Editor’s note: Below, LABA fellow Marques Hollie discusses his project Go Down, Moshe, which explores the Passover story in light of American slavery. Hollie uses the term “enslaved people.” He explains: “the term ‘slaves’ allows others to distance themselves from the humanity and personhood each and every one of these people possessed.” The Hebrew Bible
Marques Hollie is an operatic tenor and facilitator of creative Jewish ritual with a focus on Jews of color. His LABA project, Go Down Moshe, is a solo show comprised of text from the Haggadah, Negro spirituals and devised slave narratives. (See an excerpt at LABALive on April 18, 2019, at the 14 Street Y
A lot of Jewish kids get incredibly excited about Purim. But in my own household growing up it wasn’t a big deal. My strongest — and indeed my only — childhood memory of Purim is when Rabbi Frishman of blessed memory read the scroll to us in Hebrew school. As you probably know, Haman is
The story of Adam and Eve conjures up so many dichotomies, so many grounds for sexism and for feminism, as well as awareness of the fallibility of all humans. It also gives us the first taste of transgender or gender fluidity when the Torah speaks both “male and female” as created in God’s image: So
By Mariano Wainsztein Born in Argentina and raised in Israel, LABA fellow Mariano Wainsztein is now a New York-based composer. He and his band the Ivankas will perform at LABAlive 2: LIFE + DEATH, Thursday, April 18th, 7.30pm at The Theater at the 14th Street Y. Get your tickets now. The Ivankas current song-cycle is
By Amy Handelsman Who honors the spaces left by the dead? This question is the guiding principle and raison d’être for Maya Ciarocchi, who brings honor to the lost spaces and the dead of Ożarów, Poland in her stirring multi-media art installation Site: Yizkor, recently shown in the lobby of the 14 Street Y as
Thursday, April 18, 2019 // 7.30pm The Theater at the 14th Street Y This LABA season, teacher Liel Leibovitz and fellows have been delving into Jewish texts about the very nature of existence. Our LABAlive series is you opportunity to experience the fellows’ groundbreaking, genre-breaking, and heartbreaking new work inspired by these studies. LABAlive 2
“I walk around New York City with my guitar,” says Yonatan Gutfeld. “That’s how I spend my days. I teach in pre-schools, music in Hebrew, and I perform at events for the Hebrew-speaking community.” Raised in Jerusalem, he studied the cello and served as pianist and singer in the Israeli Air Force band. He then
Created by Gili Getz Actor and Photographer Gili Getz presents a deeply personal one-man performance that explores the difficulty with the Israel conversation in the American Jewish community. While visiting Israel during the last Gaza war in 2014, Gili experienced difficulty talking about the path Israel is on with his father for the first time
Yehuda Hyman is a dancer, choreographer, actor, writer and LABA fellow (2013-14). He talked to Amy Handelsman, writer and LABA Fellow (2017-18) about his immigrant parents, growing up gay and Jewish, his career as an artist, and his new play, The Mar Vista: In Search of My Mother’s Love Life. Hyman wrote, directed, choreographed, and