The Arts

Murals, monuments, orchards and ancient villages: Exploring Jerusalem’s hidden corners

World-renowned Armenian artist Marie Balian spent months preparing an original mural as a gift for the people of Jerusalem. Six meters tall and four meters wide, her fabulous artwork contains close to 1,000 colored tiles. Balian’s unique method involved sketching in charcoal on the tiles, designing and painting them and then burning them in the […]

Murals, monuments, orchards and ancient villages: Exploring Jerusalem’s hidden corners Read More »

Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Travel and Food

Movie review: Natalie Portman makes directorial debut with ‘A Tale of Love and Darkness’

LOS ANGELES — Actors gravitate toward passion projects, films they care deeply, even obsessively about, but the result is seldom as convincing as “A Tale of Love and Darkness,” a film of beautiful melancholy written, directed by and starring Natalie Portman. A Hebrew-language film based on the celebrated memoir by Israeli novelist Amos Oz, “Love

Movie review: Natalie Portman makes directorial debut with ‘A Tale of Love and Darkness’ Read More »

Jewish History, Middle East, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Are animals people, too? Soon, a chimpanzee could walk into a courtroom as a thing, and walk out as a person

If you’ve heard of American lawyer and author Steven Wise, it’s likely due to the peculiar lawsuits he filed in 2013 in New York State court. What makes these suits eccentric, and their plaintiffs certified media darlings, is that the plaintiffs are not human – but rather chimpanzees. If these legal proceedings are successful, something

Are animals people, too? Soon, a chimpanzee could walk into a courtroom as a thing, and walk out as a person Read More »

The World We Share, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Q&A: Daniel Radcliffe on ‘Imperium’ and the Brexit Vote

If the Ghostbusters reboot ruined your childhood, you’re going to love seeing Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe shave his head and shout racial slurs. It’s not what you think. In the heady new thriller Imperium, Radcliffe convincingly plays an FBI agent sent undercover to take down a white supremacist group from within. It’s a strange

Q&A: Daniel Radcliffe on ‘Imperium’ and the Brexit Vote Read More »

International, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Fyvush Finkel, veteran actor, Emmy winner, dies at 93

San Diego Jewish World’s eulogy series is sponsored by Marc and Margaret Cohen in memory of Molly Cohen, and by Inland Industries Group LP in memory of long-time San Diego Jewish community leader Marie (Mrs. Gabriel) Berg.  Comments intended for publication in the space below MUST be accompanied by the letter writer’s first and last name

Fyvush Finkel, veteran actor, Emmy winner, dies at 93 Read More »

Obituaries & memorials, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

In time of future disaster, there still will be humor

By Dan Bloom CHIAYI CITY, TAIWAN –Aaron Thier is a 30-something writer born and bred in western Massachusetts, and his latest novel Mr. Eternity has just been published by Bloomsbury in New York. The time-travelling novel is both a comic novel and very serious novel at the same time, and it has been characterized already by readers as literary

In time of future disaster, there still will be humor Read More »

Books, Poetry & Short Stories

Michael Moore says Donald Trump never wanted to be president, is sabotaging his own campaign

In a Huffington Post blog published Tuesday, Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker Michael Moore states that he knows “for a fact” that Republican nominee Donald Trump never truly wanted to be president, but actually just wanted to negotiate a better deal from NBC for The Apprentice, his reality competition show. And, in turn, is sabotaging his own

Michael Moore says Donald Trump never wanted to be president, is sabotaging his own campaign Read More »

Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Taylor Swift To Donate $1M For Louisiana Flood Relief

Taylor Swift is donating $1 million to help the people affected by the Louisiana floods, a natural disaster that has killed at least 11 people and affected thousands of others. The massive flooding has caused widespread destruction in Louisiana — the state where the 26-year-old singer kicked off her “1989 World Tour” last year. “We

Taylor Swift To Donate $1M For Louisiana Flood Relief Read More »

Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, USA

Remembering Elvis

Tuesday will be the 39th anniversary of the death of Elvis Presley, the boy from Mississippi credited with popularizing rock ‘n’ roll. Presley passed away on Aug. 16, 1977 of heart failure. He was 42. Presley’s career was an illustrious one. The iconic singer was famously suggestive but also prolific, lending his baritone voice to

Remembering Elvis Read More »

Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, USA

Director springs to defend ‘Wonder Woman’

Even Wonder Woman can do with a little extra protection sometimes. The upcoming movie depicting the DC comic heroine got some defense this week from director Patty Jenkins after a letter published online claimed that, inside the production studio, the film is seen as “a mess.” “Woah, just saw this press about WW having problems,”

Director springs to defend ‘Wonder Woman’ Read More »

Middle East, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

In this memoir, pork is a gateway to assimilation

Treyf: My Quest for Identity in a Forbidden World by Elissa Altman; New American Library; 2016; ISBN 9780425-277812; 283 pages; $26. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – What is not kosher is treyf, literally meaning “torn” but generally meaning “forbidden” and one might anticipate that in Elissa Altman’s memoir, subtitled “My Quest for Identity

In this memoir, pork is a gateway to assimilation Read More »

Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison

Amigos Del REP showcases Latino talent

By Mimi Pollack SAN DIEGO — It is not always easy being a Latino or Hispanic performer in the entertainment community. Many times the roles that are offered to actors are limited, as are jobs for directors, producers, stagehands, and technicians. Amigos Del REP founding members Herbert Siguenza, John Padilla, and Dave Rivas wanted to

Amigos Del REP showcases Latino talent Read More »

Mimi Pollack, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Kenny Baker, ‘Star Wars’ actor, dies at 83; portrayed R2-D2 in movie franchise

Editor’s note: San Diego Jewish World’s eulogy series is sponsored by Marc and Margaret Cohen in memory of Molly Cohen, and by Inland Industries Group LP in memory of long-time San Diego Jewish community leader Marie (Mrs. Gabriel) Berg.  Comments intended for publication in the space below MUST be accompanied by the letter writer’s first and

Kenny Baker, ‘Star Wars’ actor, dies at 83; portrayed R2-D2 in movie franchise Read More »

Obituaries & memorials, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Donald Trump’s spokeswoman says (incorrectly) that it was Obama who ‘went into Afghanistan’

Donald Trump’s spokeswoman leveled false accusations against President Barack Obama on Saturday, saying he started the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan. When asked on CNN about Trump saying Obama was the “founder” of Islamic State, spokeswoman Katrina Pierson delivered a lengthy response in which she proclaimed it was Obama who “went into Afghanistan,” where U.S. troops

Donald Trump’s spokeswoman says (incorrectly) that it was Obama who ‘went into Afghanistan’ Read More »

International, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA