Three outstanding local poets, Annette Friend, Jen Laffler and Susan L. Lipson, will be featured in the third program of the 2020-2021 series of Jewish Poets—Jewish Voices, Tuesday evening, March 16, 7:00 p.m. on Zoom. The three poets have all been published extensively. [Eileen Wingard]
3 Published Poets to Recite March 16 via Zoom Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Eileen Wingard, San Diego CountyJewish Poets—Jewish Voices featured the poetry of young writers from San Diego, Los Angeles, and Portland, Oregon, last month. The Internet audience for the Lawrence Family JCC sponsored event consisted of poetry lovers young and old from the entire West Coast. [Eileen Wingard]
West Coast Jewish Youth Recite the Poetry Within Them Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Eileen Wingard, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
In his fourth appearance in a Joel Rosenberg fictional thriller, CIA Agent Marcus Ryker fights valiantly when he and two others making a peaceful inspection tour of the Israeli-Lebanese border are ambushed and captured by a unit of Hezbollah. The operatives of the Radwan unit don’t know how big a prize Ryker is, thinking at first that he is an Israeli, and finding out belatedly that he is an American. But, given that he provides them with his alias, they don’t know his real name of why such countries as Russia and Iran have put a big price on his head. [Donald H. Harrison]
Thriller Novel Tells of War, Rogue Operations on Israel-Lebanon Border Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison
Often when I hear people wanting to destroy statues of historical figures and burn books of authors who mentioned something they considered wrong, even though these men and women also did good things and are part of our history, I wonder what they would do with the Hebrew Bible if they found out that all the men and women mentioned in the Hebrew Bible arguably did something wrong, such as King David’s adultery. The only totally innocent good man in the Hebrew Bible is Job, and that story according to many rabbis and scholars is just a parable. By pointing out the wrongs, the Torah is telling us that the biblical heroes were humans like us. The Bible does not expect any human to never do wrong. We should learn from these narratives to strive to be as good as we can be. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
Thomas Jefferson, Religion, and the Cancel Culture Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion, USA
Later works by Dr. Seuss carried strong messages of the importance of acceptance of others, including Horton Hears a Who!, with a theme of “a person’s a person no matter how small.” Seuss, who made his home in San Diego County, was inspired by a post-World War II visit to Japan that opened his eyes to seeing the Japanese people differently than he had during the war. Which of Dr. Seuss’s works was inspired by something Jewish? [Mark D. Zimmerman]
Jewish Trivia Quiz: Dr. Seuss Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Mark D. Zimmerman, Trivia, Humor & Satire
NETANYA, Israel — In the March 7, 2021 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
90% of Israel’s high-risk citizens are now protected against Covid-19.
The first woman-led billion-dollar Israeli company.
The UAE’s first Ambassador to Israel arrived in the Jewish State.
An Israeli kit transforms tractors into self-driving vehicles.
Israel is one of the world’s leaders in telecommuting.
An Israeli chess competition attracted players from many Muslim countries including Iran.
Israeli superheroes brought joy to sick children on the Jewish festival of Purim [Michael Ordman]
Good News from Israel (March 7, 2021) Read More »
International, Jewish Religion, Michael Ordman, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions, Theatre, Film & BroadcastThe late Dr. Howard Rubenstein’s translation of the famed Greek playwright Aeschylus’ play Agamemnon is a brilliant work. It is the first modern, very readable, very interesting and educational translation of an important classic with a wealth of explanatory information. The problem with former translations is that its English is outdated, stilted, and often hard to understand. Dr. Rubenstein’s version was performed in 1997 in California and in 2002 in Florida with high acclaim. The work is so good that it should become part of the literature courses in upper high school grades and in colleges. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
Rubenstein’s ‘Agamemnon’ wins posthumous plaudits Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Theatre, Film & Broadcast
At last! After a year of living in a cultural desert, the ban on public performances in Israel has finally been lifted. And last night when we were able at last to attend a real live concert. The requirements were clear: anyone who had bought tickets had to provide proof of having been vaccinated twice, as well as a certificate of identity. The seating arrangements were equally stringent, with an empty seat between anyone not from the same household (very handy as a place to put one’s coat). [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]
Public performances again allowed in Israel Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Lifestyles, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts
The city of Lowell, Massachusetts., did it right confronting anti-Semitism. It was not so right when Manhattan dealt with distortions on Israel. [Bruce S. Ticker]
Lowell, Mass., Knows Better Than NYC How to Respond to Antisemitism Read More »
Bruce Ticker, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USAJerusalem 1000 – 1400; Every People Under Heaven is a beautifully-produced combination of a coffee-table book and exhibition catalogue produced in conjunction with the exhibition of that title held in New York in 2016. For the exhibition hundreds of precious, beautiful and fascinating artifacts produced in and concerning Jerusalem in the Middle Ages were amassed from a wide range of sources all over the world. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]
Jerusalem 1000 Years Ago a Treasure Trove of Artifacts Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts
One of the venues publishers like to send their authors to are book stores where the author gives a talk and sells books. Our local bookstore, Warwick’s, regularly sends out a newsletter advertising an author and his/her book, such as Hillary Clinton, Margaret Thatcher, and Julie Andrews. I lectured there about half a dozen times on my various books. Warwick’s does a great job organizing space to hold 140 chairs. What I like about the Warwick’s talks is that there a lot of familiar faces in the audience. [Natasha Josefowirtz, Ph.D., ACSW]
Hits and Misses on the Book Store Circuit Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Business & Finance, Lifestyles, Natasha Josefowitz, San Diego County
I’m Not the Boss, I Just Work Here,” was written by the founder and chairman of the multibillion dollar publicly traded telecommunications corporation IDT, and Genie Energy Ltd, Howard Jonas. Reading his personal short and succinctly portrayed story will leave you feeling that you too can overcome barriers of clinical depression and emerge with faith and profound success. [Michael Mantell, Ph.D]
Jonas tells of bouncing back from hardship Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Business & Finance, Lifestyles, Michael Mantell
By L. Craig Williams SCARSDALE, New York — Are we forever in Egypt? Can we never reach the Promised Land But only yearn for it Longing to cross over, to arrive, To celebrate the dignity and worth Of every tribe and every man and every woman To be one and to grant Us-ness To all?
Must We Remain Forever in Eqypt? Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Lifestyles, USA
There are figs in Israel, of course. But alligators? Perhaps in a zoo. The title is explained in Chapter 3 of this memoir. In Hebrew, figs are te’enim and alligators are taninim. It’s easy for an American just learning Hebrew to get the two confused. Imagine going into a market and asking the vendor for a kilogram of alligators. {Donald H. Harrison]
American remembers a life in Israel Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Lifestyles, Middle East, USA