The Arts

Amy Winehouse actress Marisa Abela reveals why she nearly rejected role in biopic

Published by Mirror By Mark Jefferies It was a role so big, she was unsure she could do it justice. But actor Marisa Abela has told how she now feels a strong connection with Amy Winehouse after making the biopic Back To Black. Marisa told Harper’s Bazaar her first instinct was to say “no that’s

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International, Jewish Celebrities, Nordot, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Philip Roth

Portnoy’s Complaint was Roth’s fourth novel and most controversial because of its frank treatment of sexual subjects, including masturbation.  Roth became more prolific thereafter, knocking out 26 additional works through 2010, the most notable of which was the 1997 novel American Pastoral, which won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction.  It told of a star athlete whose daughter becomes a domestic terrorist during the late 1960s. [SDJW staff]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Today's Jewish Birthday, USA

Kvells Keep Ringing For Steven Skybell’s Tevye in All-Yiddish ‘Fiddler’

When he first got the part in the Yiddish “Fiddler,” Skybell had studied Yiddish but he “certainly wasn’t fluent.” And at the start, only three of the 26 members of the cast spoke Yiddish. So getting ready for the show was a mammoth task, with most of the actors learning the language phonetically from tapes. [Joel H. Cohen]

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International, Joel H. Cohen, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Shakespeare with Some Contemporary Twists at Coronado Playhouse

A few things were different about this production, first the non-fairy actors wore modern dress, the part of Hermia’s father was turned into that of her mother, and the show we saw had swing actor Ruth Russel filling in for the role of Demitrius. [Sandi Masori]

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San Diego County, Sandi Masori, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Larry Kornit: Cantor in Shul, Social Justice Advocate Outside

Four areas of interest have shaped the life of Cantor Larry Kornit of Congregation Beth Tikvah: Religion, music, politics, and sports. In addition to serving as a spiritual leader of what he described as his Conservative/ Reform/ Eclectic congregation, he also has volunteered as a member of the City of Oceanside’s nine-member Housing Commission.  The commission meets in the City Council chambers the fourth Tuesday of each month. [Donald H. Harrison]

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

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Jerry Lewis

In 1945, 19-year-old Lewis met Dean Martin, who was eight years his senior, and the two developed a comedy act,  in which Martin was a straight man and Lewis was a zany ad libber.  The duo started with a radio show, moved to television, then to Paramount Pictures where they starred together in 14 movies between 1960 and 1956.  DC Comics published The Adventures of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis from 1952 to 1957.  The team ended the partnership in 1956. [SDJW staff]

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Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Today's Jewish Birthday, USA

‘King James’ Uses Sports Metaphor to Explore the Ups and Downs of a Friendship

The dialogue is fast-paced and funny, both because of  Rajiv Joseph’s writing and the animated faces of Foote and Echebiri.  San Diegans can especially appreciate how upset and betrayed Matt and Shawn feel when James moves to the Miami Heat and leaves his hometown.  I saw many in the audience nodding emphatically as Matt and Shawn lament the perceived betrayal, as memories of our own Chargers’ betrayal with their move to LA still feels fresh.  [Sandi Masori]

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Sandi Masori, Sports & Competitions, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

‘Tartuffe’ Pokes Fun at Our Frail and Base Tendencies

The satiric comedy was originally written and performed in French, but fortunately for English-speaking audiences, it was translated by Richard Wilbur, and later, by others. The play is written and performed in rhyme. The actors are nothing short of incredible in their ability to speak the lines with meaning, each delivered naturally and logically.  [Eva Trieger]

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Eva Trieger, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Lunch and Yiddish Songs Entertain 57 Holocaust Survivors at Congregation Beth El

“We were honored to be able to put together a program of primarily Yiddish music so that we could reach this special audience with songs in the language most of them grew up with.” [Steve Mishek]

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Holocaust, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Scooter Braun Pledges $200k to Help Palestinians and Israelis in Honor of His Late Holocaust Survivor Grandmother

Published by OK Magazine (CA) Scooter Braun just wants to help others amid the Israel-Hamas war, which began in October 2023. “Ahead of the campaign launch for Care Together next week, Scooter Braun pledged $200,000 for both Palestine and Israel in memory of his late grandmother who was a Holocaust Survivor,” a representative for the

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Holocaust, Israel, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Nordot, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, USA

Chelmites, as Usual, are Foolish, But in This Tale, Their Children are Smarter

Stories of the “wise people of Chelm” abound in Jewish literature.  Chelmites always jump to the wrong conclusions and their attempts to solve perceived problems often compete in silliness. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Trivia, Humor & Satire