Editor’s Picks:
AN INTIMATE NIGHT WITH MATISYAHU
It’s been a long, strange trip for the reggae-rap (and formerly Chabad) star Matisyahu. Along the way, the singer set a standard for blending charedi themes with hip-hop beat-boxing sounds. His latest recording, 2017’s “Undercurrent,” landed 13 years after his first release, and the names of the tunes give you a sense of where the shape-shifter has been: “Step Out into the Light,” “Coming Up Empty,” “Forest of Faith” and “Driftin’.” The “Undercurrent” band features guitarist Aaron Dugan, Dub Trio bassist and percussionist Stu Brooks and Joe Tomino, and keyboardist Big Yuki. — Friday, Feb. 1, 8 p.m., City Winery, 155 Varick St., (212) 608-0555, citywinery.com.
NAKED LORE
“A soundtrack to the folktales your great-grandparents vowed to forget”: That’s how the website of the group Naked Lore Trio characterizes its approach. The group is led by trumpeter/composer Ben Holmes (Tarras Band, Klez Dispensers, Ben Holmes & Patrick Farrell Duo) and features Brad Shepik on guitar and Shane Shanahan on percussion. The music flows between sinuous klezmer-based melodies and improvisations inspired by everything from Balkan brass band music to “Olé Coltrane.” This special duo performance features Holmes and Shepik. Part of the NY Klezmer Series, the concert will be preceded by an instrumental workshop and followed by a jam session. — Thursday, Feb. 7, 6:30-8 p.m. workshop, 8:30 p.m. concert, 9:45-11:45 p.m. jam session, Town & Village Synagogue, Social Hall, 334 E. 14th St., nyklezmer.com.
INTERNATIONAL LADINO DAY
Ladino was the mother tongue of Jews in the Ottoman Empire for 500 years, as well as the language of Sephardim worldwide in the early 20th century. Today, Ladino is only spoken by a small fraction of Sephardim but interest in it is resurging. The Second Annual International Ladino Day features a diverse group of authors and musicians, including composer Avi Amon and his musical fantasy, Salonika; the Alhambra Ensemble’s Songs of Courtship, Love and Holidays; clarinetist Danny Elias; author Jane Mushabac; scholar Bryan Kirschen; Rabbi Nissim Elnecavé and more. — Sunday, 2 p.m., Feb. 10, Center for Jewish History, 15 W. 16th St., (212) 294-8301, cjh.org.
Theater
OUT OF THE DEPTHS
Based on the life of S. Ansky, this staged reading of Chaim Potok’s play roams through various scenes in Ansky’s life to show us how, against a backdrop of war and revolution, his masterpiece “The Dybbuk” has evolved. Directed by David Bassuk and introduced by Rena Potok, the late writer’s daughter, the performance celebrates the publication of “The Collected Plays of Chaim Potok,” edited by Rena Potok. A book signing follows the program. — Feb. 3, 2 p.m., Center for Jewish History, 15 W. 16th St., (800) 838-3006, potok.bpt.me.
MAESTRO
Eve Wolf’s “Maestro” brings to life the story of legendary conductor Arturo Toscanini and his brave opposition to fascism. His refusal to perform in Italy and Germany, and his trips to Palestine to conduct an orchestra made up of Jewish refugees, made headlines around the world. John Noble stars as the maestro. A presentation of Ensemble for the Romantic Century. — The Duke on 42nd Street, 229 W. 42nd St., tickets.dukeon42.org. Through Feb. 9.
Film
THE GOLEM
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A tight-knit Jewish community is besieged by foreign invaders. Turning to Jewish mysticism, a member of the community conjures a dangerous creature to protect her and her people. However, her creation may be more evil than she ever imagined. Screening followed by Q&A with director Doron Paz and cast member. — Monday, Feb. 4, 9 p.m., Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan, 334 Amsterdam Ave., (646) 505-4444, jccmanhattan.org.
TO DUST
Director Shawn Snyder’s dark buddy comedy tracks an unlikely friendship between a biology teacher (Matthew Broderick) and a grieving chasidic widower (Geza Rohrig), as they explore the decomposition process of his late wife. — Tuesday, Feb. 5, 7 p.m., Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan, 334 Amsterdam Ave., (646) 505-4444, jccmanhattan.org.
Music
ISRAEL PHILHARMONIC AT CARNEGIE HALL
The Israel Phil returns to Carnegie Hall for a program led by Maestro Zubin Mehta, in his grand finale performance with this orchestra in New York City. Mehta has led the orchestra since 1969 and will step down as music director later this year. Violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman performs Beethoven, Kreisler, Pártos and John Williams with the orchestra on the first half of the program, which concludes with Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6. — Sunday, Feb. 3, 2 p.m., Carnegie Hall, 57th St.and Seventh Ave. carnegiehall.org.
ASAF YURIA SEXTET
After playing alongside Israeli jazz pioneers Omer Avital (bass) and Anat Cohen (saxophone-clarinet), Israeli-born saxophonist Yuria leads his own straight-ahead jazz quintet in a repertoire of familiar tunes from the swing and jazz traditions, alongside original works. — Wednesday, Feb. 6, 10:30 p.m., Smalls Live, 183 W. 10th St., (646) 476-4346, smallslive.com.
KADAWA
The members of the Kadawa trio — Tal Yahalom on guitar, Almog Sharvit on bass and Ben Silashi on drums — perform quirky tunes drawing from jazz, rock, cinema and literature. — Monday, Feb. 4, 9 p.m., Rockwood Music Hall, 196 Allen St., rockwoodmusichall.com
YOTAM BEN-OR QUARTET
Ben-Or, an Israeli-American harmonica player and composer, fronts a quartet that plays jazz informed by Israeli folk song. His compositions are highly melodic and often wistful, an emotion his harmonica is particularly well suited for. — Sunday, Feb. 10, 10 p.m., Rockwood Music Hall, 196 Allen St., (212) 477-4155, rockwoodmusichall.com.
Dance
TO CREATE A WORLD
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Andrea Miller, inventive choreographer and artistic director of the Israeli dance troupe Gallim, presents the world premiere of “To Create a World.” The movement language in the ambitious piece takes audiences from a pre-human past to a post-human future. — Tuesday, Feb. 12-Sunday, Feb. 17, The Joyce Theatre, 175 Eighth Ave., (212) 242-0800, joyce.org.
Talk
A CONVERSATION WITH BARI WEISS
Lincoln Square Synagogue and UJA-Federation host a conversation with New York Times op-ed editor and writer Bari Weiss. She’ll share her nuanced take on Israel, anti-Semitism and the American political and cultural landscape. — Wednesday, Feb. 6, 6 p.m., Lincoln Square Synagogue, 180 Amsterdam Ave., (212) 874-6100, lss.org. $10 member/$18 non-member.
A LITERARY EVENING
Andre Aciman (“Call Me by Your Name,” “Enigma Variations”) and Debra Granik, director of Oscar-nominated “Winter’s Bone,” discuss the art of adapting literature to film. The evening will also include readings from the winners of the Moment Magazine-Karma Foundation 2018 Short Fiction Contest. — Thursday, Feb. 7, 7-9 p.m., Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan, 334 Amsterdam Ave., jccmanhattan.org. $15.
BERNARD-HENRI LEVY
The provocative French intellectual BHL looks at the state of world politics today, in conversation with historian and author Simon Schama. — Wednesday, Feb. 13, 7 p.m., 92nd Street Y, 1395 Lexington Ave., 92y.org. $40.
MADELEINE ALBRIGHT AND ABIGAIL POGREBIN
Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright’s new book, “Fascism: A Warning,” looks at fascism’s past and its resurgent present. She’ll be interviewed by author Abigail Pogrebin. — Friday, Feb. 1, noon, Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan, 334 Amsterdam Ave., (646) 505-4444, jccmanhattan.org.
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