What's On in Somerville

My great-uncle Benno had one rule while I was growing up: The moment the children learn to talk, they learn to sing. Azoy Mus Sein (“So it Must Be”). Benno learned this Yiddish song while he was imprisoned in the Riga Ghetto. He brought it with him from the Ghetto to the Camp, to the Soviet Union, to Siberia, to Berlin, and finally to the United States. Hundreds of survivors like my great-uncle have attested that even in circumstances where every breath wasted precious energy, singing was essential. In this class we will listen to and read music composed by Jews during the Holocaust in different languages and genres. We will explore the possible functions of these songs as tools of dignity and resistance in the midst of horror.

HOLE SHOW is Somerville's hottest party for lovers of unhinged queer excellence! Hosted by SHERMAN, this event is a drag show, a dance party, and so much more. Resident DJs L'Duke and Mx Blaire keep our bodies moving all night, often bringing vinyl sets, and always bringing good vibes. Custom glitch video for every party created and curated by Togna Bologna and VJ Deem. With unique vendors, art installations, prizes, clay and coloring stations, custom cocktails, and community care, the Hole is expansive, accommodating, and waiting to be filled by the likes of you! Bring a friend, or make new ones, and come see why Boston is known for its bizarre, elevated, and diverse drag scene!

ITMA presents Drawing from the Well USA 250 is a celebration of traditional music, song, and dance from across the Atlantic. Over two nights, this event showcases performances inspired by ITMA's US archival collections. On April 30th, the lineup features Aoife O'Donovan, Aoife Ní Bhriain, Joey Aberta & Jackie O'Riley, Joey Abarta, Conor Connolly, Johnny Óg Pádraig & Clíodhna, Tommy McCarthy & Louise Costello, Cormac Begley, and Liam O'Conor. This project is co-funded by Ireland's Department of Culture, Communications & Sport and Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade as part of America 250.

In this talk, Dr. Fruman will propose a reading of three distinct responses to the thought of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook and to the theological foundations of Religious Zionism, as they emerge in the work of three contemporary thinkers: Rabbi Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz, Rabbi Shimon Gershon Rosenberg (Shagar), and Rabbi Menachem Froman. All three draw, in different ways, on Hasidic and kabbalistic sources. Yet they use these traditions to rethink the relationship between mysticism and politics—sometimes in continuity with Kook, and at other times in tension with, or even in opposition to, his thought. Dr. Fruman will suggest approaching these responses through a threefold typology: anti-Kook, post-Kook, and hyper-Kook.