Los Angeles Jewish Symphony

A Patchwork of Cultures 2025: Adat Ari El

The Los Angeles Jewish Symphony (LAJS) proudly presented its unique and innovative education program, “A Patchwork of Cultures: Exploring the Sephardic-Latino Connection,” at Adat Ari El Synagogue on December 8, 2025.

The LAJS has conducted music education programs for over twenty years, reaching more than 20,000 students. This program explores and celebrates the deep cultural ties that Sephardic Jews share with the people of Latin America and promotes respect for diversity through recognition of these similarities.

A yearly tradition for the LAJS, the concert took place after a series of classroom workshops led by LAJS Teaching Artists in each of the participating schools – the concerts and workshops are free to students and schools and are completely underwritten by grant funding. We served 700 students, grades 4-5, from eight LAUSD and Jewish day schools, with a full orchestra concert preceded by our popular Instrument Petting Zoo. High school instrumental music student volunteers from Milken Community School assisted by demonstrating instruments at the petting zoo, and vocal students of the Milken Community School’s Kol Echad Choir joined the LAJS in the performance of “Ocho Kandelikas,” a song in Ladino. The concert was, as always, free and open to the public; some 100 adults were also in attendance.

Kol Echad Director Sarah Shapiro engages with students at the Instrument Petting Zoo
Milken’s Kol Echad Choir performs Ocho Kandelikas
Rabbi Cantor Marcelo Gindlin engages the audience
Soloist Kenton Youngstrom performs Guitar Concerto No. 1 by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco (Third Movement)
Maestra Green leads the orchestra
Guest flamenco dancers, Cynthia Lisi and Sara Vasquez, perform Malaguena

Photography by Sheldon Botler Photography