Dorothea Shefer-Vanson Archives - Page 23 of 37

‘Sleeping Beauty’ delights in Jerusalem

January 3, 2017

By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson JERUSALEM — Once a year Israel’s classical ballet comany puts on a performance of a traditional ballet. This is intended mainly for the entertainment of children during the Chanukah/Christmas holiday season. For me, however, this is a golden opportunity to enjoy a very special aesthetic and artistic treat. When I was growing […]

‘Sleeping Beauty’ delights in Jerusalem Read More »

Was the Bard an insomniac?

December 22, 2016

By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel –Some time ago I had one of those ‘white nights’ that occasionally descend and prevent me from sleeping. I cannot say whether it was my night-cap cup of tea or thoughts about the dire political situation, but whatever the cause, sleep eluded me. As I lay in bed passages

Was the Bard an insomniac? Read More »

Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Dorothea Shefer-Vanson

In praise of Mona Golabek, author and performer

December 16, 2016

By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — Several years ago I read The Pianist of Willesden Lane written by Mona Golabek about the experiences of her mother, Lisa Jura, first in Vienna and then in London. She had been sent there at the age of fourteen in the framework of the Kindertransport, the undertaking that

In praise of Mona Golabek, author and performer Read More »

Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Jewish History, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts

At first German- speaking Jews fared better

December 9, 2016

I Only Wanted to Live; the Struggle of a Boy to Survive the Holocaust by Arie Tamir; published by Arie Tamir, 2015; translated from the Hebrew by Batya Jerenberg By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — Some kind of morbid fascination, possibly even masochism, seems to impel me to download and read yet another Holocaust memoir,

At first German- speaking Jews fared better Read More »

Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Jewish History

Jerusalem has changed almost beyond recognition

December 2, 2016

By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSEET ZION, Israel — It came as a bit of a shock to realize that I’ve been living in or near Jerusalem for over fifty years – the best part of my life, in fact. I still love London, my birthplace, but there’s no escaping the fact that I don’t really know

Jerusalem has changed almost beyond recognition Read More »

Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Middle East, Travel and Food

Israel’s secular schools under religious pressure

November 25, 2016

By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — The headline in the paper one morning made me shudder. It reported that Israel’s Minister of Education, Naftali Bennet, had proclaimed that it was more important to focus on Jewish studies in schools than on math and science subjects. Admittedly, the party that Bennet represents, Jewish Home, stands for

Israel’s secular schools under religious pressure Read More »

Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education

Did the Bard crib from another book on King Lear?

November 16, 2016

1606, Shakespeare and the Year of Lear by James Shapiro published by Faber and Faber, 2015. By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — When I picked this book up at Luton airport, as I was about to board a plane, I thought I was going to read a historical novel. I couldn’t have been more

Did the Bard crib from another book on King Lear? Read More »

Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Winds of resentment: Brexit and Trump victories

November 9, 2016

By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — There’s an ill wind blowing through the world. First Brexit, and now Trump. What’s next? And what makes people vote for a policy or a person that seems on the face of it to embody all that is worst in human nature and societal relations? In the referendum in

Winds of resentment: Brexit and Trump victories Read More »

Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, USA

A reunion of cousins in Israel

November 1, 2016

By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — When I came to live in Israel fifty years ago, and even before that on my occasional visits to the country, my father equipped me with a typewritten list of names and addresses of relatives. I dutifully visited most of them, and so I got to know the numerous

A reunion of cousins in Israel Read More »

Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Jewish History, Middle East, Travel and Food

Security and naivete

October 18, 2016

By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — I happened to be in France at the time of several vicious terrorist attacks there, all perpetrated by Muslims. The poor French public is subjected time and again to these horrendous attacks and is left both bothered and bewildered by it all, as well as being angry with its

Security and naivete Read More »

Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Middle East

Where do authors get their ideas?

October 4, 2016

By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — Writers have different ways of developing their ideas into a novel, and after my fourth novel was published, the editor of San Diego Jewish World asked if I would tell how I go about the process. He suggested that I use my most recent novel, Chasing Dreams and Flies, a Tragicomedy of Life

Where do authors get their ideas? Read More »

Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Dorothea Shefer-Vanson

A novel both brilliant and tedious

September 24, 2016

The Goldfinch by Donna Tratt; Little, Brown; © 2013 By Dorothea Shefer MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — I finished ploughing through this tome and had to immediately go back and read the first few pages, as the book starts by plunging the reader into a strange, surrealistic almost nightmarish scenario of a person (man? woman?) constrained

A novel both brilliant and tedious Read More »

Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Dorothea Shefer-Vanson

Novel tells of British expats in rural France

September 17, 2016

Chasing Dreams and Flies: A Tragicomedy of Life in France by Dorothea Shefer-Vanson; © 2016, books on Kindle; 253 pages. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – Dorothea Shefer-Vanson is an author and writer whose freelance stories are regularly published by San Diego Jewish World, among other publications. Normally she and her husband Yigal reside in

Novel tells of British expats in rural France Read More »

Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Dorothea Shefer-Vanson

Jewish historic connection to Jerusalem undeniable

September 14, 2016

By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — So now the Palestinians are saying that the concept of any historical connection between the Jews and Jerusalem, and the Temple Mount in particular, is pure myth, and they are trying to get UNESCO to adopt a resolution to that effect. I wonder what would happen if they

Jewish historic connection to Jerusalem undeniable Read More »

Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East

‘Sleeping Beauty’ delights in Jerusalem

Was the Bard an insomniac?

In praise of Mona Golabek, author and performer

At first German- speaking Jews fared better

Jerusalem has changed almost beyond recognition

Israel’s secular schools under religious pressure

Did the Bard crib from another book on King Lear?

Winds of resentment: Brexit and Trump victories

A reunion of cousins in Israel

Security and naivete

Where do authors get their ideas?

A novel both brilliant and tedious

Novel tells of British expats in rural France

Jewish historic connection to Jerusalem undeniable

Recent Comments

Make a Donation