AAA-Writers and photographers

Below are the names of writers who are currently active.  For others, living and deceased, please type their name into the search box above the masthead on our home page, www.sdjewishworld.com

Brad Garrett and Friends Delight in Bellflower

Garrett did a small set and was the MC.  He mostly riffed on the audience, and after “bageling” himself as a tall Jew did a fair amount of ethnic humor.  Ethnic humor generally makes me a little nervous because I don’t know how people will take it. Until I see if they’re ok with it, I’m not sure how to react.  He handled it well though, equally picking on everyone so no one group was singled out for offense.  The audience responded well and by their laughter seemed to enjoy it.   [Donald H. Harrison]

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California, Sandi Masori, Trivia, Humor & Satire

Rabbi Scott Meltzer Introduces B’nai Mitzvah to the Joy of Giving

Beginning in 2014, Rabbi and Mrs. Meltzer invested $100 per month in the Kiva organization until they had built up a credit of approximately $8,000. They pored over lists of worthy borrowers, who were vetted by Kiva’s microloan partners throughout the world.  The Meltzers then decided to which borrowers they wished to make interest-free repayable loans. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Business & Finance, California, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish Religion, Middle East, San Diego County, Travel and Food, USA

Parasha Behaalotecha: Stop Complaining, Be Grateful

Oy! There’s a lot of whining in this week’s Torah reading.

Come to think of it, it appears to be the basis of one of my mother’s oft-repeated sayings, “Keep complaining and I’ll really give you something to complain about.” We are world-class kvetchers, aren’t we? The food isn’t good enough, the seat at the table isn’t good enough, the hotel room isn’t the best, the politics, oy gevalt, the list goes on and on. [Michael R. Mantell, PhD]

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Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell

A Prescient Account of Life in Pre-War France

By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel —The novel Silbermann by Jacques de Lacretelle, which I read in French, was first published in 1922 It describes the life of a French schoolboy and his relations with a Jewish classmate. The general atmosphere in the school is one of rigid discipline and, as is often the case

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Dorothea Shefer-Vanson

‘Women of Valor’ Portrays Another 6 Outstanding Women

By Eileen Wingard LA JOLLA, California — This year’s rendition of Women of Valor was celebrated with six beautifully conceived scripts, written by Ali Veiterbi, who also directed the production, Sarah Price Keating, Becca Myers, and Todd Salovey, Director of the Lipinsky Jewish Arts Festival (JFest). The performances took place Thursday June 9, at the

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Eileen Wingard, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

The Return to Kiev

By Alex Gordon HAIFA, Israel — The Red Army liberated Kiev from German forces on November 6, 1943. My father was not conscripted because of a congenital heart condition. Because of his illness, he was always breathing heavily. His breathing became even heavier when he and my mother, returned to Kiev after two and a

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Alex Gordon, International, Opinion

‘Belligerent Occupation,’ Belligerent Report From UN

By Bruce S. Ticker PHILADELPHIA — If only Israel would end its “belligerent occupation.” Most of us know better, but don’t tell that to the United Nations Human Rights Council. Its Commission of Inquiry released the first of what they hope will be decades of annual reports on Israel’s oppression of the poor Palestinians. The

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Bruce Ticker, International, Middle East, Opinion

5 Minute Plays Delightfully Kick Off Summer Theater Season

By Eva Trieger LA JOLLA, California — Last night an eager and appreciative audience gathered for the 7th Annual 5 Minute Play Festival. Thanks to COVID-19, the program had been put on hold since 2020. Normally a slate of ten plays is selected from the over 80 submissions. This year, to include some of those

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Eva Trieger, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

‘Iron’ Locks Onto Mother-Daughter Relationships Under Stress

The past few years have shown us that life can be sad, hard, confusing, and disappointing, but they also revealed that facing hurdles head-on, can deliver greater understanding, compassion, and growth.  Thank you, Roustabouts Producer Phil Johnson and Director Jacole Kitchen for bravely bringing us Rona Monro’s tragic play, Iron. (Eva Trieger)

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Eva Trieger, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Oh, the Mishaps that Greeted Queen Elizabeth II on Her San Diego Visit!

No sooner than Cleator took over the office as acting mayor, he broke the news to me that Queen Elizabeth II of England would be visiting San Diego, and that I, as communications director, would be in charge of the city’s press arrangements for the traveling and local media. [Donald H. Harrison]

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California, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, San Diego County, USA

Screening American Jewish Diversity

Helene Meyer’s book Movie-Made Jews explores how films mirror and shape the diverse identities embraced by contemporary American Jewry.  Readers of the Jewish feminist magazine Lilith and the Jewish Women’s Archive Blog will be familiar with Meyers’ insightful movie reviews. Here on a bigger canvas, she analyzes documentaries and feature films that venture beyond common cinematic stereotypes of American Jews to dramatize their attitudes towards antisemitism, assimilation, feminism, gender orientation, the Holocaust, Jewish assertiveness, and race relations. [Laurie Baron, Ph.D]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish History, Lawrence Baron, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Bible Leaves So Many Quesions Unanswered about Dinah

Aside from the terrible tale of the kidnapping and apparent rape of Jacob’s daughter Dinah in the biblical book Genesis, we know very little about Dinah other than the usual obscurities which the Torah does not explain, which prompt us to think of what is happening and why, some of which we list below. This tale also raises the question of the Bible’s view of women. [Rabbi Israel Drazin]

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Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion