Launch of JDub LA
By Josh Marks    July 20, 2007

It's Saturday night in Los Angeles and the young Jewish scenesters have ventured to Echo Park, an edgy neighborhood in the footsteps of Dodger Stadium and a world away from Hollywood. The reason? A Klezmer hip-hop artist from Montreal named Josh "So-called" Dolgin who plays a mean accordion, raps about Jewish cowboys and plays traditional Eastern European folksongs to breakbeat samples.

Welcome to Jewish music circa 2007 -- Yiddish parables and biblical passages filtered through hip-hop, reggae, rock or whatever else will draw in the masses of young Hebrews to find a positive connection to being Jewish beyond lighting a menorah every Chanukah.

This musical and cultural movement has been for the most part East Coast-centric, but now New York-based JDub Records, the not-for-profit Jewish music label that launched Hasidic reggae superstar Matisyahu's career, is branching out to the West Coast with the launch of JDub L.A.

"While we have produced national artist tours, JDub also produces many events in the New York area and as a result we've developed a real scene," explains JDub co-founder and CEO Aaron Bisman. "We've heard from friends and fans interested in similar programming in L.A. and recognized a need to develop L.A.'s Jewish cultural scene."

Bisman was able to start this Southern California initiative with the financial support of the Jewish Venture Philanthropy Fund of Los Angeles, a program of the Jewish Federation. JVPF-LA is a group of community leaders who invest in new and innovative programs consistent with Jewish values. JDub applied for funding and received $75,000 from JVPF-LA to launch JDub L.A.

The investment will support development of JDub's general strategic planning and expansion of programming to Los Angeles. The partnership was officially announced to the community at a May 16 launch party hosted by JVPF-LA at a Beverly Hills home. Attendees were entertained by JDub artist Golem and heard the 26-year-old Bisman talk about his plans for bringing Jewish music and culture to L.A.

Brenda Freshman has been a participating member of JVPF-LA for a few years and says the launch party was a great success. "I was impressed with the dynamism, charisma and talent of the musicians who played at the launch party," says Freshman. "It was great to be able to get to talk to them a little bit and experience their depth of passion for what they do."

While JDub L.A. is just starting out and is not currently working with any L.A.-based artists, they are actively searching and hope to have regular concerts and events soon. One of the challenges JDub L.A. faces is connecting to L.A.'s large (second only to New York) but mostly unengaged Jewish population.

Bisman however sees the many members of the tribe scattered across greater Los Angeles as a golden opportunity to form a real community.

"JDub was founded on the belief that uninvolvement does not equal disinterest," says Bisman. "We hope to offer opportunities to engage with a Judaism that speaks to our peers in L.A."

For more information about JDub Records visit www.jdubrecords.org and to find out more about the Jewish Venture Philanthropy Fund of Los Angeles visit www.jewishla.org/jvpf-la/.