By Steve Kramer JERUSALEM — Michal and I eagerly look forward to the Jerusalem Film Festival, held every summer in Israel’s capital. This year was no exception. When possible, we try to book an extended stay in this unique city, to see many films and to enjoy the cool nights with which Jerusalem is blessed. […]
Rating Jerusalem Film Festival entries Read More »
Middle East, Steve Kramer, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
By Goldie Morgentaler LETHBRIDGE, Alberta, Canada — My mother’s best friend when she was growing up in Poland in the 1930s was Zenia Marcinkowska. Zenia would grow up to be an acclaimed novelist in Sweden under the name Zenia Larsson. My mother would also become a writer, the Yiddish novelist Chava Rosenfarb. So this is
Zenia and Chava: Two Lodz survivors – novelists Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Jewish HistoryBy Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York — A controversial viral dance craze is getting huge internet attention, inspired by the latest song from rapper Drake. Tens of thousands of people, including such celebrities as Odell Beckham, Jr., Will Smith, and DJ Khaled have taken up the In My Feelings challenge, posting videos of themselves jumping out of moving
Jewish trivia quiz: Drake Read More »
Mark D. Zimmerman, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Trivia, Humor & SatireBy Eileen Wingard SAN DIEGO –The Tifereth Israel Community Orchestra’s (TICO’s) annual Pops Concert was an entertaining, musical event which had the audience laughing out loud at one point, as Victoria Robertson, a statuesque soprano, dressed as Wonder Woman, chased conductor David Amos around the stage. This was after he escaped her lasso, following the
TICO had Wonder Woman, Mozart, and others Read More »
Eileen Wingard, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County
Braided, A Journey of a Thousand Challahs by Beth Ricanati, MD; She Writes Press, 2018; ISBN 9787-1-63152-441-7; $16.95, 169 pages. By Oliver B. Pollak RICHMOND, California — A physician who specializes in women’s health believes that the preparation of challah for a Shabbat meal, besides having obvious culinary benefits, can be a form of prayer
Challah: good to eat, good to meditate Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Oliver Pollak, Travel and FoodChasing Lost Time The Life of C.K.Scott Moncrieff; Soldier, Spy and Translator by Jean Findlay, published by Chatto and Windus, 2014 MEVASSERET ZION, Israel – As a former translator and great admirer of the works of Proust, both in the original French (a bit of a struggle for me) and in their delightful English version,
Moncrieff’s 40 packed years Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Dorothea Shefer-VansonBy Cynthia Citron NORTH HOLLYWOOD, California — In a telephone call to Ernie, who is downstairs in a formal black suit, Charlie, who is upstairs in pajamas, announces that he has gone temporarily blind. But that comes later and isn’t exactly true. Actually, Charlie is in his bedroom, bleeding all over the rug from a
Rumors not Neil Simon’s only specialty Read More »
Cynthia Citron, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
The Cut Out Girl by Bart Van Es, Penguin Random House © 2018; 194 pages plus acknowledgments; $28. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – Author Bart Van Es knew about Lien de Jong, the Jewish girl who was provided a home and a new identity with his grandparents during the time the Nazis occupied
Tale of a Jewish girl hidden during the Shoah Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish HistoryBy Pamela Pollack-Fremd SAN DIEGO — Generation Wealth explores the American dream, which it defines as the quest for fame and fortune. This interesting and somewhat distressing documentary written and directed by Lauren Greenfield explores some of the obsessions of modern day society, such as greed, materialism, the desire to be wealthy and famous, and social
Pursuit of wealth, fame can devastate families Read More »
Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food
The Hazards of Good Fortune by Seth Greenland, Europa Editions © 2018; ISBN 9781609-434623; 614 pages, $20. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – Whoever said money can’t buy you happiness would have received resounding agreement from Jay Gladstone, the fictional philanthropist, real estate developer, and professional basketball team owner who is the protagonist of
Novel probes stress between Jews and Blacks Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. HarrisonBy Oliver B. Pollak OCEANSIDE, California — What does family vacation mean? It used to be an oxymoron ranking with giant shrimp, military intelligence, and other improbables. Destination vacations, national parks, beaches, mountains, desert, camping, rv’s, condos, five-star resorts, spas, lodges, ranches with bunk houses, and time shares all compete for our wonderment. We drive,
Reading on my Jewish family vacation Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Oliver Pollak, Travel and FoodBy Dorothea Shefer-Vanson BOUSSAC, France — The region around Limoges has been known since medieval times for its weavers. The art of tapestry-making once flourished there for many generations, passing down from father to son. Today the towns of Aubusson and Felletin are no longer famous for that particular specialty, though remnants of those ancient
Tapestries in a medieval castle inspire visitors Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Travel and Food
By Shor M. Masori SAN DIEGO — Because three of the biggest pop culture staples, Marvel, Star Wars, and Game of Thrones, were absent this year, the recently concluded Comic-Con felt much quieter and much less abuzz with nerd-hype. This quiet is, of course, relative, as to the outside observer it was just as loud
Warner Brothers’ dominates Comic- Con 2018 Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, San Diego County, Shor M. Masori, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA
Editor’s Note: This is the 21st in a series of stories researched during Don and Nancy Harrison’s 50th Wedding Anniversary cruise from Sydney, Australia, to San Diego. Previous installments of the series, which runs every Thursday, may be found by tapping the number of the installment: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,8, 9, 10, 11, 12,13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19,
Movies at sea enhance the cruise Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Middle East, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food