Movie review: Spielberg’s ‘West Side Story’ a dazzling update of classic musical

Published by Tribune News Service There is only one word to describe Steven Spielberg’s remake/revival of “West Side Story”: dazzling. As Janusz Kaminski’s wildly liberated camera swirls around the flying limbs of the Sharks, Jets and everyone caught in the middle, set to the familiar strains of Leonard Bernstein’s music, the cinematic spectacle is simply

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Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Torah Reading for December 11, 2021

For those who cherish the gift of life and all the possibilities it brings, striving for a gentle life makes sense. Forgiveness is one path to a more peaceful, soothing, and kinder life. This week’s Torah reading provides a way to move towards this life, with Joseph’s heroism, understanding, tolerance, and compassionate forgiveness as our blueprint. After all, forgiveness, redemption, and growth are always central to our lives, and especially in current times. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]

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Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell

‘There Are Jews Here’ Documents A Dwindling World

There are Jews here. This can be a simple statement of fact, but it is often phrased: There are Jews here?! Small towns are not where we usually expect to find Jewish communities. Such small town shtiebels are the subject of a documentary film, There Are Jews Here through America Reframed and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. [Eric George Tauber]

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Eric George Tauber, Jewish History, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

The Evolution of Machaneh Yehudah

How does a sleepy community become a hot residential destination? Sometimes the addition of a new train station can turn a town into an “up and coming” bedroom community of a thriving metropolis. Frequently the creation of a new business hub or a new mall lures residents to the city. Interestingly, sometimes the rejuvenation of an iconic landmark can help energize a community – as we have witnessed in Nachlaot, which houses the historic Shuk Machaneh Yehudah. (Gedaliah Borvick)

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Gedaliah Borvick, Middle East

Israeli stabbed in Jerusalem, Palestinian assailant shot dead

Published by Reuters JERUSALEM (Reuters) -A Palestinian stabbed an Israeli outside Jerusalem’s walled Old City on Saturday before he was shot and killed by security forces at the scene, police said. A video released by Israeli police appears to show a man crossing a street and then turning around and several times stabbing or attempting

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Middle East

Jeff Garlin addresses misconduct allegations on ‘The Goldbergs,’ says he’s been subject of HR investigation for 3 years

Published by New York Daily News Jeff Garlin has denied several allegations of misconduct that lower-level staffers had accused him of on the set of “The Goldbergs.” In an interview published Friday in Vanity Fair, Garlin admitted that human resources has been investigating him for three years on the set over various issues. “As a

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Jewish Celebrities

Emily Ratajkowski finds it strange reading fan reviews of her book

Published by BANG Showbiz English Emily Ratajkowski finds it “weird” reading user reviews of her book. The 30-year-old beauty – who recently released ‘My Body’, a collection of essays – admitted it’s a bizarre experience going online to see fans’ takes on her early life and relationships. She told Grazia magazine: “I’m sharing these really

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Jewish Celebrities

OpEd: Middle East Studies Association’s Betrayal of Academic Freedom

Unsurprisingly for an organization whose membership has been perennially hostile to Israel, members of the Middle East Studies Association (MESA) voted at their recent annual meeting to advance a resolution endorsing an academic boycott of Israeli academics to a full membership vote in 2022. [Richard L. Cravatts, Ph.D]

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Middle East, Richard L. Cravatts, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA