Metro Briefs December 13

Metro Briefs December 13

Pittsburgh Jewish Music Festival will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a free concert, Monday, Dec. 17, 8 p.m., at Rodef Shalom Congregation, featuring the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s concert master Noah Bendix-Balgley, pianist Rodrigo Ojeda, and PJMF director and cellist Aron Zelkowicz.

The performance will be part of the Music at Rodef Shalom Concert Series.

The PJMF has also released its lineup for its 2013 concert series, — The Dybbuk: Between Two Worlds — a multimedia chamber opera by Israeli composer Ofer Ben-Amots based on the classic Yiddish play, to be performed as part of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s Music for the Spirit Festival April 25 and 28.

The performance will feature the works from the St. Petersburg Society for Jewish Folk Music, focusing on works for violin, cello and piano by Joseph Achron and Alexander Krein.

Bendix-Balgley will make his first Pittsburgh appearance as a klezmer violinist, playing tunes such as “Koloymeyke” and “Der Heyser Bulgar.”  He appeared previously appeared with such klezmer groups as Brave Old World, and has taught klezmer violin in workshops in Europe and the United States.

The concert also will feature a world premiere of a new piano trio by Pittsburgh composer David Stock, “Fun der alte welt” (“From the Old World”) is based on familiar Yiddish tunes such as “Der Rebbe Tanzen” and “Oyfn Pripetchik.”

PSO cellists David Premo, Mikhail Istomin, and Michael Lipman also will join the performance.

Admission is free, and a reception will follow the concert.

BBYO Connect eighth-graders can continue their journey with BBYO and become members of BBYO’s high school fraternity and sorority, AZA and BBG. Teens can register now and become official members Jan. 1, 2013.

BBYO Keystone Mountain Region, the local branch of BBYO, serves nearly 400 Jewish teens in Pittsburgh through eight democratically functioning small chapters. These chapters host a variety of communitywide social, advocacy, spiritual and service events throughout the academic year. A new chapter will open in Morgantown, W.Va., this year.

To register or to learn more about the chapters and programs within the region, contact Chuck Marcus, senior program director at 412-421-2626 or cmarcus@bbyo.org.

The Ladies Auxiliary met with Rabbi Eli Seidman to discuss the projects they will sponsor at the Jewish Association on Aging in 2013.

Officially disbanded, the JAA Ladies Auxiliary continues to sponsor projects for the residents twice a year with funds from their treasury. Ladies Auxiliary has funded projects that include specialized materials for rehabilitation, such as two tables they most recently donated, materials for the visually and hearing impaired and hair dryers.

The committee of Ladies Auxiliary/ Pastoral Care, which still accepts donations, is made up of former Ladies Auxiliary members. They are Ruth Markowitz, president; Lila Horowitz; Rae Felder; Cyna Glatstein; Mary Meyo; and Shirley Stein.

Squirrel Hill AARP Chapter 3354 will hold its Wednesday, Dec. 19, meeting at New Light Synagogue, 1700 Beechwood Blvd. at Forbes Avenue, Squirrel Hill, at 1 p.m.

Following the business meeting, a holiday luncheon will be held; the community is invited.

Contact Frieda D. Safyan at 412-521-2804 for more information.

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