From India to Israel - April 6th and 7th 2008

April 6, 2008
From India to Israel—
The Musical Heritage of Cochin
(Flyer) (pdf file)


For centuries Jewish women along India’s Malabar Coast filled notebooks with music they sang in Malayalam at weddings, community celebrations and rituals. Now they have been painstakingly re-discovered, performed and recorded in Israel, and been the subject of international exchange on the cultures of Hindus, Christians and Jews in India’s vibrant multi-ethnic Kerala region. A unique local and international partnership will present this music and those key to its revival at three Metropolitan Washington DC area events.

Co-sponsored by
the Embassies of India and Israel,
University of Maryland Center for Jewish Studies International Affairs Office,
B’nai B’rith Klutznick National Jewish Museum,
and Library of Congress Asia Division.

Time: 3:00 pm
Venue: Stamp Student Union,
Prince George’s Room (1210),
University of Maryland, College Park

A combined musical and academic panel will focus on
Malayalam-language songs and expert commentary.
For further information,
contact Dr. Saul Sosnowki at (301) 405-4772 or sosnowski@umd.edu


April 7, 2008
Time: 12.00 noon
Venue: Mumford Room, Library of Congress, Washington DC
A short introduction to the songs and stories. The program will be accompanied by a special exhibit of books on the Cochin Jewish community from the Asian collections of the Library of Congress in the Asian Reading Room, LJ–150, Jefferson Building, Library of Congress from 10:00 am–5:00pm.

For further information,
contact Dr. Allen Thrasher at (202) 707-3732 or athr@loc.gov


April 7, 2008
Time: 7.30 pm
Venue: Aaron and Cecile Goldman Theater,
Washington DC Jewish Community Center,
1529 Sixteenth Street, NW Washington DC
Jewish Community Center

“The Women Who Kept the Songs”, The Nirit Singers, Israeli women, of Cochin, Indian origin, will sing and share the stories of a nearly lost cultural treasure with American and Indian experts who helped in the music’s revival.

The songs and discussion will be followed by a reception in honor of this cultural achievement. $15, Discounted Member, Senior, Under 25 and Student Price $10Online purchase of tickets at www.washingtondcjcc.org/dialogues

Information: Stephen Stern (202) 777-3207 dialogues@washingtondcjcc.org
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Victory Arts Foundation

Victory Arts Foundation

VAF is a not-for-profit organization committed to making dance a meaningful experience for 'all' without any discrimination. VAF endeavors to use the power of 'performing arts', especially dance, to bring joy to theunderprivileged, specially challenged, visually impaired and others.Bringing a smile on their faces and adding a bounce in their stride, VAFtakes the mission of Have Feet, Will Dance, one step further:

Have Spirit.Will Triumph!

With a motive to help the young and the young at heart discover and enjoy creative expression through dance, Shiamak Davar's Institute for The Performing ArtsTM or SDIPAT, as it is popularly known, continues to teachJazz, Hip Hop, Rock N Roll, Afro Jazz, Salsa, Shiamak's Indo Jazz andShiamak's Bollywood Jazz styles of dance.


SDIPA conducts dance classes in thirteen cities in India, reaching out to thousands of students (4 to 84 years old, all shapes and sizes, specially challenged, visually impaired ---
one and all are a part of this disciplined, professional but most of all 'fun' institute.

Have Feet. Will Dance!

In November 2001, Shiamak Davar's Institute for the Performing Arts (SDIPA)along with Committed Communities Development Trust (CCDT), entered into a partnership to implement Dancing Feat (DF). With a goal to enhance the ability of high-risk vulnerable children to respond effectively to situations that place them at risk to HIV/AIDS, DF has adopted a unique child friendly strategy which combines popular dance forms along with group counseling and life skills education. Shiamak's Victory Art Foundation (VAF)Through VAF funded programs, SDIPA Instructors continue to share the joy ofdance with various NGOs all over India, including the following:

* The Society of Education for the Crippled (Mumbai)
* Spastics Society of India (Mumbai)
* Helen Keller's Institute for the Deaf And Deafblind(Mumbai)
* Sankalp School For the mentally challenged(Mumbai)
* Jariwala Orphanage for Muslim Girls(Mumbai)
* Project Udaan for slum children(Mumbai)
* Umang (Jaipur)
* Ishwar Foundation (Delhi)
* Tamanna(Delhi)
* Freedom Foundation (Bangalore & Chennai)
* Baldwin Opportunity (Bangalore)
* Sweekar Upkar (Hyderabad)
* Sanskriti Shikhar (Hyderabad)
* St.John's(Pune)

We are happy to share this information with you and look forward to you and your support to VAF so that we can continue to 'pay it forward' and share the joy of dance and performing arts with many others.

Warm regards,
Kainaaz Mistry
Manager - Victory Arts Foundation
C-19, Everest Building,
J Dadaji Road, Tardeo,
Mumbai-34
Tel: 65286583/ 23537930-7/9821541068