Tuba Soloist William Nakamura Featured in TICO Concert

The tuba soloist, William Nakamura, did a fine job making the tuba, that elephant of the orchestra, sound beautiful and negotiating the hopping, kangaroo-like leaps with agility. As the printed program notes explained, the work was inspired by the kangaroo-rat of Death Valley. [Eileen Wingard]

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Eileen Wingard, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Jewish Biography: Richard Wilstätter, Nobel Prize-Winning Chemist

Richard Martin Wilstätter was born in Karlsruhe on August 13, 1872. His father was a cloth merchant. In From My Life Wilstätter writes about his origins: “My forefathers were Jews. They had made their home in Karlsruhe since 1720. […] Rabbis, teachers, and a physician were among my ancestors.” Since childhood, he has been fascinated by the natural sciences: “At the age of twelve, I had decided on chemistry and natural sciences in general.” [Alex Gordon]

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Alex Gordon, Antisemitism, Holocaust, International, Jewish History, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors

‘Mendel the Mess-Up’ Devises Plan to Ward Off Cossacks in Graphic Novel for Middle Schoolers

This graphic novel intended for Middle Schoolers tells the story of a boy who can’t do anything right, even though his intentions are good. At fault may have been the evil eye that a woman, bitter about the abduction of her own son, put on Mendel’s mother while she was pregnant. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Fiction, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Home in Israel at Last: Eli Shabari, Or Levy, and Ohad Ben Ami

Eli Sharabi, 52, Or Levy, 34, and Ohad Ben Ami, 56, were released from Hamas captivity Saturday morning, Feb. 8, after surviving 491 days in hell. Gaunt and emaciated after being starved by their barbaric captors, the three men were forced to participate in another despicable PR parade staged by Hamas terrorists. [Cory Meyer, AIPAC)

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Israel, Staff and Bylined Contributors

‘Here Lived’ Tells of European Memorial Stumbling Stones for Holocaust Victims

Here Lived shown Thursday night, Feb. 6, at the San Diego International Film Festival is a documentary film directed by Jane Wells who follows conceptual artist Gunter Demnig in laying Stolpersteine (stumbling stones) in Holland. [Cailin Acosta]

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Cailin Acosta, Holocaust, International, Jewish History, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Trump’s Gaza Proposal and ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’

Trump’s suggestion of offering Gazans the choice to temporarily relocate with international support breaks away from old paradigms, much like the child’s truth encouraged those around the emperor to see clearly for the first time. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]

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Israel, Jewish History, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle East, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Trump’s Gaza Plan Leaves the World Aghast and Confused

One thing is clear about U.S. President Trump’s plan for Gaza: the whole world, except for Israel’s government and the U.S. administration, is united in rejecting the idea. Most vociferous in opposing it are the Arab countries, especially those two (Egypt and Jordan) slated to accept the Gazans who agree to leave that benighted piece of real estate. So much for Arab solidarity. Not to mention human compassion in the rest of the world. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]

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Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Israel, Middle East, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

‘Internee Number 6’ Relates Story of Her Confinement in Fascist Italy for Being a Jew

The Villa Sorge was a private residence into which 75 women were crowded, speaking a variety of languages, and not all of them Jews. A topic of speculation was who was a spy among their fellow internees, who might be providing sexual favors to their captors in return for preferences, how bad the food was, and how a Jewish internee like herself could reach an understanding with another internee who was a self-described Nazi. [Donald H. Harrison]

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