Jon Ronson (May 10, 1967) is a British-American journalist, author, and filmmaker. He is known for works such as Them: Adventures with Extremists (2001), The Men Who Stare at Goats (2004), and The Psychopath Test (2011). [Wikipedia]
Today’s Jewish birthday: Jon Ronson Read More »
Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Today's Jewish Birthday, Wikipedia
Grete Stern (May 9, 1904 – December 24, 1999) was a German-Argentine photographer. Between April 1930 and March 1933, she studied at the Bauhaus. With her husband Horacio Coppola, she helped modernize the visual arts in Argentina and presented the first exhibition of modern photographic art in Buenos Aires in 1935. [Wikipedia]
Today’s Jewish birthday: Grete Stern Read More »
Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Today's Jewish Birthday, Wikipedia
Readers meet Gundi Schiller, a pregnant college student from Berlin. While she appears to fit the Nazi ideal of an Aryan woman, she is secretly involved in a resistance group. [CeCe Acosta]
Middle schooler reviews book about a Nazi breeding program Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Holocaust, International, Staff and Bylined Contributors
It started with a rousing performance of Khachaturian’s ‘Masquerade’ suite, which deploys all the brass and percussion that the orchestra can muster. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]
Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra performs concert full of fun Read More »
Israel, Lifestyles, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Trivia, Humor & Satire
The strongest part of the production is the four performers who carry the different versions of Michael. Jordan Markus, as MJ, captures the voice, the movement, and the careful way Jackson carried himself between pain and whimsy. [Shor M. Masori]
‘MJ the Musical’ brings Michael Jackson’s music and movement back to San Diego Read More »
Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Shor M. Masori, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA
Elliot Perlman (May 7, 1964) is an Australian author and barrister. He has written four novels (Three Dollars, Seven Types of Ambiguity, The Street Sweeper, and Maybe the Horse Will Talk), one short-story collection (The Reasons I Won’t Be Coming), and a children’s book. [Wikipedia]
Today’s Jewish birthday: Elliot Perlman Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Today's Jewish Birthday, Wikipedia
What worries me most touched an adjacent congressional district in Philadelphia and the Senate election in my favorite state, Maine. Two so-called friends of the Palestinians are making both Democratic primaries disgusting – state Rep. Chris Rabb in Philly and Graham Platner in Maine. (Bruce S. Ticker)
War on Jews being fought on many fronts Read More »
Antisemitism, Bruce Ticker, International, News Media, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA
What makes this book shine is its consistent structure: sharp questions on the text, insights drawn from Chazal, classical commentaries, and Chassidic thought (especially Chabad), followed by the powerful “Making It Relevant” section. These practical takeaways and reflective exercises are the book’s greatest gift—they transform passive reading into active spiritual growth, helping readers see the big picture of each week’s parsha as a roadmap for their own lives. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]
‘Making It Relevant’ aligns Torah with modern life Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Staff and Bylined Contributors
Although living in the southern kingdom of Judea, he felt called by God to prophesy in the northern Kingdom of Israel during a time of the latter country’s enormous prosperity and demeaning inequality (c. 760 BCE). (Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin)
‘Amos: The Genius of Prophetic Rhetoric’ is superb Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion, Staff and Bylined Contributors
We got a little scatter of rain this morning; hopefully, all the exciting bonfires scheduled tonight around the county will not have their fires extinguished by any surprise rain pockets. But the rain is so welcome and needed. [Cailin Acosta]
Lag B’Omer bonfires unlikely to be doused in San Diego County Read More »
Cailin Acosta, Israel, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food, USA
Ed Schwartz (May 5, 1946 – February 4, 2009) was a Chicago media personality who hosted local late-night radio programs from the mid-1970s to the mid-1990s. He was nicknamed “Chicago Ed.” [Wikipedia]
Today’s Jewish birthday: Ed Schwartz Read More »
Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Today's Jewish Birthday, Wikipedia
Leslie Epstein (May 4, 1938 – May 18, 2025) was an American educator, essayist and novelist. Epstein was born on May 4, 1938, to an American Jewish family in Los Angeles and grew up in Hollywood. [Wikipedia]
Today’s Jewish birthday: Leslie Epstein Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Science, Medicine, & Education, Today's Jewish Birthday, Wikipedia
One day, when Yoshi, mom, Laggie, and Grillo were beach combing for brightly colored sea glass, they found a shiny green object that stood out from all the other pieces. When they brought it home, dad said it looked like a gem, more valuable than the others. [Donald H. Harrison]
Girl’s family and pets make a discovery on a local beach Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors
The big reveal is two friends sharing news. Tiffany is pregnant, and what should be a moment of joy instead alienates her best friend, Carolyn. Carolyn’s news of being published in a magazine feels secondary by comparison. She tries to be supportive, but her reaction is more complicated than she can admit even to herself. [Sherrie Rose]
‘Alien Girls’ dramatizes how friendships deteriorate as life’s circumstances change Read More »
San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast