By Sam Ben-Meir NEW YORK — From the beginning, Donald Trump’s administration has been marred by corruption and outright contempt for the rule of law – with the president’s firing of FBI Director James Comey “because of the whole Russia thing” and persistent efforts to undermine Robert Mueller’s Russia probe; with his refusal to divest […]
Giacometti exhibit probes humanity’s darker side Read More »
Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Sam Ben-Meir, USA
Mixed reactions to Trump’s nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court Stosh Cotler, CEO of Bend the Arc: Jewish Action, released the following statement: “President Trump’s nominee for the Supreme Court, Brett Kavanaugh, is an affront to the values and priorities of a vast majority of the American Jewish community. From workers’ rights
Editor’s E-Mail Box, July 9, 2018 (5 items) Read More »
International, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions, USA
By Donald H. Harrison ANGELUS OAKS, California—Along with a few other San Diegans, I visited Camp Mountain Chai in the San Bernardino Mountains last week. On arrival, I saw a Baer. It turned out that Dan Baer is the director of the camp, located 134 miles from the parking lot of the Jewish Federation of
Ruach, plenty of spirit, at Camp Mountain Chai Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USA
By Eva Trieger SOLANA BEACH, California — How often do you catch yourself humming a tune, or singing along with lyrics, when you suddenly experience that moment of clarity as you realize the song’s message? The instant when you learned that “Ring Around the Rosie” was about Black Plague or that U2 was singing about
‘American Socialist,’ story of Debs, debuts July 4 Read More »
Eva Trieger, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & BroadcastBy Eric George Tauber SAN DIEGO — The Book of Proverbs tells us that there’s a time to dance. Well, you won’t find a better time or place than the San Diego Fringe Festival. Now in its sixth year, our Fringe has grown from 52 productions over 3 days in 2013 to 90 productions over 11
Dance, drama, silliness at the Fringe Read More »
Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Theatre, Film & BroadcastBy Eileen Wingard LA JOLLA, California — For his final season as Music Director of the La Jolla Music Society’s SummerFest, before handing over the director’s reins to the brilliant Israeli pianist, Inon Barnatan, violinist Cho-Liang Lin has assembled an outstanding group of artists to perform at sixteen concerts. Each concert includes a Prelude Lecture or
Music stars in La Jolla Music Society’s summer nights Read More »
Eileen Wingard, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego CountyBy Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York — Paul McCartney appeared on a Carpool Karaoke segment of the Late Late Show with James Corden, with the two driving around Liverpool while singing Beatles tunes. They also visited sites from Paul’s childhood, and put on a surprise concert in a local pub. McCartney has many Jewish connections, from working
Jewish trivia quiz: Beatles in Israel Read More »
Mark D. Zimmerman, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Trivia, Humor & SatireBy Dorothea Shefer-Vanson JERUSALEM — The exhibition of paintings by Francisco de Zurburan, a seventeenth-century Spanish painter, has been a major attraction at the Israel Museum for the last few weeks. I had never heard of him, so I made use of a free morning to go and take a look. What met my eyes
‘Jacob and his Sons’ at the Israel Museum Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual ArtsBy Cantor Sheldon Merel CORONADO, California — Last night I was at an Irish Pub in Dublin, (although in the heart of Coronado.). “Come early before show time to catch the music and have a drink at the bar,” the woman at the Box Office advised. So, after dinner, sure enough , as my friend
‘Once’ every so often, a show as good as this Read More »
Cantor Sheldon Foster Merel, z"l, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
By Mimi Pollack SAN DIEGO — My maternal grandparents were born in the 1800’s in the land that today is known as Israel. They passed away before I was born, and I regret I never got the chance to talk with them and hear their stories. Thus, it is with great interest that I perused
Catalog illustrates 70 years of Israel craft and design Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Middle East, Mimi Pollack, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County
Story and photos by Donald H. Harrison; other photos by Shor M. Masori SAN DIEGO — They sang, they danced, they ate, and, really, what better ways are there to celebrate Israel during its 70th birthday year? On Father’s Day, Sunday, June 17, who better to introduce the outdoor entertainment in Balboa Park’s area of
Celebrating Israel’s 70th in Balboa Park Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Shor M. Masori, USA
Story by Donald H. Harrison; photos by Shor M. Masori SAN DIEGO – Lucky for me, I had my 17-year-old grandson Shor with me at San Diego Pin and Patch Con, which was held in Montezuma Hall at San Diego State University on Saturday. Besides being the photographer for this story, he also was a
Pin and Patch Con offers wearable pop art Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Shor M. Masori, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
By Eric George Tauber I know my day is coming. I hope it’s coming. I’m pretty sure it’s coming. SAN DIEGO — The movie School of Rock is what really put actor Jack Black on the A-list of actors. More importantly, it spawned actual Schools of Rock featuring lessons, workshops and camps with locations in
School of Rock rocks the house Read More »
Eric George Tauber, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
By Donald H. Harrison ENCINITAS, California – A visit on Monday at Seacrest Village Retirement Village to see Cantor Sheldon Merel, 94, the beloved emeritus cantor of Congregation Beth Israel, proved to be doubly interesting. First and foremost, he’s always interesting to talk to. And second, active and physically fit, Merel showed me around the
Touring Seacrest Village with a beloved resident Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Travel and Food