Cantor, comics headline entertainment options in Palm Beach County

Two Jewish comedians will perform in a night of stand-up comedy on June 30 at 8 p.m. at Mizner Park Cultural Center in Boca Raton in a fundraising event for the Jewish Association for Resident Care (JARC) not for profit organization.

Also teaming for a international music concert on July 8 at 3 p.m. will be Cantorial Soloist Margaret Schmitt with Russian guitarist Yury Nugmanov at Temple Sinai of Palm Beach County in Delray Beach.

Jodi Miller, known for her observational comedy as a 47 year old single Jew, is the headline performer in the fundraiser for JARC. Miller talks about dating younger men, among other topics in her shows.

“I call myself a Jewgar, a term for older Jewish women dating young guys in my shows. I go out with young guys and make them feel guilty,” said Miller.

Miller has been performing for 19 years, including going overseas on four occasions performing for American troops stationed in Afghanistan.

Born and raised in New Jersey, Miller was encouraged by her Jewish parents to take up comedy. She often will also have serious moments in her shows, sometimes talking about her late mother in her show.

“Doing comedy on stage is a lot more fun than doing therapy on a couch, and I have done both,” said Miller.

Opening the show for Miller will be 19-year-old Jewish comedian Ben Zieper from Weston.

Zieper has been doing stand-up comedy at local South Florida comedy venues for three years, winning the 2015 and 2016 Brickell Comedy Festivals.

“I identify myself as a Jewish teen who is somewhat nerdy and awkward about girls and sexuality,” said Zieper.

“My bris is the most action I’ve ever had sexually. Even then, I came up short,” quipped Zieper in one of his shows.

Zieper graduated high school from the David Posnack Jewish High School in Davie and plans on studying comedy at Emerson College in Boston.

“I deliberately wanted to have both Ben (Zieper) and Jodi (Miller) as an all-Jewish comedy night for the JARC fundraiser,” said comedy promoter Benjamin Leis of “Comic Cure,” who organized the event.

For more information and tickets at Mizner Park Cultural Center, 201 Plaza Real in Boca Raton, call 844-672-2849 or go to miznerparkculturalcenter.com.

Schmitt will be singing songs in Hebrew and Yiddish and will team with Nugmanov in performing internationally known songs, including compositions in classical music and opera in the concert.

“We will be performing many songs that the audience will immediately know,” said Schmitt, who has been cantorial soloist at Temple Sinai for12 years.

Schmitt will also team with Nugmanov for the Erev Shabbat musical service at the temple on July 6 at 7:30 p.m.

Schmitt is proud to be a Jew by choice, having converted to Judaism in 2006.

“I am proud to be a Jew and knew many of the Hebrew prayers even prior to becoming a Jew by choice,” said Schmitt.

For tickets to the concert at Temple Sinai of Palm Beach County, 2475 W. Atlantic Ave. in Delray Beach, call 561-276-6161×123 or go to templesinaipbc.org.