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GuideStar: the leading source of information on
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Hold Your Workshops, Classes & Seminars at Levantine Cultural Center. Call 310.657.5511. Event Rentals |
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 Iraqi-American Playwright and Actor Heather Raffo and Her One-Woman Show, "Nine Parts of Desire," Are the Talk of New York and Los Angeles |
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Articles of Note
Palestinian Samia Dodin Talks to Israeli Sami Shalom Chetrit Lian Ensemble Concert Review Turkish news: Snow—the new novel by Orhan Pamuk Can Jews/Arabs Make Peace Through Music? By Ghada Karmi In Search of Fatima—a review of Ghada Karmi's memoir "Heart" of Arab Music by Jim Motavalli Persians on the Pacific by Tara Bahrampour Tariq Ali On Poetry In Turbulent Times in the Mideast (audio) |
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Al-Andalus to Jerusalem:
Levantine Festival at the John Anson Ford  Al-Andalus with Tariq Banzi, Julie Banzi and flamenco dancer Ana Montes Click Here To Read Three Articles on the Concert |
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 Feb.
24 (Sun), 3-6 pm—"An Illuminated History of Jewish-Muslim
Relations" Will Explore Historic Bonds & Contemporary Tensions
Click to print a flyer with all the details.  The
turbulence between Jews and Muslims centered on Israel has ignored
the many commonalities the religions share. This seminar will shed
a different light on how Jewish and Muslim identities have relied
on common aspects of life in the Middle East, and the world. Few religions
have as much in common as Islam and Judaism. Judaism has historically
remained overwhelmingly rooted in its Semitic world view and is extremely
similar to Islam in its fundamental religious outlook, structure,
jurisprudence and practice. At the heart of the two faiths is an ethical-monotheistic
vision which determinedly resists any compromise on the idea of the
transcendence and unity of God who is envisaged as just and merciful
and who has revealed a way of life in accordance with these values
for the benefit of human society. This seminar will look at Jewish-Muslim relations in three ways; religious, cultural, and literary. We will read literary narratives, sacred texts and poetry.  Mehnaz
M. Afridi has a B.A. and MA in Religious Studies from Syracuse University
and has studied at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Her Ph.D. was
on “Mahfouz and Modern Islamic Identity” from the University
of South Africa in Religious Studies. As a Muslim, she has had a deep
interest in Judaism and Modern Jewish Diaspora, and Secular Islamic
Identity that has led her to numerous exciting interfaith conferences,
invitations by non-Muslims to expound on the intellectual and theological
similarities between Jews and Muslims. Her extensive background in
both Jewish and Islamic thought and culture has led to numerous prestigious
research grants and fostered the development of courses in Jewish
and Islamic Studies programs. Her recent research projects are focused
on Europe and Islam, Muslims and Jews in Italian culture; she taught
in Rome and participated in a seminar sponsored by the National Endowment
of Humanities on “Jews, and Italian Culture” in Venice,
Italy. Recently, she was invited by the University of Munich to present
her work on “Egypt: A Nexus of Anti-Semitism” in Elmau,
Munich. Levantine Center at Pacific Arts Center, 10469 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles 90025 (just west of Beverly Glen). Street parking. Seating limited, advance reservations suggested. $25 general, $20 members and students with i.d. ($30 at the door, contingent on availability), includes light reception. Book by phone, 310.657.5511 or online. Download registration form.
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 Feb.
26 (Tues.), 8:00 pm—The Sultans of Satire Live at the ImprovWhat's funny about being Arab or Iranian in the post-9/11 world? Do Muslims have a sense of humor? You must be joking—these are some of the funniest people in town! On Feb. 26, the Sultans of Satire return to their new home at the Improv, where they will present comedy and satire on their cultural identities as Americans of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean heritage, featuring Jordanian Mike Batayeh, Peter the Persian, Elham Jazab (Iranian-American), Gulden (Turkish-American), Noel Elgrably (Moroccan-Israeli-American); Ara Basil, who is Armenian and Persian; and emerging comedian Shereen Faltas (Egypt-U.S.). Visit the Sultans web site and read comedian bios. Read Los Angeles Times on Levantine Cultural Center & The Sultans of Satire. Read The Daily Pilot or the Persian Mirror on The Sultans of Satire. The Sultans of Satire show has captivated audiences throughout Southern California since 2005, and ran for eight months at the Laugh Factory. The Jan. 30 show features an impressive line-up of some of today’s most talented comedians of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean heritage. At the Improv, 8162 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles CA 90046. Tickets $18. A portion of the proceeds benefits Levantine Cultural Center's programs for arts and Middle East coexistence. Call 310.657.5511 for tickets or order online. |
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| Volunteer with Levantine Cultural Center's
Programming Committee
Bring your ideas, enthusiasm and support to the Center by participating in our Programming Committee, which cooperates with our Board of Directors in creating new arts programs in the months ahead. Visit our volunteer opportunities page. To get on the reservation list for the next meeting, email us now! |
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| Levantine Cultural Center Seeks Community
Leaders
Levantine Center's Board of Directors is continually seeking to work with new volunteers who may be invited to join the board. We welcomes inquiries—we are actively searching for more people with our passion and conviction! Our core group of volunteers consists of diverse members of the community who are of Middle Eastern/Mediterranean heritage or who have a strong professional or artistic interest in furthering our mission. Our volunteers work on literary, film, fine art, music and educational programming. Our Advisory Board is also in formation. Advisory board members
are known professionally in their own communities and offer valuable
counsel and services to the organization; they are eligible to attend
the organization's annual retreat and receive other benefits. |
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| Submit your calendar listings to our calendar editor now. | ||
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include free ticket giveaways, articles and more), either visit our
Sign-up page or send a message to: subscribe@levantinecenter.org
and include Subscribe Me in the subject box. Be sure to give us your
first and last name and how you heard about us!
To join/support Levantine Cultural Center, simply go to our membership page and fill in the blanks, use your credit card, or print and mail in your check for $60 or $120 or $250 annual membership dues to: Levantine Center, 1012 S. Robertson Blvd., Suite C, Los Angeles CA 90035-1537. |
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| LEVANTINE CULTURAL CENTER Cultures of the Middle East & Mediterranean 1012 S. Robertson Blvd., Los Angeles CA 90035 310.657.5511/657.5522, info@levantinecenter.org |
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| Founded in 2001, Levantine Cultural Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that advocates for, educates about, and in general promotes and supports Middle Eastern and Mediterranean contemporary arts and traditional cultures. We present or cosponsor programs of music, literature, art, film/video, publications, new media and more, often from educational and historical perspectives. While acknowledging the value of entertainment, we emphasize scholarship and substance. We are strongly multidisciplinary and non-sectarian, do not embrace any political or religious doctrine, and are committed to the principle of cross-cultural cooperation. We support the strengthening of ties between all cultural, ethnic and religious communities of the Middle East/West Asia/Levant, as well as between all peoples of Middle Eastern descent in diaspora. | ||
| See what Levantine Center has been up to and take note of other recent cultural events. |