By Cynthia Citron SHERMAN OAKS, California — Sometimes a book of short stories is a welcome diversion from the usual industrial-strength novels. Just as an evening of short one-acts can provide a satisfying evening at the theater. And that’s just what playwright Helena Weltman and producer/director Pavel Cerny have brought to the stage of the […]
'Love, Sex and Violence' more charming than name implies Read More »
Cynthia CitronBy Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — The “delegitimization” of Israel is not to be taken lightly – professional agitators make the case that while Israel may have some theoretical “right to exist,” nothing that Israel does to protect itself, advance itself or enhance itself is legitimate. The Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs (JINSA) long ago
Israel makes gains in unexpected places Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana Bryen
By Carol Davis SAN DIEGO–On Tuesday, September 21, the movie 100 Voices: A Journey home will air across the country at 488 select theatres, including seven movie complexes in San Diego County. It’s a must see movie for Jews and non-Jews alike, but bring tissues. The documentary traces an historic trip to Poland by no
‘100 Voices: A Journey Home’ explores Poland’s cantorial past Read More »
Carol Davis, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Theatre, Film & BroadcastBy Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — I never intended to become a translator. It just happened. I first began translating after my daughter was born and I could no longer go out to work. My knowledge of Hebrew was minimal and I frequently had to use a dictionary, but with the passing years this
The varied life of a Hebrew-English translator Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Middle East
By Carol Davis SOLANA BEACH, California —Becky’s New Car, the play by Steven Dietz, is probably newer than the car our heroine Becky Foster (Carla Harting makes the tale convincing) gets from her boss as a perk for selling more cars in one night than the other salesperson at her dealership, Steve (Mueen Jahan), has
‘Becky’s New Car’ fun but predictable at North Coast Rep Read More »
Carol Davis, Theatre, Film & BroadcastBy Natasha Josefowitz, Ph.D. LA JOLLA, California–So much anger in Washington, such acrimony and hatred out of control! What is happening to normally rational people to push them over the edge and make them act out? We read about fanatics and zealots in Africa and in the Middle East, who are extreme in their views,
Civility, a Word No Longer Used Read More »
Natasha JosefowitzBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Let me welcome Pastor Terry Jones of the Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida to join Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, the spiritual leader of SHAS, and Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, the promoter of Cordoba House to the Pantheon of religious leaders whose commotions have ranged beyond local and national borders.
On clergy who step from pulpits into headlines Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, USABy Cynthia Citron WEST HOLLYWOOD, California–At last, a family that isn’t dysfunctional! A mother and father still romantically in love after 19 years of marriage. A football hero son who is their pride and joy. A young daughter, a high school drama queen with lots of the usual teen-age issues, and her best friend, a
'Yellow' tackles some bold issues Read More »
Cynthia Citron
By Carol Davis SAN DIEGO –Playwright Lee Blessing (A Walk in the Woods, Two Rooms, Cobb) wrote Eleemosynary in 1985. Funny thing about family dramas, relationships and intergenerational forces, they never seem dated. Drop my family into the Westbrook family: Dorothea (Rhona Gold), Artie (Julie Anderson Sachs) and Echo (Rachael Van Wormer),
‘Eleemosynary’ soft landing for Moxie’s sixth season Read More »
Carol Davis, Theatre, Film & BroadcastBy Cynthia Citron LOS ANGELES — As a passionate piece of 20th century history, it works. As a parable for the present day, not so much. Clifford Odets’ 1935 Depression-era play Waiting for Lefty is a rabble-rousing tirade against big business and its heavy-handed control of the “downtrodden masses.” A situation that might resonate with
'Waiting for Lefty' portrays Depression-era exploitation Read More »
Cynthia CitronJERUSALEM–Lots of countries do something nutty. That’s a practice that does not make sense, but has the support of entrenched politicians and much of the public as “the way things are done.” In Germany it is superhighways without speed limits. In the United States it is easy access to firearms. In Britain it is the
Summer Time debate is another of Israel's peculiarities Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C.– The current Washington “peace talks” have less chance of producing either a Palestinian state or legitimacy and security for Israel than even their previous editions. Mahmoud Abbas isn’t Arafat. Hamas rules Gaza with an iron fist with political support from Turkey and weapons from Iran. Hamas and Iran are willing to mix
What a fly on the wall might have heard during Mideast talks Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana BryenBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–From 1967 to the early 1990s, there was no Palestinian partner for the Israelis to speak with. Israel extended the boundaries of Jerusalem, and created major settlements near Jerusalem and the Tel Aviv metropolitan area. Additional settlements appeared here and there throughout the West Bank. There are now 50-60,000 Jews living in
Why betting people predict failure in Mideast peace talks Read More »
Ira Sharkansky
By Carol Davis LAS VEGAS–The very first Cirque du Soleil Show my late husband and I saw was in 1987 in the parking lot of Qualcomm Stadium under the big blue and yellow tent. I still have the first press packet with mimeographed sheets of paper filled to capacity with all the
I’ve been ‘Cirqued’ and I love it Read More »
Carol Davis, Theatre, Film & Broadcast