By Eileen Wingard
SAN DIEGO –Seven students from the Soille Hebrew Day Middle School will be participating in the May 17, 7:15 p.m. Jewish Poets—Jewish Voices program at the Astor Judaica Library at the Lawrence Family JCC. Also reading that evening, will be a prize-winning student poet and playwright from Mesa Verde Middle School.
Rabbi Meir Cohen, principal of the Soille Hebrew Day School, will accompany Matisyahu Kleinman, JJ Klein, Netanel Dimenstein, Naomi Moryosef, Ethan Shakman, Geulah Wrostlavsky and Nisso Adato. Cohen, who has been an administrator at the school since 2011, enthusiastically supported student poetry writing and encouraged his English teachers to embrace the project.
The Soille Hebrew Day School has sent students once before to participate in a Jewish Poets—Jewish Voices students evening.
Other Jewish day schools which have participated during the eight years of the series include the San Diego Jewish Academy and the Chabad Hebrew Academy.
In addition to the students from the Soille Hebrew Day School, Sydney Alpert, a prize winning poet and playwright, will read her poetry. Her poems have received recognition in her school as well as in city-wide publication. This past year, her original play was performed by professional actors as a winning submission in the San Diego Student Playwright Project.
Following the student readings, there will be a half hour of open microphone, during which all may take part. There is no charge for this program. Refreshments are served following the readings.
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Wingard is a freelance writer specializing in coverage of the arts. She may be contacted via eileen.wingard@sdjewishworld.com. Comments intended for publication in the space below MUST be accompanied by the letter writer’s first and last name and by his/ her city and state of residence (city and country for those outside the United States.)