According to my good friend Google, the definition of the Yiddish word Chutzpah is to have extreme self-confidence or audacity. I could sure use some of that!
If you’re looking for some more Chutzpah in your life, you can still come check out the Chutzpah! Festival of international Jewish performing arts here in Vancouver.
The festival is running until Thursday November 24th with a range of entertainment from theatre, comedy, music, and even drag shows, many of which can be seen at the Jewish Community Centre in Vancouver.
Starting in 2001, this is one of Vancouver’s most well-known events. The main mission of this festival is to highlight Jewish culture and perspectives through performing arts; however, in recent years it has also become equally important for the event to foster connections with artists who are not Jewish and to bring them “into dialogue with Jewish artists and bridge communities,” according to artistic director Jessica Mann Gutteridge.
The non-Jewish Persian community is one of the cultural groups that will be collaborating with Jewish performers in this festival, with dance performances, music, and cooking classes.
A prominent star of the festival is Israeli-Iranian singer Liraz. Although raised in Israel, the recording artist revealed a deep connection to her Iranian side when she released her debut album, Naz, sung entirely in Farsi.
This gave her a lot of attention from artists in Iran, and has led to collaborations with Iranian artists on her following albums, although the names of the artists had to be kept a secret, due to the ongoing political tensions and liberation movement in the country.
You can catch Liraz perform at the Norman and Annette Rothstein Theatre on November 23rd and of course there are a handful of other events to check out if you click here before the festival is over.