Dr. Noreen Green, Artistic Director
March 26, 2004
by Gaby Wenig
Article on “A Patchwork of Cultures –
The Sephardic/ Latino Connection
Oil of Ole
With hair flying and arms interlocked, 25 school-age children clapped their hands and performed the "Mexican Hat Dance" — one of the many musical acts shown at Temple Israel of Hollywood on Feb. 24. The concert was part of an education program titled, A Patchwork of Cultures, which sought to explain the Sephardic-Latino connection through language and music.
The
Nimoy Concert Series and the Los Angeles Jewish Symphony (LAJS) collaborated
on the educational workshops leading up to the concert. At the workshops,
members of the 
orchestra
visited third- through fifth-graders from various elementary schools.
Using musical principles, like texture, the teachers helped the kids create
artwork that represented their heritage. The musicians incorporated music
in the cultural lesson, with public school children learning classic Sephardic
melodies like "Avraham Avinu" in Ladino, and the Jewish day
school students learning the "The Mexican Hat Dance."
Noreen Green, artistic director for the LAJS and the creator of the program, wanted the kids to understand their cultural connection and celebrate their similarities through music.
"This all came out of wanting to have more of a connection with our Hispanic community," Green said. "Through music we can show the similarities of the two cultures."
The concert was the first opportunity for the kids from the various schools to meet and share their experiences. Hundreds of kids chitchatted in line, patiently waiting their turn for the "instrument petting zoo." In the background you could hear the blare of the trumpet, the sound of the horn and clinking of the xylophone, as children toyed with various musical instruments.
At the concert, Cantor Aviva Rosenblum, wearing a green cloak with a rose in her hair, sang beautiful Sephardic and Latino melodies in operatic style.
Daniel Fishman, a Russian Jewish fifth-grader from Laurel Elementary School said the program was a true learning experience since he had no prior knowledge of Sephardic Jews.
"I am enjoying it," he said with a smile. — Leora Alhadeff, Contributing Writer