By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson EILAT, Israel — A trip to this Red Sea city from Jerusalem is always a pleasure, and especially in the winter, when the weather in Jerusalem is cold and rainy. The four-hour drive takes one through the Judean Desert, along the Dead Sea, and down to the Negev. The mountains in Jordan, […]
A festival and a car trip of note Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-VansonBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Not all of Israel is bombast and threat. There are also conversations at bus stops. This one began after a good meal at an Italian restaurant on Emek Refaim. There were two seats vacant at the stop. Varda was tired from her glass of wine and lasagna. I was tired
A bus ride through Jerusalem Read More »
Ira Sharkansky
By Cynthia Citron Cynthia Citron LOS ANGELES — Watching a marriage implode can be painful. Watching two marriages implode can be hilarious. In playwright Theresa Rebeck’s play Poor Behavior, now having its world premiere at the Mark Taper Forum, two couples, long-time friends, are spending a weekend together in the country. They are not academics
‘Poor Behavior’ outcome of poor marriages, good comedy Read More »
Cynthia Citron
By David Strom Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition, Scribner, New York. 2010, 468pp. SAN DIEGO — On a warm day in July of 1966, two magazine journalists writing about the liquor industry and Prohibition wondered what Sam Bronfman’s role was during the Prohibition era. Most of the time when Sam answered that
‘You People Were Thirsty’ Read More »
Travel and Food
By Carol Davis SAN DIEGO–The trouble with airport waiting rooms and flight delays is that everyone at one point or another is sitting next to someone they don’t know, don’t want to know about and really don’t care about. For reasons beyond their control, they are all in the same boat and conversations have a
“Walter Cronkite is Dead’ plays out at Ronald Reagan Airport Read More »
Carol Davis, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & BroadcastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — For some time now, Israeli news has been leading off with the latest comments from international worthies about the need for Israel and Palestinians to agree on two states etc etc. This morning an American friend sent me a link to a Time article about the distancing of young American
West should not pressure Israelis, Palestinians on peace agreement Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastSAN DIEGO (Press Release) – The 17th Annual San Diego Jewish Book Fair, with continuing support from Founding Benefactors The Viterbi Family Foundation and presented by the San Diego Center for Jewish Culture at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center, Jacobs Family Campus, will run November 3-13, 2011. A complete schedule of Book Fair speakers
Son of Ariel Sharon headlines S.D. Jewish Book Fair Read More »
San Diego Calendar
Itamar Makes Friends: A Children’s Story of Jewish Brotherhood by Josh Hasten, illustrated by S. Kim Glassman, Geffen Kidz, Jerusalem, 2011, ISBN 978-965-229-567-5. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – This is a simple morality tale, but as is true with this genre, it raises some important questions, possibly even controversy. In brief, the story
He ain’t no country bumpkin; he’s my brother Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish ReligionBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM– The New York Times deserves its place as one of the best newspapers of the world. Like the actions of some of American presidents, however, its commentary on the Middle East seems to reflect more ideology than cogent analysis. Thomas Friedman and Roger Cohen have been blathering on for years about
Media underestimates Erdogan’s many problems in bid for Mideast leadership Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Carol Davis SAN DIEGO –Okay, so I am a bit out of touch with cult movies, shock value and the like, but give me a break, I’m not that out of touch that cross dressing and men wearing fish net stockings, high heels, bustiers and corsets send me into a tailspin ; been there
‘Rocky Horror Show’ –is that an actor sitting next to you? Read More »
Carol Davis, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & BroadcastBy Cynthia Citron LOS ANGELES — Aleksei Fedorchenko’s latest film, Silent Souls, is both silent and soulful. And incredibly Russian. The story revolves around the ritual burial of Tanya (Yuliya Aug), the much-loved wife of the manager of a paper factory, Miron (Yuri Tsurilo). Unwilling to involve “outsiders” in the funeral preparations for Tanya, Miron
Love and Death in Russia Read More »
Cynthia CitronSAN DIEGO (Press Release)–“Music and Resistance” at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 26, will be an evening of music sung and played during some of the darkest days of the Holocaust, according to San Diego State University’s Jewish Studies Program which is sponsoring the on-campus event at Rhapsody Hall. Sung by Jews and Roma, these are
SDSU organizes Oct. 26 ‘Music and Resistance’ concert Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Carol Davis SAN DIEGO–Jerry Herman’s Mame is one of those oldies but goodies that hasn’t been around the San Diego musical theatre scene for over thirty years. With book by Jerome Lawrence and Robert Edwin Lee, and based on the novel by Patrick Dennis and the play Auntie Mame Herman’s familiar music (Hello Dolly
Mame thrives at the North Park Birch Theatre Read More »
Carol Davis, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & BroadcastBy Cynthia Citron PASADENA, California — Like In the Heights, the recent happy musical set in New York’s Washington Heights, South Street, the new musical that had its world premiere this week at the Pasadena Playhouse, also glorifies a neighborhood. The setting is Philadelphia, home of the Phillies, the cheesesteak sandwich, and Sammy’s Place. This
Meet them at ‘South Street’; Hurry on Down Read More »
Cynthia Citron