relationship building at the core of inaugural saskatchewan jewish arts festival
the festival takes places oct. 19-23 with events across saskatoon.
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malvina rapko sees the arts as an apt way to get the broader community acquainted with her culture. rapko, who is now the producer of the saskatchewan jewish arts festival, recalls chatting with theatre artist joel bernbaum about how the city’s jewish community used to go about doing so — both when it was represented at folkfest, and further back, when the two of them were growing up in saskatoon.
“(the festival) came about because we saw a lack of something that we were really proud of and wanted to continue,” rapko said. bernbaum serves as the festival’s curator.
as the inaugural festival kicks off on wednesday, rapko says it serves a dual purpose: as a way to share understanding of the jewish faith and culture, and as a celebration.
“the ultimate goal is that relationship building, that understanding and making space for new ways of viewing a culture and coming together — and then celebrating. it’s important to celebrate. so i think if we’re able to do those two things, then we have succeeded,” she said.
the festival strives for both through its range of programming choices — including inviting the public to both a traditional shabbat service and a kickoff dance party hosted by saskatoon’s dj butt mitzfa. a production of old stock: a refugee love story is also taking place at persephone theatre until sunday in partnership with the festival.
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“i think one of the reasons is just to show the diversity within our culture, but also helping people understand or experience how judaism is as a religion and a culture,” she said.
composer ari posner has been considering that relationship between culture and religion through the lens of music and prayer.
posner will accompany the friday-night shabbat service at congregation agudas israel synagogue, then participate in a sunday panel on the subject of music within judaism.
this isn’t the first time posner has been called to think on the subject. he previously produced an album of more contemporary musical arrangements for a selection of jewish prayers, using multiple voices instead of a single cantor — an interesting challenge for posner, whose career is primarily in composing for television and film.
“that’s a very different process than sitting down to create a song or an arrangement of someone’s prayer,” he said.
the ontario-based musician will perform his original compositions of mi chamocha and barchu at the service.
“hopefully, it’ll bring another level of spirituality and depth to the service,” he said.
“both prayer and song are meant to transport you somewhere. but they both do it in slightly different ways. and i push for the song and the music, because i think it has a better chance of lifting you and transporting you than just praying on its own.”
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with the exception of old stock, for which tickets can be purchased through persephone theatre, all of the events are free to attend. more information and a schedule of events are available at agudasisrael.org/skjaf or on the saskatchewan jewish arts festival facebook page.
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