By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Two recent articles is the New York Times provide an accurate picture of our surroundings. A description of Gaza provides all we need to produce a mood of hopeless despair. There is plenty to eat, but no work, and no hope for the the growing population of young people who can neither […]
Peace may be at standstill but West Bank economy on the move Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USA
By Carol Davis SAN DIEGO–[title of show], a love letter to musical theatre is a “witty new musical written by two struggling writers about two struggling writers writing a witty new musical,” according to the show’s press release. The two struggling writers who wrote the show are Jeff Bowen (music and lyrics) and
[“title of show”], A love letter to musical theatre is energetic, but… Read More »
Carol Davis, Theatre, Film & BroadcastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–One of the attractions of living in Israel is the feeling of participation in the wider world of the Jewish people. It is also one of the problems. An American friend sent me the following, which came to him from a non-Orthodox rabbi: . . . send a message to BIBI telling
Israeli 'conversion' bill would not change status quo Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
By Eileen Wingard SAN DIEGO–With creative inspiration drawn from traditional Chinese culture, Shen Yun Performances presented a remarkable spectacle at the Civic Theatre last Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. The final show will be tonight. The gorgeous handmade costumes and the breathtaking digital animated backdrops enhanced the sumptuous visual feast. Silken sleeves, cloud-like fans, archers’ bows
Shen Yun a musical, terpsichorean and visual feast Read More »
Eileen Wingard, Middle East
By Carol Davis SOLANA BEACH, California—The North Coast Repertory Theatre in Solana Beach is smiling from ear to ear these days. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee that garnered two Tony’s and is making its San Diego Premiere (if you don’t count that other one at the Civic Theatre in 2006) has
North Coast Rep spells ‘success’ with ‘Bee’ Read More »
Carol Davis, Theatre, Film & BroadcastRashi by Elie Wiesel. Translated from the French by Catherine Temerson, Nextbook ISBN 978-0-8052-4254-6, ©2009, $22.00, p. 90 plus chronology, glossary, and bibliography. By Fred Reiss, Ed.D. WINCHESTER, California — One would be hard pressed to find a greater Jewish authority than Rabbi Shlomo ben Yitzhak, known to the world as Rashi. Many religious questions
Wiesel book on Rashi should have been more thorough Read More »
Fred Reiss, EdDBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM –Israel is a normal country, but is strained to preserve that status against the rest of the world that is even less normal. That is not a sentence one would expect from a confirmed social scientist. It does not make sense according to the elemental rules of logic, but it does
Israel is not the only country with its pecularities Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USA
By Cynthia Citron LOS ANGELES–At the same moment that Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan was being chided by the Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee for having clerked for the suddenly demonic “activist judge,” Thurgood Marshall, Marshall himself, in the person of actor Laurence Fishburne, was enthralling audiences in a dynamic nearly two-hour monologue at
A riveting performance by Laurence Fishburne Read More »
Cynthia CitronBy Natasha Josefowitz, Ph.D. LA JOLLA, California — Yes, it’s possible to make yourself happy even when you’re not feeling it. Some things you should know: • Contrary to popular opinion, satisfaction with life increases with advancing age. • On average, men and women experience emotions similarly, even though women have more fluctuations between positive and negative
How to Make Yourself Happy Read More »
Natasha JosefowitzBy Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. –President Obama dragged out some really dated stereotypes while demeaning both Jews and Israelis in an interview with Israel’s Channel 2 Television. Confronted with the “anxiety” (as the reporter put it) that some Israelis feel about his relationship toward Israel, Mr. Obama bluntly blamed the Jews: “This is the
Deconstructing President Obama's interview on Israeli TV Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana Bryen, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–As expected, the White House meeting between President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu was an occasion for mutual admiration and pledges of cooperation. It was much different from the image conveyed by their previous meeting, when the White House had blasted the timing of an Israeli planning committee’s announcement about
Seemingly, little of substance in Obama-Netanyahu meeting Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USABy Eileen Wingard SAN DIEGO –Violinist Asi Matathias and pianist Victor Stanislavsky presented an exciting recital on June 17 at the Dove Library in Carlsbad. This concert was part of the San Diego Center for Jewish Culture’s Music Series and was underwritten by the Leichtag Foundation. The two young Israeli artists shared their formidable talents
Israelis Matathias and Stanislavsky perform beautifully together at local recital Read More »
Eileen Wingard, Middle East
By Carol Davis SAN DIEGO—Way back in 2007 The Old Globe Theatre, as part of its season, brought the Tony Award winning (Book of a musical and original score) musical, “Avenue Q” to San Diego in its West Coast Premiere. At that time Executive Producer of the Old Globe Lou Spisto said that “Avenue Q”
On the Q.T., everything’s good on the ‘Avenue’ Read More »
Carol Davis, Theatre, Film & BroadcastBy Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – There are times when I would prefer not to open my e-mail. So often it seems that the only people really motivated to write are those with some axe to grind. These include a vociferous minority of Jews who seem to hate all Arabs and Muslims, and a
An editor’s call for letters of another kind Read More »
Donald H. Harrison