Staff and Bylined Contributors

Finding beauty in nature at the Cardiff Library

Cali notes that his photographs are meant to be lived with. They are not asking for interpretation or explanation. Instead, they offer a space to slow your breath, rest your eyes, and feel a sense of connection. In searching for beauty, he is really seeking moments that feel honest and true. [Cailin Acosta]

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Cailin Acosta, California, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Contemporary Torah: The sacred architecture of silence

Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, step forward with their own fire pans, offering “strange fire” (esh zarah) which God had not commanded. Within seconds, they are dead. The music stops. The joy evaporates. In the center of the camp, there is only smoke and a father staring at the bodies of his sons. [Barrett Holman Leak]

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Barrett Holman Leak, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Antisemitic statements rattle Jews in two states; goof in advertisement draws adverse comments in a third

Georgia legislative candidate Nathalie Kanani risked offending Atlanta-area Jews when she took out a Passover ad that featured a loaf of challah which was decidedly leavened. In Connecticut’s Fairfield County, a bunch of spoiled rich Catholic high school students proclaimed “at least we are not Jews.” [Bruce Ticker}

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Antisemitism, Bruce Ticker, California, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, News Media, Opinion, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food

Black/ Jewish solidarity required to defeat racism, antisemitism

While the national media often treats the intersection of Black and Jewish identities as a modern novelty, the history of Jews of Color in the Americas is centuries deep. Long before the term “bridge-building” became a social justice buzzword, individuals were living at this intersection, weaving together the traditions of two resilient peoples. I am one of them. [Barrett Holman Leak]

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Antisemitism, Barrett Holman Leak, Jewish History, News Media, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Documentary memorializes Hillel Slovak of the Red-Hot Chili Peppers

The film focuses on the formative years of the Los Angeles-based rock/funk/alternative band Red Hot Chili Peppers and highlights the lasting impact of their original guitarist, Hillel Slovak, who tragically passed away in 1988 at just 26 years old. [Cailin Acosta]

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Cailin Acosta, California, Israel, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Staff and Bylined Contributors

From the female perspective: ‘Lend Me a Soprano’

Flipping gender perspectives, Ludwig switched up his previous play, Lend Me a Tenor, to tell the story of The Cleveland Grand Opera and their one-night production of Carmen. Lucille Wiley (Wendy Waddell), manager of the company, is elated to welcome the arrival of opera diva of global renown, Elena Firenzi (Britania Cortez). [Eva Trieger]

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Eva Trieger, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

‘Matt and Ben’: A gender-bending production at the New Village Arts Theatre

Right before the curtain goes up, there is a voice that tells us that the actors bear an uncanny resemblance to the real Matt and Ben, and they think so too. But once the curtain goes up, you realize the interesting casting choice made by director Maria Patrice Amon, using two women for the parts of both Matt and Ben.  [Sandi Masori]

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San Diego County, Sandi Masori, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast