SALAM SHALOM
Enemies...Another Love Story

Written by Saleem

Arabs Jews, a Critical PresentationVisiting Author Rachel Shabi Presents Her Book We Look Like the Enemy: the Hidden Story of Israel's Jews of Arab Lands

Jordan Elgrably introduces the evening with personal stories and a visual presentation.

Phyllis BennisMiddle East expert and author Phyllis Bennis will present her latest book (co-authored with David Wildman), Ending the US War in Afghanistan: A Primer, followed by a Q & A, on Thursday, March 4. The evening is cosponsored by CODEPINK: Women for Peace.

Phyllis Bennis is a Fellow of the Institute for Policy Studies. Her books include Challenging Empire: How People, Governments and the UN Defy US Power, the updated 2009 edition of her best-selling Understanding the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict, and Understanding the US-Iran Crisis: A Primer.

About Ending the War in Afghanistan

"Wildman and Bennis have written an invaluable guide to thought, policy, and action on Afghanistan. Their up-to-date assessments are reliable, persuasive, and should shock even the most apathetic of readers into a realization that if America walks further down the path of counterinsurgency war it will deepen the Afghan tragedy and put an end to whatever foreign policy promise remains for the Obama presidency."

"Captain Abu Raed"Levantine Cultural Center presents an exclusive screening of the critical hit that Jordan picked to be its Oscar contender in 2009. 

Abu Raed is a lonely janitor at Amman's International Airport. Never having realized his dreams of seeing the world, he experiences it vicariously through books and brief encounters with travelers. Captain Abu Raed is the story of everyday people intersecting across social boundaries. It is a story of dreams, friendship, forgiveness, and sacrifice.

Captain Abu Raed is the second in Levantine Cultural Center's series this year, "New Voices in Middle Eastern Cinema", which takes place the third Thursday of each month.

This event's reception is sponsored by the Jordanian American Club of Southern California.

East/West CONVERGENCES features artists from Syria and Lebanon and highlights the eloquence and interconnectedness of Arab and Western cultures. Exhibit runs through February 28, 2010.

 Ara Basil's "Ballistic" Comedy Show: click image to purchase tickets

Ara Basil's "Ballistic" debuts starring Jonny Loquasta of CBS' Mobile "LOL", Noel Elgrably of "Sultans of Satire", "Axis of Evil Comedy Show", "New York Arab Comedy Festival" and the LA Comedy Festival." Also starring the very funny Iranian comedian Nadine Rajabi, of Showtime's "Hot Tamales" as well as a regular commentator on E!, XM Radio, VH1, "The Skinny" (Fox TV) and the Style Network. Also starring the superb Armenian Sicilian comic SamTripoli, who has appeared on Spike TV, Showtime's "Comics Without Borders," Comedy Central and Live Nude.

The headliner for this show is the great Greek comedian from Canada, Angelo Tsarouchas, who has his own Showtime special, regular stars in Canada's "Just for Laughts" and has been in "Mad Men", "Fred and Vinnie" and even the "Sultans of Satire."

Yuval Ron Ensemble: with guests Najwa Gibran, Norik Manoukian, Miriam Peretz, Maya Karasso

The Yuval Ron Ensemble will perform mystical music and dance of the Middle East. Celebrating the ancient cultures of the three Abrahamic faiths, this concert features musical director Yuval Ron on oud and Norik Manoukian on duduk and woodwinds, with Palestinian vocalist Najwa Gibran, and folkloric dancers Maya Karasso and Miriam Peretz.

Tickets available at the Middle East Ministry Table on Sundays or call 626.583.2734 and speak to Norma Sigmund.

Listen to music sample.

Miriam Peretz Silk Road-Afghan Dance WorkshopDon't miss this exclusive dance workshop taught by the much-lauded San Francisco-based dancer and choreographer, Miriam Peretz.

The Silk Road was a historic trading route stretching 7,000 miles across Central Asia from the China Sea in the east to the Mediterranean in the west. Some of the countries include- Iran, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Uzbekistan, and Turkey.

This workshop will give small samples of various Central Asian dance styles, with a main focus on Afghan dance. The workshop will give special attention to the art of spinning (central to all Central Asian dance forms,) and teach Afghan dance vocabulary culminating in a short dance. We will also learn the attan—the national folk dance of Afghanistan, danced at almost all celebrations and rites of passage.

Miriam Peretz is an internationally acclaimed performing artist and instructor specializing in dances from the Silk Road and the Middle East.