The Arts

OpEd: Zelensky Keeps a Distance from His Jewishness and from Israel

The silencing of his Jewishness has characterized his entire tenure as president. Mentioning his Jewishness became taboo. Benjamin Disraeli, a baptized Jew, was Prime Minister of Great Britain and openly discussed Jewish issues and wrote novels with Jewish characters. Léon Blum was Prime Minister of France and spoke freely about his Jewishness. Bruno Kraisky was Chancellor of Austria and made no secret of his Jewishness. Walter Rathenau was Foreign Minister of Germany and spoke proudly of his Jewish ancestry. None of them were ashamed of their Jewishness as Zelensky was. [Alex Gordon]

OpEd: Zelensky Keeps a Distance from His Jewishness and from Israel Read More »

Alex Gordon, Antisemitism, International, Israel, Jewish History, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Shavuot Wishes and Some Fascinating Upcoming Events

Youth Summer Music Camp (6th-12th grade) with Sharon Katz will be at 1 p.m., Monday, June 17 until Saturday, June 22 (no camp on Wednesday, June 19) at the San Diego Central Public Library. Katz is the founder of The Peace Train Project and Band and will direct this summer camp at the library. [Cailin Acosta]

Shavuot Wishes and Some Fascinating Upcoming Events Read More »

Cailin Acosta, International, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Lesbian Breaks Free from Gur Hasidim

So, of course she tried to suppress the fact that she was physically stimulated by the touch of women and conversely deadened by the touch of men.  She took no joy in marital sex; it was a duty imposed upon her by the expectation of the Gur community.  The only benefit of having sex with her first husband was her two children, for whom her love knew no bounds. [Donald H. Harrison]

Lesbian Breaks Free from Gur Hasidim Read More »

Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Lifestyles, Staff and Bylined Contributors

OpEd: ‘Screams Before Silence’ an Intense Documentary

Many individuals did not want to watch alone the film about the horrific attacks on Jewish women during the Oct 7 massacre. Limiting the number of reservations to women-only, having mental health clinicians facilitate and not listing the location facilitated this event. [Cailin Acosta]

OpEd: ‘Screams Before Silence’ an Intense Documentary Read More »

Cailin Acosta, Israel, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Music Review: The Queen is Afire!

Last week, I was both shouting and dancing to the most marvelous violin music. There is a saying that the greatest compliment a Jewish violinist can receive is to say “Your violin really spoke to me.” We must say that to violin maven Alicia Svigals, who is releasing a new CD after more than 20 years. [Barrett Holman Leak]

Music Review: The Queen is Afire! Read More »

Barrett Holman Leak, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Staff and Bylined Contributors

A Jewish Immigrant Mother’s Tale

The trauma remained with her, influencing the rest of her life.  Working as a translator of Polish, Yiddish, and Russian at the Bund offices, she was exposed to frequent reports of antisemitic incidents in Poland, heightening her sense of danger.  She took comfort in the strength of her boss at the Bund, Leopold.  [Donald H. Harrison]

A Jewish Immigrant Mother’s Tale Read More »

Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Jewish Biography: Boris Pasternak Avoided, Denied, His Jewishness

Pasternak’s feelings about Jews and Jewry in the first 22 years of his life are ̶ negative: humiliation, oppression, pogroms. A different vision of the Jewish problem was revealed to him in Marburg. Pasternak encountered Jewish thinking for the first time in his life: Cohen’s teachings were based on the ethics of Judaism. Plagued by Jewish complexes in Russia, he was apparently shocked by the position of the Jewish thinker and rejected Cohen’s offer to continue his philosophical studies. [Alex Gordon]

Jewish Biography: Boris Pasternak Avoided, Denied, His Jewishness Read More »

Alex Gordon, Antisemitism, Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Holocaust, International, Jewish History, Staff and Bylined Contributors

In This Play, Daughter is Overbearing, Not Trusting of Mother’s Choices

Mom (Lesa Sailors) has been a widow for two years, and though she loved her husband, has found new facets and interests and is allowing herself to live a more fully expressed life, which is equal parts unexpected and devastating to her daughter, Ellie. [Eva Trieger]

In This Play, Daughter is Overbearing, Not Trusting of Mother’s Choices Read More »

Eva Trieger, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

‘101 Treasures’ from Israel Library is also a Treasure for Home Collections

The joke is that my wife has been an unflagging downsizer, in resisting my acquiring new books, but gifts may be different. I thanked my friend, “Never seen Karen so pleased to get a book in an age where she is trying to get them out of the house.” [Oliver B. Pollak]

‘101 Treasures’ from Israel Library is also a Treasure for Home Collections Read More »

Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Oliver Pollak, Staff and Bylined Contributors

The Power of Science Fiction at the Comic-Con Museum

The Rat’s Dilemma takes only minutes but the emotions it stirred up were unbelievable. Perhaps because it took place during the Holocaust or that it’s in Hebrew, or maybe because we connect to losing someone, or perhaps all things combined. Whatever it is, filmmaker Meningher did a phenomenal job with this creation. [Miriam Gershenson]

The Power of Science Fiction at the Comic-Con Museum Read More »

Albert Kreimerman, Holocaust, Israel, Miriam Gershenson, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

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]

The Lion’s Trail: Beit She’an Read More »

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

Combined American and Hebrew Calendar Book Makes Planning Easy

He has put together a joint Hebrew and Gregorian calendar and planner, in which Jewish and American holidays are listed on a day-by-day basis along with listings of candle lighting times for the start of Shabbats and Jewish holidays as well as what Torah portions will be read in synagogues around the world on each Saturday. [Donald H. Harrison]

Combined American and Hebrew Calendar Book Makes Planning Easy Read More »

Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Fred Reiss, EdD, Israel, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Times of San Diego Acquired by NEWSWELL of Arizona State University

“This is a unique opportunity to build on what Times of San Diego has created over the last decade,” said Chris Jennewein, editor and general manager of Times of San Diego. “As part of NEWSWELL, we’ll seek to define the future of local media in today’s digital environment.” [Times of San Diego]

Times of San Diego Acquired by NEWSWELL of Arizona State University Read More »

Chris Jennewein, News Media, San Diego County, Times of San Diego, USA