Music, Dance, and Visual Arts

Jewish Biography: Giacomo Meyerbeer, Opera Impresario

Meyerbeer’s vast fortune and the great success of his operas, as well as his observance of the laws of the Jewish religion, set him apart from many musicians. He was a sponsor of many young composers, including Wagner, who “thanked” him with an antisemitic article, “Jewry in Music.” [Alex Gordon]

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Alex Gordon, Antisemitism, International, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Paul Stanley

Paul Stanley (January 20, 1952) is an American musician who was the co-founder, frontman, rhythm guitarist and co-lead vocalist of the hard rock band Kiss from the band’s inception in 1973 to their retirement in 2023. He was the writer or co-writer of many of the band’s most popular songs. [Wikipedia]

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Jewish Celebrities, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Today's Jewish Birthday, Wikipedia

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Katey Sagal

Katey Sagal (January 19, 1954) is an American actress and singer. She is known for playing Peggy Bundy on Married… with Children (1987–1997), Leela on Futurama (1999–2003, 2008–2013, 2023–present), Cate Hennessy on 8 Simple Rules (2002–2005), Gemma Teller Morrow on the FX series Sons of Anarchy (2008–2014), for which she won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama in 2011, and Louise Goldufski-Conner on The Conners (2018–present). [Wikipedia]

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Jewish Celebrities, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Today's Jewish Birthday, Wikipedia

Kol Tefillah Band Specializes in Music for Praying and Reflecting

Something ignited when Debbie Mishek, M.D., traveled to Congregation Beth Am in Los Angeles to attend a presentation about Kol Tefillah (The Voice of Prayer) a few years ago.  The program was about “reimagining Jewish prayer and making it more relevant and more inspiring,” the developmental pediatrician recalled.  “There is something about music and prayer that is so spiritual.  I access my spirituality through music.” [Donald H. Harrison]

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California, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Israeli Choreographer Develops New Rhythmic Dances

The driving force behind DrumatiX is founder, artistic director, and choreographer Noa Barankin, a native of Tel Aviv who has dedicated her life to the art of rhythm and movement. Barankin began tap dancing at 12 and transitioned to professional performances in her 20s. Her journey took her from Israel to Boston and ultimately to San Diego, where she established herself as a prominent figure in the rhythmic arts. [Miriam Gershenson]

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Israel, Miriam Gershenson, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Jim Croce

Jim Croce (January 10, 1943 – September 20, 1973) was an American folk and rock singer-songwriter. Between 1966 and 1973, he released five studio albums and numerous singles. During this period, Croce took a series of odd jobs to pay bills while he continued to write, record and perform concerts. [Wikipedia]

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Jewish Celebrities, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Today's Jewish Birthday, Wikipedia

Sephardic Prayer Songs Found in Church Records of Mexican Inquisition

When Jews were expelled from Portugal, many moved East to form the Sephardic community we all know, but as many Jews, perhaps 100,000, moved West to the Americas in the 16th century.  Today it is estimated that a quarter of Hispanic Catholics in the Americas derive from Jewish stock, with many now awakening to their heritage. [Mark A. Schneegurt, Ph.D.]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Soupy Sales

Soupy Sales (January 8, 1926 – October 22, 2009) was an American comedian, actor, radio-television personality, and jazz aficionado. He was best known for his local and network children’s television series, Lunch with Soupy Sales (later titled The Soupy Sales Show) (1953–1966), a series of comedy sketches frequently ending with Sales receiving a pie in the face, which became his trademark. [Wikipedia]

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Jewish Celebrities, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Today's Jewish Birthday, Wikipedia

Tel Aviv University Archaeologists Theorize Why There are No Prehistoric Cave Paintings in Israel

For over a century, archaeologists have puzzled over the absence of cave art in the Levant in general and specifically in Israel. Now a team of archaeologists from Tel Aviv University (TAU) proposes an original explanation: prehistoric humans in the Levant did not create cave paintings because many large animals, the subjects of cave art in Western Europe, were already extinct there. [Press Release]

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Israel, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Press Release, Science, Medicine, & Education, Travel and Food

Lord Byron, Heinrich Heine Were Contributors to Jewish Music

In the USSR, Jewish life, Jewish religion and Jewish education were forbidden. Anyone who wanted to learn about Jewishness had to seek out ways to learn about it at his or her own risk. Jewish melodies could pour from different and unexpected sources. Lord George Gordon Byron suddenly turned out to be one such source for me. [Alex Gordon]

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Alex Gordon, Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Staff and Bylined Contributors