Beth Am hosts fair to support Ukraine congregation

Congregation Beth Am will have its fifth annual Poltava Arts and Crafts Faire on Sunday, Nov. 2. The fair, which is intended to support Beth Am’s sister synagogue in the Ukraine, will feature jewelry, pottery, Judaic art, candles and handmade sweaters.

For the last eight years, Beth Am has been helping Jews in Poltava to rediscover their roots and introduce them to Reform Judaism. With help from many outside sources, the tiny community has been steadily growing.

Beth Am’s past efforts have provided the Poltava congregation with computers, religious books, Judaic art and ritual objects, rent money and leadership training.

The next goal is to help the congregation, also called Beth Am, to fund a Sunday school for children.

The fair will run from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at 26790 Arastradero Road in Los Altos Hills. For more information, visit www.betham.org/poltava.

Israeli pop singer coming to Cupertino

Popular Israeli singer Shlomo Artzi will appear in the Bay Area as part of a U.S. tour. He performs 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 4 at the Flint Center, 21250 Stevens Creek Blvd. in Cupertino.

For nearly 40 years, Artzi has been one of Israel’s most beloved rock and pop artists. He has sold more than a million albums over the course of his career. Tickets: $61-$181. For more information, call Vered Ravid at (408) 998-8487.

TJT opens season with ‘Yiddish Poet’

Traveling Jewish Theatre will kick off its 30th anniversary season with a revival of its original play, “The Last Yiddish Poet,” created by TJT co-founders Corey Fischer, Albert Greenberg and Naomi Newman. Opening Thursday, Nov. 6, the production is directed by Newman and stars Fischer and the TJT’s artistic director, Aaron Davidman.

“The Last Yiddish Poet” is about a pair of Jewish comedians who follow a mythical Yiddish poet on a journey through the past.

“The Last Yiddish Poet” runs through Dec. 15 at Traveling Jewish Theatre, 470 Florida St., S.F. Tickets: $15-$44. For more information, call (800) 838-3006 or visit www.atjt.com.

One-man musicale has Russian accent

Mark Nadler is back in the Bay Area with his Broadway-bound one-man show, “Russian on the Side,” now playing at the Marines Memorial Theatre in San Francisco. The Jewish pianist takes audiences on a musical journey, playing songs by Richard Rodgers, George Gershwin and others, while dishing out gossip about the great composers.

Nadler has performed on Broadway and at Carnegie Hall.

“Russian on the Side” plays now through Nov. 16 at Marines Memorial Theatre, 609 Sutter St., S.F. Tickets: $29-$49. For more information, call (415) 771-6900 or visit www.unionsquaretheatres.com.

Standup fundraiser at Beth Sholom

Congregation Beth Sholom will host Jewish Comedy Night, a fundraiser for Gesher, the San Francisco synagogue’s building campaign. The Nov. 8 event features five Bay Area Jewish comedians and host Kenny Altman in a night of standup.

Comics are Jeff Applebaum, Debbie Campo, Samson Koletkar, Jerry Goldstone and Fred Raker. The event takes place 8 p.m. at Beth Sholom, 301 14th Ave., S.F. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at www.brownpapertickets.com/ event/43065. For more information, call (415) 221-8736.

Silver Jews on film

“Silver Jew,” a 2007 documentary that chronicles vocalist David Berman and his indie rock group the Silver Jews on a tour of Israel, will be shown 7:30 p.m. Nov. 7 at Mezzanine, 444 Jessie St., San Francisco. Tickets are $8 to $12. For more information, visit www.sffs.org or visit www.myspace.com/silverjewmovie.