Editor’s E-Mail Box: March 20, 2019 (6 items)

Republican Jewish Coalition denounces Clyburn’s comparison of Trump to Hitler

The Republican Jewish Coalition responded to remarks Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC) made to NBC News Tuesday, comparing Donald Trump’s presidency with Hitler’s rise to power.

RJC Executive Director Matt Brooks said:  “Asked about today’s political environment, Rep. Clyburn drew parallels between President Trump and Adolf Hitler. He said, ‘Adolf Hitler was elected chancellor of Germany. And he went about the business of discrediting institutions…’ Clyburn said that Trump has similarly sought to discredit previous presidents, the Congress, and the free press. That is an outrageous comparison.

“Rep. Clyburn has repeatedly likened our current political moment to the rise of the Nazis in Germany. He told Don Lemon on CNN in January 2018 that: ‘I can only equate one period of time with what we are experiencing now and that was what was going on in Germany around 1934 right after the 1932 elections when Adolf Hitler was elected chancellor.’

“His remarks are historically illiterate and fundamentally dishonest. This is the same Rep. Clyburn who defended Rep. Ilhan Omar’s clearly anti-Semitic comments by saying that her experience as a refugee was ‘more personal’ than the experience of children of Holocaust survivors. This is the same Rep. Clyburn who shared a stage with the anti-Semitic leader of the Nation of Islam, Louis Farrakhan, and who refused to condemn Farrakhan or the anti-Jewish hatred he peddles.F rankly, we are tired of Rep. Clyburn appropriating the horrors of Nazi Germany and the Holocaust any time it suits him. It is outrageous of him to defend anti-Semitism on the one hand while calling Republicans Nazis at the same time. This has to stop.”

RJC National Chairman Norm Coleman said: “The RJC has always spoken out whenever anyone, on either side of the political aisle, has used Holocaust imagery or Nazi comparisons for political gain. Rep. Clyburn demeans his office and disparages the suffering of the Nazis’ victims by repeatedly slandering his political opponents with Nazi references. He should apologize for his remarks.”  — From the Republican Jewish Coalition

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103 groups sign letter praising Pitzer College President’s stand against BDS

In response to Pitzer College President Melvin L. Oliver’s statement that he will not bow to a movement on his campus to put politics before the academic welfare of students, a diverse group of civil rights, religious, education, faculty and student groups spanning the political left, right and center sent the following letter to Oliver today:

“Our organizations heartily applaud you for your courageous leadership in vetoing the College Council’s vote to shut down Pitzer’s study abroad program at the University of Haifa. Your staunch defense of the academic freedom and educational opportunities of Pitzer students and faculty in the face of an academic boycott of Israel is exemplary. We hope that your outstanding statement affirming Pitzer’s commitment to the pursuit of knowledge and the fostering of intercultural understanding and acknowledging that academic BDS undermines that commitment will serve as a model for university presidents across the country.  Thank you again for your strong leadership.”

The letter was organized by AMCHA Initiative and signed by 103 groups, including B’nai B’rith International, Academic Engagement Network, Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity, Simon Wiesenthal Center, Alums for Campus Fairness, Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, Iranian American Jewish Federation, National Council of Young Israel, Russian Jewish Community Foundation, WoMen Fight Antisemitism, American Zionist Movement and World Jewish Congress American Section.  — From AMCHA Initiative

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Rabbi Coskey new executive director of San Diego Continuing Education Foundation

Rabbi Laurie Coskey, Ed.D. has been appointed Executive Director of the San Diego Continuing Education Foundation. Dr. Coskey has been serving San Diego Continuing Education (SDCE) since April 2018 as the Executive Director of San Diego Gateway to College and Career and prior to her appointment as Executive Director, she was President and Chief Executive Officer of United Way of San Diego County. Her new position is effective immediately.

The SDCE Foundation supports the advancement of career pathways and higher education for SDCE students. SDCE is California’s largest noncredit institution and the adult education division of the San Diego Community College District (SDCCD).

“Dr. Coskey’s leadership and fundraising experience will continue to support San Diego’s most disadvantaged adult students,” said Carlos O. Turner Cortez, Ph.D., President of San Diego Continuing Education.

In partnership with the SDCE Foundation, SDCE granted more than $200,000 in scholarships and awards during the annual Stars on the Rise Scholarship and Awards Event last spring, and is distributing 10,000 lbs. of free fresh produce each month to students and residents of Southeastern San Diego during the Farm to Family Fair.-From San Diego Continuing Education

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Manischewitz branding itself as ‘Comfort Food for the Soul’

 

The Manischewitz Company, the largest marketer of Kosher foods in North America, has unveiled a fresh new look for its iconic brand. For over 130 years, The Manischewitz Company’s mission has been to bring families to the table and reconnect with tradition through food. The brand’s new visual identity, which includes new products, themes and more, continues to reflect their ongoing commitment to these values.

Since the brand’s establishment in 1888, The Manischewitz Company has delivered a broad range of product categories, continuously seeking to bring its products to more consumers. “We are so excited to unveil our new brand image to our consumers,” said David Sugarman, President and CEO of The Manischewitz Company. “Our new logo’s tagline, ‘Comfort Food for the Soul,’ represents our brand’s familiar place in the hearts and kitchens of the families that we serve.”

The new brand vision will not only include updated packaging designs but will also extend to a redesign of The Manischewitz Company’s website and advertising campaigns. As part of its commitment towards modernizing the Manischewitz brand while still retaining its classic roots, The Manischewitz Company will also be releasing several exciting new products which they will proudly be announcing in the upcoming months.

As it looks to provide “Comfort Food for the Soul” for the next 130 years, The Manischewitz Company believes its new brand direction will also endear people from all backgrounds seeking new ethnic cuisine experiences. — From the Manischewitz Company

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Two firms jointly acquire ‘Fiddler: A Miracle of Miracles’ documentary

Roadside Attractions and Samuel Goldwyn Films have co-acquired worldwide rights to Max Lewkowicz’s Fiddler: A Miracle of Miracles. The documentary tells the story behind one of Broadway’s most beloved musicals, Fiddler on The Roof and its creative roots in early 1960s New York. The film includes interviews with the show’s Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning lyricist Sheldon Harnick, legendary producer Hal Prince, original cast members, such as Austin Pendleton, as well as rare archival footage of renowned choreographer Jerome Robbins. Further insights into the play’s legacy and enduring influence come from new interviews with Broadway luminaries and cultural influencers including Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, Chaim Topol, Harvey Fierstein as well as famed authors Fran Lebowitz, Calvin Trillin and Nathan Englander. Roadside and Goldwyn will release the documentary in theaters this summer.

Opening in 1964, Fiddler on the Roof held the record for the longest-running musical for almost 10 years. The legendary play won nine Tony Awards, and has spawned five Broadway revivals. Based on the stories of Yiddish author and playwright Sholem Aleichem, it is among the most well-known and beloved musicals in the world. It tells the story of Tevye the Milkman and his struggle to find grooms for his five daughters under the oppression of Czarist Russia and the early-20th-century pogroms threatening the Jewish community and the mythical village of Anatevka. Few, however, understand the context against which the show was created, during another time and place of tremendous social change: the creative and intellectual milieu of 1960’s New York. It was a time when virtually every aspect of society was being questioned, including gender roles, sexuality, race relations, and the role of religion in public life. The show’s creators were themselves questioning what has become the musical’s most important and memorable theme: tradition.

Fiddler: A Miracle of Miracles was directed by Max Lewkowicz and co-written with Valerie Thomas. The film was produced by Lewkowicz, Valerie Thomas, Ann Oster, Rita Lerner, and Patti Kenner.

The deal was negotiated by Peter Goldwyn of Samuel Goldwyn Films, Angel An from Roadside Attractions, and Adam J. Greene on behalf of the filmmakers. —  From Samuel Goldwyn Films and Roadside Attractions.*
Preceding items culled from news releases. Please send yours to editor@sdjewishworld.com 

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American Jewish Congress remonstrates with Congressman Andy Levin over Ilhan Omar

The American Jewish Congress has sent a letter to Rep. Andy Levin, D-Mich., questioning his opposition to a resolution criticizing Rep. Ilhan Omar for anti-Semitic statements.  The text of the letter signed by American Jewish Congress president Jack Roen and two other officers follows:

“Following the recent controversy surrounding your colleague Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, we are disappointed that you did not support a resolution specifically calling her out for her harmful anti-Semitic statements and the painful tropes she invoked.

“Every instance of anti-Semitism must be addressed fully on its own. What President Trump and Rep. Jordan have said has nothing to do with Rep. Omar’s statements or the failure to criticize them. Silence should not be used to justify silence; if anything, a more robust stance against Rep. Omar now would set a higher standard for speaking out against other incidents in the future. When President Trump failed to adequately condemn the white supremacist perpetrators of Charlottesville, we spoke out. Now it is time for all of us to speak out against Rep. Omar’s remarks.

“We have heard about the death threats that Rep. Omar has received, and we condemn them absolutely. We also condemn other inappropriate language used against her. But these things do not negate her words or absolve her from responsibility. These tropes of dual loyalty, Jewish money, and hidden Jewish control are the same ones that have been used against our people for hundreds of years. These same tropes are spread among white supremacists and other extremists who would do the Jewish people harm. Incitement can come from anywhere and cannot be treated lightly. After all, Pittsburgh did not occur in a vacuum.”