Travel and Food

  By Dov Hartuv KIBBUTZ NAHAL OZ, Israel –Knowing our past makes our future significant   I think most of us missed out on learning about our roots and family history when we never grasped the chance of speaking to our grandparents or great grandparents when we had the opportunity. It seems that we all […]

By David Amos SAN DIEGO–I am frequently asked about the different elements that come into play in the education and formation of a serious orchestral conductor. It is indeed a fascinating subject, many factors come into play and as in so many subjects about the arts, and there are wide differences of opinion. For sure,

By Rabbi Baruch Lederman SAN DIEGO — “I will ordain my blessing for you.  the land will yield sufficient crop.”  Leviticus 25:21    The Torah promises us that if we observe Hashem’s (G-d)  commandment to allow the land of Israel to rest every seven years and do not sow or harvest the land, Hashem will bless

By David Amos SAN DIEGO — A few months ago I wrote about the famous 1940 book by Oscar Levant, A Smattering of Ignorance. As you may know or have read, Levant was a pianist-composer in the mid-Twentieth Century; he was involved in both popular and very serious classical music, was a good friend of

By Sheila Orysiek  SAN DIEGO –City Ballet of San Diego closed its  season on May 1 at the Spreckels Theatre with a dynamic program.  Enigma by resident choreographer Elizabeth Wistrich received a Tommy Award when this work was first performed in 2000 and it is easy to see why.  This is a complete concept – entirely

By Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO — In the middle of Vayikra, the Book of Leviticus, with its long, detailed, and arcane descriptions of Israel’s ancient sacrificial rite, we are caught short by the appearance of parashat Kedoshim. Parashat Kedoshim speaks not of Priests, altars, and sacrifices, but of Godliness and holiness: “You shall be holy,

By Rabbi Ben Kamin SAN DIEGO — Unlike Jesus, I don’t plan on a resurrection and I really don’t know for sure what happens after this life.  And that suits me fine.  It is this life, and doing some good works while here, that matters to me; don’t have much to say about any other

By David Amos SAN DIEGO–You may not recognize the name, but you certainly have heard his music. He lived to the age of 88, and died in Los Angeles in 1995 after a long illness. To the music world, he was recognized as one of the greatest film composers of all time. He composed music

Far to Go by Alison Pick, Paperback: 336 pages, Harper Perennial (April 19, 2011),  ISBN-10: 9780062034625,  List price: $14.95 By Laurel Corona SAN DIEGO– Far to Go gets under your skin early and stays there.  This new novel by Canadian writer Alison Pick follows the fate of one affluent Jewish family caught up in the quick

By Rabbi Ben Kamin SAN DIEGO — Yes, she married a lot, but never as anyone other than herself.  She coped with booze and weight (like a lot of us) but in breathtaking contrast to the vast majority of us blowhard gossipers, she actually did not care what people thought and she withstood withering and

By Lynne Thrope SAN DIEGO–I love it when I’m asked to participate in a blind taste test. I entered into one yesterday in preparation for my Passover seder.  The contestants, this day, were Kosher-for-Passover cupcakes.  Here’s how it went. First, there’s the smelling ritual. Much better with eyes closed. Then, it’s on to a speck