USA

Love, marriage, and sex as told by my father, a rabbi

The controversial reception to Dad’s Marriage Made in Heaven stemmed primarily from its explicit and frank discussion of sexual intimacy, which many in the Orthodox rabbinate in 1958 considered inappropriate for public consumption. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food, USA

Leibman to step down in 2027 as President and CEO of Mazon

“…For 15 years, it has been my privilege and my responsibility to lead MAZON in these efforts – work that has allowed me to demonstrate not only how crucial it is for our country to ensure that no one goes hungry, but to show our policymakers just what is possible if we ensure our policies reflect our values. …” (Press Release0

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Press Release, USA

Van Hollen’s OpEd in NYTimes forgets Barak & Clinton offer to Arafat

President Clinton hosted a summit at Camp David where Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak offered Arab leader Yasser Arafat a plan for an independent state covering all of Gaza, eastern Jerusalem and 93 percent of the West Bank. [Bruce S. Ticker]

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Bruce Ticker, Israel, Middle East, News Media, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Michael Tilson Thomas and the Yiddish Theater: A Firsthand View

The extraordinary Michael Tilson Thomas (1944–2026), known to his public and colleagues alike as MTT, succumbed in April to an aggressive brain cancer. Conductor, pianist, composer and educator, he was a musicians’ musician, one of dazzling brilliance who was somehow still performing — conducting Mahler symphonies, no less — well beyond anyone’s expectation of what was possible with the grim prognosis he faced. [Ronald Robboy]

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Jewish History, Lifestyles, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Obituaries & memorials, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Write Out Loud to perform three flights of plays to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary

As we approach our 250th anniversary, there appears to be a dearth of celebratory events or awareness. It seems to me that we need a boost and reaffirmation now more than ever before. [Eva Trieger]

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Eva Trieger, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

JCC presents June 4 musical program in honor of Jerusalem

I will be hosting the program and my guest will be Jerusalem-born Sari Esserman, who will introduce several of the songs and tell us about her early life in the Kiryat Moshe neighborhood. Currently a resident of La Jolla, Sari is a respected artist, working in pottery and producing vibrant paintings in oils and pastels. [Eileen Wingard]

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Cantor Sheldon Foster Merel, z"l, Eileen Wingard, Israel, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

NEA accused of antisemitism in federal complaint; Richard Barrera is largest beneficiary of NEA affiliate spending

When the National Education Association, the nation’s largest teachers union with more than 3 million members, is charged with discriminatory practices in violation of Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, voters should take notice. [Marsha Sutton]

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California, Jewish History, Opinion, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food, USA

The Baal Shem Tov and modern-day visitors from Sha’ar HaNegev

Before the Baal Shem Tov, Judaism was often centered on texts, scholarship, and institutions. The Baal Shem Tov shifted the focus toward people. He taught that G-d could be found not only in study halls, but also in conversations, melodies, shared meals, acts of kindness, and human connection. [Betzy Lynch]

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Israel, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Opinion, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food, USA

Spider-Noir’s’ deep Jewish and San Diego roots

Tthe premiere of Amazon Prime Video’s new live-action series “Spider-Noir” proves that the two are inextricably linked. Dropping its entire eight-episode first season on Wednesday May 27, 2026, the series arrived as a cinematic triumph that can be watched in standard color or a gorgeous, authentic, high-contrast black-and-white film noir cut that honors the golden age of cinema. (Barrett Holman Leak)

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Barrett Holman Leak, International, Jewish History, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA