Why do Jewish?

Reform and Conservative Jews may be the best audience for Why Do Jewish?, because they already have a “foot in the door” of Jewish life. They may attend services on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur; they may attend or host a Passover Seder; they may give Chanukah presents or light candles nightly; but being an active member of the Jewish community, identifying their Jewishness as one of their most important attributes – not. (Steve Kramer)

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Antisemitism, Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel, Jewish Religion, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Steve Kramer

Holiday pumpkins have been well appreciated by Sephardic Jews

Pumpkin has a rich and often overlooked history in Sephardic Jewish cuisine. Introduced to Europe from the Americas in the 16th century, it was quickly embraced by Jews, who incorporated the versatile vegetable into dishes across the Mediterranean and beyond. (Cailin Acosta)

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Antisemitism, Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Cailin Acosta, International, Israel, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food

Violinist Katchatryan performs Katchaturian’s Violin Concerto admirably

Katchaturian’s Violin Concerto overflows with Armenian folk influence. After the first movement’s brief orchestral introduction, Katchatryan entered with the percussive excitement of the opening theme, then brought out the lyrical beauty of the second theme. The development included a lovely cadenza, written by the great Soviet-Jewish violinist, David Oistrakh, to whom the concerto was dedicated. After the return of the original themes in the recapitulation, the movement culminated in a virtuosic climax. [Eileen Wingard]

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Eileen Wingard, International, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Opinion, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Gershwin and the LA Jewish Symphony shine at The Soraya

“So much of what we call the Great American Songbook—and even the sound of Broadway and Hollywood—was shaped by Jewish composers and lyricists whose families had come to this country looking for opportunity and belonging,” Green observed. [Karen Klein]

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California, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Apatow interviews other comedians about their craft

Apatow, known for films such as The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up, interviews a range of performers, including Jerry Seinfeld, Mel Brooks, Steve Martin, Harold Ramis, Chris Rock, Jon Stewart, Sarah Silverman, Amy Schumer and Seth Rogen. The conversations span generations and different styles of comedy, from stand-up and television to film and screenwriting. [Cailin Acosta]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Cailin Acosta, Jewish Celebrities, Jewish History, Lifestyles, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA

The mystery of an old statuette

“I recently discovered that I am about twenty-five percent Sephardic Jewish,” she said. “During World War II, that could have been enough to send me to a ghetto or a death camp. Today, it could make me eligible to apply for Israeli citizenship.” {Yakov Nayerman}

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International, Jewish History, Lifestyles, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food, USA, Yakov Nayerman

The fight against terrorism and antisemitism: Oct. 12, 2026

The Department of Justice confirmed that the search was done with judicial concurrence.  It was part of a continuing criminal probe focusing on possible fraud committed by Omar’s late father when the family immigrated to the U.S.  The congresswoman was just a girl at the time. (SDJW staff roundup)

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International, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Israel’s Oct. 27 election may be inconclusive, deadlocked

There are heated debates among Israelis over who is right, but at the same time, all parties are contributing to the creation of a new political impasse—even those calling for unity while excluding those who governed the country on October 7, 2023, that is, the current governing coalition. (Alex Gordon)

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Alex Gordon, Israel, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors