Visiting scholars, world-class musicians and local labor leaders will be among those participating in UCLA’s programming this Jewish American History Month, as well as Bruin student performers and faculty lecturers. Below is a calendar of public events in May that elevate narratives and histories of Jewish American identity in Los Angeles, on campus and beyond.

This lineup is just a sample of the programming the Bruin community has to offer throughout the year. Be sure to check out campus units such as the Lowell Milken Center for Music of American Jewish Experience and the UCLA Alan D. Leve Center for Jewish Studies, as well as their affiliated faculty, for even more research, events and opportunities.

May 7, 4:00 p.m.

Seminar: Biblical Monotheism: Exclusive or Inclusive?

This seminar will explore pluralism and broader theological issues, creating a dialogue between the work of historians of religion. The discussion, which is part of “The Bible and the Ancient World Seminar Series,” will be led by author Benjamin Sommer, a professor at the Jewish Theological Seminary. The event will be moderated by William Schniedewind, the Sady and Ludwig Kahn Director of the UCLA Alan D. Leve Center for Jewish Studies and a professor of biblical studies and northwest Semitic languages.

The event will take place at Royce Hall in Room 314. Registration is required.

May 12, 2:00 p.m.

Middle Eastern and North African Jews and the Birth of Modern Fashion: A Hidden History

Hear from scholars in a discussion about the unknown role that Jews from the eastern and southern Mediterranean played in the shaping of modern couture. Following two fashion houses run by an interconnected network of North African and Middle Eastern Jews in fin-de-siècle Paris, the talk reveals the participation of these firms in a global web of makers, suppliers and designers.

The lecture takes place in Royce Hall, Room 306. Register to attend.

May 13, Noon

Music and Religion in Popular Culture: The Case of Orthodox Jews and Christian Contemporary Music

Since the 1960s, religious practitioners have created their own music to express their beliefs and values to shield the community from popular culture, oftentimes using elements from the very culture they reject. In this presentation, Mark Kligman, a UCLA professor and the director of the Lowell Milken Center for Music of American Jewish Experience, will explore this intersection through the lens of orthodox Jewish and Christian contemporary music. The event is hosted by the UCLA Center for the Study of Religion.

The presentation will take place in person at Royce Hall in Room 365, but a Zoom option is available. Registration is required.

May 28, 5:30 p.m.

The Past, Present and Future of Jews and the Labor Movement in Los Angeles

Join historians, organizers and community leaders for a panel on Jewish labor activism. Featuring labor leader and former California Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg, the conversation will ask questions about what drew Jewish immigrants to the labor movement from the early 20th century to present day.

The event will take place at the UCLA Labor Center. Registration is required.

May 28, 7:00 p.m.

66th Annual Spring Festival of World Music: Klezmer Music Ensemble performance

As part of the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music’s student showcase tradition, this year’s festival will include the Klezmer Music Ensemble performing repertoire from the Yiddish Theatre and other Jewish Eastern European traditions. The event will also feature key concepts in Jewish culture and history to give context to the music.

The concert will be held at Schoenberg Hall and livestreamed. Admission is free.

May 31, 5:00 p.m.

Lullabies Around the Jewish World

The Milken Center for Music of American Jewish Experience presents a live performance by Cantor Elizabeth Shammash and pianist David Sparr as they explore Jewish culture and spirituality through the form of lullabies and bedtime songs in Yiddish, Hebrew and Ladino. The program includes well-known favorites such as “Rozhinkes mit Mandlen” and “Numi Numi” and will take the audience into new territory as well.

The event will take place at the Spiegel Auditorium at UCLA Hillel. Admission is free with registration.