Cure FD will hold “Making Magic to Cure FD” on Sunday, April 18, 2010, at 2:00 pm in Klein Hall at University Synagogue 11960 Sunset Blvd., Brentwood, to raise funds for Familial Dysautonomia (FD).
The funds raised will go directly to the Laboratory for Familial Dysautonomia Research at Fordham University, New York. After nine years of research, this dedicated group of scientists and their Director, Dr. Berish Rubin, have discovered the gene that causes FD, a carrier test so that no more children need to be born with this degenerative, devastating, neurological Jewish genetic disease which is present at birth; they have also discovered several natural compounds that cause the growth of the missing protein in people’s neurological systems, so that hundreds of children will suffer less and enjoy life more.
The magic show features Amos Lev and His Doves and Dale Salwak. Amos was voted The Magic Castle Stage Magician of the Year for two years. He has traveled the world performing in theaters, night clubs, on television, and in the Las Vegas major casinos.
Of Dale Salwak, a London reviewer wrote, “He doesn’t just do magic — he is magic.” He has traveled throughout the world, doing his magic, including eleven visits to China; last year, he was the only invited North American to perform in the Spring Friendship Arts Festival in North Korea. Since 1978 he has been the Director of the Chavez Studio of Magic through whose doors have passed a literal “Who’s Who” in magic.
Magic will also be performed by the emcee, Mike Elkan, who performs at the Magic Castle.
Music will be provided by Susan Stolovy, an accomplished violinist and a founding member of the Cayuga Klezmer Revival, a klezmer band in New York. She also plays the domra, a Russian mandolin, in the Los Angeles-St. Petersberg Russian Folk Orchestra. Susan is a professional astronomer and works for a NASA mission, the Spitzer Space Telescope, at Caltech in Pasadena.
Additional music will be provided by Max Karmazyn and Seth Biagini. Max is a violinist who has been featured in numerous Music Festivals and has been in Youth Symphony Orchestras. He also won second and third prizes in the Leona Cohen Competition and won the Young Musicians Foundation Chamber Competition.
Cellist Seth Biagini has performed solos and recitals with the Pasadena Youth Symphony Orchestra, placed second in the Vienna International Festival, and was in the All-State Honors Orchestra in 2008. He also produced a concert series at a retirement home in 2008.
These magicians and musicians are donating their talents to help the children born with FD have additional new treatments from the Fordham Lab so that they can live into their adulthood and can enjoy a much healthier life.
Ticket donations can be ordered by calling 310-459-1056 or e-mailing info@curefd.org.