About LABA

LABA :

The National Laboratory for New Jewish Culture

LABA seeks to transform the Jewish cultural landscape by placing artists at the center of communal institutions as leaders, innovators, role models, and sources of inspiration. Artists and culture makers of the lab serve as exemplars of grappling honestly and creatively with tradition and identity – strong voices that challenge conventional assumptions and advance new paradigms for Jewish life and contemporary culture, offering invaluable sources of artistic impact at the heart of Jewish infrastructure.

The name LABA defines this model as a dynamic, innovative, and experimental cultural LABoratory: The Hebrew meaning of the program name “LABA” is ”lava,” reflecting the aspiration of the program to become a unique catalyst moving from the center outwards in a rippling affect, transforming lives of artists and communities on a local and national scale, and creating a new cultural typography.

The 14th Street Y, a Jewish Community Center in the East Village, is a vital neighborhood resource that welcomes people of all backgrounds. We provide a variety of programs with a distinctive downtown point of view, emphasizing excellence, innovation, creativity, and a questioning spirit. We are inspired by Tikkun Olam, or repair of the world, in all that we do: a value that represents and renews the vitality of our Jewish heritage and its place in our diverse and vibrant community. The 14th Street Y is part of a network of 80 programs at 32 sites provided by The Educational Alliance for all residents of Downtown Manhattan.

In 2008-09, the 14th Street Y will be focusing on the theme of The Body as part of a partnership of study and dialog with Alma College, Tel Aviv. LABA Artists are asked that the variety of texts employed in study and dialog throughout the year influence their work.

This Fall we are launching LABA -The National Laboratory of New Jewish Culture,with three signature programs:

• Artists-in-Residence Program



• Membership program



• The Girls Theater Project

Artists-in-Residence Program

We seek artists of the highest caliber for this exclusive program –artists of all interests and backgrounds –eager to delve into the Jewish concept of group study and discussion of text as part of creating new, outstanding work inspired by the resources of the communal setting that LABA at the 14th Street Y offers. Text study will form the basis of group meetings drawing from a variety of sources – contemporary art, and biblical, traditional, and secular sources across media, focusing this year on the theme of The Body.

LABA artists-in-residence will develop and produce a unique art project that engages with the study component and with core 14 Street Y community center programs. Each artist will receive a budget of $15,000 as well on-going professional support and counsel in order to realize his or her project in the most professional manner possible.

LABA: The National Laboratory for New Jewish Culture engages the merit of a discussion format as a dynamic platform for cultural exchange, and believes that the artwork that resulting from the creative process it entails will generate critical creative and programmatic impact on educational programming at the Y –benefiting the 14th Street Y community, the artists, and the general public.

*The LABA Artists-in-Residence Program is by invitation only and does not accept unsolicited applications at this time.

Artists Membership Program

The 14th Street Y’s Artists Membership Program gathers a group of highly selected artists from various media and cultural backgrounds who share a passion for cultural, spiritual, and professional dialogue, and who will help to cultivate a vital artistic community based on study, artistic exchange, and professional development.

The Membership Program explores the creation and presentation of contemporary art and performance in relationship to a pluralistic vocabulary of Jewish text and experience, contemporary culture, and cross-cultural references. The program functions as a cultural incubator, nested in the heart of the National Laboratory for New Jewish Culture at the 14th Street Y. The Membership Program uses the facilities of the Y for exploration and public display of art work as well as a rich social setting as a network to empower artists' work and vision.

The Membership Program believes in the central role of artists in the wider community and one of its primary missions is to support this role by providing the following tools:

- 10 group sessions, 4 hours long. Sessions include study, critique, dialogue, interdisciplinary exercises, and presentations.

- Curricular and other collaborations with Alma College of Tel Aviv.

- 3 master classes with established artists.

- 2 Sessions of art critique.

- 2 seminars on the fundamentals of art and the marketplace. Topics include portfolio and audience building; marketing; networking; securing space and representation; techniques of creative collaboration; and time management.

- Culminating Art Festival in which new work of LABA artists will be presented. The LABA Art festival will engage the local community and New York art world professionals.

The Faculty for this program includes a group of established working artists from various media that have been deeply engaged in cultivating alternative artistic ventures in New York City and abroad, both teaching as well as presenting their work.

* The LABA Artists Membership Program is open to artists ages 20-50. Application deadline: October 15 . Please see below for application and more information on the selection process.

The Girls Theater Project

The Girls Theater Project will use the transformative medium of theater to support teenage girls' exploration of themselves, imagining their future selves, connecting them to their Judaism and reinforcing their self-value.

Lead by renowned playwright and educator Joyce Klein, the Girls Theater Project will create an original piece of theater that attempts to present the reality of being a 10-15 year old Jewish girl today, addressing questions of independence, empowerment and personal identity. The original production will be filmed as will interviews and workshops leading up to and in support of the production for a DVD that will be readily accessible to the public via website.

* Application process is now open. Please see below fow application, or email GirlsTheater@14thStreetY.org for more information.

For more information on LABA programs,

or the 14th Street Y as a whole:

Anat Litwin, Associate Director of LABA – The National Laboratory for New Jewish Culture

anat_litwin@14streety.org

Tel: 212.780-0800 X276

Application for The Girls Theater Project

is Now Open!

About the Project:

The Girls Theater Project will use the transformative medium of theater to support girls' exploration of themselves, imagining their future selves, connecting them to their Judaism and reinforcing their self-value.

Helmed by renowned playwright and educator Joyce Klein, the Girls Theater Project will create an original piece of theater that attempts to present the reality of being a Jewish girl today, and that addresses questions of independence, empowerment and personal identity. The original production will be filmed, as will interviews and workshops leading up to and in support of the production, for a DVD that will be readily accessible to the public via website.


Call for Application:

We are now undertaking outreach to New York City, Long Island and Westchester public, private and Jewish day schools; JCC’s; summer camps; and the myriad of community organizations with which we have relationships.

We are seeking 15-20 girls, aged 12 – 17, from different cultural backgrounds, both affiliated and non affiliated Jews, to be part of the project. These girls will take part in workshops and interviews which will form the basis of the production; they will then become the cast and crew of the production, which will premiere in June 2009.


The first auditions will take place on Sunday, Nov 9 at 2 pm. Workshops will begin on November 15 and continue on Sunday afternoons and Tuesday early evenings through mid-January 2009. Rehearsals will begin in early April and continue through showcase performances in June, 2009 during this school year.

Requirements:

Honesty and a sense of humor
Opinions, thoughts and ideas that you are willing to talk about in a safe environment
Interest in and willingness to explore your Jewish identity – whatever that means to you
Enthusiasm for drama and theater – previous experience a plus!
Preferred: Girls with some performance experience (theater, dance, music, etc. – school and informal settings are fine!)

Commitments:

Participation in all workshops, twice a week.
Participation in all rehearsals and showcase performances ( and/or backstage work on the production)


Auditions:

Auditions for the Girls Theater Project will take place on Nov 9th , 2008 at the 14th Street Y at 2 pm. The audition will last approximately 2 hours. Additional slots will be added if necessary. Please RSVP at GirlsTheater@14thStreetY.org and sens us a filled audition form and a picture of yourself.


The Girls Theatre Project is part of LABA :The National Laboratory for New Jewish Culture of the 14th Street Y. please visit labaprogram.blogspot.com


The Girls Theater Project is funded by the Jewish Women’s Foundation of New York.




AUDITION FORM - GIRLS THEATER PROJECT (GTP)

In order to RSVP to the GTP Auditions on October 28th please email us the filled form below together with a headshot of yourself (4" x 4", 200 DPI) to girlstheater@14streety.org . We will send you an email confirmation.

Name:

Address:

School:

Grade: Age:

Email address:

Phone number:

Please describe any drama and/or performance experience:


Other relevant skills (musical instrument, etc.):


THE METAPHOR GAME: Please answer the following questions, including a brief explanation of each answer. Answers should be about who you are, NOT about what you look like!

There are no wrong answers.

Example:
If you were a color, what color would you be?
Purple, because purple is made up of more than one color. Also, purple is unusual but not weird or annoying.

If you were an animal, what animal would you be?

If you were a season, which season would you be?

If you were a Jewish holiday, which holiday would you be?

If you were a place on earth, what place would you be?

If you were an item on a restaurant menu, what would the description say?


THANK YOU!

Application for LABA Membership Program

now open for applications !

General Information:

The LABA membership program will begin on Sun, November 23rd, 2008, 5:30 - 9:30 pm, and will take place on the following Sunday evenings throughout the year: Dec 7, Dec 21, Jan 4, Jan 18, Feb 8, Feb 22, March 8, March 22, April 5, April 19, 5:30 - 9:30 pm.

The culminating LABA festival will take place on April 26, 2009.

Artists are requested to submit the following materials as part of their application, received by the 14th Street Y by October 15:

- CV

- Short Art Statement

- Your influence, interests, and artistic goals.

- Letter of interest addressing why you want to join the LABA Artists Membership Program.

- 3 letters of recommendation by Professional References

- Samples of Past Work (see below)

Submissions should adhere to the following guidelines:

Writing: poetry, short story, or chapter (max 30 pages)

Theatre: Playwright: Play; Director: DVD

Choreographer: DVD

Performance art: DVD

Filmmaker: DVD

Visual Art: 10-15 images on CD-ROM

Musician: Up to 10 minute sample of work on CD

Application materials must be received by OCTOBER 15. Please send all materials to:

Anat Litwin ,Associate Director of LABA
14th Street Y of The Educational Alliance
344 East 14th Street
New York, NY 10003

If you wish to be sent your materials after review, please provide a self-addressed, stamped envelope with with proper postage. You will receive a notification regarding application status by October 23rd.

Thank you for applying to LABA.

Our Supporters:

The 14th Street Y is deeply grateful for the support of the following foundations, whose generosity and vision has allowed us to launch LABA: The National Laboratory for New Jewish Culture:

The Jewish Women's Foundation of New York imagines a world in which all women and girls in the Jewish community are ensured a healthy and supportive environment... a world in which we all have equal opportunity for economic, religious, social and political achievement. We work to make this world a reality by providing education on vital issues...funding innovative programs and advocacy efforts...encouraging our members to view all philanthropic efforts through a gender lens.








The Nathan Cummings Foundation is rooted in the Jewish tradition and committed to democratic values and social justice, including fairness, diversity, and community. We seek to build a socially and economically just society that values and protects the ecological balance for future generations; promotes humane health care; and fosters arts and culture that enriches communities.

The Joseph and Harvey Meyerhoff Family Charitable Funds are a group of
Baltimore-based family foundations whose philanthropic contributions have had significant impact not only on the city of Baltimore, but nationally and internationally as well. The Funds support higher education, cultural arts, social services, community redevelopment and various Jewish causes.

LABA Staff

Stephen Hazan Arnoff - Executive Director
Since September 2007, Stephen Hazan Arnoff has been Executive Director of the 14th Street Y. Having served as Managing Editor of the online and print publication, Zeek 2005-2007, from 2002 to 2005 he was Director of Artists Networks and Programming at the Makor/Steinhardt Center of the 92nd Street Y. Stephen writes and lectures on art, religion, culture, education, and Jewish life in academic, communal, and popular venues, and has been awarded the Rockower Jewish Press Award for Jewish Arts & Criticism (American Jewish Press Association, 2006) and the New Voices Prize (Jewish Family and Life, 2005). He has been a Jerusalem Fellow at the Mandel Leadership Institute in Israel and a Wexner Graduate Fellow at the Jewish Theological Seminary, where he earned an MA in Midrash, is currently completing a doctorate, and has served an adjunct lecturer in Talmud and Rabbinics.









Anat Litwin - Associate Director
Anat received her BFA from the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in Jerusalem, Israel in 2001, and her MFA from Hunter College, Department of Combined Media, in 2005. She has served as the Director of the Makor Gallery and the Makor Artists-in-Residence program of the 92nd St Y, 2005-2007, and is the founder of the HomeBase project (http://homebaseproject.com/), a site-specific public art project exploring notions of Home in collaboration with artists from around the world.
Anat has curated numerous independent art projects, published curatorial essays widely, and her own work has been exhibited in Israel, Europe and the US.











Basmat Hazan Arnoff- Educator, Program Coordinator
Basmat is a Skirball Faculty Fellow and has widely taught Jewish text, having served on the faculty of institutions such as the Brandeis Collegiate Institute, Kolot, and Elul, the last two based in Israel. She is the author of Mayyim Hafoochim, a novel, and works as a theater director. Her play, LeShem Yichud, won the award for best ensemble at the Akko Theater Festival. She recently adapted David Grossman's See: Under Love for the stage in Tel Aviv and New York.










Ruby Namdar - Educator
Reuven Namdar (1964) was born and raised in Jerusalem. He completed his BA (Sociology, Philosophy and Iranian Studies) and his Master’s degree (Anthropology) at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. His first book, Haviv, (a collection of short stories) was published in 2000 and won The Ministry of Culture's award for the best first publication of the year. The manuscript also won The Jerusalem Fiction award for 1998. Reuven also published short stories, book reviews and translations of medieval Persian poetry in different literary periodicals in Israel. He is currently living in New York, is working on a new novel and teaches Jewish and Israeli literature in various Jewish learning centers around the city.



Rachel Eisner - Development
Rachel is the Director of Development for the 14th Street Y. She previously served as the Director of Special Gifts in the Culture & Arts division at Channel 13/WNET, as Senior Major Gifts Officer for the 92nd Street Y, and as Associate Regional Director of the New Israel Fund in San Francisco. Her twin professional interests have long been arts & culture and Jewish & Israel-based programming, and she finds it thrilling to be working on LABA. Rachel is a native New Yorker (and graduate of the High School of Music and Art), and lives in Brooklyn with her husband. They are expecting their first child in October 2008.

Joyce Klein - Girls Theater Project

Joyce Klein is a playwright, director, storyteller and educator. She has been combining theater and Jewish education for over 30 years. Joyce has had more than 30 of her plays produced in the US, Israel and the FSU. She has also written one children's book and one cd-rom. Joyce made aliyah to Jerusalem in 1990; she works locally and internationally creating and producing Living History events and Parsha Productions, and as a consultant in the use of theater techniques in formal and informal Jewish education.

LABA Commentary by faculty member Basmat Hazan Arnoff

Core Text:

His [Hillel's*] disciples asked him: "Rabbi, where are you going?" He said to them: "To perform a commandment." They said to him: "And what commandment is Hillel going to perform?" He said to them: "To bathe in the (public) bath." They said to him: "And this is a commandment?" He said to them: "Of course. If the person appointed to take care of the likenesses of kings standing in theaters and circuses scours them and washes them, and this provides for his livelihood and he even occupies an important place among government officials, then all the more so for we who were created in the image (tzelem) and in the likeness (demut) [of God], as it written "in the image of God He created him" (Genesis 9: 6).
Leviticus Rabba 34: 3

LABA Commentary by faculty member Basmat Hazan Arnoff:


Rabbi Akiba would say: Beloved is the human for it was created in the image [of God].-The Ethics of the Fathers (Pirkei Avot) 3:14The cornerstone of the foundation of the creation of humankind is its formation "in the image of God." Even if the precise definition of this phrase is not agreed upon by commentators, all recognize that it implies some sort of parallel between the human and the divine. This is a far-reaching assumption out of which the Jewish tradition promotes belief in the essential holiness of human beings which is already referenced in the Book of Genesis 9:6: "Whoever now sheds human blood - for that human shall his blood be shed; for in God's image has God made humankind."The definition of the word "image" remains elusive. It is not explained directly in the Hebrew Bible and commentators for generations have interpreted it in various ways. Rabbi Akiba would say: Beloved is the human for it was created in the image [of God].
-The Ethics of the Fathers (Pirkei Avot) 3:14

The cornerstone of the foundation of the creation of humankind is its formation “in the image of God.” Even if the precise definition of this phrase is not agreed upon by commentators, all recognize that it implies some sort of parallel between the human and the divine. This is the far-reaching assumption out of which the Jewish tradition promotes belief in the essential holiness of all human beings already referenced in the Book of Genesis 9:6: “Whoever now sheds human blood – for that human will his blood be shed; for in God’s image has God made humankind.”

The definition of the word “image” remains elusive. It is not explained directly in the Hebrew Bible and commentators for generations have interpreted it in many ways.

The Rabbis of the Talmud taught that one must be weary not only of physically hurting a human being, but also of wounding a person’s honor. In the medieval period, it was claimed that “image” refers to certain qualities of human beings, particularly their gifts of moral judgment and free will. Some kabbalists spoke of an actual physical likeness to God by virtue of features in the human body secretly suggesting godliness. In the modern period, Yeshayahu Leibowitz explained that “image” embodies the potential one must strive to attain because it is not assured of developing on its own.

However it is understood, the human being is a fusion of the material – namely from the earth as noted by the close relation of the Hebrew words for human (“adam”) and earth (“adamah”) – and the divine. And what does this combination tell us about the human body or the relationship between body, spirit, and soul? Does the body itself serve as a kind of interpretation of these questions in both day-to-day life and art?

On his way to the bathhouse Hillel sees in himself the very image of the King of Kings, and makes a statement about the creative potential of human beings. Just as humans create images representing gods for display in circuses and theaters – where performing bodies themselves are the vehicles for ultimate expression – Hillel can be read as the one who understands that the body of a person itself is a symbol of creativity. This is also how HaRav Soloveichik interprets the meaning of “image:” that the body serves as the medium through which similarity to God is expressed – that very same body which is the central entity of expression in the circus and the theater. According to Hillel, the body – changing, desiring, material, growing, and finite – is the truest mode for expression of God’s image, unlike the images of kings, which are lifeless.

Maybe the meaning of our being created, according to Genesis, “in the image,” is the fact that in every generation and in many different contexts – and this is something full of magic and the key to understanding the human/divine quality – each reader must define and interpret the relevant meaning of that “image” for his or herself.

Launching LABA: Elul Newsletter

September 1, 2008 א' באלול תשס"ח

Greetings-

LABA places art and artists at the heart of the 14th Street Y, a thriving Jewish Community Center in the East Village of New York City. The Y nurtures creativity and innovation in all of its programs - from children to seniors, from art and culture to fitness. But LABA is more than a dynamic set of opportunities for bridging art, culture, and community for our staff, members, patrons, neighborhood, and supporters. LABA offers the next step and a new nexus for a movement gaining momentum in New York, Jerusalem, London, Tel Aviv, Los Angeles, Berlin, Moscow, and other urban centers, intentional and virtual communities, and organizations that matter around the world over the past decade.Clusters of activists, artists, culture makers, educators, and social entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds have been demanding resonance from ancient text and tradition in context of contemporary pluralism and technology; they do not want to wait for politicians, clergy, and static communal infrastructures to interpret what tradition and community mean, or to speak for what they care about, or to determine how and when it will be their generation's turn to lead.This movement is called New Jewish Culture, and the 14th Street Y is proud to launch LABA: The National Laboratory for New Jewish Culture, where we intend to stimulate, implement, evaluate, and replicate core elements of the visions of this movement.As you will learn below, the Hebrew word laba means "lava." We place our work at the center of a seismic shift deep below the surface of what might ordinarily be seen . In the ground beneath our feet the landscape is changing.Welcome to LABA.
Stephen Hazan Arnoff
Executive Director of 14th Street Y
Founding Director, LABA: The National Laboratory for New Jewish Culture

This year LABA focuses on the theme of the Body, and aspires to inspire artists and community members alike - reconsidering the spiritual, social, and emotional dimensions of the body through a progressive exploration of Jewish text, contemporary culture, and cross cultural references. This exploration also asks to look at the body through three distinct lenses:
Through a micro lens, the exploration of the body uncovers the individual human cell and the miracle of the DNA - a tiny particular containing the knowledge and possibility of reproduction. Through a macro lens, the exploration of the body reveals vast human constellations such as families, tribes, communities, and societies, linked through chains of genealogy. Through the lens of the naked eye, our physical body is an immediate scale of flesh and bones, through which we measure the world. The LABA program was conceived with the intention that it will not only become a flexible cultural entity that can adapt and shift between these various dimensions, scale and lenses, but that LABA itself will become a body - one that fosters knowledge, experimentation and creativity bringing to life a new artistic vision.

I am thrilled to help nurture this initiative, and invite you to contribute your voice and your presence to LABA as it continues to grow. Anat Litwin Associate Director, LABA: The National Laboratory for New Jewish CultureFounder of The HomeBase Project


LABA : The National Laboratory for New Jewish Culture

LABA: The National Laboratory for New Jewish Culture seeks to transform the Jewish cultural landscape by placing artists at the center of communal institutions as leaders, innovators, role models, and sources of inspiration. Artists and culture makers of the lab serve as exemplars of grappling honestly and creatively with tradition and identity - strong voices that challenge conventional assumptions and advance new paradigms for Jewish life and contemporary culture, offering invaluable sources of artistic impact at the heart of Jewish infrastructure.

The name LABA defines this model as a dynamic, innovative, and experimental cultural LABoratory: The Hebrew meaning of the program name is "lava", reflecting the aspiration of the program to become a unique catalyst moving from the center outwards in a rippling affect, transforming lives of artists and communities on a local and national scale, and creating a new cultural landscape.For 2008-09, the 14th Street Y will be focusing on the theme of the Body as part of a partnership of study and dialog with Alma College, Tel Aviv. LABA Artists are asked that the variety of texts employed in study and dialog throughout the year influence their work. Each month will focus on a specific Body themeWe are also delighted to announce our partnership with The HomeBase project - a site specific annual project devoted to the exploration of Home. HomeBase IV will take place in NYC in Spring 2009.

Alma College
The HomeBase Project

To learn more about LABA programs, applications, faculty, newsletter and more visit the LABA Blog

LABA Think Tank

January-June 2008 the 14th Street Y convened an artists' think tank including writer Ruby Namdar, visual artist Leor Grady, writer Rabbi Charlie Buckholtz, writer and theater director Basmat Hazan Arnoff, visual artist and curator Anat Litwin, and set designer and visual artist Manju Shandler to discuss with senior Y staff the most compelling plan for launching the 14th Street Y's programs for art and artists this year. LABA is the result of the recommendations of this think tank, generously supported by the Joseph and Harvey Meyerhoff Family Charitable Funds.


LABA Monthly Newsletter

Each year LABA will focus on a different theme. This year we will be exploring the theme of the body in Jewish text and contemporary culture. Each Hebrew month will be dedicated to a sub-theme as part of the yearly concept, and will include a newletter featuring LABA content and news.


Month of Elul:

"Nivra Bezelem" - "Created in the Image"
in the image of God He created him,
male and female He created them.
The Book of Genesis 1:27

וַיִּבְרָא אֱלֹהִים אֶת-הָאָדָם בְּצַלְמוֹ, בְּצֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים בָּרָא אֹתוֹ: זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה, בָּרָא אֹתָם.בראשית א, כז

Image: Untitled (Arm), Leor Grady

Core Text:

His [Hillel's*] disciples asked him: "Rabbi, where are you going?" He said to them: "To perform a commandment." They said to him: "And what commandment is Hillel going to perform?" He said to them: "To bathe in the (public) bath." They said to him: "And this is a commandment?" He said to them: "Of course. If the person appointed to take care of the likenesses of kings standing in theaters and circuses scours them and washes them, and this provides for his livelihood and he even occupies an important place among government officials, then all the more so for we who were created in the image (tzelem) and in the likeness (demut) [of God], as it written "in the image of God He created him" (Genesis 9: 6).Leviticus Rabba 34: 3

LABA commentary by faculty member Basmat Hazan Arnoff:

Rabbi Akiba would say: Beloved is the human for it was created in the image [of God].-The Ethics of the Fathers (Pirkei Avot) 3:14The cornerstone of the foundation of the creation of humankind is its formation "in the image of God." Even if the precise definition of this phrase is not agreed upon by commentators, all recognize that it implies some sort of parallel between the human and the divine. This is a far-reaching assumption out of which the Jewish tradition promotes belief in the essential holiness of human beings which is already referenced in the Book of Genesis 9:6: "Whoever now sheds human blood - for that human shall his blood be shed; for in God's image has God made humankind."The definition of the word "image" remains elusive. It is not explained directly in the Hebrew Bible and commentators for generations have interpreted it in various ways.To continue reading the commentary please visit the LABA blog.


Image: Untitled (Elul), Leor Grady

About the month of Elul:The month of Elul is a time of repentance in preparation for the High Holy Days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. In Aramaic (the language spoken by Jews living at the time that the months were given names), the word "Elul" means "search." The Talmud writes that the Hebrew word "Elul" can be expanded as an acronym for "Ani L'dodi V'dodi Li" - "I am to my Beloved and my Beloved is to me." Elul is seen as a time to search one's heart and draw close to God in preparation for the coming Day of Judgement, Rosh Hashanah, and Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur. During the month of Elul, there are a number of special rituals leading up to the High Holy Days. It is customary to blow the shofar every morning (except on Shabbat) from Rosh Hodesh Elul (the first day of the month) until the day before Rosh Hashanah. The blasts are meant to awaken one's spirits and inspire him/her to begin the soul searching which will prepare him/her for the High Holy Days. As part of this preparation, Elul is the time to begin the sometimes-difficult process of granting and asking for forgiveness. It is also customary to recite Psalm 27 every day from Rosh Hodesh Elul through Hoshanah Rabbah on Sukkot (in Tishrei).http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=nsyhqqcab.0.0.s7klbobab.0&p=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FElul&id=preview



LABA Recommends:
"From Punk to Pink" Art for ELEMELEM-Entry NY, the Young Leadership of ELEM - Israeli Youth in Distress respectfully invites you to:An auction inspired by the personal story of a rescued teenager.Over 40 Israeli artists including: Michal Rovner, Barry Frydlender, Buky Schwartz, Yigal Ozeri, Miriam Cabessa along with the freshest names in Israeli art today and ELEM Youth, have generously contributed their work for ELEM's Hafuch Al Hafuch program. Please see our Online Catalogue for more deatials about featured work.Saturday, September 6th 7:30 pm - 10:30 pm Moti Hasson Gallery 535 W 25th St. New York Click here to buy tickets



The 14th Street Y
The 14th Street Y, a Jewish Community Center, is a vital neighborhood resource that welcomes people of all backgrounds. We provide a variety of programs with a distinctive downtown point of view, emphasizing excellence, innovation, creativity, and a questioning spirit. We are inspired by Tikkun Olam, or repair of the world, in all that we do: a value that represents and renews the vitality of our Jewish heritage and its place in our diverse and vibrant community. The 14th Street Y is part of a network of 80 programs at 32 sites provided by The Educational Alliance for all residents of Downtown Manhattan.
For more information about LABA visit our blog or email: Artists@14StreetY.org