By Eva Trieger SOLANA BEACH, California — Siobhan Sullivan, director of the Theater School at North Coast Rep Theater, kept a keen eye on two clusters of teens, as they ran lines, rehearsing for Neil Simon’s Brighton Beach Memoirs. The set for our interview was an outdoor courtyard across the parking lot from the theater. Though
Theater school goes way beyond daycare Read More »
Travel and FoodBy Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — Psychologists and psychiatrists have defined the outburst of mystical ecstasy and identification with our ancient city as a known phenomenon that sometimes even requires hospitalization or sedation of the person affected. It has a distant echo in the sense of awe that occasionally envelops visitors to Florence, but no
The ‘Jerusalem syndrome’ and holiday bullying Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Middle EastBy Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO — Winner of the Toronto Film Festival’s Award for Best Canadian film, Felix and Meira retells what in the hands of a less subtle director than Maxime Giroux could easily degenerate into a tawdry and trite story of a Chasidic Jewish woman trapped in her faith and marriage and falling
The Wandering Review: ‘Felix and Meira’ Read More »
Travel and FoodWith assists from Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis
The Jewish singers: Polly Bergen Read More »
Travel and FoodBy Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO─ Most of Jeb Bush’s foreign policy advisors are the same pundits his brother relied upon to formulate American diplomacy. With the wisdom of hindsight, we now know they should just be called cons rather than neo-cons. * Benjamin Netanyahu has appointed Rabbi Eli Ben-Dahan as the head of the Israeli
Humoring the headlines: May 18, 2015 Read More »
Travel and FoodBy Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York — In the Mad Men pilot, Roger Sterling asks Don Draper if their advertising firm has ever hired any Jews. “Not on my watch,” replies Don. When Roger explains that they have a meeting with potential clients who are Jewish (from Menken’s Department Store), what does Don reply? A. “Really? Is that
Jewish trivia: ‘Mad Men’ Read More »
Mark D. Zimmerman, Trivia, Humor & SatireMortar shell fired from Syria explodes in Israel’s Golan Heights (JNS.org) A mortar shell fired from Syria exploded in the Alonei Habashan area of Israel’s Golan Heights on Sunday night. No injuries or damage were reported in the latest spillover of the Syrian civil war into Israel. In recent days, there has been intense fighting
Jewish news briefs: May 18, 2015 Read More »
International, Middle East, USABy Anav Silverman JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent a letter of condolences to the Levinger family on the passing of the late leader Rabbi Moshe Levinger, who was known for his life work in establishing the modern Jewish community of Hebron and as one of the founder of the Gush Emunim settlement
Netanyahu, Rivlin eulogize Rabbi Levinger Read More »
Middle EastGrandpa’s Mountain: Letters from a Border Kibbutz in Israel by Arieh Larkey, Gefen Publishing House, 2015 By Sheila Orysiek SAN DIEGO — After accidentally finding his grandfather’s address in Israel, a twelve-year-old boy in America decided to write. He hoped to establish a relationship and find the warmth and understanding that he felt was lacking in
From the Jewish library: ‘Grandpa’s Mountain’ Read More »
Travel and FoodBy Dan Bloom CHIAYI CITY, Taiwan — Karl Taro Greenfeld is the son of a Hollywood screenwriter and a Japanese novelist and was blessed with the writer genes he inherited from both his parents. Born in Japan in 1964, Greenfeld grew up in Los Angeles in the 1970s and graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in
Humorous cli-fi novel is ‘subprime’ but far from sub-par Read More »
Travel and Food
Speech by Tony Klug Delivered 29 April 2015 BATH, England — I am delighted to be here at the Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution, in such elegant surroundings and distinguished company. My appreciation to everyone involved for the invitation and thank you all for coming. I hope this doesn’t sound too discourteous, but I want
European offers plan to force Israel’s hand Read More »
International, Middle East, USA
By Eileen Wingard LA JOLLA, California — Actress Bryna Weiss’s ‘ credits include The Rose Tatoo on stage with Olympia Dukakis, films such as Slums of Beverly Hills with Alan Arkin, TV appearances in Desperate Housewives, NYPD Blue, Gilmore Girls and others. Her full, expressive voice and theatrical gestures enhanced the clever, humorous and poignant
Three present diverse poetry at the Astor Read More »
Travel and FoodBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM–Yehuda Amichai, one of Israel’s great poets with a particular attachment to Jerusalem, has written: “The air over Jerusalem is saturated with prayers and dreams like the air over cities with heavy industry. It’s hard to breathe.” Many of us thrive in this heavy air. By contrast, the pollution that’s really
Peace will require some division of Jerusalem Read More »
Middle East