courtesy JM

The Jewish Museum in New York City has acquired an extremely rare late 12th-century North German bronze lion aquamanile for its collection. The work, purchased from the Michael and Judy Steinhardt Judaica Collection sale at Sotheby’s, features a 16th-century Hebrew inscription on the lion’s side.

Aquamanilia are figural vessels that hold water and are used for washing hands. This particular example was adopted for Jewish religious ceremonial use, probably in a synagogue. It bears a dedicatory inscription from a young man, Berekhiah Segal the Levi. This suggests that it might have been donated to a synagogue, possibly for a Levi to use as he washed the hands of a priestly descendent — a kohen — before the kohen blessed the congregation.

The Folksbiene: National Yiddish Theater has hit a home run with its new production of “The Megile of Itzik Manger.”

Credit has to go to an inspired production design team (set and costume designer Jenny Romaine, lighting designer Natalie Robin, production stage manager Alex Brouwer) and terrific direction by Moti Didner, the Folksbiene’s associate artistic director. They have reimagined the classic Purimspiel as a small-town circus musical, filled with acrobatics, masks, puppets large and small, sideshow sets, whirling dance numbers, double entendres, proletarian politics, and a variety of other elements that keep the ear and eye delighted throughout.

The Maccabeats performed in concert on April 14 in celebration of Yom Ha’atzmaut at the Jewish Community Center of Paramus. The concert was co-sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey.

The Maccabeats, an all male a cappella group originally formed at Yeshiva University in 2007, have performed throughout the United States, including at the White House, and around the world. The parents and grandparents of one of the Maccabeats, Joshua Jay, pictured fourth from left, are members of the JCCP.

The group’s videos, which have a combined total of more than 10 million views, have covered the holidays of Chanukah, Purim, and Sukkot. In March, they released a music video featuring a medley of songs from “Les Misérables,” performed with re-enactments of scenes from the Passover story.

Before and after the concert, attendees could register to be a volunteer marrow/stem cell donor by giving a cheek swab for tissue typing.

Jewish Family Service of North Jersey presents “Neil Berg’s Night of Broadway Stars,” a musical revue, at the Indian Hills High School in Oakland on Sunday, May 19, at 7 p.m. Berg and his company will perform revived arrangements of Broadway classics as well as numbers from Broadway’s newest hits.

Neil Berg Courtesy JFSNJ

There will be pre-show cocktails and a dinner buffet at a private home in Franklin Lakes for benefactors and patrons. So far, sponsors include Advisors Capital Management, LLC; Eric & Julie Epstein Charitable Foundation; Sal Lauretta for Men; A.L. Levine Family Foundation; Massage Envy Spa; Cantor Ilan and Carol Mamber, and Paterson Papers.

Proceeds of ticket sales will support the services and programs of Jewish Family Service of North Jersey. For tickets, call JFSNJ at (973) 595-0111 or email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Hallelujah, Israel’s world-renowned singing contest, will hold its semi-finals on Sunday, May 19, at 7 p.m., at the 92Y Tribeca in Manhattan.

Open to 18- to 30-year-olds of Jewish heritage, Hallelujah, which is often compared to “American Idol,” will bring 30 regional winners to Israel for the finals this year. In Israel, not only will they compete, they will have the chance to explore their Jewish identity. They will be immersed in Israeli culture and language and meet other young Jews, who like them are following their musical passions.

The 19-day program, sponsored by the government of Israel and organizations such as Birthright Israel, Jewish Rock Radio, and the Jerusalem Post, culminates in a broadcast on Israel National Television. The three top finalists receive cash prizes; the grand prize-winner will record a song with a well-known Israeli artist.

LBNY Productions is producing the New York contest. Call (646) 643-4140.

Moviegoers who went to the AMC Magic Johnson Harlem 9 last week for the opening of “42” saw the story of how Jackie Robinson displayed legendary courage, class and talent in the face of immense pressure and racial hatred as he broke down baseball’s color barrier.

Less well known is Robinson’s role in a controversy that erupted just a few blocks away, at Harlem’s most famous theater, and underscored his commitment to fighting all bigotry, including prejudice emanating from his own community.

It was 1962, a decade and a half after Robinson first took the field for the Brooklyn Dodgers and just a few years after he retired. Day after day, an angry crowd marched outside Harlem’s legendary Apollo Theater protesting against its Jewish owner, Frank Schiffman, and his plan to open a low-cost restaurant with prices that could threaten the business of a more expensive black-owned eatery.