"Marc is one of the most soulful, talented artists I know. I love his songs, he's an incredible singer, and I marvel at his ability to mesmerize every audience he plays for." -Bonnie Raitt

“Cohn has one of rock’s most soulful croons – a rich, immediately recognizable tenor that makes these songs his own.” -Rolling Stone

Seating: Reserved | Seat Map B
Tickets: Standard $38 | JCC Members $33
Premium $52 | Premium JCC Members $47

Marc Cohn & Band in Concert Add to Cart

Etgar Keret
Fly Already: Stories

Wedneday, May 13, 2020 | 7:00pm
David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre
Lawrence Family JCC

There’s no one like Etgar Keret. Beloved and renowned for his surreal, delightful short stories and his Cannes-winning work as a film director, the Israeli writer was just awarded the Sapir Prize, Israel’s most prestigious literary honor. Conspicuously diverging from the pioneers-and-politics narrative that is central to Israel’s literary style, Keret instead tells stories of love, loss and everyday neuroses. In Fly Already, his brilliant new collection, Keret's characters grapple with parenthood and family, war and games, marijuana and cake, memory and love. These stories never go to the expected place, but always surprise, entertain, and move. Book signing to follow.

“Etgar Keret is a genius…”-New York Times

“A brilliant writer…completely unlike any writer I know. The voice of the next generation.”
-Salman Rushdie

Presented in partnership with the Murray Galinson San Diego-Israel Initiative

Etgar Keret
Fly Already: Stories Add to Cart

Add: Fly Already: Stories by Etgar Keret Add to Cart

Liaisons2020: Re-Imagining Sondheim from the Piano Anthony de Mare, pianist

Thursday, May 21, 2020 | 7:30pm
David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre
Lawrence Family JCC

In celebration of Stephen Sondheim’s 90th birthday and following on the success of his widely acclaimed Liaisons, concert pianist and new-music champion Anthony de Mare brings Liaisons2020 to the stage. The brilliant songs of Sondheim find a second life as beguiling instrumentals in de Mare's concert and commissioning project. More than 45 prominent composers such as Steve Reich, Meredith Monk, Nico Muhly, Ethan Iverson, and Wynton Marsalis each re-imagine a favorite Sondheim song as a work for solo piano. The result is a set of fully realized works that use their original themes as springboards for invention and showcase de Mare's formidable talents at the keyboard.

"Not just inventive piano arrangements of the songs but new compositions written in the composers' own styles... It was fascinating to hear how [each] composer approached the song... I loved it." -The New York Times

"To hear composers take my work and take it seriously... it’s a thrill." -Stephen Sondheim

Seating: Reserved | Seat Map B
Tickets: Standard $38 | JCC Members $33 | Premium $52 | Premium JCC Members $47

Liaisons2020: Re-Imagining Sondheim from the Piano Anthony de Mare, pianist Add to Cart

Laurie Berkner in Concert

Sunday, May 31, 2020 | 11:00 am
David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre
Lawrence Family JCC

Children’s music icon Laurie Berkner brings her signature blend of whimsical lyrics and indie folk pop melodies to the Garfield Theatre in a solo show. Laurie’s hit songs like “We Are the Dinosaurs” and “Victor Vito” are featured on children’s networks Nick Jr. and Sprout, in Off-Broadway children’s musicals, and in children’s books. Be sure to catch the artist People magazine calls “the queen of children’s music” and the New York Times has dubbed “the Adele of the preschool crowd.” For children ages 2 and older. Children ages 15 and under are eligible for child prices.

"One of the most popular children's performers in America ... her music is distinctive because it speaks to kids without talking down to them, charming youngsters without boring grown-ups." -The Wall Street Journal

"Laurie Berkner is like a goddess to these children." -NPR's All Things Considered

Seating: Reserved | Seat Map B
JCC Member Tickets In advance: Child $15 (ages 15 & under) | Adult $25
Premium $45 includes artist meet-and-greet after the performance
JCC Member Tickets At the door: Child $20 (ages 15 & under) | Adult $30
Premium $50 includes artist meet-and-greet after the performance
Standard Tickets In advance: Child $20 (ages 15 & under) | Adult $30
Premium $50 includes artist meet-and-greet after the performance
Standard Tickets At the door: Child $25 (ages 15 & under) | Adult $35
Premium $55 includes artist meet-and-greet after the performance

Laurie Berkner in Concert Add to Cart

7th Annual 5-Minute Play Festival

Monday, June 8, 2020 | 7:00pm
Rehearsal Room
Lawrence Family JCC

Join us for the 7th Annual 5-Minute Play Festival, a staged reading series. You'll get a taste of comedies, tragedies and everything in between as professional San Diego actors transform scripts into theater, showcasing fresh, new playwrights that speak to Jewish identity, cultural experiences and values. This is an evening of laughter, inspiration and thought-provoking questions.
General Admission

Seating: General Admission | Seat Map A | JCC Rehearsal Room
Tickets: Standard $18 | JCC Members $15

7th Annual 5-Minute Play Festival Add to Cart