Music, Dance, and Visual Arts

Lisa Loeb to sing at OPTIONS Nov. 1

SAN DIEGO  (Press Release)– The Jewish Federation of San Diego County announced that OPTIONS ,The Women’s Event, will be held at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in downtown San Diego, on November 1, from 11:30 am until 2 pm. OPTIONS will feature three trailblazing Jewish women – Lisa Loeb, Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter, Janet Gurwitch, Founder and Former CEO of Laura […]

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Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego Calendar

Strom, Hausmanns debut Somalia – inspired music

By Eileen Wingard SAN DIEGO — Yale Strom, the multi-talented artist-in-residence at San Diego State University’s Judaic Studies Department, introduced his latest composition on the second half of the program last Tuesday evening at the Lyceum Theater. Thanks to the support of a generous grant, he wrote a string quartet based on motifs gathered from listening

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Eileen Wingard, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts

The changing habits of concert audiences

By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — “Non!” screamed the rather large and overdressed lady sitting in the row near me as the audience burst into spontaneous applause between two movements of the piece of baroque chamber music that had just been played. This happened last summer when we attended several concerts in the charming

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Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts

Inspiration and distraction at High Holy Day services

By David Amos SAN DIEGO –As we do every year, my wife and I sat at the synagogue in our preferred seat for the High Holidays services. As expected, we enjoyed the thought provoking words from our Rabbi, heard the pure and beautifully performed chants from our cantorial soloist, and greeted fellow congregants, many of

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Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts

‘Death of Klinghoffer’ like ‘The Producers’ come true

By Joe Gandelman TORONTO, Canada– Is Mel Brooks smiling? Brooks’ 1968 comedy The Producers dealt with an outrageous, fictitious Broadway musical called Springtime for Hitler that trivialized Nazism and became a surprise hit. The New York Metropolitan Opera is now presenting The Death of Klinghoffer, which tries to explain the point of view of PLF members

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International, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Actualizing Dylan’s ‘Forever Young’

By Michael Mantell, PhD SAN DIEGO–Remember that old Bob Dylan song, “Forever Young,” which now is used as the theme on television’s Parenthood? May your hands always be busy, May your feet always be swift, May you have a strong foundation When the winds of changes shift, May your heart always be joyful And may

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Michael Mantell, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Science, Medicine, & Education

Stream of Israeli musicians flows into San Diego

By Eileen Wingard SAN DIEGO–During the past three weeks, four outstanding young Israel-born artists performed in La Jolla.  Three of the young men call themselves Israelis and had their early training in the music schools of Israel. The fourth, an Arab, born in Nazereth, calls himself Palestinian, and received his early training with private teachers

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Music, Dance, and Visual Arts

The arts and the teaching of religion

  By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO–Skot Golden-Needham shyly approached the aron kodesh on Sunday, Dec. 8, with his kindergarten teacher Lori Bunshaft.  Then, turning around, he displayed the model aron kodesh that he made and Mora Lori showed another one fashioned by one of his classmates. It was hard to tell what was brighter,

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts

Notes from the woodcutter: Woody Allen

  By Loren Kantor STUDIO CITY, California — From 1977 to 1986, Woody Allen had a filmmaking run so impressive it’s been equaled only by the likes of Billy Wilder and Preston Sturges. Allen’s films included Annie Hall, Manhattan, Broadway Danny Rose, Zelig, Purple Rose of Cairo and Hannah and Her Sisters. Woody was an antidote to the Spielberg/Lucas

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Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Violinist mixes humor with classics and pop

Editor Donald H. Harrison is back from a roundtrip cruise between San Diego and the Hawaiian Islands. This is the sixth in a series of articles based on that experience. By Donald H. Harrison ABOARD MS ZAANDAM– Violinist Michael Bacala says he was inspired as a child by the Rocky movies starring Sylvester Stallone,  especially

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Donald H. Harrison, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Travel and Food