Haazinu (Listen Up): A Book of Prophecy by Yerachmiel Ben-Yishe, Gefen Publishing House, 2011, 268 pages, ISBN 9789652295347,Retail price unlisted. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO– Family members and an ex-lover of terminally ill patients gather before and after their hospital visits to share their sorrowful memories and to reflect on life’s larger purpose. In
By Carol Davis SAN DIEGO–Donald Margulies’ Brooklyn Boy is one of my favorite plays by one of my favorite playwrights. First seen at The South Coast Repertory Theatre in Costa Mesa in its premiere production in 2004, Margulies was approaching his 50th year; a time for self-reflection. His other works include Dinner With Friends, Sight
‘Brooklyn Boy’ done right at Scripps Ranch Theatre Read More »
Carol Davis, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
By Cynthia Citron LOS ANGELES — To paraphrase a very old joke: seven Jews sat down at the table to express 14 different opinions… In fact, they were the opening panel convened by the 31st annual conference of the International Association for Jewish Theatre, beginning Sunday at UCLA Hillel’s Dortort Arts Center to discuss “Jewish
Theatre professionals analyze role of modern Jewish theatre Read More »
Cynthia Citron
By Eileen Wingard SAN DIEGO –Pianist Daniel Wnukowski performed the remarkable fete of playing all five Beethoven Piano Concerti on three consecutive nights with the Tifereth Israel Community Orchestra (TICO) under the direction of David Amos. Attending the Monday and Tuesday evening concerts in the Cohen Social Hall of Tifereth Israel Synagogue, we were impressed
Pianist approves predecessor’s piano choice; plays all five Beethoven concerti Read More »
Eileen Wingard
By Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C — Having to choose between siding with the Obama administration and siding with the ACLU is tough — but the ACLU wins this one. The ACLU sued the CIA for information about the deaths of Anwar al-Awlaki, his 16-year-old son, and Samir Khan in CIA/JSOC drone strikes in Pakistan. The
ACLU right to challenge U.S. targeting of American citizens overseas Read More »
Shoshana Bryen, USA
By Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM–On the face of it, the latest agreement between Hamas and Fatah, signed in Qatar by Khaled Mashaal (who left Damascus presumably because of what’s going on in Syria and announced his impending retirement as the leader of Hamas) and Mahmoud Abbas (the President of the Palestinian Authority) could be a
Latest peace agreement between P.A. and Hamas worrisome for Israel Read More »
Middle East
By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California –Avraham Burg is an interesting personality. He challenges the religious sensibilities of the Orthodox and Jewish world. Burg is also a leader in the Israeli peace movement. He served two terms in the Israeli Knesset. Over the years, he has emerged as one of Israel’s most articulate
Noah was a worker not a philosopher Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Yvonne and Paul Greenberg SAN DIEGO — Speaking about this year’s Joyce Forum in a recent phone interview, its founder, Joyce Axelrod, proudly pointed out that this year’s shorts program (Shorts in Winter) received a record number of submissions, 100, that almost overwhelmed the all-volunteer curating committee consisting of herself, Claudia and Mark
San Diego Jewish Film Festival’s ‘shorts’ program culled from 100 entries Read More »
Travel and Food
Among Righteous Men: A Tale of Vigilantes and Vindication in Hasidic Crown Heights, by Matthew Shaer. John Wiley Press, 2012. 243pp. By David Strom SAN DIEGO — On December 29, 2007, the Crown Heights Shomrim (Hebrew for guards) Rescue Patrol answered a call for help from the Lubavitcher yeshivah student dormitory at 749 Eastern Parkway,
Book probes schism in Lubavitch world over messiah’s identity Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — Members of the Knesset are discovering America, Jewish America to be precise. Prompted by Jay Ruderman of the Ruderman Family Foundation a dozen or so Israeli parliamentarians came together recently to form the Israel-American Jewish Knesset Caucus. The visit was preceded by a comprehensive US visit by six MKs
Caucus formed to teach Knesset members about American Jews Read More »
Middle East
By David Amos SAN DIEGO–We are very fortunate to have in San Diego a yearly film festival on Jewish subjects that never ceases to be interesting, provocative, educational, and entertaining. This year is no exception. Starting February 9 and ending the 19th, there are many interesting choices available. Due to my various activities in the
San Diego Jewish Film Festival preview: several movies have musical themes Read More »
Travel and Food
By Sara Appel-Lennon CHULA VISTA, California — Where can you go to listen to a full orchestra combined with a leading pianist in a two-hour Beethoven concert for $10 per ticket? On Sunday, January 29, Kingsley McLaren, on-air host of 104.9 XLNC, introduced a concert of such magnitude at the First United Methodist Church here.
This concert’s value far exceeded price of ticket Read More »
Travel and FoodBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — One of the most respected Chabad authorities on kosher food, who is also the chief rabbi of a haredi city in Israel, has banned the use of tap water on Shabbat. Bnei Brak’s Rabbi Moshe Yehuda Leib Landa issued a halachic ruling that using a faucet
Does turning on the water faucet violate Shabbat? Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi
By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — Despite rumors to the contrary, Israel is a normal country at least as far as retail therapy is concerned. Shopping malls are popping up with ever-increasing frequency wherever one looks. They incorporate many advantages for both vendors and shoppers, and the ambience in them varies from quiet
Normal Arab-Jewish coexistence in Israel goes unreported by media Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Middle East