About Town: April 29

 
 
Thursday, April 29


SCHULTZ & SHAKESPEARE

Key scenes from Hamlet performed by award-winning actor/director Albert Schultz form the basis for a Jewish Public Library-sponsored discussion/workshop with McGill University Shakespeare scholar Paul Yachnin, 7:30 p.m. at the Segal Centre, introduced by artistic director Bryna Wasserman. Tickets at 514-345-6416.

TODAY@CUMMINGS CENTRE
From 9:30 a.m.-noon at the Cummings Centre, learn how to “Get the Most from Your Laptop (514-342-1234, ext. 7348) … At 2 p.m., take the Brainteasers: Aerobics for the Brain workshop (514-342-3529, ext. 7326) … Also at 2 p.m., there’s a book review of Bernard Schlink’s The Reader by professors Irving Smith and Estelle Horowitz-Smith (514-342-1234, ext. 7348)… And 7:30-9 p.m. at the Hampton Inn & Suites, 1900 Trans Canada Hwy., Prime Time West Island holds a wine tasting evening (514-626-5005, ext. 230).

FILM AWARD-WINNER
The Oscar-nominated Ajami, an Israeli film about the relationship between Israelis and Palestinians, being distributed by Montreal’s Métropole Films, continues its run at the AMC Forum. Beside the Academy Award bid for best foreign language film, Ajami has won five Israeli Film Academy Awards.

Saturday, May 1


CIRCUS OF WORDS

National Poetry Month closes with the sixth annual Circus of Words, unconventional, edgy poetry with Monk-E, Paul Van Dyck, Jessica Rose and the Groupe de poésie moderne, 8 p.m. at the Segal Centre. Call 514-739-2301.

Sunday, May 2

WASSERMAN HONOURED
Segal Centre artistic director Bryna Wasserman is one of the recipients today of the prestigious Mlotek Prize for Yiddish and Yiddish culture at a special awards ceremony at New York’s Lincoln Centre. The ceremony is part of the annual Yiddish Theatre – Folksbiene concert gala celebrating renewed worldwide interest in Yiddish culture.

JEWISH OTTAWA
Hymie Reichstein and John Diener speak at 9:30 a.m. about the history of the Ottawa Jewish community, at the Shaare Zedek Men’s Club breakfast. Call 514-484-1122.

TREE WORKSHOP
The Jewish Genealogical Society of Montreal holds its Sunday Morning Family Tree Workshop, 10 a.m.-noon, at the Jewish Public Library. Call the JGS Hotline, 514-484-0969.

WORLDLY MR. MUSIC
Travel, dance, sing and celebrate with “Mr. Music – Around the World,” 11 a.m. as part of the 10th anniversary of the Norman Berman Children’s Library’s Entertainment Series. Tickets and details at 514-342-2627, exts. 3012, 3016 and 3398.

Monday, May 3

HUNTING EICHMANN
Fifty years after notorious Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann was tracked down by Israel, journalist Neal Bascomb, author of Hunting Eichmann, provides fresh insight into how this was done, based on recently declassified documents and new information and interviews, 7:30 p.m. at Congregation Beth Ora as part of its annual Tree of Life Speakers’ Forum. Details at 514-748-6559.

PARENTING WORKSHOP
Chabad Project Pride starts a six-week Monday parenting workshop, noon-1:30 p.m. Register with Karen Bresinger, 514-485-5121.

Tuesday, May 4

GOLDA’S NIECE
Golda Meir’s great-niece, New York actress Alice Golembo, performs Behind the Scenes with Golda, a combination of theatre, humour, information and personal insight into Meir’s life, 8 p.m. at Shaare Zedek Congregation. Details and tickets at 514-484-1122.

PALLIATIVE V. EUTHANASIA

Palliative care specialist Dr. Kathleen Foley speaks on “Palliative Care: Shedding Light on EUTHANASIA,” as part of the Council on Palliative Care’s 13th annual Sandra Goldberg Lecture, 5:30 p.m. at McGill University’s Pollack Hall, 555 Sherbrooke St. W. Details at 514-499-0345.

COMEDY AND COCKTAILS
Comedians David Pryde, Heidi Foss and Jessica Salomon perform at the Comedy and Cocktails fundraiser on behalf of Batshaw Youth and Family Centres, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Corona Theatre, 2490 Notre Dame St. W. Batshaw serves Montreal’s English and Jewish communities. Tickets at 514-989-1885.

STOP SMOKING!
The Jewish General Hospital’s Cancer Prevention Centre starts a free, eight-week smoking cessation program program, days and evenings in English and French, 3755 Cote St. Catherine Rd., pavilion E-740. Call 514-340-8222, ext. 3870.

HUMAN RIGHTS
Educator Hershey Dwoskin speaks to Beth Ora Seniors on human rights, 1:30 p.m. Call 514-342-1234, ext. 7348.

Wednesday, May 5


TABLE SETTINGS

Today, starting with a gala dinner, and tomorrow 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Congregation Shaar Hashomayim holds its annual elegant Table Settings event with its first-ever Designers Edition, featuring exhibit, boutiques, and tea room treats. Details at 514-937-9471.
YIDDISH SECULAR ED
Fradle Pomerantz Freidenreich, author of Passionate Pioneers: The Story of Yiddish Secular Education in North America, 1910-1960, gives an overview of that subject as part of the Jewish Public Library’s More than a Book Launch series, 7:30 p.m. Tickets at 514-345-6416.

MURIEL GOLD HONOURED
Former Saidye Bronfman Centre Theatre artistic director Muriel Gold is honoured with the Business and Professional Women’s Club of Montreal’s Woman of Achievement Award at a 6 p.m. dinner at the St. James Club, 1145 Union Ave. Reservations required. Call 514-990-7373.

PSYCHO
Alfred Hitchcock’s classic 1960 thriller Psycho is screened by Le Cinéclub de Montréal 7 p.m. at the Segal Centre’s CinemaSpace to celebrate its 50th anniversary. Preceded by Richard Schickel’s documentary on the master director. Tickets at 514-739-7944.

…Et Cetera…


THE WANDERING MINSTREL

As part of the kickoff to its centenary celebration, the YM-YWHA is reviving the Y minstrel show of years gone by with a “spectacular, original musical revue” – The Wandering Minstrel – Celebrating 100 Years of Entertainment at the Y. The shows, on May 27 and May 30 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., will nostalgically showcase the Y’s glorious entertainment legacy that included the Minstrels, the Variety Gang, the Operatic Society, the Yiddish Theatre and the World of Entertainment. Produced by David Novek and Victor Salem, the revue includes the Yiddish Theatre’s Billy Finkelstein, Stephanie Finkelstein, and Sam Stein, with veteran minstrel Ben Bigman and Seymour Alper contributing to the script and Nick Burgess serving as musical director. Call 514-737-6551.

SEUDAH SHLISHIT
Emunah Women of Montreal will hold its annual Seudah Shlishit on May 8, 5:15 p.m. at Beth Israel Beth Aaron with speaker Tova Shimon, and at the Young Israel of Montreal with speaker Shifra Krancer. Reservations a must at 514-485-2397.

RABBIS’ GOLF
Beth Rivkah Academy holds its 10th anniversary golf tournament May 31 at La Diamant golf course, with Rabbi David Mandel, meals, gifts, prizes and auctions. Call 514-731-3681.

TEMPLE E SPRING/SUMMER
Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom’s Westmount Mini Centre of the Cummings Centre has a variety of courses, from great thinkers to summer reading to politics. Stefani Novick, 514-342-1234, ext. 7201.