The Arts

IDF commander jailed for inviting rapper to army party

An IDF Company Commander was sentenced to a week in a military prison for inviting controversial Israeli rapper Yoav Eliasi to perform for his soldiers, it has been revealed. Eliasi – more widely known by his stage name “The Shadow” (Ha-Tzel) – has in recent years become something of a social media pundit, with his […]

IDF commander jailed for inviting rapper to army party Read More »

Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts

‘Bad Jews’ depicts split between religious and secular

By Cynthia Citron HOLLYWOOD — The play has such a despicable name that you would think it would attract every neo-Nazi, Aryan Nation, Skinheaded anti-Semite in southern California.  The play is called Bad Jews.  But, surprisingly, playwright Joshua Harmon’s four-person diatribe is actually a perceptive reflection of the way in which many modern Jews relate

‘Bad Jews’ depicts split between religious and secular Read More »

Cynthia Citron, Jewish Religion, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Understanding the 30th President: Coolidge by Amity Schlaes

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., June 29, 2016 – In the midst of this crazy election year, it’s worth considering the events of almost 100 years ago at the dawn of the Progressive Era and the 30th president of the United States, Calvin Coolidge. The time bears a sometimes uncanny resemblance to our own; his challenges are

Understanding the 30th President: Coolidge by Amity Schlaes Read More »

Books, Poetry & Short Stories, USA

Scarlett Johansson is Highest Grossing Female Star Ever

Scarlett Johansson, star of multiple Marvel superhero movies, Luc Besson’s brilliant sci-fi thriller Lucy and Girl with a Pearl Earring, has been a leading lady for a while now. She’s filled that action heroine role left vacant by Angelina Jolie, who seems more content behind the camera these days. She sometimes makes fun, quirky movies

Scarlett Johansson is Highest Grossing Female Star Ever Read More »

Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Tseitlin, Gerpe, Farmer: an impressive musical trio

By Eileen Wingard ENCINITAS, California — Michael Tseitlin, San Diego County’s highly respected violin pedagogue and organizer of the Virtuosi USA Concert Series, introduced one of its programs at the Encinitas Library on June 25, featuring Violinist Pasha Tseitlin, Pianist Nic Gerpe and Bassoonist Judith Farmer. Pasha Tseitlin, son of Michael and Irina Tseitlin, plays

Tseitlin, Gerpe, Farmer: an impressive musical trio Read More »

Eileen Wingard, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts

Bavaria accused of funneling stolen art back to Nazis

NEW YORK (WJC)- World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder said this week that he is dismayed by an investigation alleging that the German state of Bavaria had sold or given Nazi-looted art to high-ranking Nazi officials, rather than returning the art to its rightful Jewish heirs. The investigation by the London-based Commission for Looted

Bavaria accused of funneling stolen art back to Nazis Read More »

International, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts

Art and words express cancer survivors’ emotions

By Chana Miller PETACH TIKVAH, Israel – “Good morning” Simple words. We say them every day. Most people are hardly aware of the greeting by neighbors or fellow workers. But for a small group of women at Ezer Mizion, the words mean everything. They represent the Good Morning program, a visual art workshop for cancer

Art and words express cancer survivors’ emotions Read More »

Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education

‘Mein Kampf’ profits to aid Holocaust survivors

A US publisher of Adolf Hitler”s Nazi manifesto announced its decision to donate all proceeds to a local organization that works directly with aging Holocaust survivors, according to a Boston Globe report. The move comes after Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, a Boston-based publisher of one of the English translations of “Mein Kampf”, recently received criticism for

‘Mein Kampf’ profits to aid Holocaust survivors Read More »

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

Streisand’s difficult rise to fame catapulted by face-off with anti-Semitism

That Barbra Streisand is a woman of many “firsts” is indisputable. Streisand is one of the best-selling music artists of all time and the only recording artist to have a number-one album in each of the last six decades. With “Yentl” in 1983, she became the first woman to write, produce, direct and star in

Streisand’s difficult rise to fame catapulted by face-off with anti-Semitism Read More »

Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Jesse Williams talks racism, equality and why black lives matter in powerful BET Awards speech

LOS ANGELES — Jesse Williams made explicit what so much of this year’s BET Awards has been trying to imply: Things are different now, and so much of black America is fed up. The “Grey’s Anatomy” actor, teacher and producer/star of BET’s “Stay Woke” documentary delivered arguably one of the most searing speeches in the

Jesse Williams talks racism, equality and why black lives matter in powerful BET Awards speech Read More »

Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

‘Stop whitewashing history!’ Thousands sign petition to stop Leonardo DiCaprio from playing Rumi

A petition to stop Leonardo DiCaprio from playing Persian poet Rumi in an upcoming biopic is gaining traction online, as thousands of supporters urge the Islamic scholar be played by a Middle Eastern actor. The petition calls the casting choice proposed by the film’s screenwriter and producer “both ludicrous and offensive,” and says by starring

‘Stop whitewashing history!’ Thousands sign petition to stop Leonardo DiCaprio from playing Rumi Read More »

International, Middle East, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Strange happenings and strange choices in ‘MacBeth’

Stars, hide your fires;  Let not light see my black and deep desires. By Eric George Tauber SAN DIEGO–My guest shot me a look when I dared utter the name “Macbeth” as we took our seats at the Old Globe’s Summer Shakespeare Festival. “Oh no,” he intoned, “now somebody’s going to die.” “Don’t we all?”

Strange happenings and strange choices in ‘MacBeth’ Read More »

Eric George Tauber, Theatre, Film & Broadcast