The Arts

LFJCC Summer Reading Program Features Jewish Authors and Topics

I introduced Judy Bloom, Elizabeth Enright and Norton Juster to my summer hangouts, and they in turn,  took me to places I’d never visited. The experience of gobbling up all of the library’s offerings seemed limitless and thrilling. And now, thanks to the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center, summer reading is back! [Eva Trieger]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Eva Trieger, San Diego County

‘Sesame Street’ celebrates inclusion with episode featuring 2 gay dads

Published by New York Daily News “Sesame Street” featured two gay dads and their daughter in a groundbreaking episode celebrating diversity and inclusion. In an episode entitled “Family Day,” which premiered last week on HBO Max and YouTube, the beloved children’s show has a scene in which Nina (Suki Lopez) introduces her brother Dave (Chris

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Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Book Review: The Wisdom of Getting Unstuck

Written by Rabbi Shimshon Meir Frankel, a clinical psychologist living in Zichron Yaakov, Israel, who also practices as a marriage and family therapist, with more than 25 years of experience, his book stands out with its Torah-driven, short-term, solution-oriented focus anchored in ancient wisdom. It puts the reader in the driver’s seat with very concentrated tools to live free of foreign, unhelpful thoughts, “antagonists,” and unhealthy behaviors – it is soul focused and value grounded. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Michael Mantell

Political Biography Includes Anecdotes About Biden and Jews

While this book was published prior to the election by which Joe Biden became the 46th President of the United States, there is much in it that remains of interest — particularly for people like myself who are interested in the relationships between American presidents and the Jewish community. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Middle East, USA

Miraculous Tales of Ancient Judaism Dissected

Most people do not know that the Talmud and other rabbinic volumes such as Midrash include non-legal writings about theology, ethics, psychology, health, and many other topics, as well as fascinating and delightful stories. Along with being appealing, riveting, and charming tales, these accounts also contain subtle often overlooked lessons. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion

Novel portrays 3 English-speaking students at Hebrew University

Dorothea Shefer-Vanson’s eighth novel concerns three foreign students studying at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.  Each of them is from an English-speaking country; specifically the United States, United Kingdom and Australia.  Two are married, one is single; the Australian and his wife have two children; and all are graduate students in the history department. The  year is 1966, one year prior to the Six Day War. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Dorothea Shefer-Vanson

Good News From Israel (June 20, 2021)

In the June 20, 2021 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:

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Business & Finance, International, Jewish History, Lifestyles, Michael Ordman, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions, The World We Share, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USA

Jewish News Around San Diego, June 18, 2021

The Balboa Park-based San Diego History Center has embarked  on a $100,000 fundraising campaign “to edit, conserve and preserve” more than 90 hours of interviews that were conducted in preparation for its 2017-2018 exhibition Celebrate San Diego: The History of San Diego’s Jewish Community and a companion documentary film. To the Ends of the Earth: A Portrait of San Diego.  The fundraising campaign is being led by Jeff and Karen Silberman. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

IPO Performs at Negev Hospital for Israelis with Disabilities

ADI (formerly ALEH Jerusalem and ALEH Negev-Nahalat Eran) is legendary as Israel’s most comprehensive provider of residential and rehabilitative care. The village, that sits on 25 acres, is home to 165 individuals with severe disabilities. There are over 500 professional staff members, including doctors, nurses, therapists and special educators, and more than 800 annual volunteers.  It has a hydrotherapy pool, special education school, integrated nursery, green care farm, and a therapeutic horse farm and petting zoo.  [Toby Klein Greenwald]

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Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Science, Medicine, & Education, Toby Klein Greenwald

Energetic ‘Beehive’ at New Village Arts Theater

-Leave it to New Village Arts Theater to produce a show that is not only charming, exhilarating and outdoors, but simultaneously educational, socially responsible and topical! How did they pull this off?  Artistic Director, Kristianne Kurner, along with eight incredibly talented women delivered Beehive: The 60s Musical.  The show was written in 1986 by Larry Gallagher who succeeded in creating a celebration of the powerful female voices of the 1960s. [Eva Trieger]

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Eva Trieger, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Jewish Stories Are Everywhere — Especially in Books

It’s my joy to review for this publication many current books — especially memoirs, biographies, and novels — but occasionally when there are none left on the pile to review, I have the opportunity to tuck into older books recommended to me by friends and relatives who know that I love to find stories corroborating this publication’s mantra that “There is a Jewish story everywhere.” [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, USA

A Modern Look Into the Hebrew Bible

Tanakh, the all-inclusive Hebrew word for the Bible—Torah, Prophets, and Writings—holds many problems and puzzles: What does an infrequently used biblical Hebrew word actually mean? Does the Bible describe true historical fact, or just fantasy? What is the origin of particular prayers? Attorney and independent biblical researcher Mitchell First, in his newest book Links to Our Legacy, continues his mission to find lost meanings and correct inaccurate historical accountings. [Fred Reiss, Ed.D]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Fred Reiss, EdD, Jewish Religion

Novel Imagines German-Jewish Relationships at Close of 19th Century

The book cover of ‘All Things That Deserrve to Perish’ gives a false impression of the contents..  While there are sexual situations that contribute to the outcome of the story, the major theme of this book is the toxic relationships between Jews and German Christians at the fin de siècle. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison

Good News from Israel (June 13, 2021)

In the June 13, 3021 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
–Israel has now had several days with no new coronavirus cases.
–An Israeli eye-scanning device performs blood tests without blood.
–Israel was overwhelmingly voted onto the UN Economic and Social Council.
–Israelis use bacteria to keep crops fresh – in the ground and on the shelf.
–2021 investment in Israeli startups has already exceeded the total for all of 2020.
–Divers can explore Israel’s new unique underwater nature park
–Evidence that the land of Israel was an ancient trade center
[Michael Ordman]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Business & Finance, International, Jewish History, Michael Ordman, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Science, Medicine, & Education, The World We Share, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USA