The Arts

‘Path of Blood’ includes candid Al Qaeda home movies

By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – As one can glean from the title, the subject of Path of Blood is not pleasant, but for those who are not Islamic extremists, the insights it provides are necessary to learn.  Documentary film maker Jonathan Hacker utilizes captured Al Qaeda footage along with video from the Security […]

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Middle East, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

S.D. Jewish history book helpful exhibition souvenir

Celebrate, Commemorate: The History and Heritage of San Diego’s Jewish Community, editor Joellyn Zollman, San Diego History Center, ISBN 8780918-740090,  91 pages including acknowledgments and room for personal remembrances. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – The recent exhibition at the San Diego History Center about our local Jewish community contained more information than most

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

Rabbi- historian examines the destiny of the Jews

By Steve Kramer KFAR SAVA, Israel —Rabbi Ken Spiro’s new book, Destiny, successfully guides the reader through the central themes of Judaism: the impact of Jewish values on civilization, Jewish determination, the disproportionate impact of the Jewish people, anti-Semitism and its message, the Jewish vision of history and conception of time, and [even] mankind’s ultimate

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Steve Kramer

‘American Socialist,’ story of Debs, debuts July 4

By Eva Trieger SOLANA BEACH, California — How often do you catch yourself humming a tune, or singing along with lyrics, when you suddenly experience that moment of clarity as you realize the song’s message?  The instant when you learned that “Ring Around the Rosie” was about Black Plague or that U2 was singing about

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Eva Trieger, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Searching history for original wines

Tasting the Past, The Science of Flavor & the Search for the Original Wine Grapes by Kevin Begos. Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, ISBN 9781616-205775, 277 pages, $26.95 By Oliver B. Pollak RICHMOND, California —  Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant in Berkeley was the 2nd stop on a three-week, nine-event book tour traversing Florida, California and New York.

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Oliver Pollak, Travel and Food

Editor’s E-Mail Box: July 2, 2018 (6 items)

BDS movement attempts to hijack Jewish summer camp Scholars for Peace in the Middle East reported that the Camp Ramah movement rebuffed IfNotNow after it was revealed that the BDS group had trained camp counselors to introduce BDS themes to their campers. As their materials put it, IfNotNow’s workshop’s focused on how counselors could communicate to

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International, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Music stars in La Jolla Music Society’s summer nights

By Eileen Wingard LA JOLLA, California — For his final season as Music Director of the La Jolla Music Society’s SummerFest, before handing over the director’s reins to the brilliant Israeli pianist, Inon Barnatan, violinist Cho-Liang Lin has assembled an outstanding group of artists to perform at sixteen concerts. Each concert includes a Prelude Lecture or

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

Clumsy propaganda diminishes Chinese war movie

By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – At the Asian Film Festival in New York, there is a Hong Kong-produced film titled Operation Red Sea.  Always interested in stories about waterways near Israel, I requested and received a screener for review purposes. It’s a well-done, riveting war film—on the order of Dunkirk or Saving Private

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Donald H. Harrison, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Editor’s E-Mail Box: June 27, 2018 (10 Items)

Poland revises its law on Holocaust responsibility The American Jewish Committee has welcomed the action by the Polish Parliament to remove the criminal penalties provision of the country’s controversial Holocaust responsibility law. “As long-time friends of Poland, correcting this counterproductive measure is an important step to restore confidence and advance ties among Poland, the Jewish

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International, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USA

Teen punk rockers in ‘The House of Tomorrow’

“Don’t fight forces, use them.”  Buckminister Fuller. By Pamela Pollack-Fremd SAN DIEGO — There is an ethical sweetness on display in the film The House of Tomorrow, written and directed by Peter Livolsi and based on the novel by Peter Bognanni, possibly because the ideas and behavior are based on ideas expressed by architect, philosopher, dreamer,

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San Diego Calendar, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Jewish trivia quiz: Beatles in Israel

By Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York — Paul McCartney appeared on a Carpool Karaoke segment of the Late Late Show with James Corden, with the two driving around Liverpool while singing Beatles tunes. They also visited sites from Paul’s childhood, and put on a surprise concert in a local pub. McCartney has many Jewish connections, from working

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Mark D. Zimmerman, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Trivia, Humor & Satire

Gender reversal in Old Globe’s ‘Tempest’

  “We are the stuff dreams are made of.” SAN DIEGO — The Tempest was Will’s farewell to the stage. Prospero’s wizardry is the magic of theatre and this play is consummately theatrical with tempest tossing seas, fantastic spirits, hideous monsters, star-crossed lovers, improbable twists, intrigue and a thirst for revenge. But what if you reimagine

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Eric George Tauber, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast