Music, Dance, and Visual Arts

Many S.D. Jewish institutions announcing coronavirus precautions

More and more Jewish organizations in San Diego County are announcing precautions and responses to the coronavirus pandemic, including Jewish Community Foundation, Jewish Family Service, Jewish Federation of San Diego County, Jewish National Fund, Lawrence Family JCC, Ohr Shalom Synagogue, Seacrest Village Retirement Community, Tifereth Israel Synagogue, and Western Jewish Studies Association. Following in alphabetical order, is a report about each. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

Many S.D. Jewish institutions announcing coronavirus precautions Read More »

Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

U.S. Attorney Brewer reassures Jewish community on security

U.S. Attorney Robert S. Brewer Jr. experienced  first-hand in San Diego the concerns shared by Jewish congregations around the country about anti-Semitism — a concern that prompted U.S. Attorney General William Barr to send a directive to U.S. Attorneys throughout the United States to arrange meetings with Jewish community leaders.   At a kosher lunch meeting on Wednesday sponsored by the Anti-Defamation League, rabbi after rabbi — ranging from Reform to Chassidic–expressed their worries about the safety of their congregants at a time when there has been an increase in anti-Semitic hate crimes. [Our shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

U.S. Attorney Brewer reassures Jewish community on security Read More »

Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, The World We Share, Yeruchem Eilfort-Rabbi

Awe struck by 13-year-old Israeli cellist

I felt blessed to experience the extra-ordinary talent of the young Israeli cellist, Nahar Eliaz last Saturday evening in the sanctuary of Congregation Beth Am. Her’s was meaningful music-making of the highest order, music that touched the heart and replenished the soul. There was no awareness of technique. Every pitch was perfectly in tune, every dynamic, judiciously observed, every phrase, fluently expressed with natural ease. But it was more. The music had excitement, passion, and beauty. [Eileen Wingard]

Awe struck by 13-year-old Israeli cellist Read More »

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

History tells of Nazi looting of Rosenberg gallery in Paris

Based on extensive research, the author describes what happened to the Paris art gallery that her grandfather, Paul Rosenberg, owned and directed in the first part of the twentieth century, until the invasion and occupation of France by the Germans in 1940. When France was taken over by the Germans all Jews, including the Rosenbergs, were deprived of their citizenship and property. In its heyday the Rosenberg Gallery exhibited the works of painters such as Matisse, Braque, Picasso and others with whom Paul Rosenberg maintained warm relations and in some cases, especially that of Picasso, a close friendship. Many of these artists were defined as ‘degenerate’ by the Nazis, although that did not prevent them from using these works for their own ends, often selling them to museums and collectors who paid handsomely for them.[Dorothea Shefer Vanson]

History tells of Nazi looting of Rosenberg gallery in Paris Read More »

Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, USA

13-year-old cello virtuoso to perform in San Diego

SAN DIEGO — Fresh from winning gold medals in two major international music competitions, the 13-year-old Israeli cellist, Nahar Eliaz, will be coming to San Diego for a recital Saturday evening, March 7, 7:30 p.m. at Congregation Beth Am, 5050 Del Mar Heights Rd., San Diego, CA, 92130. The prodigious young talent received the grand prize in the London virtuoso competition which will lead to a performance at the Elgar Room at the Royal Albert Hall in London on April 14 of this year.  She also received two top prizes earlier this month from the Vienna Music Competition. In this contest, Nahar garnered the gold medal in the Strings-Young Artist division, and the Beethoven Centenary Award for the most outstanding performance of a work by the great composer.  Beethoven’s 250th birthday is being celebrated throughout the world. [Eileen Wingard]

13-year-old cello virtuoso to perform in San Diego Read More »

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

Liberator and POW fast friends 75 years later

The liberation of a prisoner-of-war camp in Manila, Philippines, in 1945 forged a bond many years later between a Jewish band leader and a Coronado civil servant. Lou Berger, a drummer and leader of the “Berger Kings,” was playing a Saturday night gig at the Town & Country Hotel in San Diego about 15 years ago for an ex-prisoners of war organization when he was introduced to Tom Crosby, a longtime purchasing agent and risk manager for the City of Coronado, who also was known as a  successful volunteer springboard diving coach. [Donald H. Harrison]

Liberator and POW fast friends 75 years later Read More »

Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County

The cacophony of politicians talking about music

Two politicians in Israel recently referred to music in one context or another. This made me prick up my ears and pay attention, which is not something I usually do when I come across statements by politicians, in Israel or anywhere else. The first was the Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. When asked why he preferred to stand trial for the crimes and misdemeanors of which he is accused, he replied (not his exact words, but the gist of them): “The judges in Jerusalem go to synagogue and the judges in Tel Aviv go to the Philharmonic.” What he was implying was that the judges in Jerusalem are honest, god-fearing people, while the ones in Tel Aviv are hedonistic heathen. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]

The cacophony of politicians talking about music Read More »

Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts

Beautiful music with compelling stories

The 30th San Diego International Jewish Film Festival is underway. These aren’t your big-budget Hollywood blockbusters. These are indie films with heart that speak to who we are as a people. I managed to catch two Israeli films with music themes on Monday at the Reading Cinema in Claremont Square. And I was delighted to sit in nearly full houses. [Eric George Tauber]

Beautiful music with compelling stories Read More »

Eric George Tauber, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County

Ohr Shalom, other Jewish venues, rated as architectural gems

Approximately 50 cities worldwide, including San Diego and three others in the United States, offer free Open Houses at venues considered to be architecturally significant.  This year, March 6-8, San Diego will put on display 93 different locations, including Ohr Shalom Synagogue at 3rd and Laurel Streets in Bankers Hill as well as a few other places with ties to prominent members of the Jewish community. Those include the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, founded by Jonas Salk and designed by architect Louis Kahn;  the IGPP Munk Laboratory designed by the late oceanographer Walter Munk and his wife Judith Horton Munk in association with architect Lloyd Ruocco; the San Diego Central Library at the Joan & Irwin Jacobs Common, named for the co-founder of Qualcomm and his wife;  and the Hotel del Coronado, which underwent considerable expansion during the period it was owned by M. Larry Lawrence. [Donald H. Harrison]

Ohr Shalom, other Jewish venues, rated as architectural gems Read More »

Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Travel and Food, USA

Puppets, opera combine in ‘Hansel and Gretel’

Composer Engelbert Humperdinck’s 1893 storybook Opera, Hansel and Gretel, based on The Grimm Brother’s tale of the same name is the current fare at the Civic Center on Feb. 14th and 16th. This is the third time in the opera’s history producing Humperdinck’s work. [Carol Davis]

Puppets, opera combine in ‘Hansel and Gretel’ Read More »

Carol Davis, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Scientists and artists collaborate in SDAI exhibit

There is a new exhibit at the San Diego Art Institute (SDAI) that should appeal to many tastes as it is an innovative show that pairs artists and scientists together. What a brilliant idea to combine art and science together! The new installation, “Illumination,” paired 16 artists with seven scientific institutions, along with ten artists doing their own interpretation of science, nature, and technology. The curator of this show, Chi Essary, did a wonderful job pairing the artists with their scientific counterparts. [Mimi Pollack]

Scientists and artists collaborate in SDAI exhibit Read More »

Mimi Pollack, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County

Kirk Douglas: Star of David and Hollywood

Like many Jews of his generation, he had changed his name to avoid revealing that he was born Issur Danielovitch, the son of poor Jewish immigrants who lived in Amsterdam, New York. Even before that, he adopted the Americanized surname of his uncle Avram Demsky and preferred Isadore over Issur. {Lawrence Baron, Ph.D]

Kirk Douglas: Star of David and Hollywood Read More »

Lawrence Baron, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Obituaries & memorials

Michael Anderson and the Armageddon Yacht

International collage artist Michael Anderson is presently enjoying a solo show, the first in four years, at Arts & Leisure gallery on New York City’s Upper East Side. Armageddon Yacht is an exhibition of sixteen recent works, all featuring Anderson’s unique and inimitable style. Whereas most collage artists make use of magazines, Michael uses exclusively street posters gathered from around the world, which allows for work on a much greater scale than is typically associated with collage. His pictures are at once unmistakable and visceral, sweeping, playful and ironic. [Sam Ben-Meir, Ph.D]

Michael Anderson and the Armageddon Yacht Read More »

Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Sam Ben-Meir, USA

Former child prodigy returns to TICO as soloist

Violinist Anat Almani concluded the recent January 28 TICO concert with an impressive performance of the Tchaikowsky Violin Concerto. Her solid technique brought a beautiful patina to the high passages in the first movement; the second movement was a study of muted sweetness; and the final movement lunged forward with unbridled energy. [Eileen Wingard]

Former child prodigy returns to TICO as soloist Read More »

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