Music, Dance, and Visual Arts

The Lion’s Trail: Beit She’an

It was a surreal parallel of reality, courage, and life that refused to give up. The mayors of Beit She’an, Kiryat Shemona, Beit Jann, and the Council Rep from the Golan Regional Council came to join us.  Each of their communities is under attack by Hezbollah.  Each of their communities has a Lion.  Each of their communities determinedly endures. [Jerry Klinger]

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Israel, Jerry Klinger, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Staff and Bylined Contributors

OpEd: The ‘Music’ of Socialism

Why didn’t I become a socialist? Soviet socialism destroyed my family and I could not love it. But it turned out that I disliked socialism for the same reason I did not become a musician: my aunt’s piano also left Kiev.  Instead of using my absolute musical ear for music, I had to use it to listen to the atonal music of wailing, to the unmelodic moans and gloomy chords of the lamentations of the Soviet Jews. [Alex Gordon]

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

Mandy Patinkin Concert: Controversial for Some; Entertaining for Others

The show was part concert, part stand-up, part story-telling. It was just Patinkin and an accompanist on piano. After spending a bit of time heckling the late comers in the audience, he spent some time singing some songs from Broadway musicals, old Jazz hits, and even a surprising rendition of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody.”  [Sandi Masori]

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Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Sandi Masori, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Rocking, Rolling and ‘Mothaland Bouncing’ at the JCC

Black manages to integrate Jewish theology, history and culture into his lyrics. The cadence and flow of his music is similar to Jay-Z and Ice-T. He even weaves in some humor. There is a definite gospel vibe. It was spiritually transforming, transporting us out of the tension we in the Jewish community have been living under for eight months. [Barrett Holman Leak]

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Barrett Holman Leak, Israel, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Peter Yarrow

Courtesy of Wikipedia Peter Yarrow (May 31, 1938) is an American singer and songwriter who found fame as a member of the 1960s folk trio Peter, Paul, and Mary. Yarrow co-wrote (with Leonard Lipton) one of the group’s best-known hits, “Puff, the Magic Dragon”. He is also a political activist and has supported causes that range from opposition

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

The Yin and Yang of Life’s Transitions

As high school students are graduating and heading off to college, The Israeli American Council (IAC) encourages students to join Mishelanu (Of our own). Mishelanu is a supportive community for college students to celebrate Jewish heritage and love for Israel. [Cailin Acosta]

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Cailin Acosta, California, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Danny Elfman

Courtesy of Wikipedia Daniel Elfman (May 29, 1953) is an American film composer, singer, songwriter, and musician. He came to prominence as the lead singer and primary songwriter for the new wave band Oingo Boingo in the early 1980s. Since scoring his first studio film in 1985, Elfman has garnered international recognition for composing over 100 feature film scores,

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

LFJCC Will Present 13 Songs by the Late Cantor Sheldon Merel

Hebrew liturgical works by 20th century composers will include, “Hashkiveynu,” and “Avinu Malkenu,” by Max Janowski, “La Kol Z’man,” and “Shalom Rav,” by Ben Steinberg, “Kiddush,” by Kurt Weill, “L’Shana Haba B’Yerushalayim,” by Morton Gold and a setting of the “Kol Nidre,” by Max Helfman.  [Eileen Wingard]

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Cantor Sheldon Foster Merel, z"l, Eileen Wingard, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Richard Sherman, z”l, songwriter behind Disney hits, dead at 95

Published by AFP Los Angeles (AFP) – Richard Sherman, the writer behind songs in classic Disney movies such as “Mary Poppins” and “The Jungle Book” died Saturday at the age of 95, the film and entertainment company said. He died in Beverly Hills from age-related illness, Disney said. Sherman and his brother Robert, who died

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Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Nordot, Obituaries & memorials, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Bob Dylan

Courtesy of Wikipedia Bob Dylan (May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often considered one of the greatest songwriters in history, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture over his 60-year career. He rose to prominence in the 1960s, when his songs “Blowin’ in the Wind” (1963) and “The Times They Are a-Changin’” (1964)

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

OpEd: The Lion’s Trail Passes Through Desert City of Dimona

David Ben Gurion toyed with the idea of a revived Mamshit becoming the Capital of Israel if the state ever came to be. Necessity was reality. Ben Gurion declared Israel’s independence in Tel Aviv in 1948. Dimona was too remote, too hard to get to, and endured a harsh climate [Jerry Klinger]

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Israel, Jerry Klinger, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food

‘Kosher Jammers’ Links Jewish and African-American Jazz

From the 1920’s through the early 1950’s, luminaries like Harold Arlen (Hyman Arluck) Yip Harburg (Isidore Hochberg) and countless others wrote tunes that became the jazz standards that helped make Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Coleman Hawkins, Charlie Parker, Teddy Wilson, et al, world famous. [Yale Strom]

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

Jewish Swag, Singing, Soften Blow of Padres Loss to Rockies

Special Padres hats bearing the “Chai” (Life) symbol were distributed to them, and they got to hear and cheer Rabbi Jeremy Gimbel of Congregation Beth Israel sing “The Star Spangled Banner” in pre-game ceremonies. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Sports & Competitions, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

‘Grit, Grace and Glamour’: Joan Jacobs Hailed as Down-to-Earth Donor Titan

Joan Jacobs was praised Monday as a woman of “grit, grace and glamour” whose “joyful generosity” — along with her Qualcomm founding husband, Irwin — made San Diego a cultural powerhouse amid her “unwavering commitment to make the world a better place.” [Ken Stone, Times of San Diego]

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Business & Finance, Ken Stone, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Obituaries & memorials, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Times of San Diego