Are you missing going to the theatre to see concerts, musicals, and plays? There are many websites that are streaming their productions for free, pay per view, or by subscription. This is a list of general concerts and plays without a specific Jewish focus. [Laurie Baron, Ph.D]
Streaming concerts and plays Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
Of the Jewish friends and relatives who have migrated to the land of the Early Bird – southern Florida –few have supplied as many laughs and good feelings as William Rabinowitz, the fictional hero of Jerry Klinger’s book, Boynton Beach Chronicles: Tails of Norman. [Book review by Joel H. Cohen]
Chai-times and humor among Florida’s Jewish retirees Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jerry Klinger, Jewish Religion, Joel H. Cohen, Lifestyles, Trivia, Humor & Satire
More than likely you have heard the expression, “walk a mile in my shoes,” to caution against prejudging what anyone’s life is like. Jewish filmmaker Nancy Cooperstein Charney poignantly brought that message home at the conclusion of her documentary, Who’s Next, when she filmed a large group of women, presumably non-Muslims, being shown how to put on a hijab, and then marching together in New York City. I’m not sure, given the Islamophobic atmosphere in the United States today, how many other women would have the courage to do that. {Movie review by Donald H. Harrison]
Walk a mile in her hijab Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, USA
Actress Annette Bening, who got her start in drama as a student at Patrick Henry High School in San Diego before going on to Broadway and to the movies, is the narrator of a new documentary A Towering Task: The Story of the Peace Corps, which covers approximately 62 years of America helping developing nations, from the inception of the idea in 1958 to the present. It will be shown in theaters later this month. {Donald H. Harrison]
Peace Corps documentary narrated by Annette Bening Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USAItems in today’s column include: *Jewish community coronavirus news *American Jewish history *Never forget *In memoriam By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO — City Councilwoman Barbara Bry, in her role as chair of the Council’s Budget Committee, has proposed that “San Diego’s federal coronavirus relief money to be used to fund Internet access for all San
A little bit of this, a little bit of that Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Obituaries & memorials, USA
This novel, written from the point of view of Orly, a young girl who we watch grow into adulthood, is about a Jewish family that fled Austria after its merger with Nazi Germany and settled in La Paz, Bolivia, a city that was starkly different from Vienna in almost every way. [Book review by Donald H. Harrison]
‘Exile Music’ plays expertly on readers’ emotions Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison
What Helen Auerbach’s youngest daughter initially mistook for costume jewelry was in fact a 137-carat diamond, none other than the Florentine Diamond that had been missing since the end of the Habsburg Dynasty. Helen left it to her youngest granddaughter Beck, skipping over her daughter Deborah Miller, as well as her other grandchildren Ashley and Jake. [Book review by Donald H. Harrison]
Sudden fortune challenges Jewish family Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison
In a webcast sponsored by the Anti-Defamation League on Thursday, panelists Deborah Lipstadt of Emory University and Jonathan Sarna of Brandeis University were asked if a cure for coronavirus were to be discovered by a Jew, would that reduce anti-Semitism? The two academicians, appearing alongside ADL’s president and CEO Jonathan Greenblatt, responded in the negative. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
ADL panel weighs coronavirus and anti-Semitism Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA
When the Lawrence Family JCC needed to close because of the Coronavirus and all programs were cancelled, it seemed obvious that the Jewish Poets—Jewish Voices program, scheduled for Tuesday, May 5, at 7 p.m. would not take place. However, Melanie Rubin, the JCC’s innovative Director of Senior Activities and the Astor Judaica Library, and her assistant, Sarah Mattis, suggested that we could have the program after all, by doing it on the internet through Zoom. [Eileen Wingard]
Jewish Poets-Jewish Voices to be carried May 5 on Zoom Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Eileen Wingard, Melanie Rubin, San Diego County
Ancient Groove: International Sephardi Music Festival in Cordoba … Brave Old World: Song of the Lodz Ghetto … Chava Alberstein … [Laurie Baron, Ph.D]
Streaming Jewish music Read More »
Judaism, Lawrence Baron, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts
Sol and Lauren Lizerbram of Rancho Santa Fe had cameo roles in the hour-long, worldwide webcast for Israeli Independence Day (Yom Ha’atzma’ut) that was co-hosted Wednesday by Israeli actress Shira Haas (who stars in the mini-series Unorthodox) and Eric Fingerhut, chairman of the Jewish Federations of North America. Sol Lizerbram is the U.S. President of the Jewish National Fund, which arranged to video the near-private ceremony this year at Mount Herzl in honor of Yom Ha’atzma’ut — near private because of the ban in Israel on gatherings of large groups [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
Lauren and Sol Lizerbram bring San Diego presence to global Yom Ha’atzma’ut celebration Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, USA
If Bob Dylan is a modern-day lesser prophet then his retelling of the murder of JFK in ‘Murder Most Foul’ could serve as a forewarning to a moment that signifies a depature from the norm. The timing of Dylan’s single release via Twitter, on March 27th, is somewhat shrouded in mystery, not least as the song was “recorded a while back,” according to Dylan’s tweet. Dylan’s message to fans is that they are to stay safe, vigilant, and have trust in the almighty, and that they may find the song “interesting.” While Dylan wants the general population to remain safe, the song itself is a far cry from any sense of safety. Instead there is upheaval and turmoil, a dark force that is in motion behind the scenes, or as Dylan sings it, “Greatest magic trick ever under the sun.” [Omer Zalmonowitz]
‘Murder Most Foul’: Dylan culture on a silver platter Read More »
Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, USAFormer Vice President Joe Biden, referencing the one-year anniversary of the murder of Lori Gilbert Kaye in a shooting attack on Chabad of Poway, on Tuesday announced a three-point program to protect religious communities. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
Biden’s 3-point program to protect religious institutions Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, USA
This story appears to have begun in 1984 but, in truth, it began in 1967. That was when I read the book by Elie Wiesel, The Jews of Silence, about Soviet Jewry who, the oppression notwithstanding, would come out of the shadows to celebrate on Simhat Torah. I was captivated by the book, and had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Wiesel when he attended a community-wide rally in Cleveland that year. [Toby Klein Greenwald]