Staff and Bylined Contributors

‘King James’ Uses Sports Metaphor to Explore the Ups and Downs of a Friendship

The dialogue is fast-paced and funny, both because of  Rajiv Joseph’s writing and the animated faces of Foote and Echebiri.  San Diegans can especially appreciate how upset and betrayed Matt and Shawn feel when James moves to the Miami Heat and leaves his hometown.  I saw many in the audience nodding emphatically as Matt and Shawn lament the perceived betrayal, as memories of our own Chargers’ betrayal with their move to LA still feels fresh.  [Sandi Masori]

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Sandi Masori, Sports & Competitions, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

‘Tartuffe’ Pokes Fun at Our Frail and Base Tendencies

The satiric comedy was originally written and performed in French, but fortunately for English-speaking audiences, it was translated by Richard Wilbur, and later, by others. The play is written and performed in rhyme. The actors are nothing short of incredible in their ability to speak the lines with meaning, each delivered naturally and logically.  [Eva Trieger]

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Eva Trieger, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Ruth Bader Ginsburg

President Bill Clinton nominated Ginsburg to the Supreme Court in 1993, and the Senate confirmed her on a 96-3 vote, thereby filling the seat that had been vacated upon the retirement of Byron White. She was the first Jewish female justice of the Supreme Court, and eventually became the longest-serving Jewish justice.  When Sandra Day O’Connor retired in 2006, Ginsburg temporarily became the only woman on the nine-member court. [SDJW staff]

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California, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Today's Jewish Birthday, USA

Lunch and Yiddish Songs Entertain 57 Holocaust Survivors at Congregation Beth El

“We were honored to be able to put together a program of primarily Yiddish music so that we could reach this special audience with songs in the language most of them grew up with.” [Steve Mishek]

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Holocaust, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

At Pita 22 It’s about Good Homemade Food Not Politics 

It’s a cute, little fast-casual restaurant that does a brisk lunch hour.  Owner Avi Gerassi prides himself on making everything they can in house.  That includes all the salads and spreads, the pita and even the challah that they use for the weekend French toast. The menu features Israeli comfort food- shawarma, kabobs, falafel, pita, humus, etcetera.  [Sandi Masori]

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Israel, Middle East, San Diego County, Sandi Masori, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food, USA

Chelmites, as Usual, are Foolish, But in This Tale, Their Children are Smarter

Stories of the “wise people of Chelm” abound in Jewish literature.  Chelmites always jump to the wrong conclusions and their attempts to solve perceived problems often compete in silliness. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Trivia, Humor & Satire

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Neil Sedaka

More Sedaka hits followed in the 1960s, among them “Stairway to Heaven,” “Calendar Girl,” “Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen,” “Breaking Up is Hard to Do,” and “Next Door to an Angel.” In addition to his own songs, Sedaka and Greenfield wrote songs for other performers including Connie Francis, and Jimmy Clanton. Sedaka’s piano work is heard in Bobby Darin’s “Dream Lover.” [SDJW staff]

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

OpEd: Concerned about the People of Gaza? Blame Hamas!

Actually, the more food, fuel, and water sent into Gaza, the more Hamas steals to enrich its supplies. Most of the shipments are commandeered by Hamas for itself, either to supply its supporters or to resell on the black market to the hungry citizens. This is not so much a problem of insufficient supply of goods, but a lack of enough money to buy food at vastly inflated Hamas/black market prices. [Steve Kramer]

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Israel, Middle East, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Steve Kramer, USA

Thoughts Prompted by the Tabernacle in Parasha Pekudei

Although Moses and Bezalel were beyond suspicion, they set an example about using public funds. They felt the Israelites were entitled to a reckoning since the donated materials had initially belonged to them. As a result of their example, many people learn to do likewise. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]

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Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Parashat Pekudei: Fulfilling God’s Sacred Plan in Unity

The parasha hints at something quite illuminating. While we built the Mishkan, the process of doing so, the unity we experienced, our undistracted singular focus and purpose, our following Hashem’s plan, actually built us, says the Malbim. By building something, the builder changes. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]

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Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Jake Tapper

In 2015, his show was named State of the Union with Jake Tapper, where he gained a reputation for asking tough questions to such national politicians as Bernie Sanders, Jeb Bush, Hillary Clinton, and Donald Trump. In 2015, he was selected to moderate two Republican presidential primary debates at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. In 2018, his first novel, The Hellfire Club, was published. [SDJW staff]

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Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Today's Jewish Birthday, USA