Books, Poetry & Short Stories

Jewish Biography: Leon Blum, Natural Socialist

Reflecting on the Dreyfus affair, on the aggression of the anti-Dreyfusards, Blum puzzledly asked: “What drove them to do this? What drove them? Even today, 35 years later, when I reflect on the past with a mature, cold rationality, it seems to me that I still do not have some of the elements of an answer to this question.” [Alex Gordon]

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Alex Gordon, Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Holocaust, International, Jewish History, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Today’s Jewish Birthday: William Shatner

Star Trek gained fame after it went into reruns, with fans of the show known as Trekkies organizing conventions at which they could meet like-minded enthusiasts, buy Star Trek merchandise, and meet members of the original cast.  This development, along with the box office success of George Lukas’ Star Wars in 1977, prompted Paramount Pictures to reunite the cast in Star Trek: The Motion Picture, released in 1979.  Five sequels followed, including one he directed: Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. [SDJW staff]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Music and Visual Arts, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USA

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Philip Roth

Portnoy’s Complaint was Roth’s fourth novel and most controversial because of its frank treatment of sexual subjects, including masturbation.  Roth became more prolific thereafter, knocking out 26 additional works through 2010, the most notable of which was the 1997 novel American Pastoral, which won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction.  It told of a star athlete whose daughter becomes a domestic terrorist during the late 1960s. [SDJW staff]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Today's Jewish Birthday, USA

Chelmites, as Usual, are Foolish, But in This Tale, Their Children are Smarter

Stories of the “wise people of Chelm” abound in Jewish literature.  Chelmites always jump to the wrong conclusions and their attempts to solve perceived problems often compete in silliness. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Trivia, Humor & Satire

Anecdotes from an Unthoughtful Life

He had become an expert on the use of a Louma crane, which can twist and turn its long arm and get shots from angles otherwise unavailable to movie producers. Steven Spielberg utilized the Louma in the movie 1941, but as production was coming to an end, Spielberg learned that Romanoff was nicknamed “Captain Gas” because he liked to party with nitrous oxide.  After a night of excess with similarly inclined crew and cast members, a wasted Romanoff nursed a hangover inside the Louma control booth. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Lifestyles, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Technology, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Jonathan Sacks

From Sept 1991 through September 2013, he served as Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth. In 1995, he won the Jerusalem Prize for his contribution to diaspora Jewish life. In 2005 he was dubbed a Knight Bachelor for his work in interfaith relations. In 2009, the House of Lords announced that Sacks was recommended for life peerage with a seat in the House of Lords. He took the title of Baron Sacks. He was also the recipient of an honorary doctorate of divinity conferred by the Archbishop of Canterbury, George Carey, to mark his first ten years as Chief Rabbi. [SDJW staff]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Today's Jewish Birthday

The Holocaust Through Eyes of a 12-Year-Old Girl

One tragedy befell another. It seemed for Mala, her family, and all of Tarnogrod’s Jews, there was no escaping the Germans’ might. As the family starved, Mala and her brother went out to barter what little they had. They were thrilled to have scored some bread and vegetables. On their stealthy return, they were discovered and shot at by the soldiers. Mala played dead and escaped with her life, her brother Yechiel, was not playing. He’d been killed. About this time Mala’s stray cat became her constant companion. It seemed to accompany Mala everywhere she went, or meet her whenever she returned from scavenging for food. Mala saw the little cat as her angel and named the cat Malach. It seemed regardless of where Mala found herself, an orchard, a barn, the river, the little cat was by her side, keeping her company. [Eva Trieger]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Eva Trieger, Holocaust, International, Jewish History, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Our Shtetl San Diego County: UCSD Hillel Girds for Tomorrow’s Anti-Israel Demonstration on Campus

“We’ve been coordinating closely with campus security and administration, Hillel International, our Jewish Federation, ADL, AJC, SWU and other partners to ensure there are strong plans in place, including additional security officers on campus and effective strategies for students.” [SDJW staff]

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Antisemitism, Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Jewish Religion, Obituaries & memorials, Philanthropy, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Children’s Literature: A Job for an Out-of-Work Monster

Do you remember Puff, the Magic Dragon, about whom Peter, Paul & Mary sang?  Eventually, “painted wings and giant things” gave “way to other toys.” And so it was too with the monster that used to live in Sophie’s closet; Sophie just outgrows him in this tale written for 4-to-8-year-olds by Sandy Asher and illustrated by Alexandra Colombo. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Staff and Bylined Contributors