Hilarious and heart-warming, “A Matter of Size” is feature film about four overweight guys who learn to love themselves through the Japanese sport of sumo wrestling.

When Herzl (Itzik Cohen) starts working in a Japanese restaurant, he discovers the world of Sumo, where large people such as himself are honored and appreciated. Through the restaurant owner, a former Japanese Sumo coach, Herzl and his friends fall in love with a sport involving “two fatsos in diapers and girly hairdos. A “coming out” story with a twist, the comedy is utterly irresistible!

Part sports drama, part love story, this sweetly absurd tale of forlorn blue-collar guys pursuing a difficult goal… recalls audience-pleasing fare such as The Full Monty.” - Variety

The evening, co-sponsored by the Har HaShem Israel Partnership Committee, includes a catered Japanese dinner and film at 6:00 pm for $25 in advance. Tickets are $10 for the 7:00 pm film only.

Register online https://boulderjcc.wufoo.com/forms/menorah-sushi-sumo-and-cinema/

Or call 303-998-1021.

A British-born Oxford University graduate, Gringras is a writer, actor, singer and storyteller who lives on Kibbutz Tuval with his family. He tours the world with his shows, expressing his passion for the land of Israel through theater and music.

On Thursday, Robbie Gringras comes to Har HaShem for a unique Yom Ha’atzmaut celebration that includes a performance of “Why I’m (Still) Here,” underwritten by 18 Pomegranates and sponsored by Jewish-Together Boulder (JT Boulder), a new organization made up of area congregations and the Boulder JCC. The Yom Ha’atzmaut celebration, which begins with Israeli dancing and family activities, is the first collaborative program produced by JT Boulder.

Shari Edelstein, director of 18 Pomegranates, has recruited a group of young Israeli families to help plan a celebration for all ages preceding the performance. During the show, which is suitable for teenagers and adults, there will be supervised activities for children 12 and under. There will be an outdoor gaga pit and falafel will be for sale.

“Why I’m (Still) Here” is a series of stories chronicling Gringras’ adjustment to Israel and the significance of his decision to live in the Jewish homeland. His performance provides personal insights into Israel and what it means to live there. “In the end aliyah isn’t about arriving,” he says. “It’s about staying.”

Gringras is also the chief editor and artist in residence of the online network, Makom (translated as “place” and another name for G-d). Its goal is to support the effort to restore and preserve Israel’s important role in Jewish life. The site includes a popular and active book club, which Gringras created with musician Kobi Oz.

When asked about the message of his shows, Gringras says he doesn’t believe in messages.

It is my belief that good art (and good education) is about setting fire to important questions, and not giving self-important answers. I also believe that good art allows for an audience to assume and to interpret many different messages. The fun of art is that many people can draw from it so many different things.”

One of the main goals is to provoke the audiences into thinking deeply about their connection to Judaism and Israel. Gringras describes himself as, “an educator trying to build intimate and emotional connections to modern Israel. American Jews are having a difficult time coming to grips with the gritty reality. We have to get up close and personal with contemporary Israel.”

The free Yom Ha’atzmaut celebration begins at 5:30 pm in Har HaShem’s south building, 3950 Baseline Road, concluding with a ceremony at 6:30. Falafel will be available for purchase. Tickets to the 7:00 pm performance of  ”Why I’m (Still) Here” are $8 online or $10 at the door. To register: https://boulderjcc.wufoo.com/forms/menorah-why-iam-still-here/

Ever wonder why everyone talks about You Tube all the time – or what they are talking about? Ever wonder how Judaism fits into this new craze? Now is your chance to find out!  Two of our tech savvy young  staff members have scoured the internet in order to bring the best of Jewish You Tube to you!

Join us on Thursday April 5 at noon at the Boulder JCC, to find out how YouTube, Facebook and the internet are being used as wildly creative expressions of Jewish identity and forms of cultural connection.

From Jon Stewart to the “Maccabeats,” there is a lot of humor as well as opportunities to learn about Jewish culture on the internet. If you have ever wondered about the internet and how it relates to Judaism, join us at the Boulder JCC for a lunch, viewing, and discussion about our sampling of these videos.

The program is on Thursday, April 5  at noon at the Boulder JCC and the cost is $8 for lunch and program.

Superman. Batman. Spider Man. The Spirit. The X-Men. All invented by Jews. Then there’s Jules Feiffer and Art Spiegelman. And, of course, Harvey Pekar.

Jews built the comic book industry from the ground up, and the influence of Jewish writers, artists, and editors continues to be felt to this day. But how did Jews come to have such a disproportionate influence on an industry most famous for lantern-jawed demigods clad in colorful tights? Is the superhero really a Jewish phenomenon?

Find out Tuesday as Menorah concludes its Jewish Arts Month film series at the Boedecker Theater with a screening of “American Splendor” at 7 pm. Paul Giamatti stars in this feature film tracing the improbable career of morose comic book cult celebrity Harvey Pekar.

At 6:30, prior to the 2003 film, Kathryn Bernheimer will discuss the Jewish creative forces that have pioneered and dominated the comic book industry since its (Jewish) inception. There is no charge for the pre-show talk. Tickets to the film are available at www.thedairy.org. Films have been selling out, so reserve tickets online.

“Movies about artist’s lives are usually deadly and diminishing. This cubistic approach, blurring the line between the man and his work, gives us the impression we’re seeing the world from inside Pekar’s head. It’s as if the filmmakers let themselves be invaded by their subject’s quirky, cranky spirit.” – David Ansen, Newsweek

Featuring a solo show by David Grojean and the work of eight Colorado artists, J-ART offers the community the opportunity to meet the artists at a wine and cheese reception. Following the free opening reception, the community is invited to stay for a panel discussion, “Curious Curators: Arbiters of Art” at 7 pm. Admission is $5 at the door.

Join us to find out how curators make the decisions they make and how they shape the art world. Our panelists will talk about what they do at their respective museums and galleries and answer questions about how they select art, display art and work with artists. Our panelists include Georgina Kolber, Curator of Exhibits, Programs and Collections at the Mizel Museum; Susan Saltzman, Director of Open Studios; Simon Zalkind, Director of the Singer Gallery.

Acclaimed Boulder artist David Grojean has fully committed himself to the art of painting for the last 35 years. After two years in the Marines, Grojean attended the American University in Washington, D.C., where he received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Graphic Design. Deciding against a career in design, he attended graduate school in Boulder. In the spring of 1977, he received his Master of Fine Arts Degree from the University of Colorado and began his life as a professional painter.

David Grojean’s work is presently shown in galleries throughout the Western United States, Canada, and Europe. For the next few months, 24 paintings will be on display at the Boulder JCC.

In addition to Grojean’s paintings, J-Art includes a wide range of media – from ceramic to wood to mosaic to photography to fabric. Here’s a sampling:

Jay Michaelson returns to the Boulder JCC with his new book, “God vs. Gay? The Religious Case for Equality,” on Monday, April 23 at 7 pm. Co-sponsored by Out Boulder and Keshet, the author talk will focus on the myth that the Bible forbids homosexuality, a myth which Michaelson argues is behind some of the most divisive and painful conflicts of our day.

In his game-changing book, the scholar and activist argues that not only does the Bible not prohibit same-sex intimacy, the vast majority of its teachings support the full equality and dignity of gay and lesbian people, from the first flaw it finds in creation (“It is not good for a person to be alone”) to the way religious communities grow through reflection and conscience.  In short, Michaelson says, religious people should support equality for gays and lesbians not despite their religion — but because of it.

With close readings of the Hebrew Bible and New Testament, the latest data on the science of sexual orientation, and a sympathetic, accessible, and ecumenical approach to religious faith, Michaelson makes the case that sexual diversity is part of the beauty of nature, and that the recognition of same-sex families will strengthen, not threaten, the values religious people hold dear.

Michaelson is a writer, scholar, and activist whose work addresses the intersections of religion, sexuality, spirituality, and law.  Two years ago he came to the Boulder JCC to speak about his previous book, “Everything is God: The Radical Path of Nondual Judaism.”

He is the author of three other books and more than 200 articles, essays, and works of fiction. He is the Associate Editor of Religion Dispatches, a Contributing Editor to the Forward newspaper, and Founding Editor of Zeek magazine. His work on behalf of sexual minorities in religious communities has been featured in the New York Times, CNN, and NPR, as well as several anthologies.

In 2009, Jay was included on the “Forward 50” list of “the men and women who are leading the American Jewish community into the 21st century,” and in June, 2010, he won the New York Society for Professional Journalists “Deadline Club” award for opinion writing.

Hitler shook the trees and America picked up the apples.”

In this oft-quoted aphorism of unknown origin, the “tree” was the venerable tradition of arts and culture in Germany that had born rich fruit for centuries. The “apples” were the brilliant artists who were forced to flee Germany and Austria for their very lives.

When Hitler came to power in 1933, many of the greatest minds of their generation found themselves violently uprooted from their homes, history and national identity. Transplanted to the alien American soil, these  creative geniuses promptly transformed the cultural landscape of their host culture.

Most of these apples were deemed rotten by the Third Reich simply based on the fact that they were Jewish, but some were banished because they were anti-Nazi, leftist, or otherwise suspect because of their modernist artistic sensibilities. Indeed, when these refugees hastily packed their bags, they threw in one precious item: the inclination toward artistic modernity.

Thomas Mann and Bertolt Brecht were notable non-Jewish artists who found themselves unwelcome, indeed in grave danger, in a Germany committed to art that reflected the Aryan values of the Third Reich.  Peter Lorre, Fritz Lang, Otto Klemperer, Lion Feuchtwanger, Max Reinhardt, Hans Eisler, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Kurt Weill and Arnold Schoenberg were among the notable emigres who fled Germany and quickly began to wield enormous influence in America, primarily in talent-hungry Hollywood.

Although many of the best and brightest enjoyed success and lived luxurious lives in this “palm-tree purgatory,” they still felt caught between two worlds and longed for their European homeland. Many others were frustrated by their lack of options, stumbled over the language barrier, and never recovered their careers or lived up to their promise.

Some stories are fascinating tales of resilience and opportunity, but most are tinged with pain. Out of forced exile came a bitter revenge, the re-imagination of American culture.

Join Menorah as we explore the lives of artists who made their mark in film, theater, music, art, literature and dance in their adopted homeland.  Kathryn Bernheimer will discuss ”Artists in Exile”  on Thursday, March 8 at noon at the Boulder JCC. Cost for lunch and learn is $8 at the door.

Menorah: Arts, Culture and Education at the Boulder JCC

Jewish Arts Month includes a film series on four Tuesday nights in March at 7:00 pm  at the Boedecker Theater in the Dairy Center for the Arts. Each film features a discussion with an expert following the screening, and the last film includes a pre-show lecture on Jewish Comic Book Artists.

“The Rape of Europa” on March 6

With talk back by CU Art History Professor Kira van Lil

This stunning 2006 documentary tells the epic story of the systematic theft, deliberate destruction and miraculous survival of Europe’s art treasures during the Third Reich and WW II. The film takes the audience on a journey through seven countries into a violent whirlwind of fanaticism, greed and warfare that threatened to wipe out the artistic heritage of Europe. Joan Allen narrates this breathtaking chronicle about the battle over the very survival of centuries of western culture. The extraordinary true story of “The Rape of Europa” is soon to be a feature film from writer/director/star George Clooney!

“Modigliani” on March 13

With talk back by Mizel Museum Curator Georgina Kolber

Set in Paris in 1919 when the city’s bohemian community was in full flower, this feature film stars Andy Garcia as the Jewish Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani.  An honest portrait of the uniquely gifted painter and sculptor, the film focuses on the troubled artist’s last days, depicting his rivalry with Pablo Picasso and his tragic romance with Jeanne Hebuterne (Elsa Zylberstein), who was disowned by her wealthy family for falling in love with a Jew.

“Herb and Dorothy” on March 20

With talk back by art collector David Raddock

Herb and Dorothy Vogel redefine what it means to be an art collector, as this 2008 documentary so astonishingly attests. Herbert Vogel, the son of a Russian Jewish garment worker, spent his life working as a clerk at the post office. Dorothy Faye Hoffmann, the daughter of an Orthodox stationary merchant, worked as a librarian. Herb and Dorothy married in 1962 and in their cramped one bedroom apartment amassed one of the world’s most important collections of Minimalist and Conceptual art.

“American Splendor” on March 27

With special pre-show talk at 6:30 by Kathryn Bernheimer:

“Jewish Comic Book Creators: From Superman, Batman, Spiderman and X-Men to R. Crumb’s underground commix”

Paul Giamatti plays cult comic book creator Harvey Pekar in this 2003 biographical comedy-drama about a morose artist who shares the sad monotony of everyday life with his fans. When he meets fellow neurotic Joyce Brabner (Hope Davis), he finds his depressive soul mate. The deadly funny film employs a combination of live-action film, video, and animation, including narration and commentary from the real-life Harvey Pekar.

Movies about artist’s lives are usually deadly and diminishing. This cubistic approach, blurring the line between the man and his work, gives us the impression we’re seeing the world from inside Pekar’s head. It’s as if the filmmakers let themselves be invaded by their subject’s quirky, cranky spirit.” - David Ansen, Newsweek

Triple Feature Art Shows on March 18

On Sunday, March 18, the Boulder JCC hosts three fabulous art events, beginning at 4:30 pm with ArtRageous: Intergenerational Art Workshop in which participants are guided to create a work in the style of Chagall.

At 6:00 pm, there will be a wine and cheese art show opening for J-Art, showcasing the work of nine Colorado artists.

Following the meet the artist reception, audiences will get a glimpse behind the art world with the 7:00 pm panel, “Curious Curators: Arbiters of Art.” Join us to find out how curators make the decisions they make and how they shape the art world. Our panelists will talk about what they do at their respective museums and answer questions about the art of curating. Speakers include Georgina Kolber, Curator of Exhibits, Programs and Collections at the Mizel Museum; Lisa Tamiris Becker, Director of the CU Art Museum; and Jane Saltzman, Director of Open Studios.

Hadassah’s 100th on March 22

Finally, on Thursday, March 22, as thousands gather across the country to toast Hadassah’s 100^th anniversary, Boulder celebrates with a party that includes champagne and cake, and a screening of a 60-minute documentary about Marc Chagall, the legendary and quintessentially Jewish artist.

The film and celebration honor Chagall’s stained glass windows at the Hadassah hospital in Jerusalem, created and donated for Hadassah’s 50^th anniversary, which are among the artist’s most beloved and well-known works. Hadassah is blessed with many works of art which convey the message that soothing the soul is as important as healing the body, and Chagall’s spiritual and spirited works are testaments to that faith in the healing power of art.

To reserve a spot or for more information, call Kathryn at 303-998-1021, Kathryn@boulderjcc.org, or visit www.boulderjcc.org.