Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593), a contemporary of William Shakespeare, wrote an anti-Semitic play like Shakespeare. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
Christopher Marlowe’s anti-Semitic concept of Jews Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Theatre, Film & Broadcast
Rabbi Kerry Olitzky, author of The Candy Man Mystery, is primarily known as a Jewish educator having served as a dean at the Hebrew Union College—Jewish Institute of Religion and as a vice president of the Wexner Heritage Foundation. Perhaps, however, he was remembering his 15 years at Congregation Beth Israel in West Hartford, Connecticut, when he wrote The Candy Man Mystery, a book likely to intrigue elementary school-aged children about synagogue Judaism. [Donald H. Harrison]
Children’s Literature: The Candy Man Mystery Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion
The catchy slogan that is chanted so ardently by supposedly well-intentioned human beings in demonstrations being held around the world, ‘Palestine shall be free, from the river to the sea,’ is in effect a call for the destruction of Israel. And that, of course, is what the terrorist organization of Hamas wants to achieve. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]
‘River to the Sea’? That Means ‘Eradicate Israel’ Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Jewish History, Middle East
I dreamt up the idea to make artisanal matzo way back in 1995, for Brett Kelly, my next door neighbor in my rent-stabilized, West Village apartment building. Her parents were closing their pizza shop on City Island and I was trying to convince her to take it over and turn it into the City Island Matzo Factory. She didn’t take the unleavened bait and the concept laid dormant in the back of my messy mind for over two decades. [Ashley Albert]
The Story Behind The Matzo Project Read More »
Travel and Food, USA
Published by AFP United Nations (United States) (AFP) – The conflict in the Middle East has stirred up a diplomatic stand-off at the United Nations between France and the United States, the first open tension between the two allies since President Joe Biden took power. Despite guaranteed opposition from Washington, France proposed another draft UN
US and France tangle at UN over Middle East Read More »
International
The life of Sergei Rachmaninoff is the subject of actor/writer/ pianist Hershey Felder’s play with music, Nicholas, Anna and Sergei. Seen under the auspices of JFest, the San Diego Repertory Theatre’s Lipinsky Jewish Arts Festival, the virtual production, streaming from Florence, Italy, and available through May 23, features other participants, in addition to Felder. [Eileen Wingard]
Rachmaninoff’s musical biography portrayed by Felder Read More »
Eileen Wingard
This short simplistic prose passage, from the time of the Judges [1], deals with an angel’s message. It is that the un-named wife of Minoah, both minor figures, was to bear a child. The child is Samson, who will be a lifelong Nazarite. [Irv Jacobs, M.D.]
Notes on Torah Reading for May 22, 2021 Read More »
Irv Jacobs, MD, Jewish Religion
An unending intifada against the Jewish state has been the central mission of Hamas since its inception, and part of that war against Israel includes what Palestinians claim is their legal “right of return;” that is, the right of those Arabs who fled or were expelled from what became Israel to now return, en masse, to the Jewish state—together with all of the original refugee’s descendants, now numbering in the millions. [Richard L. Cravatts, Ph.D]
The ‘Right’ of Palestinian Return Is a Myth Read More »
Middle East, Richard L. Cravatts
My mother read me Curious George, I read it to my children and grandchildren. The earliest books in my library were gifted and inscribed midcentury. My uncle, Eric Bonner, an antiquarian book dealer in London, gave me Speed, one of my sons added his book plate. Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe came from Leslie who I do not remember. [Oliver B. Pollak, Ph.D]
Becoming a Bibliophile, 1950-1970 Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Oliver Pollak
Israelis Efraim Gordon and Yehuda Guetta learned too late that they were not safe whether waiting for a bus in the West Bank or visiting relatives in Baltimore. [Bruce S. Ticker]
Terror in Baltimore and the West Bank Read More »
Bruce Ticker, Middle East, USA
Last month there was a brief kerfuffle when a copy of Vice President Kamala Harris’ book for children, Superheroes Are Everywhere, was spotted among materials being handed out to migrant children at the Long Beach Convention Center. There was only one copy that someone had donated, but the New York Post reported that the book was being given to all the children. Subsequently, that newspaper retracted the story, but not before other right-wing media jumped on it including Fox News. [Donald H. Harrison]
What Kamala Harris’ Book Teaches Children Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, USA
Israeli actress Gal Gadot tweeted about the current military crisis between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, “My heart breaks. My country is at war. I worry for my family, my friends. I worry for my people. This is a vicious cycle that has been going on for far too long. Israel deserves to live as a free and safe nation, Our neighbors deserve the same. I pray for the victims and their families, I pray for this unimaginable hostility to end, I pray for our leaders to find the solution so we could live side by side in peace. I pray for better days.” In response, Yair Netanyahu, son of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, criticized her for her comments. What did he say? [Mark D. Zimmerman]
Jewish Trivia Quiz: Gal Gadot Read More »
Mark D. Zimmerman, Middle East, Trivia, Humor & Satire
Published by New York Daily News Actor Charles Grodin, whose dry wit and everyman persona led to long-running Hollywood success in films like “The Heartbreak Kid” and the unlikely family movie hit “Beethoven,” died peacefully Tuesday at his Connecticut home. The 86-year-old Grodin died at his Wilton, Connecticut, residence of bone marrow cancer, his family
Scene-stealing actor Charles Grodin, star of ‘Beethoven’ and ‘Midnight Run,’ dead at 86 Read More »
Theatre, Film & Broadcast
In this week’s parasha, Naso, the longest in the Torah, we are introduced to the Birkat Kohanim, the “Priestly Blessing.” We’re all familiar with it. We’ve heard it said, recited it ourselves, and offered it to others, many times: (Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D)
A Deeper Look at Judaism’s Priestly Blessing Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell