ART

PRAYER PHOTOS The exhibit “Palaces of Prayer” features the Hungarian-born Laszlo Regos’s photographs of synagogue architecture from around the world, including Temple Beth Sholom in Pennsylvania, one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s last works; New York’s Central Synagogue, and the Dohany Street Synagogue in Budapest, among others. Through tomorrow, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Angel Orensanz Foundation Center for the Arts, 172 Norfolk St., between Stanton and Houston streets, 212-529-7194, free.

BENEFITS

REEVE’S LEGACY The Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation holds its first gala since the death of its founder in October. Paul Simon performs at the “Magical Evening” black-tie benefit. Tonight, 6:30 p.m. cocktails, 7:30 p.m. dinner, the Marriott Marquis, 1535 Broadway, between 45th and 46th streets, 212-627-1000, $750-$2,5000.

DRUM CIRCLE OF LIFE Audience participation is requested at Drumming for Peace, a percussion-themed benefit for Save the Children’s humanitarian work in Darfur, Sudan. Susan Sarandon serves as honorary chair and Ossie Davis hosts the event. Pulitzer Prize-winner Samantha Power and the president of Save the Children USA, Charles MacCormack, will speak about the crisis in Darfur. Attendees can bring their own hand drums and percussion instruments to play along with the Healing Hand Percussion Circle. Sunday, 8-11 p.m., Columbia University, Miller Theatre, 2960 Broadway at 116th Street, 212-854-7799, $25 general, $10 students.

TOASTING RUBIN The New-York Historical Society’s “History Makers” gala honors the one-time secretary of the Treasury, Robert Rubin. Monday, 6 p.m., New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, between 76th and 77th streets, 212-873-3400 ext. 297, $1,000-$5,000 gala, $200 dessert and dancing only.

BOOKS

FANCIFUL FANNY Edmund White reads from his novel “Fanny: A Fiction” (Harper-Collins), in which he adopts the voice of 19th-century writer Frances Trollope, who is composing a biography of her friend, feminist Fanny Wright. Tonight, 7:30 p.m., Barnes & Noble Upper West Side, 2289 Broadway at 82nd Street, 212-362-8835, free.

BUSHELS OF BOOKS Thousands of books are sold at half-price at a fair benefiting the Goddard Riverside Community Center. The event opens with a gala Book Bash, with food provided by Ouest and Ruby Foo’s, a live auction, and an early chance to gobble up the books for sale. Gala: Tomorrow, 6-9 p.m., $125 in advance, $150 at the door, juniors (under 40) $75 in advance, $85 at the door. Sale: Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sunday, noon-5 p.m., Goddard Riverside Community Center, 593 Columbus Ave. at 88th Street, 212-873-4448, $5 general, $2 children.

DANCE

BALLET ANNIVERSARY Dancer Valentina Kozlova celebrates the 25th anniversary of her defection from Russia by performing “Calling,” which was created for her by Margo Sappington. Ms. Kozlova was a principal dancer with the Bolshoi before abandoning the company while on tour in Los Angeles. She then served for 13 years as principal with the New York City Ballet before founding her own company. Tomorrow, 7:30 p.m., Florence Gould Hall, 55 E. 59th St., between Madison and Park avenues, 212-307-4100, $35 general, $20 seniors and children, $12 dance students.

FAMILY

POP GOES THE ORCHESTRA Carnegie Hall’s Fall Family Benefit begins with a family brunch and entertainment by performers from the Big Apple Circus. The New York Pops family concert that follows includes Mussorgsky’s “A Night on Bald Mountain,” a puppet performance by Cat’s Paw Collective, and a new animated accompaniment to illustrate Britten’s “Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra.” Benefit: Sunday, 12:30 p.m., 212-903-9679, $300 general, $150 children. Concert: Sunday, 2 p.m., Carnegie Hall, Isaac Stern Auditorium, 57th Street and Seventh Avenue, 212-247-7800, $8.

FILM

BALANCHINE ON SCREEN Rarely seen works from the dance division of the Jerome Robbins Archive of the Recorded Moving Image are screened in a program of George Balanchine’s ballets captured on film. Tonight, 6 p.m., New York Public Library of the Performing Arts, Bruno Walter Auditorium, 111 Amsterdam Ave. at 65th Street, 212-642-0142, free.

CITY FLICK Fritz Lang’s 1927 sci-fi classic “Metropolis” screens tonight. The German silent film depicts a cold, futuristic society thrown into upheaval by a throng of underground workers.Tonight,7 p.m., Anthology Film Archives, 32 Second Ave. at 2nd Street, 212-505-5181, $8 general, $5 members.

MUSIC

CLASSIC COLLECTION The Gregg Smith Singers perform a program that includes Charles Ives’s “Psalm 24,” Franz Schubert’s “Gebet,” and a celebration of Fats Waller’s 100th birthday. Saturday, 8 p.m., Saint Peter’s Church, 54th Street and Lexington Avenue, 914-376-8899, $25.

ANIMAL ANTICS The progressive-music band the Mammals play a harvest-season concert that includes Appalachian ballads, Cuban cowboy songs, and a variety of other roots music. Sunday, 2 p.m., Wave Hill, Armor Hall, 249th Street and Independence Avenue, Bronx, 718-549-3200, 718-549-3200 ext. 385, $18 general, $12 members, reservations suggested. Note: Admission includes access to Wave Hill grounds.

NATURE

SEASONAL SIGHTS The Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s conservatory gets decked out for the holidays. Highlights include a display of poinsettias and amaryllis, and a lacy artwork by Icelandic artist Rose Sigrun Jonsdottir. Saturday through January 9, Tuesday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 900 Washington Ave. at Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, 718-623-7200, $5 general, $3 seniors and students.

POETRY

IN PRAISE OF CLIFTON Poets and writers gather to celebrate the work of Lucille Clifton at an event presented by the Poetry Society of America. Participants include Toni Morrison, Walter Mosley, Galway Kinnell, Li-Young Lee, and Ms. Clifton herself. Tonight, 7:30 p.m., Hunter College, Kaye Playhouse, 695 Park Ave. at 68th Street, 212-772-4448, $12 general, $7 members and students, reservations recommended.

LIGHT DAYS John Giorno invited 16 fellow poets and performers to participate in “Everyone Gets Lighter,” a three-day spoken-word poetry festival in his honor. Participants include Patti Smith and Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore (tomorrow, 7 p.m.), Meredith Monk (Saturday, 7 p.m.), and W.S. Merwin (Sunday, 8:30 p.m.). All events: Rubin Museum of Art, 577 W. 17th St., between Sixth and Seventh avenues, 212-620-5000 ext. 344, $15 each night, reservations strongly recommended.

SHOPPING

LUCKY DAY Lucky magazine presents an event that shows off its specialty – shopping. Attendees can finds brands including Marc by Marc Jacobs, Sephora, Sigerson Morrison, and Jonathan Adler all in one place, with most items sold at 20% to 50% off retail prices. Tomorrow, 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Gotham Hall, 1356 Broadway at 36th Street, 800-304-5815, $35 in advance, $45 at the door. See www.luckyshops.com for more information.

TALKS

MEXICAN MOTIFS As part of the “Mexico Now” cultural festival, a panel discusses contemporary Mexican literature. Moderator Alfred MacAdam will be joined by Homero Aridjis, Carmen Boullosa, Carlos Monsivais, and Monica de la Torre. The discussion takes place in Spanish, with simultaneous English translation. Tonight, 7 p.m., reception to follow, Americas Society, 680 Park Ave. at 68th Street, 212-277-8333, free, reservations required.

WHIZ KIDS ALL GROWN UP The editor of “Curious Minds: How a Child Becomes a Scientist” (Pantheon), John Brockman, discusses his collection with author-scientists whom he asked to recall aspects of their childhoods that led them to their careers. Participants include the co-director of Harvard University’s Mind, Brain, and Behavior program, Marc Hauser; neuroscientist Joseph LeDoux; a physics professor at Barnard College, Janna Levin; the curator of paleontology at the American Museum of Natural History, Michael Novacek; a linguist and psychology professor at Harvard, Steven Pinker, and a science and technology professor at MIT, Sherry Turkle. Tonight, 7-9 p.m., American Museum of Natural History, 79th Street and Central Park West, 212-769-5200, $15.

EXAMINING ZIONISM The Queens College Center for Jewish Studies marks the 100th anniversary of the death of the founder of the Zionist movement, Theodor Herzl, with a symposium. Topics addressed during “Reflections on Zionism” include Zionist ideology, early Jewish history, and Herzl himself. Sunday, 1-6 p.m. symposium, 7:30 p.m. keynote lecture, Queens College Student Union, Kissena Boulevard at Melbourne Avenue, Flushing, Queens, 718-997-5730, $12 symposium, free admission to keynote lecture, registration requested.

THEATER

SECRETS THEN AND NOW A new adaptation of “Secret Agent” sets Joseph Conrad’s tale of early 20th-century terrorism in post-September 11 New York City. Opens: Tonight, 8 p.m. Runs: Tonight through Sunday, December 5, Thursday-Saturday, 8 p.m., Sunday, 3 p.m., Theater for the New City, 155 First Ave., between 9th and 10th streets, 212-254-1109, $12.

TITUS TIME The Rising Phoenix Theatre Company presents a new production of “Titus Andronicus.” Seth Duerr’s direction implies that the audience is complicit in the play’s violence. Opens: Tonight, 8 p.m. Runs: Tonight through Sunday, December 5; Thursday-Sunday; Friday, November 26-Sunday, November 28; Wednesday, December 1-Sunday, December 5, 8 p.m., the Church of the Holy Innocents, 128 W. 37th St. at Broadway, 212-561-0077, $20 general, $10 seniors and students.

TOURS

WILLIAMSBURG WALK A Municipal Art Society walking tour through “yuppie, Hispanic, and chassidic Williamsburg” ends with a sunset view of the neighborhood from across the river on the Lower East Side. Sunday, 2-4:30 p.m., meet at North 7th Street and Driggs Avenue, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, 212-439-1049, $15 general, $12 members.

To submit an event for consideration for the Calendar, please wire the particulars to calendar@nysun.com, placing the date of the event in the subject line.