By Natasha Josefowitz, Ph.D. Ritual: any practice or pattern of behavior regularly performed in a set manner; a prescribed code of behavior regulating social conduct, such as the shaking of hands in greeting.[1] Tradition: the handing down of legends or customs from generation to generation, especially by word of mouth or by practice; a continuing […]
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Travel and FoodMemo to our readers: Some of you may be wondering why some comments are posted below stories, and others aren’t. Our editors usually have the opportunity to review comments before they are posted. As a matter of policy we send to the trash comments that include abusive language; generic attacks on any nationality, racial group, religious group, gender
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Donald H. Harrison
By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Normally commentators would be worrying for days about the report in The Washington Post that a coterie of present and former National Security Advisors are pressing President Obama to proclaim their solution for Israel and Palestine. However, that story was below the fold on the front page of Ha’aretz, and is missing from
'Holyland' Hotel scandal rivets Israeli attention Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – For a moment, my daughter and grandson looked at me as if I were Dan Brown revealing not the secrets of the Da Vinci Code, but the hidden messages in the Harry Potter code. I had told them that author J.K. Rowling had put herself into the Harry
Is ‘Hermione’ part of J.K. Rowling’s secret code in the Harry Potter series? Read More »
Donald H. HarrisonBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM–Avishai Margalit, arguably Israel’s most significant living philosopher, has recently published a book with the intriguing title, On Compromise and Rotten Compromises. As I haven’t read it, I’m not in a position to comment on it, but one quote as it appears in John Gray’s review in The New York Review of
Just a peace or a just peace? Read More »
Middle East, USABy Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel–Been there, done that. Why was Israel not affected by the global economic crisis to the same extent as some other countries, specifically the US and the UK? It was probably due to a number of factors. In the 1980s, due to a combination of ideological rigidity and economic
How Israel avoided the global economic meltdown Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Middle East, USABy Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. –Arms control, a vestige of the Cold War, is back. Negotiations to determine the future size and shape of the American and Russian arsenals have been concluded and a new accord will be signed Thursday in Prague. How fitting to sign in the Czech Republic, stripped of a planned
Is U.S. rushing into bad deal with Russians Read More »
USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–On Tuesday we read that the Hamas regime in Gaza had reached a consensus with other rejectionist movements to cease firing into Israel. They were not giving up the struggle, but agreed that escalation at this time was not in their mutual interests. Today (Wednesday) we read that six mortars were fired toward
Doubts that Obama would recognize borders of self-declared Palestine state Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Michael Bart SAN DIEGO (Press Release)–San Diego’s Community Holocaust Commemoration will take place this year on Yom HaShoah, April 11th, at 1:30 pm at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center, David and Dorothea Garfield Theater. The theme for this year’s program is “Remember, Honor, and Teach: Liberation 65 Years Later.” Each year San Diegans
San Diego's Holocaust Commemoration to be held April 11th Read More »
San Diego CalendarBy Yvonne Greenberg and Paul Greenberg SAN DIEGO–The premise of the San Diego Repertory Theatre’s new play, Weekend With Picasso, is that Pablo Picasso must produce six paintings and three vases over the weekend at his villa in France for a wealthy American client. But what the play really attempts to do is give the audience
What led to the Rep's 'Weekend With Picasso'? Read More »
USA
MEMPHIS, Tennessee (Press Release)–Author and Rabbi Ben Kamin was the keynote speaker and book signer at the annual April 4th Commemoration of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King at the National Civil Rights Museum–Lorraine Motel. King died there on April 4, 1968. Kamin launched his new book, NOTHING LIKE SUNSHINE: A Story in the Aftermath
Kamin launches book at MLK commemoration Read More »
Travel and FoodBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — Mimouna is a colorful tradition that North African Jews brought to Israel. It celebrates the end of the festival of Passover. Activities include much public jollification and eating of post-Pesach dishes made from recipes from the old country. It has also become an occasion for Israeli right-wing politicians (who
Israel seeking to substitute personalities for foreign policy initiatives Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–The news was not good when Barack Obama opened his newspapers upon returning to work from his Easter holiday (assuming that the American president had a holiday, beyond a family photo-op at church). From Afghanistan: There are no good options on the horizon, many analysts say, for reining in Mr. Karzai or
Obama facing diplomatic reverses all over the world Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USA
By Carol Davis SAN DIEGO–Stephen Sondheim turned eighty this year and what better way to honor him than by mounting one of his plays in a BIG way! Whether by choice or chance, artistic director Sean Murray and his creative team decided to add Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street to its season.
Cygnet Theatre honors Sondheim best way possible Read More »
Carol Davis, Theatre, Film & Broadcast