A JEW GROWS IN BROOKLYN Returning to Aventura Arts & Cultural Center

After a record-breaking success at the historic Lambs Theater in the heart of Broadway in 2006-2007, and a reprise in 2012, Jake Ehrenreich returns to South Florida and the Aventura Arts & Cultural Center for a limited run of just four encore performances of his hit show A Jew Grows in Brooklyn. The show will run from January 24-26, 2016.

Ehrenreich's "rock 'n roll true story, Holocaust family, Borscht Belt" autobiographical comedy sold out when it played at Aventura last season.

When Jake Ehrenreich was growing up in Brooklyn in the 1960s and 70's, he wanted nothing more than to be All American. But his Yiddish-speaking parents, who failed to understand the game of baseball or make sense of rock music, made it difficult for him to feel part of the mainstream culture. In his comedy musical memoir, A Jew Grows in Brooklyn, directed by Jon Huberth, Ehrenreich explores how his family history, dominated by the shadow of the Holocaust, shaped the man he turned out to be. A multimedia performance, complete with photos and video of his relatives, bar mitzvah, and wedding - and filled with laughter, tears, and music, Ehrenreich's stories will resonate with audiences of all ages.

"I wanted to tell a very serious story - but make it accessible with as much joy and laughter and music as possible." Ehrenreich said, noting that his show is mostly upbeat and optimistic.

The New York Times raved: A Jew Grows in Brooklyn is "funny... touching... beautiful... dazzling... you don't have to be Jewish or Brooklynish..." and compared Ehrenreich to Billy Crystal and Bill Murray. The Philadelphia Inquirer called the show "An uplifting treasure with universal appeal - in the same elevated company as Billy Crystal's 700 Sundays, and Chaz Palminteri's A Bronx Tale."

Jake Ehrenreich, 58, an award winning actor, playwright, musician and author, has appeared on Broadway in Dancin', Barnum and They're Playing Our Song and toured internationally as Ringo in Beatlemania. He has performed and recorded with such diverse artists as Richie Havens, Greg Allman, Tito Puente, Cab Calloway, Jay Leno and the Smothers Brothers.

After over 2,000 performances, and a National Tour of more than 25 cities, the extraordinary success of the stage play has spawned many branches, including a full-length book, A Jew Grows in Brooklyn: The Curious Reflections of a First Generation American (Published by HCI), a PBS documentary in the works, A Jew Grows in Brooklyn Day proclaimed in New York City, and even a sandwich namesake at the famous Carnegie Deli.

While A Jew Grows in Brooklyn is widely known for its comedy, it successfully uses laughter to convey a broader message. The Los Angeles Times said:

"Ehrenreich is an engaging and thoughtful raconteur who weaves philosophy into personal history. His insight into the legacy of the classic Borscht Belt entertainers is elegant in its simplicity. They made Jewish comedy synonymous with American comedy, but for Holocaust survivors and their offspring their contribution was even more special and profound: They taught us to laugh again."

A Jew Grows in Brooklyn will run from January 24 to 26 at The Aventura Arts & Cultural Center. Tickets for A Jew Grows in Brooklyn range from $45 - $75 and can be purchased by phone at 877-311-7469 or on line at http://www.aventuracenter.org.

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