Dance, music, comedy, and theatre bring the Chutzpah Festival celebration of Jewish arts alive from Thursday (February 19) to March 15. Here are just a few more highlights.

Don’t miss Marathon, from Israel, Tuesday and Wednesday (February 24 and 25) at the Wosk Auditorium as it stages a grand metaphor for life in Israel: three performers who run in a circle, then spiral out into an arduous struggle.

Idan Sharabi and Dancers, led by Israel’s red-hot Nederlands Dans Theatre alumnus, return for the second year with work that explores ideas of home and war (February 25 to 28 at the Norman and Annette Rothstein Theatre); the bonus is that imaginative local talent Vanessa Goodman is opening with a new work for six dancers.

And supercharged fest favourite Bodytraffic, from L.A., brings a mix of new work to the Rothstein from March 5 to 8.

Prepare to be deeply moved by the premiere of composer Paul Alexander’s Remembering Steel Skies Raining Tears, a powerful piece commemorating the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Jews from Nazi death camps, performed by the Borealis String Quartet, Eric Wilson, and Boris Sichon, on March 1 at the Rothstein.

And lighten your mood with You’re Funny But You Don’t Look Jewish!, the self-explanatory comedy show featuring standups Mike Capozzola, Samson Koletkar, and Joseph Nguyen—March 3, also at the Rothstein.