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Jose Galicot: Bringing Jewish Communities to Life

The businessman’s methods include bringing people together, encouraging them to work as a team and to elect leaders from within their membership, to develop their own programming and cadre of volunteers. While he contributes financially to these efforts, he is also a cheerleader and an advocate for education and youth programming, so the nascent Jewish communities can sustain themselves. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Business & Finance, Donald H. Harrison, International, Israel, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USA

Jewish Trivia Quiz: Richard Simmons, z”l

He ‍was ‍born ‍Milton ‍Teagle ‍Simmons ‍to ‍a ‍Jewish ‍mother, ‍Shirley ‍May ‍“Sadie” ‍Satin ‍Simmons, ‍but ‍he ‍was ‍not ‍raised ‍Jewish, ‍and ‍he ‍eventually ‍became ‍what ‍he ‍called ‍an ‍“extreme ‍Catholic.” ‍Why ‍did ‍Shirley’s ‍Russian ‍Jewish ‍family ‍disown ‍her? [Mark D. Zimmerman]

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Mark D. Zimmerman, Obituaries & memorials, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Alan Menken

Courtesy of Wikipedia Alan Irwin Menken (July 22, 1949) is an American composer, best known for his scores and songs for films produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and Skydance Animation. Menken’s music for The Little Mermaid (1989), Beauty and the Beast (1991), Aladdin (1992), and Pocahontas (1995) have each won him two Academy Awards. He also composed the scores and songs for Little Shop of

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

‘Letters for Life’ Worthy of Keeping as a Trusted Companion

As I’ve seen in my own practice over the many years, I’ve turned more and more to the healing power of Torah study and this leaps off the pages of this essential read, as we see the need for emotional wellness guidance and education more than ever. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Two-Night ‘Henry 6’: An Enjoyable Time- and Gender-Bending Spectacle

This production marks a pretty significant achievement, in that it completes the Shakespeare canon for the Globe, meaning that over the course of its history, The Old Globe has produced all of Shakespeare’s plays, thereby joining a very small club of theaters that have done so.  [Sandi Masori]

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

The Moods in Israel: Despair and Resilience

Evacuees from the north, who have been displaced since early October have no idea where they’ll be in a month, where their children will go to school in September, or when they will be able to return home. People are without jobs and the divorce rate is soaring. How can I be optimistic? Read the poem below and you will see what I see: the resilience of our People is unparalleled. [Russell F. Robinson]

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Israel, Lifestyles, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Jon Lovitz

Courtesy of Wikipedia Jonathan Michael Lovitz (born July 21, 1957) is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his tenure as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 1985 to 1990 for which he was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards. Outside of SNL, he starred as Jay Sherman in The Critic (1994–1995), has played various roles on The Simpsons (1991–), and

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Jewish Celebrities, Today's Jewish Birthday, Wikipedia

Zooming into Calabria, Italy’s Jewish History

So many Italian names have Jewish meanings, links or describe Jewish occupations. Her website has a section devoted to this study.  For just a small sampling, Bonanno means good year, Shana Tova. Ferrari was the name given to the Jewish craftsmen who were skilled wrought iron workers from Spain. The names were useful in making shidduchim, and served as a sort of “Jewish Geography.” [Eva Trieger]

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Eva Trieger, International, Jewish History, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Laszlo Moholy-Nagy

Courtesy of Wikipedia László Moholy-Nagy (July 20, 1895 – November 24, 1946) was a Hungarian painter, photographer, and professor in the Bauhaus school. He was highly influenced by constructivism and a strong advocate of integrating technology and industry into the arts. The art critic Peter Schjeldahl called him “relentlessly experimental” because of his pioneering work in painting, drawing, photography, collage,

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