Staff and Bylined Contributors

Comedic ‘Fiddler’ Uses Clever Staging

Whether it was Tevye mugging during the dance off with the Russians for “To Life” or even the usually scary dream sequence about “Fruma-Sarah,” director Omri Schein really brought out the physical comedy and rubber faces of the cast.  And it worked.  I don’t remember hearing the audience laugh during Fiddler as much they did for this show. [Sandi Masori]

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

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Leo Szilard

In 1938, Szilard moved to the United States, where he worked at Columbia University to demonstrate the concept of nuclear fission.  He drafted a letter to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, which he got his more famous mentor, Albert Einstein, to sign warning of Germany’s nuclear weapons project.  This eventually prompted the creation of the Manhattan Project at the University of Chicago. [SDJW Staff]

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Antisemitism, International, Jewish History, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Today's Jewish Birthday, USA

Alex Grass: Rite Aid’s Success Led to His Many Philanthropies

Editor’s Note: This is the 21st chapter in Volume 3 of Publisher and Editor Donald H. Harrison’s 2022 trilogy, “Schlepping and Schmoozing Along the Interstate 5.” All three books as well as others written by Harrison may be purchased from Amazon.com. Schlepping and Schmoozing Along the Interstate 5, Volume 3, Exit 49 (Tamarack Avenue): Rite

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Ben Dishman, Business & Finance, Donald H. Harrison, International, Israel, Jewish History, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Mark Spitz

At Indiana University under coach Doc Counsilman, he won eight individual NCAA titles. In 1971, he won the James E. Sullivan Award as the top amateur athlete in the U.S. Then came the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, where he won seven gold medals, setting new world records in each of them. They were the 100-meter freestyle, 200-meter freestyle, 100-meter butterfly, 300-meter butterfly, 4×100-meter freestyle relay, 4 x 200-meter freestyle relay and 4 x 100-meter medley relay. [SDJW staff]

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International, Israel, Sports & Competitions, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Today's Jewish Birthday, USA

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Carole King

With King composing the music and Goffin writing the lyrics they wrote a string of hits for various groups including “Chains,” “The Loco-Motion,” “Half Way to Paradise,” “Take Good Care of My Baby,” “Up on the Roof,” “I’m into Something Good,” “One Fine Day,” “Pleasant Valley Sunday,” and “(You make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.” [SDJW staff]

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Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Today's Jewish Birthday, USA

‘Fun House’ is Not What the Title Suggests

Tony award-winning Jewish playwright Lisa Kron uses a clever narrative device in which the main character Alison Bechdel (Rae Henderson-Gray) watches herself as a little girl (Lena Palke) and as a college student (Priya Richard) as she crafts autobiographical graphic novels. [Sandi Masori]

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

Our Arab Neighbors

When I need to collect my prescription medicines for the local medical clinic I am almost invariably attended to by one of the Arab pharmacists, both male and female, who work there. The same applies to many of the nurses and even some of the doctors who provide my various medical needs in this and other clinics. Not to mention the many physicians and surgeons in our hospitals. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]

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Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Israel, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Our Shtetl San Diego County: Dealing with Workplace Antisemitism

The regional office of the Anti-Defamation League is offering to bring workshops to places of employment in San Diego and Imperial Counties on such topics as 1) Jewish identity; 2) Contemporary and historical manifestations of antisemitism; 3) Comparing and contrasting antisemitism with other forms of hate; 4) The rise in antisemitism and hate post-October 7th, and 5) Tools to be upstanders against antisemitism and hate. [SDJW staff]

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Antisemitism, Business & Finance, Israel, Jewish History, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Jewish Communal Leaders: Remain Hopeful While Combating Antisemitism

A series of engaging breakout sessions followed – all devoted to discussion, coalition building, and learning how to implement strategies included in the U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism at the local level. The day concluded with a plenary session featuring author and thought-leader Eric K. Ward on the importance of diversity and communal allyship in the fight against antisemitism. We were thrilled to see our community show up in a profound way and contribute to lively Q&As in every workshop. [Sara E. Brown and Heidi Gantwerk]

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Antisemitism, Israel, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA, Videos

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Martin Buber

In 1923, Buber wrote his famous essay on existence, Ich und Du, which was translated into English as I and Thou. Ich-Du relationships involve the concepts of ‘encounter,” “meeting,” “dialogue,” “mutuality,” and “exchange,” where as in Ich-Es (I and It) relationships, there is no dialogue or exchange, there is only monologue. Other things or people exist only to serve the interests of the individual in question. [SDJW staff]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Holocaust, Jewish History, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Today's Jewish Birthday, USA

Supervisor Lawson-Remer Regrets Vote to Place Taha Hassane on Human Relations Commission

I was very concerned however, so after the meeting, I searched for and found a full video of the remarks that were referred to during the public testimony, and found the Imam’s remarks to be truly awful, and I immediately regretted the vote I made.  I do not support Imam Taha Hassane being on the County’s Human Relations Commission. [Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer]

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Antisemitism, Donald H. Harrison, Israel, Middle East, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA, Videos