The Arts

Going Forward With Intention: Berry Gordy, Legacy, and the Jewish Art of Living Well

Smokey Robinson spoke with reverence and gratitude, his words shaped by decades of friendship and shared purpose. Stevie Wonder sang directly to Berry, offering Happy Birthday and You Are the Sunshine of My Life, transforming performance into offering. Otis Williams stood nearby, a living thread connecting generations of sound, discipline, and excellence. [Michael Adam Cohen]

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Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Michael Adam Cohen, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Staff and Bylined Contributors

New Year’s Wish and Events Planned for 2026

2025’s chapter is ending, and 2026’s new chapter is about to start. Did anyone have a good year, or are we looking for more positive and less dramatic, healthy vibes? [Cailin Acosta]

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Antisemitism, Cailin Acosta, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, News Media, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food

Jewish Trivia Quiz: Mark D. Zimmerman

So now, the final Jewish trivia question. And this one focuses on the Jewish life of Mark D. Zimmerman himself. Among the many “Jewish” moments in Mark’s life, at least one Jewish event was a bit off-kilter. Which of the following is a true story from Zimmerman’s Jewish life? [Mark D. Zimmerman]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish History, Lifestyles, Mark D. Zimmerman, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Trivia, Humor & Satire

Short Story: The Perfume Cabinet

In his free time from love, Daniel made cabinets. The cabinets were all different types – wardrobes, kitchen cabinets, bookshelves. He was a great cabinet designer. The factory’s products were popular. But Daniel didn’t stop there. He designed and manufactured new original cabinets. He loved his work very much, and his work loved him back, as he was constantly receiving new orders and designing ingenious cabinet models for various purposes. [Alex Gordon]

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Alex Gordon, Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Jewish Fiction, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Film Review: ‘Marty Supreme’ is Supreme Cinema

Marty Mauser, the protagonist of Marty Supreme, is a plucky ping pong imp and shoe salesman, in addition to being a nimble and loquacious malarkey artist. He is also a shockingly-gawdawful, verbal bastard person to his mother, played by Fran Drescher, who left her specific, discount Phyllis Diller voice in the dustbin of screen history where it belongs, much to the contentment of my sensitive ears. [John E. Finley-Weaver]

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Lifestyles, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Beware of Movies about the Bible

In the fictional film ending, the Israelites hear of David and Batsheva’s adultery and murder of her husband, and huge crowds gather to stone Batsheva. David tells God he is entirely to blame (as if he could fool God) and tries to commit suicide to save the woman he loves. God accepts his plea, and he is forgiven. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]

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Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food
https://youtu.be/IbMnYCnf_iE?si=RDVogknjJGJB6n0W

A Hanukkah Musical Composed and Performed by Jewish Youth

I was curious about how the show came about and especially about Ari’s and Maya’s creative contributions.  The Gimbels and Cherlin-Baird graciously spent some time with me on zoom and told me all about their process. [Sandi Masori]

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Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Sandi Masori, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

The Perry Twins: Rhythm, Resonance, and the Revolution of Joy

Collaborations with Tara Kemp and Niki Haris arrived not through strategy, but alignment. In Jewish mysticism, souls recognize each other across lifetimes. These partnerships feel like that. Voices that carry history, strength, and survival. Together, they are not chasing relevance. They are restoring lineage. [Michael Adam Cohen]

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California, Jewish Religion, Michael Adam Cohen, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Opinion, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Rob Reiner, His Name and Memory for a Blessing

From the first loud toilet flush, audiences knew that All in the Family was
something new. They often tackled Racism, Sexism and Xenophobia. They didn’t just argue about the War in Vietnam, but whether to extend hospitality to a draft dodger one Christmas. [Eric George Tauber]

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Eric George Tauber, Jewish Celebrities, Obituaries & memorials, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Paul Avgerinos and the Gentle Art of Remembering: Listening for the Still, Small Sound

There is a Hasidic teaching that every soul enters the world carrying its own melody, and the task of life is not to invent it, but to remember it. When Averginos speaks of music arriving beyond his conscious knowledge, of harmonies flowing through him that exceeded his formal training, he is describing this remembrance. The self does not lead. It relaxes. And something greater moves through. [Michael Adam Cohen]

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Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Michael Adam Cohen, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors