The Arts

Suicide or Murder? Novel Probes Death of Fictional Holocaust Survivor and Scholar

Was he, as some commentators suggested at the time, Hitler’s 6,000,001st victim, overcome by Holocaust-caused PTSD?  Or, was it something related to his contemporary life in Israel? For that matter, was it really a suicide? [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Holocaust, Israel, Jewish Fiction, Jewish Religion, Staff and Bylined Contributors

‘Nobody Wants This’ Trades in Stereotypes of Jewish Women

Bina Roklov, her daughter-in-law Miriam, Miriam’s friends, and Rebecca the ex-girlfriend, are all portrayed in stereotypes and tropes of Jewish women as toxic: the overbearing mother, manipulative, materialistic and status-conscious, dishonest, secretive, a religious hypocrite, nagging and critical. [Barrett Holman Leak]

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Antisemitism, Barrett Holman Leak, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Richard Meier

Courtesy of Wikipedia Richard Meier (October 12, 1934) is an American abstract artist and architect, whose geometric designs make prominent use of the color white. A winner of the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 1984, Meier has designed several iconic buildings including the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art, the Getty Center in Los Angeles, the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, and San Jose City Hall.

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

Jerusalemites Have Been Mostly Spared, but They Worry About Israelis Elsewhere

I live just outside Jerusalem, and this central part of Israel has been less subjected to rockets fired by Hamas and Hezbollah, though the missiles from Iran have been directed here. The bottom line is that we have not had to go to our bomb shelter as often as our compatriots in the north and south of the country. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Israel, Lifestyles, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Germany Establishes Arbitration Process for Claims Arising from Nazi-Looted Art

Previously, both parties had to agree to go to an advisory commission for looted Art. Now state-owned museums will be required to participate in an arbitration process when no agreement between the victims’ side and museums can be found. The decisions of the arbitration body will be binding. [Press Release]

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Holocaust, International, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Press Release, USA

Podcast Details a Family’s Fight Against Hereditary Cancer

Before We Go is an eight-episode podcast, starting today, Oct. 8, in which Dr. Shoshana Ungerleider, an internist, tells of her father’s Steven’s fight against pancreatic cancer. Meanwhile, she and her sister faced the decision of whether to decrease their chances of suffering a similar fate by having hysterectomies and removal of their breasts. [Donald H. Harrison]

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California, Donald H. Harrison, Obituaries & memorials, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

‘Primary Trust’ Is a Thoughtful Play About Neuro-Divergence

The very quick version of the plot is that a 38-year- old neuro-diverse Kenneth (Caleb Everhardt) loses the job he’s had at a bookstore for 20 years. He breaks up with his imaginary friend (James Udom) as he starts a new job working at a bank and encounters elements of the real world for the first time.  He befriends a waitress (Rebecca S’manga Frank) at his favorite bar and starts to interact more with real-life people.  [Sandi Masori]

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Sandi Masori, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Review of ‘Reagan: His Life and Legend,’ Part 3

After David Kimche, director general of Israel’s foreign ministry, told U.S. National Security Adviser Bud McFarlane in July 1985 that Iranian “moderates” had expressed a desire to improve relations with the United States and possibly release five American hostages, President Ronald Reagan instructed McFarlane to explore the idea. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Israel, Jewish History, Middle East, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Thousands at JCC Mark First Yahrzeit of October 7, 2023 Massacre Victims

It is hard to believe that a year later, the war is still waging and 101 hostages both dead and alive are still living the nightmare in Gaza. The trauma affects Jews all around the world. This was evident at the Lawrence Family JCC lawn where thousands of people gathered to commemorate and unite. [Miriam Gershenson]

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Albert Kreimerman, Israel, Jewish History, Miriam Gershenson, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Mahler’s ‘Resurrection’ Symphony Inaugurates Refurbished Music Hall

The San Diego Symphony’s opening concert of its subscription series featured Mahler’s Symphony #2, “Resurrection,” an appropriate choice as the orchestra resumes residency in its beautifully refurbished hall, now renamed, the Jacobs Music Center. [Eileen Wingard]

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Eileen Wingard, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Todd Salovey on Getting More Jewish Stories to the Stage

They take the script to various theaters to see if there’s any interest.  If a theater expresses interest in it, then they offer the theater what’s called an “enhancement fee” towards production costs. This is money that offsets the costs of producing it as a part of the theater’s regular season.  [Sandi Masori]

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San Diego County, Sandi Masori, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast