SHABBAT BY THE SHORE

Stephen Wise Temple’s annual Beach Shabbat is intended to awaken hearts while also celebrating the traditional Jewish holiday of love, Tu B’Av. At Crescent Bay Park, attendees hear favorite Wise melodies against the backdrop of an ocean sunset. Arrive early to stake out a spot for your blanket and picnic and be sure to bring a frisbee for an after-service hangout. Services also streamed. Free. 6:15 p.m. Crescent Bay Park, 2000 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica. (310) 476-8561. https://wisela.org/wise-summer-shabbat-2023/

SHABBAT SPLASH

Pool, inflatable water slide and games for all ages, including toddlers — that is the menu for families participating in the Summer Shabbat Splash at Valley Beth Shalom (VBS). A certified lifeguard will be on duty. While families bring their own Shabbat picnic dinners, VBS provides family challahs and parve sweet treats.  4:30-6:15 p.m. water play and picnic, 6:15-7 p.m. Shabbat services. $20 per family. Valley Beth Shalom, 15739 Ventura Blvd., Encino. (818) 788-6000. https://www.vbs.org/event/shabbat-splash-august-4-2023

ROXBURY SHABBAT

IKAR, regularly in pursuit of unique experiences, is holding Kabbalat Shabbat services at Roxbury Park in Beverly Hills, both preceded and followed by entertaining family-centric events. Enjoy a sweet, spirited Friday night service in outdoor, scenic surroundings. Please don’t bring alcohol or chairs. Picnic blankets only. 5 p.m. kids’ activity, family picnic, 5:30 p.m. Bite Size Services for families with kids 0-4, 6 p.m. BYO Veggie Picnic, 6:30 p.m. Kabbalat Shabbat. Free. Roxbury Park, 471 S. Roxbury Drive, Beverly Hills. (323) 634-1870. https://ikar.org/calendar/

LOVE SHABBAT IN THE GAN

In the week of one of Judaism’s happiest dancing holidays, Tu B’Av, Santa Monica-based Beth Shir Shalom encourages all to celebrate Shabbat by honoring an ancient Tu B’Av tradition, expressing love to others. 6:30-8 p.m. Beth Shir Shalom, 1827 California Ave., Santa Monica. (310) 453-3361. https://www.bethshirshalom.org/calendar/

BEACH SHABBAT SERVICE

When the beauty of Shabbat merges with a sunny outing at Toes Beach, it is intended to be a memorable experience for the Temple Akiba community. Rabbi Zach Shapiro, who conducts Kabbalat Shabbat services along with Cantor Lonee Frailich, promises to center your soul with the music of the earth, sky and sea. Bring your own beach chairs and blankets. 5:30 p.m. gather. 6 p.m. services. Toes Beach is at the end of Culver Boulevard. Toes Beach 6615 Pacific Ave, Playa Del Rey (310) 398-5783. https://www.templeakiba.net/main-calendar

BOOK CIRCLE

Congregation Kol Ami member Jane Drucker leads a virtual Book Circle in a discussion of “The Golem and Jinni,” by author Helene Wecker. Made of clay, Chava is a golem, brought to life by a disgraced rabbi who dips into Kabbalistic practice to become the wife of a man who dies at sea. The Zoom discussion is held at 4 p.m. For additional details, call (323) 606-0996 or visit https://www.kol-ami.org/event/book-circle-the-golem-and-the-jinni-by-helene-wecker.html.

AMNON YITZHAK

One of Israel’s most revered rabbis, HaRav Amnon Yitzchak, a leader of the Sephardi ba’al teshuvah movement (the return of secular Jews to religious Judaism), speaks at Nessah Synagogue. Born in Tel Aviv to a Yemenite family, he was not raised in a religious home. Audience members are encouraged to bring cellphones or headphones for simultaneous translation. 8 p.m. Free. Nessah Synagogue, 142 S. Rexford Drive, Beverly Hills. (818) 923-0381. https://www.nessah.org

SILVERLAKE JEWISH FESTIVAL

Silver Lake celebrates its diversity with the second annual Silver Lake Jewish Festival, a music and cultural event. The festival offers a unique recognition of the arts, traditions and foods that Jewish people celebrate and enjoy. Live performers include Moshav Band, Kosha Dillz and Erez Safar; food vendors Holy Grill Food Truck and Falafel Time serve delicious nosh; kids and adults zone provide activities for all ages; and a cultural crafts center offers pickle making, candle making, a henna artist and Jewish vendors. 3-7 p.m. Free. Sunset Triangle Plaza, 3700 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles. (323) 784-4300. silverlakefestival.com.

RABBI’S JOURNEY

At Temple Isaiah, Rabbi Ahud Sela shares his two frightening flirtations with death, cancer at age 22 and heart disease at 33. The leader of Temple Ramat Zion in Northridge and author of the book, “Seeing Angels in the Shadow of Death: A Rabbi’s Journey Through Illness and Health,” Sela wondered about the day he would die. Speaking in person, he shares his story. A copy of the book provided to the first 10 people to register. 10:30 a.m. Temple Isaiah members, free; nonmembers $18. Location provided upon registration. For more details, call (310) 277-2772 or visit https://www.templeisaiah.com/program-detail.php?id=9812

SUNDAY SURVIVOR TALK

Erika Fabian, child survivor of the Holocaust and a native of Budapest, speaks at the Holocaust Museum LA about how she and her mother survived by using false papers. From early memory, she could not admit she was Jewish, and she did not until her mother assured her it was safe. 3-4 p.m. Free, no RSVP required. Holocaust Museum LA, 100 The Grove Drive, Los Angeles. (323) 651-3704. https://www.holocaustmuseumla.org/event-details/sunday-survivor-talk-with-erika-fabian

“EVA’S PROMISE”

The Museum of Tolerance holds an in-person screening of “Eva’s Promise,” a film about 17-year-old Heinz Geiringer and his sister Eva. He hid his paintings and poetry beneath the floorboards of his attic and made her promise to retrieve them if he did not survive. Eva became the posthumous stepsister of Anne Frank when her mother, Fritzi, married Anne’s father, Otto Frank. A Q-and-A with the film’s director and producer, Steve McCarthy, follows the screening. Museum of Tolerance Director Liebe Geft moderates. RSVP required.  3 p.m. Museum admission $12-16; MOT members and active military, Free. Museum of Tolerance, 9786 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles. (310) 553-8403. https://www.museumoftolerance.com/events/evas-promise.html

SENIOR SUMMER PROGRAM

Seniors from Temple Judea’s TJ Village, Temple Ramat Zion and Valley Beth Shalom’s Hazak group come together for the special summer program, “Decoding the Race Performances of Eddie Cantor and Al Jolson.” Writer, scholar and educator Brynn Shiovitz speaks while attendees see clips of early films and discuss depictions of racism and ethnic portrayals of Jews and others. Stay to socialize over lunch. All are welcome. 10 a.m.-noon, program. Noon-1 p.m. lunch. Free. Bring your own food or pre-pay $9 for bagels, cream cheese, tuna, fruit and dessert. Valley Beth Shalom, 15739 Ventura Blvd., Encino. Contact Judy Davidson judithelen@gmail.com or Murray Heltzer meheltzer208@gmail.com to RSVP. https://portal.templejudea.com/event/tjvillage-visits-vbs-hazak.html

“ISRAEL 201”

While the latest conflicts in Israel over judicial reform simmer, Joel Chasnoff and Benji Lovitt, co-authors of “Israel 201: Your Next-Level Guide to Life in the Holy Land,” survey what makes the Jewish state unique and so much in the news. From Yom Kippur bike sales to Jerusalem’s cat conundrum and shomer Shabbos car insurance — this is the Israel you haven’t heard about. Alyssa Silva of American Jewish University interviews Chicago native Chasnoff, a former lone soldier in the IDF, and Texas-born Lovitt, who made Aliyah in 2006. The online-only discussion delves into the authors’ own experiences living in Israel. Noon. Free. https://www.aju.edu/events/israel-201-your-next-level-guide-life-holy-land

TRANS HAVURAH HANGOUT

Beth Chayim Chadashim’s trans havurah hangout invites friends and supporters to join them during this monthly Zoom lunch hour. Chill out, share and schmooze about your views. BCC welcomes people who are trans, nonbinary, genderqueer, gender-nonconforming, intersex and allies. Noon. For additional information, contact transhavurah@bcc-la.org or visit https://www.bcc-la.org/calendar/.

POETRY OF PRAYER

Get in the spiritual zone before the High Holy Days. For 75 minutes each Tuesday through Sept. 5, Temple Beth Am offers a Zoom session on the prayers and psalms of the High Holidays that have been gathered into an accessible vehicle. They are written either as poems or they contain poetry throughout so that every person can find meaning. Knowledge of Hebrew is helpful but not required. Additional sessions held Aug. 15, 22, 29, Sept. 5. 7:30 p.m. Additional details at https://www.tbala.org/get-involved/calendar?cal_date=2023-08-10.

WOZNICA’S UAE TRIP

Stephen Wise Temple Rabbi David Woznica is freshly returned from a historic diplomatic trip with a dozen rabbis to the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Jerusalem to celebrate the Abraham Accords. Join Woznica in an informal setting at Wise Temple, where he discusses his experience, followed by a Q-and-A session. He shares what he learned from briefings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Natan Sharansky and Ron Dermer, among others, while revealing touching moments that transpired in Abu Dhabi. The event is held in-person only. 6:30 p.m. Free. Stephen Wise Temple, 15500 Stephen S. Wise Drive, Los Angeles. (310) 476-8561. https://wise.shulcloud.com/form/abrahamaccords

TOURING AMSTERDAM

Join Nachshon Rodrigues Pereira, one of the last original Portuguese Jews left in Amsterdam, for an online account of the city’s Jewish community today and its history from the 17th century when it was the epicenter of Jewish life in Europe. The discussion focuses on Amsterdam Jews’ profound impact on the Dutch economy, infrastructure and language while looking at immense losses suffered during World War II. Noon. $21. https://www.aju.edu/events/tour-global-jewish-life-amsterdam

SKIRBALL CONCERT

It is time for an evening of exotic entertainment at the Skirball Cultural Center when West African musician Sona Jobarteh performs. Her vocals and intricate rhythms underscore how she has revolutionized the kora, a traditional Gambian instrument, which, until now, only has been passed down from father to son. Part of the Skirball 2023 Sunset Concerts season. 8-10 p.m. Free admission. Parking, $20. Reservations recommended. Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles. (310) 440-4500. https://www.skirball.org/programs/sunset-concerts-sona-jobarteh