Screening American Jewish Diversity

Helene Meyer’s book Movie-Made Jews explores how films mirror and shape the diverse identities embraced by contemporary American Jewry.  Readers of the Jewish feminist magazine Lilith and the Jewish Women’s Archive Blog will be familiar with Meyers’ insightful movie reviews. Here on a bigger canvas, she analyzes documentaries and feature films that venture beyond common cinematic stereotypes of American Jews to dramatize their attitudes towards antisemitism, assimilation, feminism, gender orientation, the Holocaust, Jewish assertiveness, and race relations. [Laurie Baron, Ph.D]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish History, Lawrence Baron, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Bible Leaves So Many Quesions Unanswered about Dinah

Aside from the terrible tale of the kidnapping and apparent rape of Jacob’s daughter Dinah in the biblical book Genesis, we know very little about Dinah other than the usual obscurities which the Torah does not explain, which prompt us to think of what is happening and why, some of which we list below. This tale also raises the question of the Bible’s view of women. [Rabbi Israel Drazin]

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Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion

Requiem for the San Diego Rep

I was heartbroken to learn that The San Diego Repertory Theatre, known locally as The Rep, is suspending operations as of June 19, 2022. Performances by Hershey Felder will be relocated to other venues (tbd), but the rest of the lineup has been cancelled and their staff laid off. Reasons for this are many including the pandemic, a flooded theatre space just as things were recovering, noisy construction in the re-invented Horton Plaza, and a parking structure with prices so stiff they seemed designed to drive business away. [Eric George Tauber]

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Eric George Tauber, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

US Mission to Palestinians Renamed, Will Report Directly to Washington

Published by Reuters By Dan Williams JERUSALEM (Reuters) -The U.S. diplomatic mission to the Palestinians in Jerusalem said on Thursday that it had been redesignated and will report directly to Washington “on substantive matters”, signalling an upgrade in ties ahead of a planned visit by President Joe Biden. The former “Palestinian Affairs Unit” (PAU) was

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Middle East, USA

Prominent West Coast Synagogue Sinai Temple Appoints New Senior Rabbis

LOS ANGELES (Press Release) — Sinai Temple, one of the largest and most prominent synagogues on the West Coast, announced today that their board of directors has approved Rabbi Nicole Guzik and Rabbi Erez Sherman as the congregation’s new Senior Rabbis. Rabbis Guzik’s appointment is historical, as she will be the first female senior rabbi

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California, Jewish Religion

SD Repertory Theatre to Suspend Productions as of June 19, Working to Identify Fiscally Viable Future

SAN DIEGO (Press Release) — Solutions are being sought to secure the future of San Diego Repertory Theatre, which has produced intimate, provocative, inclusive theatre for 46 years, and been a key fixture of the San Diego arts community and the national theatre landscape.  San Diego REP is canceling the remaining scheduled productions in 2022

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San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Congregation Beth Israel Men’s Club to Host Federation CEO June 15

SAN DIEGO (Press Release) — Join Congregation Beth Israel on Wednesday, June 15, for its Men’s Club monthly speaker forum. This month the Men’s Club will welcome Heidi Gantwerk, President and CEO of the Jewish Federation of San Diego County. Heidi will provide an overview of Federation’s work. She will also provide an overview of

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San Diego County

Ishay Ribo Elevates Disability Care With Benefit Concert for ADI

(JNS) As spring gives way to summer, the live music scene is heating up in Jerusalem, and the first must-see concert of the season had an empowering twist. On Monday evening, June 6, international superstar Ishay Ribo played a sold out show at the Jerusalem Theater to benefit ADI Jerusalem, ensuring that the residential, rehabilitative

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Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts

Inspiring Music From the ‘Dean of Afro-American Composers’

By Eileen Wingard   LA JOLLA, California — I was thrilled to discover, in my mailbox last week, the long-awaited CD of music by the American composer, William Grant Still, with my sister Zina Schiff as violin soloist and my niece Avlana Eisenberg conducting the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Zina and Avlana recorded this magnificent

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Eileen Wingard, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts

Critics of Orthodox Jewish Bastions Enter Murky Territory

By Bruce S. Ticker PHILADELPHIA — Michelle Zangari opened a can devoid of any live worms when she warned that Orthodox Jews could be poised to seize control of Rockville Centre on Long Island, which was part of an eight-minute rant that drew condemnations against antisemitism from New York’s governor, senior senator and scores of

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Bruce Ticker, Opinion, USA