Jewish History

Broadway Musicals Proven to be One Place for Us Jews

The performance’s creator and writer, Becca Myers, welcomed the audience with witty verses, setting a delightful tone before the musical journey began. The show then opened powerfully with the ensemble singing Irving Berlin’s iconic “There’s No Business Like Show Business,” immediately building an energetic and celebratory atmosphere. From there, the show skillfully navigated the rich landscape of American musical theater shaped by Jewish talent. [Barrett Holman Leak]

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Barrett Holman Leak, Holocaust, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Holocaust Memoir a Cut Above Others

Alexander Kimel, who survived the Holocaust, initially wrote a memoir brimming with anecdotes.  To this work, his son, Martin Kimel, appended extensive annotations compiled from histories, oral testimonies, and contemporary memoirs.  The result is a grander work that has academic rigor and a personal touch. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Holocaust, International, Jewish History, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Jewish Trivia Quiz: The NBA

Renowned ‍coaches ‍Red ‍Auerbach ‍and ‍Red ‍Holzman ‍were ‍both ‍Jewish, ‍as ‍is ‍Adam ‍Silver, ‍the ‍current ‍NBA ‍Commissioner, ‍and ‍current ‍and ‍former ‍team ‍owners ‍including ‍Abe ‍Pollin, ‍Micky ‍Arison ‍and ‍Herb ‍Kohl. ‍What ‍is ‍another ‍NBA ‍Jewish ‍connection? [Mark D. Zimmerman]

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Israel, Jewish History, Mark D. Zimmerman, Sports & Competitions, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA

Historic Plaque Honoring Baseball’s Theme Song Finally Gets a Hit

‘Take Me Out To The Ball Game’ was the 1908 team effort of two friends, Jack Norworth and Albert Von Tilzer. Both men had musical backgrounds; Norworth’s Dad was the Choir Director at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Philadelphia. Von Tilzer was a Jewish man from Indianapolis who composed popular songs. [Jerry Klinger]

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Antisemitism, Jerry Klinger, Jewish History, Opinion, Sports & Competitions, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

From the Broken Pieces of the Past, the Rebbe Built a New Future

The young generation needed to understand that being Jewish was not a burden or a historical tragedy, but a privilege and a source of strength. With incredible foresight, the Rebbe devoted his life to building a thriving future for Jews worldwide by establishing over 5,000 Chabad centers in more than 100 countries. [Rabbi Shmuly Begun)

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Holocaust, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

State Budget Bill Includes Funds to Support Security of Jewish Institutions, Care for Holocaust Survivors

The state’s budget agreement includes an unprecedented investment to support aging Holocaust survivors – along with critical funding to protect Jewish institutions and vulnerable communities across the state! [David Bocarsly]

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Antisemitism, California, Holocaust, Jewish History, Lifestyles, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Jewish Women Around the World Have Demonstrated ‘Chutzpah’ for Millennia

Beautifully illustrated, Chutzpah Girls tells the stories of remarkable Jewish women from biblical times through the present with six continents represented. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Holocaust, International, Israel, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Obituaries & memorials, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Jewish Biography: Alexander Weill, Alsatian Writer

As soon as Heine appeared at the threshold of his office, I recited in Hebrew a phrase from Ibn Ezra, known to all Talmudists […]: “I came into your house, found the door open, but as soon as I entered – your wife became angry.” […] It was also a trap. I wanted to know if Heine, who was raised as a Jew until the age of thirteen, remembered the language he was taught. {Alex Gordon, quoting Alexander Weill}

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Alex Gordon, Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Jewish History, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Living and Multiplying in Times of War

Israel is at war and I’m far away from the country, in the peaceful depths of rural France. I was born into the Second World War, and as a baby (and later) I suffered as a result of being evacuated to the country, separated from my parents and the environment to which I was accustomed. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]

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Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Israel, Jewish History, Lifestyles, Middle East, Staff and Bylined Contributors

S.D.’s Former Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman Marched in Poland, Volunteered with IDF in Israel

At Birkenau, we stood in Barrack #C-26, the very place where survivor Rose Schindler once endured the camp’s horrors. We stood with two of her children, Jeff and Roxanne, who read a passage from their parents’ book, Two Who Survived. [Shelley Zimmerman]

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Holocaust, International, Israel, Jewish History, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors

OpEd: Israel-Iran War Was Inevitable

After decades of warning about the dangers of Iran’s nuclear weapons ascendance, Israel’s long-time prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu acted. While some, including me, had doubts that he would ever fulfill his promises to stop Iran’s growing power, Israel’s substantial victories after the October 7 debacle changed the equation. [Steve Kramer]

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International, Israel, Jewish History, Middle East, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Steve Kramer, USA