Music and Visual Arts

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Debbie Friedman

Over nearly four decades she recorded 22 albums, enriching the Jewish liturgy with such compositions as “The Aleph Bet Song,” “Miriam’s Song,” “Not By Might,” “I Am a Latke,” and “Mi Shebeirech,” co-written with her partner Drorah Setel. “Mi Shebereich,” a song for healing, is used by hundreds of congregations throughout North America. Her songs were gender sensitive and inclusive. [SDJW staff]

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Jewish Religion, Music and Visual Arts, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Today's Jewish Birthday, USA

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Maurycy Gottlieb

His painting “Shylock and Jessica” won the Gold Medal at the Munich Academy. Later, he returned to Vienna to study under Heinrich von Angeli, and produced paintings on biblical themes. Meeting in Rome, Matejko urged him to return to Krakow to work on a series of monumental paintings including scenes depicting the history of the Jews in Poland. [SDJW staff]

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International, Jewish History, Music and Visual Arts, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Today's Jewish Birthday

California Legislators Visit Sites of Oct. 7 Massacre

Throughout the trip – a collaboration of JPAC, JCRC Bay Area, and Jewish Federation LA – lawmakers witnessed firsthand the consequences of the horrific atrocities committed by Hamas on October 7th and their lasting effect on Israeli civil society. We visited impacted communities on the Gaza border and the surrounding areas, cried with families of hostages, and met with Israeli government officials, including President Isaac Herzog.  [David Bocarsly]

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California, Israel, Music and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Winehouse Statue in London Defaced with Palestinian Sticker

LONDON (JNS) — A sculpture of Amy Winehouse in the town of Camden, in northern London, was defaced over the weekend with a Palestinian flag sticker covering the late Jewish singer’s Star of David necklace. “This is disgusting. Amy Winehouse was a famous Jewish singer who was proud of her Jewish heritage,” wrote the National

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International, Israel, Jewish Celebrities, JNS, Music and Visual Arts, Obituaries & memorials

Israeli Composer Forwards ‘Jewish Tunes from Haifa’

I completed a fantasy piece about the songs of the Jewish people a few days before their tragedy broke on the day of their great and joyous holiday, the Joy of Torah. I titled the piece I Hear a Scream. On the “Black Sabbath” of October 7, I heard the screams of Jews, victims of a pogrom that happened where there could have been no pogrom – in the territory of the Jewish state. [Boris Levenberg]

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Alex Gordon, Israel, Jewish History, Music and Visual Arts, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Videos

Theodore Bikel’s Songs to Be First in JCC’s ‘Beloved Voices’ Series Feb. 22

I will be hosting the program, and my special guest will be Aimee Ginsburg Bikel, who was Theodore Bikel’s wife during the last years of his life and founder and director of the Theodore Bikel Legacy Project. The songs were selected to illustrate Bikel’s vast range and the large number of his recordings in our Astor Judaica Library.  [Eileen Wingard]

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Eileen Wingard, International, Israel, Music and Visual Arts, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego Calendar, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Temple Etz Rimon Shares in Interfaith Projects with Pilgrim Church; Both Congregations are Committed to Social Justice, Inclusiveness

Every synagogue has its own personality. Farber said that Temple Etz Rimon’s is that “it is very, very friendly. Warm. You come into the building and you are greeted. You are welcomed at the oneg. They grab you; they love you. People will say, ‘Oh my God, you are so friendly!’ We are. There is no snobbishness in the group. It’s really a nice congregation. Unfortunately, it is getting smaller and smaller.” [Donald H. Harrison]

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Ben Dishman, California, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Music and Visual Arts, Philanthropy, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Jackie Gmach Utilizes the Arts to Teach Lessons of the Holocaust and the Tree of Life Synagogue

That drawing inspired Gmach to develop “We Are The Tree of Life,” a project focusing on Holocaust education utilizing the arts to promote a message of hope and survival. Literature, music, dance, poetry and drawings created by prisoners in the concentration camps and ghettos during World War II show that beauty can survive, even when experiencing unspeakable horrors. [Eileen Wingard]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Eileen Wingard, Holocaust, International, Jewish History, Music and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Helen Mirren, Gene Simmons and Boy George sign letter supporting Israel’s inclusion in Eurovision

Published by Euronews (English) More than 400 creatives from the entertainment industry have signed a letter in support of Israel’s inclusion in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest. Helen Mirren, Gene Simmons and Boy George are among the people who have signed the letter released by Creative Community For Peace (CCFP), a non-profit organisation working to

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International, Israel, Music and Visual Arts, Nordot, Sports & Competitions

‘Chicago’ Features Minimal Set and Costumes, Maximal Choreography

We follow the story of two murderesses; Roxie Hart (Katie Frieden) and Velma Kelly (Kaitlin Brown) and their sensational murder trials.  Being that it’s set in the roaring 20s which didn’t have modern day social media, the flashy and charismatic and lawyer Billy Flynn (Connor Sullivan) is able to manipulate the press and jury with wild and conflicting stories about his clients, or as he calls it razzle-dazzle, in his attempts to acquit his client. [Sandi Masori]

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Music and Visual Arts, Sandi Masori, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Anne Frank musical hits Dutch stage, ‘we should never forget’

Published by Relaxnews By Nick Gammon / AFP A new musical production based on Anne Frank’s diary has hit the stage in The Netherlands, with the producer and star convinced the story needs telling now more than ever. A new musical production based on Anne Frank’s diary has hit the stage in The Netherlands, with

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Holocaust, International, Jewish History, Music and Visual Arts, Nordot, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Praise for ‘Fifths’ Series Celebrating TICO’s 50th Anniversary

In honor of its jubilee year, the 50th year since the orchestra was founded, TICO is performing at each of its concerts the fifth symphony of a great master. This concert opened with the most famous of all, Beethoven’s Fifth. [Eileen Wingard]

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Eileen Wingard, Music and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Jewish Trivia Quiz: Ed Sullivan

In ‍1930, ‍Sullivan, ‍a ‍Catholic, ‍married ‍Sylvia ‍Weinstein, ‍a ‍Jewish ‍woman, ‍against ‍the ‍wishes ‍of ‍both ‍families. ‍What ‍did ‍Sylvia ‍Weinstein ‍do ‍to ‍mollify ‍her ‍family ‍when ‍she ‍and ‍Ed ‍Sullivan ‍started ‍dating? [Mark D. Zimmerman]

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International, Mark D. Zimmerman, Music and Visual Arts, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Carole King

With King composing the music and Goffin writing the lyrics they wrote a string of hits for various groups including “Chains,” “The Loco-Motion,” “Half Way to Paradise,” “Take Good Care of My Baby,” “Up on the Roof,” “I’m into Something Good,” “One Fine Day,” “Pleasant Valley Sunday,” and “(You make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.” [SDJW staff]

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Music and Visual Arts, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Today's Jewish Birthday, USA