Sikhs to Celebrate Holiday With Downtown Parade

Southern California Sikhs, followers of the world’s fifth-largest religion, will celebrate a major religious holiday Sunday--Baisakhi Day--with colorful floats, devotional music, chanting and a free kitchen serving Indian vegetarian food.

Baisakhi Day commemorates the expanded religious vision that Sikhs believe was given to them by Guru Gobind Singh more than 300 years ago. Singh proclaimed Sikhs as the Khalsa, or pure ones, initiated a baptismal rite and strengthened the code of conduct to include the now-classic five symbols of Sikhism: uncut hair, comb, sword, steel bracelet and long undershorts.

Events will begin at 8 a.m. with musical performances at the Los Angeles Convention Center, Room 403 in the South Hall, 1201 South Figueroa St. A two-hour parade around downtown Los Angeles will depart from the center at 3 p.m. Call (310) 273-7794 or (213) 624-2242 for information.

EVENTS

Appeals for Sabbath prayers for 13 Iranian Jews scheduled to go on trial next week in Iran on espionage charges have been issued by the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, the Iranian American Jewish Federation and B’nai B’rith International. Federation President John Fishel said that if the accused are convicted they “may be standing before God on this, their final Shabbat.” Sam Kermanian, secretary general of the Iranian American Jewish Federation, said Iranian law is being ignored and the 13 have been jailed since last March with no formal charges and no access to legal representation.

Hillsides, a treatment center for victims of child abuse, will observe the Stations of the Cross, featuring meditations on the plight of children, at 12:30 and 1:45 p.m. Sunday at 940 Avenue 64 Pasadena. Bishop Suffragan Chester Talton of the Episcopal Church will be among those participating in the annual Lenten journey. Call (323) 255-9005, Ext. 254.

* Loyola Marymount University and B’nai Tikvah Congregation will co-host a Passover Seder at the university from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. Rabbi Arthur Gross-Schaffer of Loyola will lead the service. (310) 645-2112

* A collection of Islamic books and papers donated to Cal State Northridge by religion scholar Wilfred Cantwell Smith and his wife, Muriel, will be officially opened at 6 p.m. Friday at the university’s Oviatt Library. The Canadian scholar, who died in February at age 83, wrote extensively on Islam, world religions and pluralism and helped establish religion studies programs at Harvard University and elsewhere. (818) 677-2741

* A workshop on “Responding to the Word: Reading as a Spiritual Practice” will be offered from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. today at the Doheny campus of Mount St. Mary’s College near Adams Boulevard and Figueroa Street in Los Angeles. The workshop, led by Sister Mona Castalezo, will explore a variety of examples of inspirational literature as a path to prayer and contemplation. (213) 477-2645

* Temple Beth Hillel will hold a “Torah Trek” to hike, participate in Shabbat services and discuss a Torah reading from 9 a.m. to noon today at Fryman Canyon Park in Studio City. Rabbi Michael Comins will lead the activity. Participants will gather at 8:45 a.m. at the temple. (818) 763-9148, Ext. 110

* Prince of Peace Episcopal Church, 5700 Rudnick Ave. in Woodland Hills, will hold a rummage and bake sale Thursday and Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. (818) 346-6968

* Charlene Neely, a descendant of “secret Jews,” will speak on the discovery of her ancestral heritage at 10:15 a.m. today at Kol Tikvah Temple, 20400 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills. The lecture is sponsored by the Ami Havurah. (818) 348-2926

* Temple Ner Tamid will sponsor a “women-to-women” Rap Havorah at 7 p.m. Thursday at the temple, 10629 Lakewood Blvd., Downey. Child care is available for $2 per child. (562) 861-9276

PERFORMANCES

St. Matthew’s Church will present “Music in the New Millennium,” including the West Coast premiere of David Del Tredici’s “Dracula” at 8 p.m. Friday at the church, 1031 Bienveneda Ave., Pacific Palisades. The program will feature conductors Thomas Neenan and John M. Kennedy, percussionist Aaron Smith, soprano Diane Plaster and the St. Matthew’s Chamber Orchestra. Tickets are $15 and $10. (310) 573-7787, Ext. 2

* Mikhail Morgovsky will perform works by Bach, Beethoven, Scarlatti and Mendelssohn at a recital at 4 p.m. Sunday at St. James Presbyterian Church, 19414 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana. (818) 345-2057

* The Westside Jewish Community Center will present a concert of Jewish composers featuring singers Kelly Cooper and Ariella Vaccarino at 2 p.m. Sunday at the center, 5870 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles. Tickets are $8 and $10. (323) 938-2531, Ext. 2225

* Cantori Domino will perform “Echoes of the Future,” with music by Barber, Ives and Jergenson, at 4 p.m. Sunday at St. Augustine-by-the-Sea Parish Church, 1227 4th St., Santa Monica. (323) 662-5007

Notices may be mailed for consideration to Southern California File, c/o Religion Editor, Los Angeles Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles 90053, faxed to Southern California File at (213) 237-4712, or e-mailed to religion@latimes.com. Items should arrive two to three weeks before the event and should include pertinent details about the people and organizations with address, phone number, date and time. Because of the volume of submissions, we cannot guarantee publication.