Cool Jew Events: 5th Annual Picnic Fest

Events (subject to change)

6/20: Private evening event, Boston.

Stay tuned for deets for more upcoming events!

PAST EVENTS:

7/31: Berkeley Sneak Peak, Saul Kaye Concert at La Pena.

8/14: LA, Jewlicious/JConnect LA Tu B'Av Celebration and book signing, with a live concert by the Moshav band and performance by Smooth-E. Co-presented with Birthright Israel NEXT--Los Angeles, Jewcy, Jewish Agency, and ModernTribe.com.

8/25: SF Giants, Jewish Heritage Night Tailgate Party and book signing, sponsored by ChabadSF.org. 4:30 - 6:30 p.m, Parking Lot D, free. For tickets to Jewish Heritage Night at the SF Giants, call (415) 972-2239.

9/7: Picnic Fest, Joaquin Miller Park, Oakland. Join one of the largest San Francisco East Bay Jewish community annual events -- a day of free kosha eats, free entertainment, free beer & wine gardens and free raffle prizes, including an autographed copy of Cool Jew. Entertainment includes live performances by Lisa, the Ferris Wheels and Moshav. 11 am - 4 pm. More info.

9/10: Berkeley: Community-wide Cool Jew Book Launch. Kosher martini bar, dessert reception, goodie bags and other surprises and live performance by Meshugge Beach Party. Sponsored by Hadassah, co-presented by Congregation Beth El, Congregation Beth Israel, Congregation Netivot Shalom and Temple Beth Hillel. 7:30 pm, Congregation Beth El, 1301 Oxford, Berkeley. Free. Hasidic Hawaiian attire optional.

9/11: Saratoga, Calif. Hebrew High, 7 pm.

9/14: In-store appearance Bob & Bob Judaica,
4500 El Camino Real, Los Altos, CA 94022, (650) 947-4500,
info@bobandbobjudaica.com, 3 pm.

9/15: San Francisco, Calif., SF Federation, Diller Tikkun Olam Awards

9/16: Colgate University Jewish Book Fair, Persson Auditorium, 13 Oak Drive, Hamilton NY 13346, 7 pm.

9/23: West Palm Beach JCC and Gesher City

9/24: Houston JCC and Gesher City

9/25: Rice University Hillel

10/19: "Mine. Yours. Ours. Adventure into Jewish Identity," day-long symposium, Congregation Sherith Israel, 2266 California Street (corner Webster), San Francisco, CA 94115, (415) 346-1720. All advance registrations include a free copy of Cool Jew. Session on Cool Jew slated for 1:30 pm. Canceled--stay tuned for new spring sked.

10/26: Contra Costa Jewish Book Festival, Contra Costa JCC, 2071 Tice Valley Blvd., Walnut Creek. 7 pm. $12. www.jfed.org/book08

THE CANADA TOUR

10/30: Montreal Book Launch Party, sponsored by Montreal Hillel, the Federation's Young Adult Division and the Ghetto Shul in the heart of the student ghetto east McGill University. The Ghetto Shul, 3458 Avenue du Parc (just south of Milton). No host bar, music, book signing and more, 7:30 p.m. Note time change. For more info, write ghettoshul@gmail.com.

11/2: Meet & Greet, Q&A, Book Signing, Indigo Bookstore in Yorkdale Mall, Toronto, 7 pm. Co-presented by The Jewish Magazine and JUMP.

11/3: Cool Jew Cabaret & Reception showcasing local Cool Jew talent. The evening begins with a 6 pm reception at the Koffler Gallery, together with the 7th annual Bookmark Project-- featuring artist-designed bookmarks selected from an open call, on display and inserted clandestinely into books at the 32nd annual Jewish Book Fair of the Koffler Centre of the Arts. Leah Posluns Theatre, 4588 Bathurst Street, Toronto, 6 - 8 pm, $10. Co-presented by Hillel of Greater Toronto, The Jewish Magazine and Pages Books and Magazine.

11/5: Martinis & Chocolate Night, Jewish Book Fair at the Valley of the Sun JCC, 12701 N. Scottsdale Rd. #203, Scottsdale, Arizona, 85254, 7 pm. $20 for JCC & Hadassah members; $25 for non-Members.

11/6: "Cool Jews: Books, Films, Festivals." Panel discussion and dessert reception in honor of the release of Cool Jew: The Ultimate Guide for Every Member of the Tribe. Panelists include Cool Jew author Lisa Alcalay Klug, Israeli filmmaker Dan Katzir ("Yiddish Theater: A Love Story," "Out for Love, Be Back Shortly") and Rabbi Yonah Bookstein, co-founder Jewlicious Festivals. Book signing, film glimpses, kosher martini bar (I.D. required) & dessert reception. Co-sponsored by Beach Hillel and UCLA Hillel's Alumni Association, 7:30 pm. Free.

11/9: Celebration of Jewish Books Day-Long Festival, American Jewish University, with more than 30 authors. Lisa presents 12:30 - 1:15 pm, Room 307. Tickets and more information and the day's full schedule of authors, entertainment and more listed at http://www.ajula.edu/cob or call (310) 440-1246, AJU Familian Campus, 15600 Mulholland Drive, Bel Air, CA 9077. Tickets $15. During the Sunday festival, complimentary shuttle service is available from dedicated parking lots at Valley Beth Shalom in Encino and the Federal Building at 11000 Wilshire Blvd. in Westwood (Lot C off Veteran Blvd.) Limited pre-paid premium parking is available for $10 in lots near the University. To obtain a placard with lot location, advance reservations are required. Call (310) 440-1246 for handicapped and premium parking arrangements.

11/10: Panel discussion and book signing with Lisa, author Frances Dinkelspiel (Towers of Gold: How One Jewish Immigrant Named Isaias Hellman Created California) and filmmaker Yoav Potash (Life Sentence) to celebrate the release of Cool Jew and Towers of Gold. Co-sponsored by UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, the Judah L. Magnes Museum and UC Berkeley Library's Jewish Studies Collection. Northgate Hall, UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism Library. 6 pm, kosher eats. Free.

11/12: Girls Night Out! Jewish Book Fair at the David Posnack Jewish Community Center, 5850 S. Pine Island Road, Davie, Florida, 7:30 pm.

11/13: SF Launch Party. Join this extravagant one-night festival of Jewish creativity combining a book signing, film screenings, a panel discussion with local artists and innovators featured in the book, a dance party with live music and spoken-word performances and a DJ spinning contemporary Jewish rap, klezmer punk and hip hop tunes. A charity raffle of hip Jewish swag will support Israeli victims of terror, kosher refreshments will be on tap and an unprecedented Heebster marketplace will include books, T-shirts, music and more. Sponsored by The Hub of SFJCC Launch Party, co-presented with Bay Area Tribe -- Birthright Israel NEXT--San Francisco and Jewlicious. Panel discussion, live performances, charity raffle and more. 111 Minna Gallery, 111 Minna Street, San Francisco, 9 pm. Tickets: $12 in advance, $18 at the door. For tickets, and more information, call The Hub hotline at (415) 276-1509.

11/16: University of Michigan Hillel, 1429 Hill Street, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 7 pm. Co-sponsored by the Ann Arbor JCC.

11/17: Jewish Book Fair, Barbara & Ray Alpert JCC, 3801 East Willow St., Long Beach, CA 90815, (562) 426-7601, 7 pm.

11/18: "Bonus Author Event," Lisa in conversation with Rabbi Simcha Weinstein, author of Shtick Shift: Jewish Humor in the 21st Century. St. Louis Jewish Book Festival of the Jewish Community Center, 6:30 pm. Steinberg Hall in the Sam Fox Architecture Building on the Washington University campus. Presented in conjuction with GesherCity, Hillel and YPD. $10. For more information, visit stlouisjewishbookfestival.org, (314) 442-3299.

11/19: New York City, American Sefardi Federation Young Artists Series: combo performance, panel and party with Lisa, Sarah Aroeste--Ladino chanteuse--and DJ Diwon aka Erez Safar, founder and director of Shemspeed.com, Modular Moods, Hip Hop Sulha and the Sefardic Music Festival. American Sefardi Federation, 8 West 40 Street, New York, NY 10018.

11/20: New York Launch Party. Lisa will perform spoken word from her book, followed by a Jewish Rock Showcase with live performances. Special guests include Dov Rosenblatt of Blue Fringe, Rav Shmuel, Chana Rothman, Basya Schecter of Pharoah's Daughter, the Goddess Pearlman of Nice Jewish Girls Gone Bad, Naomi Less of Jewish Chicks Rock, Sarah Aroeste and her Ladino rock band, Michelle Citrin aka Rosh Hashanah Girl and spoken word performance by poet Matthue Roth. Artists will be available to autograph CDs and books for sale, wine will be served and a marketplace will feature Heebster swag. 334 Amsterdam Ave., New York, NY 10023, (646) 505-5700, 7:30 pm. Free.

11/21: Minneapolis Shabbaton, Hillel at University of Minnesota. Shabbat services and dinner. Free for students; $18 for non-students. 1521 University Avenue SE, For more information, please visit ujews.com, call (612) 379-4026 or email sroutman (at) umn.edu.

11/25: New York City -- book reading and signing at Sherith Israel, the Spanish Portugese Synagogue. Co-sponsored by Birthright Israel NEXT. 2 West 70th Street, at Central Park West, 7:15 pm.

12/1: Sixth & I Historic Synagogue, 600 I Street, Washington D.C. 20001, (202) 408-3100. Co-presented by Birthright Israel NEXT, Zeek and Moment magazine. 7 pm

12/2: The Conservative Synagogue of Westport, Weston and Wilton, Connecticut.

12/3: Tenement Talks: Night of Jewish Humor with Lisa, Simcha Weinstein and Rob Tannenbaum at the Tenement Museum on Manhattan's Lower East Side at 7 pm. This talk is free and held at 108 Orchard. Seating is limited & available on a first-come, first serve basis. Please RSVP to events(at)tenement.org. Complimentary He'Brew Beer and kosher pickle tasting. BYOP (pretzels, peanuts, pirogies...)

12/5 -6: Shabbaton at Congregation B'nai Avraham, 117 Remsen Street, Brooklyn Heights, 11201. Dinner reservations, $25, Levana, (718) 596-4840, x. 18.

12/7: Toledo, Northwest Ohio Jewish Book Fair Hannukah Palooza & Latke Fest. 10 - 11 am. A community-wide celebration and concert with activities revolving around Hanukkah traditions, including latkes, dreidel, and sufganiyot. Admission is free. Donations of children's clothing, particularly new socks, underwear, and coats, will be accepted at the door and distributed to needy families. Temple Shomer Emunim 6453 Sylvania Ave. Sylvania.

12/11: Borders, Century City Mall, Los Angeles, in-store reading and signing, 7 pm

12/18: Taste of LimmudLA, 7:30 - 9:30 pm, West LA

December 13 is a great opportunity to answer that perplexing question: "Just what is LimmudLA all about?" The next event in our continuing Taste of LimmudLA series will take place from 7:30 to 9:30 PM in West LA. On the agenda:

Lisa Alcalay Klug - "Jewish Cultural Revival"
Edward Goldman - "The Arts"
Rebecca Rosen - Jewish Yoga "NefeshBliss"
Rabbi Jason Weiner - Text Study

RSVP to taste (at) limmudla.org to receive more details.

12/19: "Good Friends, Good Times, Good Food, Good Shabbos" Shabbat Dinner at Young Israel Century City. Davening 4:30 pm. Eats at 6 pm. $29 per person. Reservations required. RSVP to LAShabbos (at) yahoo dot com.

12/23: Third Night of Chanukah, Candle Lighting and Reading, Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera, CA 94925, (415) 927-0960, (800) 999-7909.

1/8: Women's Division of the Jewish Federation, Kansas City, Missouri. Adults $8, students free. Congregation Beth Torah, 6100 W. 127th. St, Overland Park, KS 66209. 7:30 pm.

1/9: Manhattan Jewish Experience, Upper East Side, Shabbat Dinner. Lisa was the featured speaker at this Shabbat Dinner for young professionals. Rabbi Jonathan Feldman wrote, "Your personal anecdotes were very touching. You have a real gift of speaking in public; it is very kind of you to share it with us."

1/13-14: New York City, Shmooze Conference. Lisa led a discussion for artists and writers andemceed an artists' showcase.

1/16 - 1/19: Limmud NY, Catskills. Lisa presented "COOL JEW. Jew got questions? Jew got answers!"

1/22: Breathe Books, Baltimore 7 - 8:30 pm. Please call 410-235-READ (7323) to register for classes. Breathe proprieter Susan Weis wrote, "We had some really great events last week! Lisa Alcalay Klug's Cool Jew presentation was surprisingly poignant, historical and fun."

2/13 - 2/16: Limmud LA. Lisa is scheduled to present two sessions: "Jewish Cultural Revival" and "On Being A Cool Jew."

2/24: Rosh Chodesh Adar, Festive book talk at Congregation Beth Israel in Berkeley, Calif. 7 pm. Free.

2/25: Opening reception for The Dorothy Saxe Invitational at the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco: "New Works/Old Story: 80 Artists at the Passover Table." The exhibit debuts the work of a wide variety of artists, including Lisa's submission. The exhibit runs Feb. 27 - June 2, 2009.

2/27-3/1: Jewlicious Festival, Alpert JCC, Long Beach, Calif. Lisa will give a book talk, sign and celebrate with the chevre at this weekend long youth/arts festival. The first 500 to arrive receive a free copy of Cool Jew!

3/11: Club Fed "Tikkun Olam" program, San Francisco Jewish Federation, 6:30 - 9 pm

3/15: UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism Alumni Weekend Book Panel, 11:30 am - 12:30 pm

3/18: Congregation Shomrei Torah, Santa Rosa, 7 pm

3/24: Hillel at SUNY Rockland's Center for Jewish Life/ Hillel, RCC Student Union 3214, 145 College Road, Suffern, New York. More info: 845-574-4422; doliver (at) sunyrockland (dot) edu

4/21 - 25: "Practicing Jews: Art, Identity and Culture," The Conney Conference on Jewish Arts, Univ. of Wisconsin. "Cool Jews" program with Lisa Alcalay Klug and Maya Escobar at the Chazen Museum at the Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison. 7:30 pm. Free.

4/27: Private class for 20s and 30s on Manhattan's Upper West Side. 8:30 p.m. Free. Contact Lisa for details.

5/1: "Cool Jew" session at the Beit Rabban Writer's Workshop on Manhattan's Upper West Side. Target audience? Fourth graders!

5/5: Breathe Books Encore Performance, Baltimore, 7 - 8:30 pm. Please call 410-235-READ (7323) to register for classes.
Says proprieter Susan Weis, "Lisa’s event here in January was such a hit that she’s coming back! Don’t miss her this time – or come back for more! Lisa offers a wonderful presentation of trivia and history of Jews around the world and is both funny and moving. (Elvis’ mother was Jewish? Go know!) The conclusion is that it’s very cool to be a Jew. Lisa is not only cool, she’s delightful."

5/6: Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley, JFLV Women's Division Spring Event. The JFLV Women’s Division Dollar-a-Day Spring Event is an annual event for donors to the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley Annual Campaign who contribute at least $365. This year’s program focuses on Jewish kitsch as a compliment to a presentation by Lisa Alcalay Klug, author of “Cool Jew: A Guide for Every Member of the Tribe.” Participants are encouraged to bring Jewish kitsch items along to the program for an adult ‘show and tell’. Attendees will also enjoy ‘noshes’ of gastronomic delight. 7 - 9:30 pm, Jewish Community Center of Allentown, 702 N. 22^nd Street, Allentown, PA 18104. For more information, contact Judy Diamondstein, (610) 821-5500, judy (at) jflv (dot) org.

5/11: New York Public Library, Morningside Heights, 6 pm
2900 Broadway [at W. 113th St.], New York, NY 10025-7822.
(212) 864-2530, morningside (at) nypl (dot) org.

5/24: New Moon Celebrations, Afikomen Judaica, 3042 Claremont Ave., Berkeley CA 94705, (510) 655-1977.

5th Annual Picnic Fest

Join one of the largest San Francisco East Bay Jewish community annual events -- a day of free kosha eats, free entertainment, free beer & wine gardens and free raffle prizes, including an autographed copy of Cool Jew, in beautiful Joaquin Miller Park in the Oakland Hills.

Entertainment includes live performances by Lisa, the Ferris Wheels and Moshav. 11 am - 4 pm. More info.

Directions to Joaquin Miller Park

Sponsors include Hagafen Cellars, Haagen-Dazs, SemiFreddi's, Arrowhead Spring Water, Thirsty Bear and Hurry Date. Organized by the Young Leadership Division and the Jewish Community Federation of the Greater East Bay. With special thanks to Tova Grunes and Dan Haut. Shakoiyach!

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Events (subject to change)

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5th Annual Picnic Fest