By Dan Bloom CHIAYI CITY, Taiwan – John Blumenthal was born in the middle of the 20th century in Middletown, New York, and while he was not born with a silver spoon in is mouth, he did come into this world with the humorist’s touch deeply embedded in his DNA. I first met him in
Perceptive neurotic stars in humorous Jewish novel Read More »
Travel and FoodBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–We are seeing yet again the bobbing and feinting, complex maneuvers, and pursuit of partial treatment for problems that have no solution. We find it in relations between Israel and Palestine, with different moves toward Palestine West Bank and Palestine Gaza, between Israel and the US, as well as with Britain, Russia,
Half measures, bobbing, feinting in int’l politics Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Eileen Wingard SAN DIEGO –Eve Gerstle expects to be sitting in Copley Symphony Hall on the evening of May 7, as a special guest of Conductor Murry Sidlin, watching the performance of the multi-media Concert-Drama, The Defiant Requiem. This remarkable lady, who is celebrating her 101st birthday, has a particular interest in this work.
Terezin survivor to be special guest at ‘Defiant Requiem’ Read More »
Eileen Wingard, Jewish HistoryBy Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO─ Kim Kardashian toured Armenia to visit the home of her ancestors and commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Who would have thought that President Obama and Congress would be challenged to keeping up with the Kardashians? * Volunteer police deputy Robert Bates apologized to the family of Eric
Humoring the headlines: April 20, 2015 Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & SatireBy Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York — Ringo Starr was just inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Everyone knows of Brian Epstein’s role in discovering and promoting the Beatles. What role did another Jew play in Ringo’s earlier life that contributed to his future success as a Beatle A. Prior to joining the
Jewish trivia: Ringo Starr Read More »
Jewish History, Mark D. ZimmermanPope Francis meets with leading European rabbis at Vatican (JNS.org) Pope Francis met with a delegation of leading European rabbis at the Vatican on Monday to discuss Jewish-Christian relations and the ongoing surge of European anti-Semitism. The delegation was from the Conference of European Rabbis, which represents more than 700 rabbis from synagogues across Europe.
Jewish news briefs: April 20, 2015 Read More »
International, Middle East, USASAN DIEGO (SDJW)– During the week of October 19, 2015, San Diego conductor David Amos will be conducting the London Philharmonic Orchestra in a recording of the music of the late composer Arnold Rosner. This is by invitation from the Rosner family, to memorialize the late composer who died in 2013. Four selections will be
Amos to guest conduct London Phil’monic Orchestra Read More »
Travel and Food
By Anav Silverman JERUSALEM (Tazpit) — Ahead of Israel’s Memorial Day on April 22, the day on which the Jewish state officially remembers its fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism, a unique cookbook compiled with recipes by bereaved mothers who have lost their children to war and terror has recently been published. The cookbook, a
Cookbook recalls favorite recipes of fallen IDF soldiers Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle EastBy Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — Jewish and Israeli history is replete with both tragic and joyful events, and in fact the life of a Jew living in Israel is something of a roller-coaster existence, taking us from the depths of sorrow one day to the sublime heights of joy the next, whether it’s
An emotional roller coaster during Israel’s holidays Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Jewish History, Middle East
“In the long run, nothing can withstand reason and experience, and the contradiction religion offers both is palpable.” —Sigmund Freud By Eric George Tauber CORONADO, California — In all likelihood, Sigmund Freud and C.S. Lewis never actually met. But what if they had…? Two great minds, both respected scholars in their own right, hold two
C.S. Lewis on Freud’s couch Read More »
Travel and FoodBy Gary Rotto SAN DIEGO — As I started out this column, my intent was to make a statement for the “ownership” of the term Holocaust. As long as I can remember, I always had a visceral reaction when this term was used by others to describe a potential disaster. To me, anything would pale in
‘Holocaust’ and ‘Shoah’ meanings and emotions Read More »
Jewish HistoryBy Dan Bloom CHIAYI CITY, Taiwan — There’s a new movie in town, well, not yet, but it’s “coming soon,” as they say in the movie biz, and it’s called Chloe and Theo. The co-star is an Inuit man from Canada named Theo Ikummaq who plays himself in the climate-themed flick, and it’s not an
‘Chloe and Theo’ brings idealism to Cli-Fi Read More »
The World We ShareYes, It’s Possible by Ehud Diskin, Gefen Publishing House, 2015 By Sheila Orysiek SAN DIEGO — On the first page of the Preface – as well as several more times throughout his book – Ehud Diskin makes the following statement: “Long ago I defined the principles by which I would live my life……to try and
From the Jewish library: ‘Yes, It’s Possible’ Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Like some of the readers of these columns, I grew up in the US during the 1940s and 1950s. It was a time of assimilation for Jews and all the rest of the hoi polloi who had streamed from Europe. The US was ascendant as the result of World War II,
Face it, this is not the U.S. of our childhoods Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USA