The Arts

To help another, reduce yourself

The Psychology of Tzimtzum: Self, Others and God by Mordechai Rotenberg, Maggid Books, New Milford, CT, ©2015, ISBN 978-1-59264-384-4, p. 109, plus appendices, $24.95 By Fred Reiss, Ed.D. WINCHESTER, California – The sixteenth century Safed mystics employed the Hebrew word Tzimtzum, meaning contraction, to answer the question: why is there something, rather than nothing. If God’s presence […]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Fred Reiss, EdD

Musical scores save many a movie

By Jonathan L. Friedmann, Ph.D. MORENO VALLEY, California — Jerry Goldsmith, a top film composer of the second half of the twentieth century, regularly worked on projects unworthy of his artistic expression. His filmography includes over two hundred titles, along with a hefty body of television work. Much of it is stale genre fare: thrillers, westerns, maritime

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

30-minute clip of lost Jerry Lewis Holocaust film surfaces

A 30-minute cut of Jewish comedian Jerry Lewis’s lost Holocaust movie has surfaced online, months after the BBC aired a documentary about the film the comedian had vowed no one would ever see. The rough clip was put together using YouTube videos made from footage grabbed from a German documentary on the film Lewis once

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Jewish History, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

High marks for soloists in Bernstein concert

By Eileen Wingard SAN DIEGO — The Tifereth Israel Community Orchestra’s (TICO’s) June 7 concert featured the music of Leonard Bernstein, the 20th century’s most outstanding American musician. He was not only a great composer, equally versatile writing classical music and Broadway musicals, but he was one of the world’s foremost conductors, a brilliant pianist

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Eileen Wingard, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County

Genesis Prize helps Jews with and without disabilities

By Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi BETHESDA, Maryland — When the inaugural Genesis Prize – dubbed by Time magazine as “The Jewish Nobel” – was awarded in 2014 to one of the world’s leading philanthropists and public servants, New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, I admit I was very skeptical. I remember scratching my head and thinking, “One

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Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, USA

Down Under author produces a cli-fi novel

By Dan Bloom CHIAYI CITY, Taiwan –If there’s one continent on Earth where the twin impacts of global warming and climate change are very much on the minds of the people who live there, it’s Australia. It’s doesn’t help that the Australian government is lagging behind on legislating progressive climate change policies, but there’s something about

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, The World We Share

‘I only like doing shows with good ratings’: Donald Trump ignites feud with Seth Meyers

Here’s a feud you wouldn’t expect: Donald Trump versus Seth Meyers, Saturday Night Live alum and current host of Late Night. It all started when Meyers commented on the mass Orlando, Florida shooting in his Monday night monologue, and announced that Trump would not be allowed on his show until the billionaire allowed Washington Post

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Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Jewish trivia quiz: ‘Fiddler on the Roof’

By Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York — Fiddler on the Roof was one of the nominees, though not the winner, of the Best Revival of a Musical category at this year’s Tony Awards ceremony. When Fiddler on the Roof was first being developed, the opening song, “Tradition,” was the last to be written. What song

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Mark D. Zimmerman, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Trivia, Humor & Satire

Modigliani owner denies canvas taken by Nazis from Jewish dealer

The owner of a Modigliani painting allegedly looted by the Nazis has insisted there is no proof it was taken from a Jewish art dealer, after the Panama Papers leak led to it being briefly seized. Authorities in Geneva sequestered the painting in April after the release of millions of documents from law firm Mossack

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International, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, USA

Tony Awards: Broadway honors ‘Hamilton’ on a night dimmed by tragedy

NEW YORK — An air of both celebration and sobriety hung over the Tony Awards on Sunday, as one of the biggest hits in Broadway history was honored hours after the worst mass shooting in U.S. history. Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “Hamilton” took 11 prizes, including director, score and the top honor of best musical. The hip-hop

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Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA