"In this piece, I would like to pay
tribute to the Jewish people who
lobolus
with live music by
Creating
A Bridge To
A Tradition
came from Europe, the immigrant
culture, while exploring elements of
The Klezmatics
Jewish mysticism and religion, the
key developments in our history."
(Jonathan Wolken, artistic director of Pilobolus)
Saturday, January 6, 8 pm
Sunday, January 7, 4 pm
Power Center • Ann Arbor
FREDERIC BRENNER
Special to the Jewish News
W
hen I set out for Ethiopia
in April 1983, I knew very
little about Beta Israel, the
Ethiopian Jewish community.
Fascinated by this community's
zealous adherence to Judaism
despite its prolonged isolation
from the rest of the Jewish
world, I set out to record its way
of life through the eye of my
camera.
I began my Ethiopian journey in
the villages of Wolleka, Ambober
and Abba Entonis in the vicinity of
Gondar. In the 17th century, many
Jewish craftsmen took part in build-
ing, the city of Gondar, the capital
of the Christian kingdom. Until
recently, most of the Jewish inhabi-
tants of the area were still engaged
in crafts like metalworking, pottery
and weaving.
From Gondar, I went on to the
Semien Mountains. There, several
days' walk from any urban settle-
ment, between high, steep moun-
tain ridges, the Jews had maintained
their independence for hundreds of
years, making their living from agri-
culture and herding. My destination
was the village of Shevvada. The
journey was exhausting, but my
exciting meeting with this commu-
nity was ample reward for the effort.
I did not attempt to document
the life of the community in a sys-
tematic way, rather to record my
impressions using the camera as a
kind of notebook or diary In my
photographs, I tried to express the
elation I felt in the presence of this
ancient community.
Although at the time of my jour-
ney I did not know of Ethiopian
Jewry's imminent immigration to
Israel, I felt that I had been entrust-
ed with a mission: to create a bri dge
between this special Jewish tradition
and the rest of the Jewish world.
Now, when this traditional way of
life has almost become a thing of the
past, these photographs can also
serve as a bridge between the past
and the future generations of the
community
Known for their innovative combination of
acrobatics and dance, the dancers of Pilobolus
come to Ann Arbor for two evenings of aston-
ishing performances. Their program includes
one of Pilobolus' newest works, A Selection.
Based on the Holocaust, this piece features a
score by Hans Krasa and Pavel Haas, two Czech
composers who died in Auschwitz, and sets by
Maurice Sendak, author and illustrator of
Where the Wild Things Are. The performances
also feature Davenen, a UMS co-commission
with live music by The Klezmatics. Davenen
reflects the development of American Jewish
culture and features the extraordinary musical
work of Hasidic New Wave and Klezmatic
composer and trumpeter Frank London.
The commission of Davenen is made possible by
Ford Motor Company
university musical society
urn Gr4un,onnril fur
734•7642538
Outside the 734 area code, call oll-free
BORDERS®
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UMS BOX OFFICE HOURS M-F 10AM-6PM, SAT LOAM-IPM
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Downtown Birmingham
34300 Woodward Ave.
248.203.0005
Saturday
1/6
Sunday
1/7
Arctic Express
Jr- Kids 11 am
Make a Warm &
Fuzzy Snowman
* Kids 2 pm
Paul Vornhagen
♦ Music 8-10
Beverly Hills +
31150 Southfield Rd.
248.644.1515
Monday
1/8
Study Group
* 10 am
Doug Wood
Ir Music 2 pm
World of Bats
♦ Kids 11am
Writer's Mix
* 7 pm
Mother/Daughter
Book Group 8-12
+ 7 pm
Farmington Hills *
30995 Orchard Lake Rd.
248.737.0110
Tuesday Wednesday Thursday
1/9
1/10
1/11
Storytime
* Kids 10 am
Friday
1/12
Psychic Fair
7 p.m.
Irwin Cohen:
Echoes of Detroit
Signing 6 pm
Maria Shaw
Astrologer 7-9
Metro Singles
* Book Grp 7:30
Creative Writing
7 p.m.
Pandora's
Puppets
♦ Kids 7p.m.
Two Regular
Guys Cookbook
♦ Signing 7p.m.
Jelly's Pierced
Tatoo
* Music 8-10
tt:
1/5
2001
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