Music, Dance, and Visual Arts

Music review: Moshav Kumzits: The Light of Rabbi Shimon

Chag Sameach! Happy Holiday! This week’s Lag BaOmer was a day on fire. This is historically the day to signal triumph over oppression, and to drive away a deadly plague. A Lag BaOmer Kumzits, a Yiddish loanword, is a traditional musical gathering, usually by a campfire, meaning come (kum) sit (zit). So come sit, and enjoy Moshav Band’s Lag BaOmer Facebook watch party: [Omer Zalmanowitz]

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Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts

Protecting workers in San Diego County’s food chain

In a Zoom meeting on Wednesday, Charlene Seidle, executive vice president of the Leichtag Foundation, interviewed three panelists who help to make certain that the health and rights of workers in the food industry are recognized as an important priority for our society. [Our shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Travel and Food, USA

Celebrating safely at a drive-thru circus

But how do you celebrate such a festive occasion when the plague of our own era demands that we distance ourselves from one another and avoid gatherings? Make it a drive-through. Welcome to the Lag Ba’Omer Drive Thru Circus Experience. Chabad Hebrew Academy located along Pomerado Road in Scripps Ranch set up multiple stages in their parking lot. Festival patrons slowly drove through in their cars. They were greeted by arches of red and yellow balloons (representing flames) Chasidic music, stilt-walkers, unicyclists, acrobats, jugglers, hula hoops, puppets and clowns. [Eric George Tauber]

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Eric George Tauber, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Some advice if you see a Nazi or a Klansman

So, imagine you are shopping, and into the store comes someone who is wearing a Ku Klux Klan hood, or a face mask with a swastika on it, as happened respectively at a Vons and a Food4Less outlet in Santee recently.  What should you do? [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food

‘Lark Ascending’ by Zina Schiff has S.D. Zoo inspiration

By Eileen Wingard SAN DIEGO — Throughout the years, many composers have been fascinated by the sounds of birds. Vivaldi imitated birdcalls in his Four Seasons, Haydn, in his Toy Symphony, Beethoven, in his Pastoral Symphony, Respighi incorporated a recording of a bird into his Pines of Rome, and a jazz violinist once popularized a

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Eileen Wingard, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County

Jewish trivia quiz: Little Richard, RIP

Rock and roll pioneer Little Richard died last week at the age of 87. Richard (whose real name was Richard Penniman) had his first hit, Tutti Frutti, in 1955, followed by other hits including Long Tall Sally, Good Golly Miss Molly, Jenny Jenny, and Slippin’ and Slidin’. He was a major influence on so many musicians who followed, including the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Joan Jett, Brian Wilson, Bette Midler, and Elton John. Which of the following is true about Little Richard? [Mark D. Zimmerman]

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Jewish History, Mark D. Zimmerman, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Obituaries & memorials, USA

Jewish Poets – Jewish Voices zoom into success

The Zoom Jewish Poets-Jewish Voices Program turned out to be an overwhelming success! The May 5th evening, normally scheduled for the Astor Judaica Library, took place in the homes of some 50 participants and listeners. Joy Heitzmann, who has served as Master of Ceremonies for the series, managed to carry out that role by phone. Thanks to the expert staff facilitators, Melanie Rubin and her assistant, Sarah Mattis, all went smoothly. [Eileen Wingard]

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Eileen Wingard, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts

Five women cantors celebrate Shabbat

hank G-D for music. The miracle of splitting of the Red Sea is done to the sound of music, as the Hebrews are all in song, following the lead of Miriam in Shirat Hayam–the Song of the Sea. The fall of the walls of Jericho is done to the sound of trumpet. David plays the lyre. The entirety of the Psalms–Tehillim–are under the direction of a choirmaster/conductor. [Omer Zalmanowitz]

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Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts

Walk a mile in her hijab

More than likely you have heard the expression, “walk a mile in my shoes,” to caution against prejudging what anyone’s life is like.  Jewish filmmaker Nancy Cooperstein Charney poignantly brought that message home at the conclusion of her documentary, Who’s Next, when she filmed a large group of women, presumably non-Muslims, being shown how to put on a hijab, and then marching together in New York City.  I’m not sure, given the Islamophobic atmosphere in the United States today, how many other women would have the courage to do that. {Movie review by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, USA

A little bit of this, a little bit of that

   Items in today’s column include: *Jewish community coronavirus news *American Jewish history *Never forget *In memoriam By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO — City Councilwoman Barbara Bry, in her role as chair of the Council’s Budget Committee, has proposed that “San Diego’s federal coronavirus relief money to be used to fund Internet access for all San

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Obituaries & memorials, USA