The Arts

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Mike Bloomfield

Courtesy of Wikipedia Michael Bloomfield (July 28, 1943 – February 15, 1981) was an American blues guitarist and composer. Born in Chicago, he became one of the first popular music stars of the 1960s to earn his reputation almost entirely on his instrumental prowess, as he rarely sang before 1969. Respected for his guitar playing, Bloomfield knew and played […]

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Jewish Celebrities, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Today's Jewish Birthday, Wikipedia

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Pete Yorn

Courtesy of Wikipedia Peter Yorn (July 27, 1974) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. He first gained international recognition after his debut record, Musicforthemorningafter, was released to critical and commercial acclaim in 2001. He is known for playing the bulk of the instruments on his records. Spin magazine, in a career retrospective article dated March 26,

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Women Artists, Survivors, and Victims who Fought the Nazis

Graphic artist Trina Robbins, who died earlier this year, was saluted by Comic-Con panel members who recalled Robbins’ salute to Lilly Renée, another woman pioneer in the comic book industry.  Both Jewish women had a hand in World War II comic book stories in which the evil Nazis were given their comeuppance.
[Donald H. Harrison]

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Antisemitism, Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, San Diego County, Shor M. Masori, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Torah Study Method: Inquiry, Intention, Exploration, Reflection

Author Adina Allen finds tension between the millennia of rabbis and scholars who create and pontificate biblical interpretations and Moses’ exhortation to the wandering Israelites that understanding Torah is not beyond anyone’s reach (Deut. 30:11-14) [Fred Reiss]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Fred Reiss, EdD, Jewish Religion, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Local Events and Jewish Summer Travel Opportunities

Jewish Federation of San Diego and Entwine announce that  Thursday, August 1, is the deadline to apply for inclusion in the “Inside Jewish Italy” trip happening Monday, November 18 until Monday, November 25. This travel opportunity is intended for young adults ages 23-39!  Click here to apply. [Cailin Acosta]

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Cailin Acosta, International, Israel, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA

‘Four Women’ Trust a Self-Doubting Attorney to Resolve Their Legal Fates

Another fictional case, from which the novel’s title is derived, is about four Jewish women whose property on the Miami shoreline is coveted by a wealthy, mysterious German-speaking developer with deep political connections.  If the women, including Joshua’s aunt Helen, a Holocaust survivor, don’t accept the developer’s paltry financial offer, he threatens to have the city condemn the property in favor of high-rise development.  Joshua negotiates for the women. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Staff and Bylined Contributors

The Difference Between the Law and Justice

Most people need to realize the profound difference between law and justice. The difference also exists between ethics and thinking and other matters in this world, such as human habits and the active forces of nature. I will describe the difference by focusing on the 2024 movie The Beekeeper. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]

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Jose Galicot: Bringing Jewish Communities to Life

The businessman’s methods include bringing people together, encouraging them to work as a team and to elect leaders from within their membership, to develop their own programming and cadre of volunteers. While he contributes financially to these efforts, he is also a cheerleader and an advocate for education and youth programming, so the nascent Jewish communities can sustain themselves. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Business & Finance, Donald H. Harrison, International, Israel, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USA

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Alan Menken

Courtesy of Wikipedia Alan Irwin Menken (July 22, 1949) is an American composer, best known for his scores and songs for films produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and Skydance Animation. Menken’s music for The Little Mermaid (1989), Beauty and the Beast (1991), Aladdin (1992), and Pocahontas (1995) have each won him two Academy Awards. He also composed the scores and songs for Little Shop of

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‘Letters for Life’ Worthy of Keeping as a Trusted Companion

As I’ve seen in my own practice over the many years, I’ve turned more and more to the healing power of Torah study and this leaps off the pages of this essential read, as we see the need for emotional wellness guidance and education more than ever. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]

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Two-Night ‘Henry 6’: An Enjoyable Time- and Gender-Bending Spectacle

This production marks a pretty significant achievement, in that it completes the Shakespeare canon for the Globe, meaning that over the course of its history, The Old Globe has produced all of Shakespeare’s plays, thereby joining a very small club of theaters that have done so.  [Sandi Masori]

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