Books, Poetry & Short Stories

If Jews had saints, here are one author’s nominees

Amazing Jewish Heroes Down Through The Ages by David Richard Goldberg, © 2018; Gefen Publishing, ISBN 9789652-298812; 187 pages including afterword and sources. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – You might call this book a Jewish hagiography, one which may be interesting for Young Adults to read but really not suitable for quotation in […]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East

Lawrence Halprin’s West Coast kibbutz: The Sea Ranch

By Oliver B. Pollak SAN FRANCISCO — In 2004 my law partner and I went to Washington DC for a conference. Our sightseeing included The Watergate, Jewish War Veterans Museum, and the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial on the Mall. The Memorial first conceived in 1960, authorized in 1974 with Lawrence Halprin’s winning design went unfunded

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish History, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Oliver Pollak, Travel and Food, USA

Lederer, Garin and Floto read their poems

By Eileen Wingard LA JOLLA, California — The Astor Judaica Library was filled to capacity Tuesday evening, January 8, for Jewish Poets—Jewish Voices. The large audience was no doubt attracted by the two San Diego celebrities on the program, Richard Lederer, syndicated columnist for The San Diego Union-Tribune and author of over 50 books, and

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Eileen Wingard, San Diego County

Book Review: ‘Gittel’s Journey: An Ellis Island Story’

Gittel’s Journey by Lesléa Newman, illustrated by Amy June Bates; Abrams Books for Young Readers, ISBN 9781419-727474; Ages 5-8 years old, $17.99. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO — With immigration a hot topic heard on the news, this book personalizing the experience of our own Jewish ancestors immigrating from Eastern Europe to the United

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison

Book Review: ‘Finding the Right School … ‘

Finding the Right School in the Era of BDS and Intersectionality: A Jewish Parents’ Guide to Colleges 2018-19 Academic Year by Jerome Ostrov, CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform © 2018, ISBN 978-1721925872, p. 429 plus appendices, $18.95. By Fred Reiss, Ed.D. WINCHESTER, California – The letters BDS, an acronym for the words boycott, divestment, and sanctions, is a

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Fred Reiss, EdD, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education

In reply to Alice Walker’s calumnies against Jews

-Second in a Series- By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Most of us probably had a lot of respect and cheered for Alice Walker’s novel The Color Purple, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Book Award for Fiction. It is a story about the life of African-American women

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi

SDIJFF Movie Preview: ‘From Cairo to the Cloud’

From Cairo to the Cloud ~ The World of the Cairo Geniza; filmmaker Michelle Paymar; English language; 92 minutes; to be shown during the San Diego International Jewish Film Festival at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 6, at the Lawrence Family JCC, Garfield Theatre, 4126 Executive Drive, La Jolla. By Donald H. Harrison   SAN DIEGO

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Middle East, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Lederer, Garin, Floto at JCC poetry night Jan. 8

By Eileen Wingard LA JOLLA, California — One of the most stellar line-ups of poets since” Jewish Poets—Jewish Voices’” inception a decade ago, the Tuesday, January 8, at 7 p.m. program in the Lawrence Family JCC’s Astor Judaica Library will feature two local literary celebrities, Richard Lederer and Nina Garin, as well as Abigail Floto.

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, San Diego Calendar

Book Review: ‘My Brilliant Friend’

My Brilliant Friend, Book 1: Childhood and Adolescence by Elena Ferrante, Europa Editions, 2018. By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — This novel, the first of a quartet, has become an international bestseller and has been widely praised in literary circles. So I was overjoyed when I was able to pick up a copy someone

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International

Farewell to Ruth Sax, ‘Super Hero Without A Cape’

By Marcia Tatz Wollner SAN DIEGO — The lyrics from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat “There’s one more angel in Heaven” are fitting for the beloved Ruth Goldschmiedova Sax, 90, who died this past Shabbat. Her daughter, Rabbi Eva Sax Bolder, spoke about how her mother loved to design clothes and wanted to be

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish History, Marcia Tatz Wollner, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County

Editor’s E-Mail Box: December 28, 2018 (5 items)

U.S. State Department supports Israel’s military action against Iranian forces in Syria The U.S. State Department issued the following statement on Thursday:  “The United States fully supports Israel’s right to defend itself against Iranian regional actions that endanger Israeli national security and the safety of the Israeli people. Iranian support of and supply to terrorist

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Jewish History, Middle East, Obituaries & memorials, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Book Review: Siddur Avodat HaLev

Siddur Avodat HaLev (Hebrew and English Edition) Hardcover by Rabbinical Council of America; Editor: Rabbi Basil Herring, by Koren Publishers Jerusalem, 97896530-19362; 1346 pages By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — The brand new Siddur Avodat Halev is a fabulous new commentary on the traditional siddur, but unlike most commentaries you have read, the writers of this project

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi