August 2011

Numerous events to mark Congregation Beth Israel’s sesquicentennial

SAN DIEGO (Press Release) – Congregation Beth Israel, Southern California’s oldest Jewish congregation, will celebrate its 150th anniversary year by creating a new Torah scroll, hosting seven of America’s most prominent Jewish scholars in a public speaker series, and sponsoring an elegant dinner and special performance by legendary entertainer Mandy Patinkin. Beth Israel’s roots date to […]

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San Diego County

U.S. should insist that Egypt police its Gaza and Israel borders–JINSA

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)–The Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs (JINSA) on Monday called  upon the White House to communicate its expectation that Egypt’s ruling Supreme  Military Council will act to secure the Sinai border with Israel and act to curb  attacks on the pipeline supplying Israel and Jordan with natural gas. JINSA Executive Director Tom Neumann

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Middle East

Princess Cruise keeps kids busy with imaginative programming

By Donald H. Harrison ABOARD SEA PRINCESS – Up on Deck 12, aft section, (that’s the back of the ship) there are three domains for youngsters who are cruising with their parents or grandparents.  One spot in the “Fun Zone”is for “Pelicans,” aged 3-7; another spot is for “Shockwaves,” the program for 8-to-12-year olds; and finally

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Donald H. Harrison

‘Vivien’ script assumes too much knowledge on part of the audience

By Cynthia Citron Cynthia Citron LOS ANGELES — There’s no denying that the role of Vivien Leigh is an acting tour de force for Judith Chapman.  She looks like Leigh.  She sounds like Leigh.  And she goes dramatically nuts like Leigh. But the problem with Rick Foster’s play Vivien, now having its Los Angeles premiere

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Cynthia Citron

Hairspray at Moonlight is hair-raising fun

By Carol Davis VISTA, California—It matters not that just last year, The San Diego Repertory Theatre in conjunction with San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts mounted an excellent and lively rendition of the Mark O’Donnell, Thomas Meehan (book), Mark Shaiman (music) and Scott Wittman/Mark Shaiman (lyrics) 2003 Tony Award winning Broadway hit (directed

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Carol Davis, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Murderer persuades himself he is Cary Grant in new play. But will he persuade you?

By Cynthia Citron LOS ANGELES –A convicted murderer sits on Death Row convinced that he is Cary Grant.  He is warm, charming, and black.  Is he delusional or merely pretending in order to amuse himself? His defense attorney, who is appealing his conviction, believes his previous attorney badly mishandled his case.  Moreover, she believes he

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Cynthia Citron

Glaciers, bergy bits and growlers enliven visit to Tracy Arm

  By Donald H. Harrison TRACY ARM, Alaska – Less than a week after Sea Princess visited this fjord south of Juneau, an apartment building-size piece of the Sawyer Glacier crumbled into the water, amazing and then horrifying passengers aboard a small excursion boat.   The  “calving” of the glacier—as can be seen on YouTube—was a

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Donald H. Harrison