CSP – From Sand to Skyline An Urban Tel Aviv Exploration
Tel Aviv is a city built on layers of history, architecture, culture, and flavor. Join renowned tour guide Gila Levitan for two eye-opening virtual journeys that takes you far beyond the guidebooks. Session 1 – History – Jaffa Belle of the Seas: Wander the winding alleys of ancient Jaffa, where Tel Aviv’s story starts. Discover the city’s oldest treasures—from the flea market to the Ilana Goor Museum—and see how historical streets are adapting to a 21st-century landscape shaped by the new light rail and modern development. Session 2 – Culture – Foundations: From Colonies to City Streets: Explore the first bold steps beyond Jaffa’s walls—the American and German colonies, Neve Tzedek, and the old train line turned Park HaMesila. Contrast the charm of Florentin’s bohemian vibe with the creeping edges of gentrification in this dynamic portrait of Tel Aviv’s earliest neighborhoods.
Sponsor: Orange County Jewish Community Scholar Program
Contact
Arie Katz
949.682.4040
arie@occsp.net
https://occsp.net/
Cost: $0.00
More Info
When: February 3, 2026 & every 7 days until February 10, 2026
From 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM
Where: Zoom
UNraveling UNRWA
The documentary’s impressive research traces UNRWA’s 75-year evolution, from its post-1948 origins as a temporary relief organization for Palestine refugees to its pivotal and often controversial role amidst the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Winner, Investigative Documentary Award, Haifa International Film Festival
Cost: $10 JCC Members, $15 Public
When: February 12, 2026
from 7:00 PM
Where: Merage Jewish Community Center of Orange County
1 Federation Way
Irvine, CA 92603
Mostly Kosher: The Purim Glam Rock Spectacle Comes to Irvine Barclay Theatre March 8
Irvine Barclay Theatre will present Mostly Kosher: The Purim Glam Rock Spectacle on Sunday, March 8 at 3pm. The acclaimed Los Angeles-based klezmer-rock band known for its bold fusion of Jewish folk, jazz, Latin, rock and soul, will entertain the audience with a carnival-themed performance that reimagines the Purim story.
The Purim Glam Rock Spectacle will feature dazzling costumes, carnival artistry, immersive lobby-to-stage design, and the band’s signature high-energy sound in a spectacular, genre-defying production. Drawing on Judaic and American cultural music through klezmer beats and Yiddish refrains, the show will entertain Jewish and non-Jewish audiences alike.
Led by frontman Leeav Sofer – named one of Jewish Journal’s “30 under 30” most influential figures – Mostly Kosher is celebrated for its electrifying performances, socially conscious voice, and all-star lineup of top musicians.
Their debut album earned international acclaim from World Music Network, Songlines, and BBC Radio. Mostly Kosher’s recording of “Wade in the Water” made it onto Billboard magazine’s “10 Songs to Make Your Seder Rock” list in April 2025. From the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion to Disney parks, Mostly Kosher continues to captivate audiences nationwide.
Tickets are $34 – $115 and can be purchased at thebarclay.org.
Irvine Barclay Theatre is Orange County’s boutique theater experience, renowned for its intimate atmosphere and superb acoustics. Since opening its doors in 1990, the 750-seat Irvine Barclay Theatre has developed into one of California’s most imaginative performing arts showcases, welcoming more than 2.7 million patrons over the last 35 years to an impressive array of varied performances by internationally recognized artists
A unique collaborative venture between the City of Irvine, the University of California, Irvine, and private donors, Irvine Barclay Theatre is operated as an independent 501(c) (3) non-profit organization.
For tickets or more information, please visit www.thebarclay.org or call (949) 854-4646.
When: March 8, 2026
Where: Irvine Barclay Theatre
4242 Campus Drive
Irvine, California 92612
Adjacent to UC Irvine.
THE OPTIMIST, an upcoming film starring Stephen Lang (Avatar: Fire & Ash) and Elsie Fisher (Eighth Grade)
THE OPTIMIST, an upcoming film starring Stephen Lang (Avatar: Fire & Ash) and Elsie Fisher (Eighth Grade), inspired by the extraordinary true life of Holocaust survivor Herbert Heller, who kept his escape from Auschwitz a secret for sixty years.
From director and writer Finn Taylor, the film follows Herbert (Lang), now a beloved toy store owner in Northern California, in a heartrending, Northern Californian-set story. He has long concealed his wartime memories from even his own family. When he forms an unexpected friendship with a troubled teenager, Abbey (Fisher), their bond becomes a catalyst for him to finally break his silence, illustrating the powerful ways human connection can foster healing, understanding, and renewal across generations. The narrative captures the unbreakable human spirit, offering hope in dark times and unexpected places.
THE OPTIMIST is the culmination of a ten-year journey by producer Jeanine Thomas, who set out to fulfill a promise to Herbert that his story, and his legacy of hope, would be shared with the world. In honor of that mission, the film will be donating a portion of its profits to Kavod, a Memphis-based organization founded in 2015 that helps Holocaust survivors in the U.S. live the remainder of their lives with comfort and dignity.
Check out the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCABTAKfW7c
With Trafalgar Releasing set to launch THE OPTIMIST as a nationwide theatrical event on 700+ screens on March 11, 2026, we believe this is a meaningful moment to introduce audiences to this deeply human story of resilience, remembrance, and connection.
More Info
When: Beginning March 11, 2026
Where: Nationwide