The Arts

Children’s Literature: ‘Matzah Means So Many Things’

The book starts with how our senses perceive matzah. What are its ingredients?  What does it look like?  What color is it?  What is its texture? How does it sound when it is being boiled in matzoh ball soup?  How does it smell when its being baked into an apple matzah kugel?  What kind of yummy foods can you spread on it? [Donald H. Harrison]

Children’s Literature: ‘Matzah Means So Many Things’ Read More »

Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History

Freedman, Cooney, Morisett Pioneereed Children’s Educational Television

In an interview with the Archive of American Television, Cooney recalled that Freedman talked at that dinner party about the great educational potential of television.  “He was a stunning man, mesmerizing,” she said. “He could have been a revival minister, an Elmer Gantry. He was just stunning. He talked about how the potential had not been tapped for education in television. Well, something clicked in Lloyd’s mind because Carnegie was financing research in the educational development of children—how they learn.” [Donald H. Harrison]

Freedman, Cooney, Morisett Pioneereed Children’s Educational Television Read More »

Business & Finance, California, Donald H. Harrison, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USA

Book Provides Comprehensive Analysis of Sephardic-Ashkenazi Differences

By Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin BOCA RATON, Florida — Haim Jachter, the rabbi of a Sephardic synagogue for more than 20 years who is of Ashkenazic descent and trained in Ashkenazic yeshivot, tells readers about more than 100 differences in the religious practices between Ashkenazim and Sephardim. Ashkenazim are Jews of eastern European descent. Sephardic

Book Provides Comprehensive Analysis of Sephardic-Ashkenazi Differences Read More »

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

Novelists Paint Complex Portrait of Hitler

Unbeknown to Hitler, Richard has become appalled by der fuehrer’s recklessness, paranoia, racism, and antisemitism.  An urbane man, he secretly meets with German military leaders to plan a coup d’etat, even as Hitler scores dizzying (and terrifying) successes rearming his country in violation of the Versailles Treaty, forcing union (Anschluss) with Austria, and taking over German-speaking portions of Czechoslovakia. [Donald H. Harrison]

Novelists Paint Complex Portrait of Hitler Read More »

Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International

‘Ghostbusters’ Director Ivan Reitman Dies at 75

Published by AFP Los Angeles (AFP) – Ivan Reitman, the influential Jewish director and producer of wildly popular comedies “Ghostbusters,” “National Lampoon’s Animal House” and “Twins,” has died aged 75. On Monday Reitman’s son Jason — himself a director of films such as “Juno” and “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” — tweeted: “I’ve lost my hero.” Arnold Schwarzenegger,

‘Ghostbusters’ Director Ivan Reitman Dies at 75 Read More »

Jewish Celebrities, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Whoopi Goldberg Returns to ‘The View’ After 2-Week Suspension Over Holocaust Comments

Published by BANG Showbiz English Whoopi Goldberg has returned to ‘The View’ after a two week suspension. The 66-year-old actress had been suspended from her presenting role after claiming during a debate that the Holocaust was “not about race” and noted in her opening speech on her return to the talk show that it was

Whoopi Goldberg Returns to ‘The View’ After 2-Week Suspension Over Holocaust Comments Read More »

Holocaust, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Postponed Tifereth Israel Community Orchestra Concert Was Worth the Wait

By Eileen Wingard LA JOLLA, California — The Strings of TICO, the Tifereth Israel Community Orchestra, needed to postpone its concert, originally scheduled for last November, to February, due to the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. The program finally took place in the First Methodist Church in Chula Vista on February 6 and then, in

Postponed Tifereth Israel Community Orchestra Concert Was Worth the Wait Read More »

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

The Unexpected Successes of Satmar Hasidim

By Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin BOCA RATON, Florida — American Shtetl: The Making of Kiryas Joel, A Hasidic Village in Upstate New York is a brilliant, eye-opening, thought provoking, easy to read and enjoyable book by two university scholars, Nomi M. Stolzenberg of the University of Southern California, Gould School of Law, who has written

The Unexpected Successes of Satmar Hasidim Read More »

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

Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra’s Beethoven Feast

By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — Being able to hear all five Beethoven piano concerti played on two successive evenings was a rare treat. This was provided by the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, conducted by maestro Steven Sloane, and brought Beethoven’s immense oeuvre in this realm into sharp and impressive perspective. On the first evening

Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra’s Beethoven Feast Read More »

Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts

‘Ripped Away’ Is a Jewish Tale of Time Travel

Here is a short time-travel novel suitable for Young Adults and older readers imagining two high school students who barely acknowledge each other being transported to Whitechapel, London, during the time of the Jack the Ripper murders.  Abe and Mitzi, who are both Jewish Americans, find themselves transformed into the 19th Century Asher and Maya, two Jewish teenage neighbors, born to impoverished immigrant families. [Donald H. Harrison]

‘Ripped Away’ Is a Jewish Tale of Time Travel Read More »

Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison

Redefining ‘Religious’ With Yuval David

By Eric George Tauber CINCINNATI, Ohio — When most of us hear the term “religious,” we think of sheitels, shtreimels, and what we can’t do on Shabbos, which is why most of us aren’t “religious” or “that religious.” However, Yuval David, an actor, filmmaker, and activist, is reclaiming what it means to be “religious” as

Redefining ‘Religious’ With Yuval David Read More »

Eric George Tauber, Middle East, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA