January 2010

San Diego Jewish Film Festival preview: 'From Philadelphia to the Front'

By Gail Feinstein Forman LA JOLLA, California– In the visually affecting movie, From Philadelphia to the Front, we meet six Jewish World War ll veterans who recall their wartime experiences and the impact it had on their lives. Though the film is a short 35 minutes, it is dense with historical and emotional weight.  The […]

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USA

San Diego Jewish Film Festival preview: 'Villa Jasmin'

By Laurel Corona LA JOLLA, California — Each of us has a narrative about our family’s past, whether it’s shared around the table at family celebrations, or kept quietly to ourselves. When Serge Boccara (Clement Sibony) sets out from France  to Tunisia with his pregnant wife Jeanne (Judith Davis) in director Ferid Boughedir’s 2008 film Villa

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Travel and Food

Sixteen Jewish innovators will gather in Israel this summer

JERUSALEM (Press Release) – Sixteen of today’s brightest Jewish movers and shakers are being invited to tackle some of the Jewish world’s most pressing problems this summer. Beginning its fourth year, the PresenTense Summer Fellowships utilize a unique approach to tap the creativity of Jewish innovators, helping them in turn to change the face of their

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Middle East

Western States Jewish History: Rabbi tells story behind his officiating the marriage of Sammy Davis Jr. and May Britt

_____________________________________________________________ Editor’s Note: The Winter/ Spring edition of Western States Jewish History is devoted to the columns of the late  Rabbi William Kramer, who wrote “My Shtetele California” for the Jewish Heritage newspapers.  One of the columns dealt with how he happened to officiate at the controversial marriage between African-American entertainer Sammy Davis Jr. and Swedish actress May

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Travel and Food

Correcting rightwing misinformation about Israel and Palestine

By J. Zel Lurie DELRAY BEACH, Florida–I am not diplomatic when I  discuss Israel and Palestine with rightist American Jews who support the settlements. The facts that they pick up from rightist propaganda  are usually totally wrong. Nothing I say penetrates their one-track minds. They don’t believe my facts even though I present chapter and

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Middle East, USA

Lauder's advice to Pope before his visit to the Rome synagogue

The following opinion article by World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder was published by the leading Italian newspaper ‘Corriere della Sera’ on the eve of Pope Benedict’s visit to the Great Synagogue of Rome: By Ronald S. Lauder When a Catholic bishop visits the main synagogue in his diocese it is first and foremost

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Middle East, USA

Pope Benedict XVI calls for healing of wounds between Jews and Catholics

ROME (WJC)—At his highly publicized visit to Rome’s Great Synagogue on Sunday, Pope Benedict XVI said the Vatican had “provided assistance” to Jews in a “hidden and discreet way” during the Holocaust, thus indirectly defending his predecessor Pius XII. While not citing him by name, Benedict XVI attempted to address concerns in the Jewish community

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Middle East