By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO — Laura Simon’s celebration of her 106th birthday prompted a dramatic and literary convention of sorts, as family members gathered Saturday around their matriarch at the Patrician Retirement Home. It was one of the rare occasions that the far-flung family was able to be together. Simon’s son, Mayo, 83, […]
Laura Simon, 106, celebrates with literary family Read More »
Travel and Food
By Natasha Josefowitz LA JOLLA, California –We hear a lot about how dual-career couples manage their responsibilities at home when both work full-time. We also read a great deal about the conflicts women experience juggling children and a career, but there is very little written about the couple that is thinking about retirement. It is
What if he’s ready to retire before she is? Read More »
Natasha Josefowitz
Of Guns, Revenge and Hope by D. Lawrence-Young, Gefen Publishing House, 289 pages, ISBN 9789652295330, price not listed. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO–Although he was killed before I was born, when I first started practicing journalism 50 years ago, I found my hero. His name was Ernie Pyle. He was a war correspondent during
Novel’s focus on foot soldier like Pyle’s reportage Read More »
Donald H. HarrisonBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — One of the great failures of my professional life is an inability to convince Israeli Arabs (or Palestinians with Israeli citizenship) to adopt the model of African-Americans as a way of political and social advancement. Arab intellectuals and political activists are well schooled in good reasons to reject the comparison.
Israeli Arabs could be more politically powerful Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastConfidential: The Life of Secret Agent Turned Hollywood Tycoon by Meir Doron and Joseph Gelman; Gefen Books; 288 pages; no price listed. By Norman Manson SAN DIEGO — This is the story of a man of extraordinary talents, as well as amazing drive and perseverance. Arnon Milchan had a fabulous career aiding Israel’s military machine, then
Biography of Arnon Milchan covers triumphs and flaws Read More »
Travel and Food
Nimpentoad by Henry, Josh and Harrison Herz, with illustrations by Sean Eddingfield and Bill Maus, 20 pages, ISBN 9781466463042, price not listed. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO — A tribe of Niblings must navigate its way through 15 miles of forest infested with monsters of various sorts who have one thing especially in common.
Father and sons spin an adventure tale Read More »
Donald H. Harrison
By Carol Davis SAN DIEGO—Ion Theatre Company, under the leadership of Claudio Raygoza and Glen Paris (who were named Producers of the Year by the San Diego Theatre Critics Circle in 2011), has gone and done it again. First the little theatre that could mounted the memorable Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheim musical Gypsy:
‘Angels in America’ another coup for Ion Theatre Company Read More »
Carol Davis, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
By Rabbi Baruch Lederman SAN DIEGO — Mort Blumberg* (*name changed) once gave me a call concerning an upcoming heart bypass surgery he was slated to undergo. He asked me what religious things he could do for a successful operation. After ‘prescribing’ him the standard regimen of prayer, recitation of Psalms etc., I told him
Fixing the spiritual heart can help the physical one Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Stanley Tiger SAN DIEGO–The concert started more or less promptly at 8:00 pm. Titled in the program flier, “An Evening of Klezmer Music with Yale Strom and Hot Pstromi,” it was a well attended fundraiser for Tifereth Israel Synagogue, opening first with Havdalah prayers, lead by Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal with audience participation. Immediately following,
Jews, God and Music: A Klezmer Concert Review Read More »
Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County
Inside Hana’s Suitcase directed by Larry Weinstein, Menemsha Films, 90 minutes, DVD on sale Dec. 6. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO–The world might not know the name Hana Brady except for the fact that a replica of the suitcase which the 13-year-old girl carried on the train from the Theresienstadt concentration camp to Auschwitz
‘Inside Hana’s Suitcase’ unites children around the world Read More »
Donald H. HarrisonBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — One can enjoy eating sausage without feeling an obligation to visit the slaughterhouse or the sausage maker. One can also enjoy the benefits of government without worrying about all the details about how the community is kept safe from crime, polluted air, water, and food, or any other disturbance. Some
Illegal migration to Israel a growing concern Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Aaron Adler EFRAT, Israel — I am 25 years old, was born in Brooklyn NY, and raised in Efrat Israel. Though very busy, I don’t view my life as unusual. Most of the time, I am just another Israeli citizen. During the day I work as a paramedic in Magen David Adom, Israel’s national
Another reason to be thankful: Israel’s humanitarianism Read More »
Middle East
By Rabbi Ben Kamin SAN DIEGO–What must God think of all the arguing about religion? Thanksgiving is a day when heaven may get some relief from this concern, when Americans of all faiths sit at one spiritual table with many of the same trimmings and family customs. Thanksgiving liberates us from specific theological claims and
A holiday that includes all religions Read More »
USA
By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Once upon a time, some American tourists went to Mexico on a vacation; they toured some hot springs, where they saw the natives washing their clothes! One tourist said to his guide, “My, isn’t it wonderful how Mother Nature provides her children with hot water to wash
Mindfulness and the Art of Thanksgiving Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, USA