The Arts

Israel public radio and TV helped olim adjust

Sic Transit Gloria Mundi By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — What exactly lies behind the closing of Israel’s Broadcasting Authority after its seven decades of serving the public is a subject for speculation. Politics, finances and greed are part of the picture for sure, although other reasons have been posited. The radio, followed by

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Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Middle East, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Chinese- language Jerusalem cookbook debuts

By Dan Bloom CHIAYI CITY, Taiwan –When the Chinese-language edition of the popular Israeli cuisine cookbook “Jerusalem” was recently published in Taiwan, Israel’s trade envoy to the island ​ nation Asher Yarden held a press conference in Taipei for the launch and charmed ​Taiwanese ​ reporters by playing cook for the day​,​ accompanied​, of course,​

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Travel and Food

Israel 21C launches video network

This week, newsmagazine and non-profit organization ISRAEL21c launched 21see, a new online video network that will uncover Israel’s most unique stories, happening scenes, and unconventional characters – spanning a 10th generation tattoo artist in Jerusalem, a team of expat American football players in Haifa, top Israeli microbrewers and fashion designers in Tel Aviv. Spearheaded by

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Middle East, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Yiddish Book Center video features U.S. venues

AMHERST, Massachusetts (Press Release) – The Yiddish Book Center’s Wexler Oral History Project is celebrating Jewish American Heritage Month with a special video series that looks at the culture and customs of Jewish communities across the United States. Throughout the month of May, the project is featuring excerpts from oral history interviews highlighting the history, culture,

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Jewish History, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Fox sees earnings rise as fallout from sexual harassment scandal continues

LOS ANGELES — The mounting sexual harassment claims at Fox News that led to the dismissal of Bill O’Reilly and an exodus of advertisers has dominated headlines and cast a shadow over parent company 21st Century Fox in recent weeks. But the controversy, which erupted last summer, so far has done little to dampen the

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Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Hitler’s Reich and Trump’s America

By Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — In a review in a recent issue of The New York Review of Books of Hitler: Ascent 1889-1939 by Volker Ullrich – the book has recently appeared in English – the distinguished Holocaust historian Christopher Browning writes: “There are sufficient areas of similarity in some regards to make the book

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Jewish History, Middle East, USA

Gospel choir to perform May 13 at Tifereth Israel

By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO — What’s that you say? A gospel choir will be performing at a Conservative Jewish synagogue? Yes, it’s true: immediately following Havdalah at 8:16 p.m. on Saturday, May 13, the 80-member, multiracial Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Choir San Diego (MLKCC) will perform in the sanctuary of Tifereth Israel

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David Ogul, Donald H. Harrison, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego Calendar

Jimmy Kimmel responds to critics of his health care plea

Last week, an emotional Jimmy Kimmel took the stage on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live” and opened up about the complications faced by his newborn son. Skipping the jokes, Kimmel’s tearful 15-minute monologue turned into a plea to politicians in Washington to protect and strengthen health care coverage for all Americans. “If your baby is going

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Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

‘About the Dybbuks’ tells problems of immigrants

By Pamela Pollack-Fremd  SPOKANE, Washington — Immigration has never been easy–moving to a new country, learning a new language, and adapting to new cultural norms can be the most difficult thing a person ever does. Immigrating is not easy today nor has it been easy in the past. About the Dybbuks, a collection of short stories

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish History, USA

Reiss writes book on the Jewish calendar

WINCHESTER, California (Press Release)–The story of the Jewish calendar, which begins with the Exodus from Egypt, is more than 3,500 years old. Over the millennia, the twelve individual Jewish tribes coalesced into the nation of Israel, adopting, adapting, and ultimately developing their own religious calendar, which has withstood the vagaries of the ages. At one

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Fred Reiss, EdD, Jewish History, Jewish Religion

Being ‘foreign, protagonist speaks gibberish

By Cynthia Citron LOS ANGELES — Since he wrote it in 1984, Larry Shue’s play The Foreigner has been produced and revived by amateurs, students, and professional  companies almost continually.  It’s a two-act, two-and-a-half-hour absurdist comedy that taxes the abilities of the lead actor, who has to speak in gibberish the entire time.  Fortunately, Mike Niedzwiecki is up

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Cynthia Citron, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Actor Antonio Sabato Jr. to run for Congress in California

LOS ANGELES — Actor Antonio Sabato Jr. is running for Congress, challenging Rep. Julia Brownley, a Democrat who represents the southern central coast of California and most of Ventura County, according to documents filed Monday with the Federal Election Commission. Attempts to reach the Republican candidate were unsuccessful Monday, but GOP strategist Charles Moran, who

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Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA