The Joy of Jewish Music and Dance - The Qadim Ensemble and Miriam Peretz

Name: The Joy of Jewish Music and Dance - The Qadim Ensemble and Miriam Peretz
Start: 2026-01-25T14:00:00-08:00
End: 2026-01-25T17:00:00-08:00
Location: Congregation Netivot Shalom

Schedule

Sun Jan 25 2026 at 02:00 pm to 05:00 pm

UTC-08:00

Location

Congregation Netivot Shalom | Berkeley, CA

Join us on Sunday, 1/25 from 2-5pm with Qadim (Eliyahu Sills, Rachel Valfer, Faisal Zedan) and Miriam Peretz! They will teach song and dance in our series Joy of Jewish Music and Dance at Netivot Shalom, 1316 University Ave, Berkeley.
--> Reserve your tickets in advance: https://klezcalifornia.org/events/the-joy-of-jewish-music-and-dance-012526/
During the first 2 hours we’ll have several concurrent workshops to choose from, all levels welcome. Bring your instruments, or just bring yourself. Each workshop will teach several fundamentals and participants will learn a few melodies, drum patterns, or special choreography.
• Dance
• Percussion
• Instrumental
• Singing
Then participants will have a short break for snacks, and come back together to share what they’ve learned, and dance and play together.
//////////////////////////////////////// Artist Bios ////////////////////////////////////////
QADIM is a word found in both Arabic and Hebrew meaning ‘ancient’ as well as ‘that which will come.’ The ensemble’s repertoire includes Arabic, Jewish, Turkish Sufi, Hebrew-Yemenite, Armenian, Greek, Ladino and Moroccan music, celebrating the common musical and spiritual heritage of the region’s cultures, while honoring the great diversity found within them.
Known for his authenticity and soulful musicianship, ELIYAHU SILLS has been performing music for over 20 years on multiple instruments, including bansuri (the bamboo flute of India), and Turkish and Arabic ney (the reed flute of the middle east), the upright bass, and electric bass. He has performed throughout the country with his critically acclaimed bands The Qadim Ensemble, BOLO, and as a solo artist as well as collaborating with many highly acclaimed musicians.
RACHEL VALFER is a singer and oud (Arabic lute) player who brings depth of feeling to every song. She studied Maqam and Persian dastgah modal systems in Israel and Palestine for six years at the Center for Middle Eastern Studies, and sings with several ensembles in the Bay Area.
Syrian-born FAISAL ZEDAN was inspired to play Arabic percussion at the age of 15. He received instruction from a distant relative, the only drummer in his village of Oum Dbaid. Since moving to the United States, he has played with many of the greatest Arabic musicians, such as Ali Jihad Racy, Julien Jâlal Eddine Weiss, and the ensemble Kan Zaman.
MIRIAM PERETZ weaves movement and ritual together to create safe, communal spaces for healing and empowered embodiment. She is a life-long dancer who is devoted to the study of sacred movement practices from around the world, focusing on dances from Central Asian and the Middle East as well as mystical practices of Sufi whirling and ritual. Miriam’s work consistently weaves dance with embodied spirituality and devotion, drawing on her personal practice as a dervish and background as a child of Kabbalists. Miriam sees dance as a uniquely powerful means of expressing deep emotion and spiritual yearning, and therefore the perfect embodiment of prayer.
Miriam is the creator of Nava Dance, and Integral Dance, both modalities for holistic dance practice that weave traditional dance forms with somatic inquiry, embodied intention, and breath awareness. Miriam offers workshops and retreats worldwide. www.miriamdance.com