International and
National |
8,000 sign petition urging DePaul University
to deny tenure to Shoah minimizer Finkelstein
LOS ANGELES (Press Release)—StandWithUs (SWU), the Los Angeles-based
international education organization, today delivered a petition with 8,000
signatures to Chicago's DePaul University administrators, urging them to
deny tenure to controversial faculty member Dr. Norman Finkelstein. The
petition was sent by Fed-Ex to DePaul's President The Rev. Dennis H.
Holtschneider, and to Provost Dr. Helmut Epp.
Dr. Finkelstein has been an assistant professor in the Political Science
department since 2001. In April, his department and the College Personnel
Committee voted to grant him tenure. However, administrators recommended
against tenure. The final decision will be made in the next two weeks. SWU
delivered the petition on June 1 so the school could consider its input
while making their final decision.
"We understand that DePaul may not appreciate outside input, but
Finkelstein's supporters threw the issue into the public arena by launching
a petition in favor of his tenure," explained Roz Rothstein, SWU's
International Director. "Only then did we write an alternative petition to
give a voice to those who oppose his appointment. The 8,000 signatures show
how many people are deeply disturbed by the Finkelstein's questionable
scholarship, polemics and vitriolic attacks against those who disagree with
him."
Finkelstein has been a lightning rod for controversy. He argues that Jews
have exploited the Holocaust to enrich themselves or to justify Israeli
policies. He called Holocaust survivor and Nobel Prize winner Elie Wiesel
"the resident clown of the Holocaust circus" and a "ridiculous figure."
His work on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict has also been criticized by
many, including Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz, for its bias and
misinformation. According to University of Chicago professor Peter Novick,
Finkelstein's "assertions are pure invention….No facts alleged by
Finkelstein should be assumed to be really facts…."
Historian Daniel Jonah Goldhagen argues that "Finkelstein's work is, from
beginning to end, a tendentious series of inventions…"
Dr. Finkelstein has also been criticized for defaming or personally
attacking those who disagree with him instead of engaging in reasonable
debate about the issues.
"Unfortunately, Dr. Finkelstein has contributed to the misinformation and
prejudice that surround discussions of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Granting him tenure would undermine those who support responsible and
informed scholarship and debate. Through this petition, people who hope for
better understanding and for peace have been able to make their views known
to DePaul's administration," said SWU President Esther Renzer.
(jump to continuation)
Buena Vista Hadassah
cordially invites you to hear
Rabbi Chaplain Joel D. Newman
based on his experiences in the war zone
"Passover in Iraq"
12:30 p.m., Tuesday, June 19
Vista Library, 700 Eucalyptus Avenue, Vista
Free refreshments
For further information: call Vivian (760) 967-0149
|
Zionist Organization of America, citing new Israeli poll,
urges Olmert to abandon idea of 'unilateral withdrawals'
NEW YORK (Press Release)—A
new Israeli poll has found that 68% of Israelis are opposed to
withdrawing from the Golan Heights and that 53% are opposed to
withdrawals from Judea and Samaria, in both cases, not even in return
for a "real peace."
In the case of unilateral withdrawals in Judea and Samaria, nearly
two-thirds of Israelis – 65% – are opposed. When it comes to concessions
on Jerusalem involving the Western Wall, 86% of Israelis are opposed.
86% also believe that Israel would not be able to reach a peace
agreement with Syria.
The poll, conducted by the Dahaf Institute for the Knesset Channel, was
conducted to ascertain how Israelis would vote in the event of a
referendum on any future withdrawals following the presentation of a
bill in the Knesset by former coalition chairman MK Avigdor Yitzchaki (Kadima)
that would require a referendum prior to any withdrawals from Jerusalem
or the Golan Heights. The bill passed its first reading, despite the
opposition of the Olmert government, Meretz and Arab parties (Israel
National News, June 1).
ZOA National President Morton
A. Klein said, "This latest poll shows that the majority of the Israeli
public opposes a policy of withdrawal, let alone one of unilateral
withdrawals, which the Olmert government has advocated.
The negative consequences of Israel's 2005 unilateral
withdrawal from Gaza have
included increased arms smuggling into Gaza, increased rocket attacks
from northern Gaza, and the infiltration of Al-Qaeda and Iranian
personnel into the territory.
"Former Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief-of-Staff, Lt.-Gen. Moshe
Yaalon has also argued that it was this unilateral withdrawal that led
to Hamas' election victory and emboldened it to continue attacking
Israel. The horrific anti-peace, pro-terror actions of the PA and its
people show clearly that they have no interest in peace,
only in Israel's destruction and this has caused the Israeli public to
move clearly to the right.
"Israelis are afraid that
further unilateral withdrawals in Judea and Samaria will only bring
Iranian and Al-Qaeda personnel as well as missiles, katyushas rockets
and mortars up to Israel's major population centers, including
Jerusalem, while civilian aircraft taking off and landing at Ben-Gurion
airport will be within the terrorists' range. We urge the Olmert
government to heed the large majority opposition to further unilateral
concessions and to publicly discard the idea from its platform."
The foregoing release was provided
by the Zionist Organization of America.
______________________
|
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Jews
in the News
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Like you, we're pleased when members of our community are
praiseworthy, and are disappointed when they are blameworthy.
Whether
it's good news or bad news, we'll try to keep track of what's being said in
general media about our fellow Jews.
Our news spotters are Dan Brin in Los Angeles, Donald H. Harrison in San Diego,
and you. Wherever you are, if you see a story of interest, please send a
summary and link to us at sdheritage@cox.net.
To
see a source story click on the link within the respective paragraph.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
*Congressman Howard Berman (Democrat, California) can expect many
visitors from labor unions to call at his offices. As a member of the
House Judiciary Committee he is the focus of efforts by competing labor
unions to deal with the compromise immigration bill. Some like the
Service Employees Union International see immigrants as potential new
members, whereas others like those in the AFL-CIO regard them as potential
competitors for jobs. A
story by
Molly Hennessy-Fiske
is in today's Los Angeles Times.
*Legendary editor Abraham Cahan and the newspaper he built, Jewish
Daily Forward, are the subjects of an immigrant-experience exhibit at
the Museum of the City of New York. Ariella Budick of Newsday
has the
story in today's Los Angeles Times.
*U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (Democrat, California) failed to win
support in the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee for legislation to
prohibit funding for interrogations in which prisoners are subjected to
physical pressure or pain, unless the President determines the detainee
possesses information about a specific and imminent threat. The New
York Times News Service
story by Scott Shane is in today's San Diego Union-Tribune.
*Sunroad Enterprises, owned by Aaron
Feldman, is in a second land-use controversy with the Federal Aviation
Administration, this one over a proposed high rise project on the east side
of Harbor Island near Lindbergh Field. The company also is battling
the FAA over a building at Montgomery Field. The
story by Maureen Magee and David Hasemyer is in today's San Diego
Union-Tribune.
*Author Mark Harris who was perhaps best known for such baseball
books as Bang The Drum Slowly, has died at 84. An
obituary by Dennis McLellan is in today's Los Angeles Times.
*Aaron Kornblum, an attorney for Microsoft, says Robert Alan
Soloway, the alleged spam king arrested for defrauding people through the
use of false emails, owes Microsoft $7.8 million but the company has been
unable to find his bank accounts. The Washington Post
story is in today's Los Angeles Times.
*Janet Levine, defending former Los Angeles AirPort Commissioner
Leland Wong against felony conflict-of-interest charges, expresses
confidence that after the prosecution takes its "desperation shots" at the
defendant, he will be acquitted. Ted Rohrlich reports the
story in today's Los Angeles Times.
*U.S. District Court Judge Reggie Walton, presiding over the trial of
I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, says he has received over 150 letters from
people recommending strictness or leniency in sentencing the former chief of
staff to Vice President Dick Cheney on multiple counts of obstructing
justice. The
story by The Washington Post is in today's San Diego
Union-Tribune.
*Unison, Great Britain's union of public employees, has voted to place
on the agenda of its upcoming convention a boycott resolution against Israel
similar to one previously voted on by the University and College Union.
The New York Times News Service
story is in a column of world briefs in today's San Diego
Union-Tribune.
*Did you know that there are
more calories in some fast food salads with dressing than in a sirloin
steak? State Sen. Carole Midgden (D-San Francisco) believes you have
the right to know and pushed legislation through the state Senate to require
restaurants to list nutrition information. The Associated Press
story is in today's San Diego Union-Tribune.
*Child psychologist Marian Radke-Yarrow has died at age 89. Her
1952 book,
They Learn What They Live: Prejudice in Young
Children,
was cited by the U.S. Supreme Court in the landmark Brown vs. Board of
Education decision requiring the desegregation of schools. An
obituary by Dennis Hevesi of the New York Times News Service is in
today's San Diego Union-Tribune.
*Comedians will gather June 28 in Los Angeles for a salute to Mort
Sahl on his 80th birthday. The
story is in today's Los Angeles Times.
*The defense in the
murder trial of record producer Phil Spector wants a jury to see a
diary kept by victim Lana Clarkson in which she discusses talking to dead
people. The
story by Matt Krasnowski of the Copley News Service is in today's San
Diego Union-Tribune.
(return to
top)
_________________________________________________
The Jewish Grapevine
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE SABRA—A car owned by Howard Singer will go on display
the San Diego Automotive Museum at the end of
June as one of several companion exhibits in Balboa Park marking the arrival
from Israel of the Dead Sea Scrolls
at the San Diego Natural History Museum The 4-cylinder car was manufactured
in 1963. Automotive Museum photos
AROUND THE TOWN—Susan
Jaffe, who retired from the American Ballet Theatre
after 22 years dancing in principal roles, will guest teach July 30-Aug. 3
at a summer session offered by City Ballet of San Diego for which serious
ballet students must
audition in order to qualify. Information may be obtained by phoning
(858) 274-6058 or visiting City
Ballet's web site at www.cityballet.org.
INTERFAITH—Rev. Gail Albert of the Poway Interfaith Council, which includes
several rabbis, passes along Anthem for the world, a musical slide show by
Matthew Levine conjuring a vision of world peace. Here is
the link.
...Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal of Tifereth Israel Synagogue delivers a
lecture at 7 p.m. Sunday on "Talking
to Our Intermarried Children and Understanding Our Evolving Roles."
The public is welcome at the event sponsored by Keruv, the congregation's
outreach group. For more information, call the congregation at (619)
697-6001.
__________________
Top:
Five
hundred of San Diego’s philanthropic leaders tonight celebrated the 40th
anniversary of the Jewish Community Foundation, San Diego’s largest grant
maker and oldest community foundation.
Bottom left:
Past
presidents of the Jewish Community Foundation celebrated the Foundation's
40th anniversary: Back row, left to
right: Edgar Berner; Rodney Stone; Lawrence Sherman; Andrew Viterbi; Jack
Schuster. Front row, left to right:
Shearn Platt; Pauline Foster; Herbert Solomon; Chair Sheila Potiker; Jerome
Katzin. Not pictured: Nessim Tiano
Bottom right:
From left to right: Marjory Kaplan, CEO of the
Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego; Murray Galinson and Elaine
Galinson, chairs of the event; Sheila Potiker, Foundation chair.
Photos by Melissa Jacobs, Creative Keepsakes Photography
Jewish Community Foundation, now
largest grantmaker in
San Diego County, celebrates 40 years of philanthropy
SAN
DIEGO (Press Release)—Five hundred of San Diego’s philanthropic leaders on
Thursday evening, May 31, celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Jewish
Community Foundation, San Diego’s largest grant maker and oldest community
foundation.
At
the elegant, high-energy evening at the San Diego Museum of Man, the
Foundation honored 40 years of charitable giving to the San Diego community
and thanked those who give. Mayor Jerry Sanders was among the dignitaries in
attendance.
The
celebration brought together philanthropists with the non-profit agencies,
organizations and religious institutions – both Jewish and secular – that
deliver services to San Diegans.
“Since
1967, a lot has happened – in our lives and at the Foundation,” said Murray
Galinson, event chair. “First, the foundation has become the largest
grant-maker in San Diego County. Just last year, we gave away more than $50
million in grants to the Jewish and general communities. Most of
Museum of Man
these
grants came through family funds and foundations.
“Second, more than 500 families have committed millions of dollars through
their estates for future endowments. These legacies
will be vitally important to keep our community strong for future
generations.
“Third
and final, the Foundation has become a national model in many areas --
including family philanthropy, endowments, our youth program, and our
women’s foundation.”
Celebrants previewed the Museum of Man’s forthcoming exhibit, Journey to the
Copper Age, which opens next month. This landmark show, which originated at
the Israel Museum, is based on a research expedition led by Dr. Thomas Levy
of the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Levy guided tours of the
exhibit at the party.
The
Jewish Community Foundation is most grateful to the event underwriters: DLA
Piper US LLP; Carleton Management, Inc.; San Diego National Bank; Scripps
Investments & Loans, Inc.; AKT LLP; Goldman Sachs & Company; and San Diego
Private Bank.
“At the core of all the Foundation’s work is a genuine sense of gratitude,”
said Sheila Potiker, chair of the Foundation. “For the generosity of our
donors, for the friendship of the community, and for the work we all do
together to strengthen Jewish life and improve the world -- thank you to
each and every one of you here tonight.”
Marjory Kaplan, chief executive officer of the Foundation, urged celebrants
to continue to make a difference, saying: “We have much more work to do
together. There are more families to involve in giving, more young people to
engage in philanthropy, and more needs that must be met in San Diego, Israel
and around the world.”
With managed assets of $264 million, the Jewish Community Foundation is the
largest grant maker in San Diego. Founded in 1967, the Jewish Community
Foundation partners with individuals, families and community organizations
to help them achieve their philanthropic goals and to increase current and
future support for a vibrant and secure Jewish community in San Diego,
Israel and around the world.
During fiscal year 2005-06, the Jewish Community Foundation distributed more
than $53 million in 3,900 separate grants to 800 different charitable
organizations. Since its inception, the Jewish Community Foundation has
granted more than $400 million to nonprofits that serve the community.
The Jewish Community Foundation’s mission is to promote philanthropy through
meaningful partnerships with donors and community organizations in achieving
charitable goals; and to increase current and future support for a vibrant
and secure Jewish and general community in San Diego, Israel and around the
world.
Visit the Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego at www.jcfsandiego.org or
call (858) 279-2740.
The foregoing release was provided by the
Jewish Community Foundation.
|
Jewish Family Service
resettles more than
60 refugees each year in San Diego area
SAN DIEGO (Press Release)—Seven years ago, the United
Nations Association named June 20 as World Refugee Day. The day provides
refugee concerned groups an opportunity to draw attention to the
situation of refugees worldwide. Refugee Resettlement Services of
Jewish Family Service of San Diego (JFS) resettles over 60 political
refugees annually by providing clients with high quality social
services.
Immediately upon arrival into the United States, JFS
provides a furnished apartment, airport pick-up, acculturation services,
translation/ESL services, employment assistance and advocacy. Services
continue for eight months after the initial resettlement and include:
Wilson/Fish Alternative Projects to promote self-sufficiency; family
strengthening classes; financial assistance; medical assistance; social
services; and case management. JFS also provides outreach to Jewish
Russian refugees, including Shalom Magazine, the only Russian
language magazine in San Diego.
Refugee Resettlement Services of Jewish Family Service
consistently goes above and beyond the standards set by the State
Department. “It is not just about finding an apartment, it is about
finding the best apartment. It is not just about finding a job, it is
about finding the best job” says Etleva Bejko, Director of Refugee
Resettlement. In January-March of 2007, 100% of employable Refugee
Resettlement clients remained employed after 90 days; the State
Department goal is set at 70%. State Department standards say 61% of
refugees employed must become self-sufficient after eight months. In
February 2007, 100% of employed JFS clients were self-sufficient after
eight months of employment.
Refugee Resettlement Services of Jewish Family Service
has been assisting political refugees and asylees since the early
1900s. Today the program is located at the new Jewish Family Service
Turk Family Center at 8804 Balboa Avenue. Refugee Resettlement depends
on financial contributions from the public and is always in need of
household items such as lamps,
telephones, chairs, sofas, tables, kitchen supplies, detergent, and
toiletries. For more information about the program contact Etleva Bejko
at (858) 637-3093 or visit www.jfssd.org.
The foregoing release was provided by Jewish Family Service
|
Rabbi Baruch Lederman
Amazing tales of Judaism
Congregation Kehillas Torah, San Diego
________________________________________________________
Whenever abba forgets his
hat, it's sure to rain
Dvar Torah: B'haaloscha
The Children of Israel traveled through the wilderness with the Divine
Clouds to give them light and shelter and to guide them. The clouds told
them when to travel and when to encamp.
They had the manna which fell from the heavens to give them sustenance and a
sense of structured schedule. They had such a clear understanding that
Hashem guides their
lives as He runs and controls the world. This concept is crucial to us to
this very day, as the following true story, related by Yossi Glick* (name
changed) illustrates:
It started as a joke. I was on the way out the door to work one day when my
wife told me to take my hat and raincoat. "It's going to rain today." I
said, "But it's nice out now. I'll take my chances." I came home soaked.
A few days later, on the way out the door my wife said, "You better take
your hat and raincoat, it's supposed to rain.: This time I listened. No
rain. Just bright, clear skies, high heat and plenty of humidity. So I came
home all clammy from the heat of the raincoat and hat.
But it wasn't until this happened a few more time that we began to notice a
trend. Invariably, whenever the forecast called for rain, all I had to do
was wear my hat and the day weather would hold out. But if I dared leave the
hat at home I'd come home drenched!
It was uncanny. It got to the point where my wife could predict the weather
based on whether or not I took my hat. And if she knew she was going to be
out, she would ask me to wear my hat so it wouldn't rain. And it worked!
Always!
One day, as we were all about to leave the house, me on my way to work and
my wife with the kids to school, she asked me to take my hat. "The forecast
says rain."
My three-year-old boy spoke up just then. "Abba, I like rain. I want it to
rain today".
"That's wonderful. It look's like there may be a big storm and you can watch
the rain all you want." I gave him a little pinch on the cheek and then
grabbed my hat and started to go. My little boy started to get upset.
"What's wrong"?
"No Abba, don't take your hat".
"Why not"?
"I want it to rain today and if you take your hat, it won't rain".
Uh Oh. Lesson number one: The kids are always listening. Watch what you say.
I knelt down and gave my son a hug. "My boy, let this be a lesson. It
doesn't really matter whether Abba wears his hat or not. Abba can't control
the rain. It's like everything else in life. It only looks like people are
running things. But Hashem is really in control the whole time."
Dedicated by Ivor & Joan
Jacobson in memory of their daughter Lauren.
_________________________________________________________________
Torah
on One Foot
By Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal
Tifereth Israel Synagogue, San Diego
____________________________________
Rely on yourself.
Don't expect a miracle!
As Moses and the Children of
Israel set out for the Promised Land he asked Hobab, his father-in-law*,
to come with them: "We are setting out for the place of which the Lord
has said, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us and we will be generous
with you; for the Lord has promised to be generous to Israel." (Num.
10:29)Hobab, however,
did not want to go. He told Moses that he wished to return to his native
land of Midian.
Moses, realizing that they
would need his knowledge of the desert and expertise, pressed him to
come with them: "Please do not leave us, inasmuch as you know where we
should camp in the wilderness and be our guide. So if you come with us,
we will tend to you the same bounty that the Lord grants us." (Num.
10:31-32)
Moses’ insistence paid off and
Hobab joined them. As a reward for his faithfulness, Hobab and his
descendants received a parcel of land in the southern part of Judah.
One may wonder why Moses was so
worried about finding his way to the promised land. Even if he did not
have a GPS, God had provided the Israelites with a Pillar of Fire by
night and the Clouds of Glory by day to guide them on their way. With
all of this Divine Intervention at hand, why was he worried about have a
human guide?
He asked for Hobab’s help, our
sages said, because our tradition warns us not to rely on miracles.
Although Judaism has great confidence in faith and prayer, it values
human action even more. Judaism teaches that when we need to get
something done we should do everything within our power to accomplish
our goals ourselves, never to be ashamed or embarrassed to ask for
advice or help, and that in the end, after we have expended all effort
possible, God will help us finish the job.
It is this same lesson we learn
from the well worn story about the man who rejected God because he never
won the lottery. After listening to his litany of complaints about God’s
failure to help him become a millionaire, God finally said to him:
"Moshe, I know I have disappointed you because you haven’t won. But
Moshe, you would have made my work easier if you had bought a ticket!"
"God helps them who helps
themselves."
*The Torah records three names
for Moses’ father-in-law: Hobab, Yitro, and Reuel.
______________
|
Max Siegel
Congratulations on your
graduation!
Now
it's off to UC Berkeley!
Grandma Paula
|
Arts,
Entertainment and Dining |
______________________________________________
Arts
in Review
by
Carol Davis
____________________________________________
George and Martha are at it again!
SAN DIEGO—In the final scene of Edward Albee’s tragi/comedy, Who’s Afraid
of Virginia Woolf? George puts his hand gently on Martha’s shoulder, she
puts her head back, and he sings to her very softly : “Whose afraid of
Virginia Woolf, Virginia Woolf, Virginia Woolf’”,… and she responds through
teary eyes, “I… am George…I…am…”(George nods slowly) (Silence, tableau)
Curtain. WOW! Who would have guessed?
Virginia Woolf is not just some old play written in 1962. It is more like a
battlefield for George and Martha, who have been waging this mêlée since
their marriage began. It’s the play that put Albee on the map and changed
the tone of contemporary literature. Howard Taubman of The New York Times
said that Virginia Woolf : “…towers over the common run of
contemporary plays. It marks a further gain for a young writer becoming a
major figure on stage.” And Newsweek said, “…a brilliantly original work of
art- an excoriating theatrical experience, surging with shocks of
recognition and dramatic fire.”
You don’t have to trust these critics. These reviews were written after it
was performed off-Broadway in 1962 and then went on to win the New York
Drama Critics Circle and Tony Awards as the Best Play of the 1962-’63
season. Just head down to the Cassius Carter Theatre at The Old Globe in
Balboa Park and make your own judgments.
Unlike the times of its premiere on Broadway and in Hollywood at its
opening, we as a society are more accustomed to the four letter words, the
marital breakups, the dysfunctional family life seen in movies and TV, but
it doesn’t make it any easier.
I don’t think anyone is really ever prepared for the drama of and in
Virginia Woolf but every now and then theatres take it out, dust it off
and present their interpretation of what they think it should look like.
Unsettling as it may seem, survival is the name of the game in this play and
these two will do anything to survive the nightmare they have made for
themselves. And unsettling as it may be, theatre companies owe it to their
audiences to mount it, if for nothing else but to see a classic.
The definitive Virginia Woolf seems to be the movie
version starring Elizabeth Taylor* and Richard Burton. directed by Mike
Nichols. It was brutal, as those who remember the show can now attest.
Taylor took home the Academy Award for her performance as Martha. That was
in 1966.
Everyone wants their Virginia Woolf to look like the movie version. That it
doesn’t happen is OK. In director Richard Seer’s production, quite the
opposite happens. But more on that later.
As presented in the round, the powers that be at The Globe have a concept
that the Classics should be up close and personal, and this one is.
Sitting in this intimate space the characters are in our face close and we
are almost in Martha (Monique Fowler) and George’s (James Sutorius) living
room (Alan E. Muraoka designed the sets) which is a cluttered mish mash of
furniture with clothes strewn about. Not to be unnoticed, however, there are
no less than a dozen cocktail glasses lined up on a low hutch on one side
with
liquor galore. Eventually those glasses end up resting on one table or
another throughout the night.
L-R: Sturgis, Sutorius, Fowler, Ferrarra
When the play opens, the couple is just coming home from visiting her
father, the president of the college, somewhere in Massachusetts, where
George teaches. George is in the History department (two bones of
contention; the president and the teacher as opposed to The Head of the
Dept.).
They are both three sheets to the wind, and instead of going to bed, they
are awaiting the arrival of a new faculty member, Nick (Scott Ferrara) and
his wife Honey (Nisi Sturgis). It’s two o’clock in the morning and they are
just warming up for the next round of blows to keep the adrenalin pumping.
To their unsuspecting guests, they haven’t a clue as to what’s coming.
Heaven help them.
As I mentioned earlier, Fowler’s Martha is not quite as vulgar, unkempt,
vicious, nasty, brutal or pious as the classic Taylor’s was. She just
nuzzles in and, in her own way, in three acts and no less than three hours,
pushes George to the brink. Her voice doesn’t irritate or grate on the
nerves. It does have a distinct accent, but not recognizable. She is just
plain mean spirited and drunk! But don’t underestimate. She knows how to get
George going. Fowler, a Globe Associate has appeared in many Globe
productions over the years and has never disappointed. Her Martha is
different. It works.
But on opening night, she fell a little short of being on target in the
first act.
Au contraire, it’s Sutorius’ George who appears to have won the upper hand
when all the votes are in and the final bell has sounded. His performance,
while quiet, is sharp, focused, painful sometimes comical and point blank.
It comes at staccato intervals and he jabs like a boxer playing with his
opponent. Sutorius is a master of all he surveys and has in no way fallen
victim to her ugliness.
He seems to have a plan for the game and he follows
it through. Unfortunately for Martha, she has opened door number three and
it turns out the she chose the wrong night to confide in Honey that they
have a son. All the worms came crawling out of the can and the story and the
existence of the ‘little bugger’ was finally exorcized; put to rest, in a
highly dramatic give and take, much to her chagrin and their guest’s awe.
Sutorius, a fine actor who has proven himself to Globe watchers, won the San
Diego Theatre Critics Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play,
Lincolnesque. He seems to have captured the essence of George; not too
loud, not too overpowering, not too funny but overbearing enough in his
constant barrage of babble to wear both Martha and Nick down. Scott Ferrera
was right on target on opening night as the sometimes defiant sometimes
baffled Nick and Nisi Sturgis was perfect as Honey the milquetoast wife who
tricked her husband into marrying her only to be lost in an another empty
(nest) marriage.
Sears’ direction, whilst walking that fine line of balancing humor and
pathos, puts this Virginia Woolf into the category of must see. It
plays through June 24. Tickets may be obtained by calling the box office at
(619) 231-194.1
See you at the theatre.
*In 1957 Taylor
converted to Judaism and in 2001, was asked on “Larry King Live”, “You are
Jewish, are you not?” and she replied “I am, I am.” In 1981 she narrated
parts of Genocide produced by the Simon Wiesenthal Center. It went
on to receive the 1981 Academy Award for best documentary, the first
Holocaust documentary to be given this honor. It was the very first review I
had published at the beginning of my long tenure as an Arts Critic.
______________________________________________________________________________
The
Jewish
Citizen
by Donald H. Harrison
____________________________________________________________
Seal vehicles are operated out of Seaport
Village by Old Town Trolley Tours of San Diego. The 90-
minute land and sea tour costs $30 per ticket. For information
contact the trolley at (619) 298-8687.
Yes,
there are Jewish stories everywhere
—even among the Seals and sea lions
SAN DIEGO—When you take an amphibious Seal Tour into San Diego Bay, the
gentle rocking of the boat, the salt air and the breeze combine with the
knowledgeable narration
by guides like Kimmy Nice to produce one's own soporific fantasy—or at least
they did in my case.
Ironically,
on the Seal tour, seals are not the marine mammals you are most likely to
see. Instead you are most likely to encounter California sea lions (Zalophus
californianus). They pretty much own the buoys marking the channel
that every ship must take from the Pacific Ocean before docking in San
Diego. There is only one way in and one way out of the bay.
What's the difference between a seal and a sea lion? Ears and
flippers. The sea lions have ear flaps, and they have flippers
that can double as "feet" for navigating on land. Seals on the other
hand just have holes in their heads where their ears are. Not having the big
flippers, they slide on the land if it's wet enough.
According to the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
sea lions are "playful,
smart, and graceful in the water" and are "intelligent,
agile and easy to train."
When you go to the circus to see a "trained seal," you are more likely to
see a California sea lion. Like dolphins, they are supposed to be incredibly
bright. In fact the United States Navy has a Marine Mammal facility on
this bay where it trains both sea lions and dolphins for various porpoises—er,
purposes.
On
its
website, the Navy explains that it utilizes dolphins and sea lions
because of "1) their sensory capabilities; and, 2) their diving
capabilities. Dolphins naturally possess the most sophisticated sonar known
to man. Mines and other potentially dangerous objects on the ocean floor are
acoustically difficult targets to detect, especially in murky or dark water.
The dolphin's biosonar system is unmatched in its ability to make accurate
detections. The sea lion has excellent low light vision and underwater
directional hearing capabilities. Sea lions are not only adept at locating
objects in challenging conditions, they also have the ability to maneuver in
tight spaces and can go onto the shore if necessary.
"Both species of animals can make repeated deep-water dives without
suffering the effects of decompression sickness or 'the bends' as humans
do," the Navy site goes on to report.
"One sea lion, two handlers, and a rubber boat searching for objects on the
ocean floor can effectively replace a full-sized naval vessel and its crew,
a group of human divers, and the doctors and machinery necessary to support
the divers operating onboard the vessel."
All of this made me think about the
Uplift Trilogy by
science fiction writer David Brin, a friend whose daughter Ari's bat mitzvah
was the subject of a recent
story
of San Diego Jewish World. One of the concepts that Brin
suggested was that higher species could employ a process of education to
"uplift" other species to the point that they not only could be trained but
could think for themselves and communicate those thoughts to humans.
In Brin's books, dolphins and humans ally themselves against other species
on other planets.
I found myself musing if sea lions ever were to become human allies, whether
they would announce their own religion to us, or whether they would be moved
to investigate human belief systems. If the latter, I wondered, how
big a sacrifice would they consider converting to Judaism to be?
Kashruth obviously could be a problem, but maybe not that big a one.
NOAA's Southwest Fisheries Science Center reports on its
website that sea lions in Southern California feed chiefly on "Northern
anchovy (Engraulis mordax), Pacific sardine (Sardinops sagax),
Pacific whiting (Merluccius productus), Pacific mackerel (Scomber
japonicus), jack mackerel (Trachurus symmetricus), shortbelly
rockfish (Sebastes jordani), and market squid (Loligo opalescens)."
Most of these species have fins and
scales, and could pass the tests of even the strictest mashgiach. Of
course, the fact that they eat their food while it's still alive is a
problem.
Another thing I wondered as we
navigated the bay alongside Point
Loma: Who came up with the acronym NOAA anyway? Was it deliberately
constructed to remind us of one of the best known seagoing navigators who
cared for animals—Noah?
After
our Seal made its way back to the boat launch ramp at Shelter Island, our
captain Jimmy Saffer disembarked to make certain that no kelp had entangled
itself on the tires. Meanwhile our nice guide, er, guide Nice told us that
the fast-growing variety of seaweed is utilized in ice creams, gelatins,
pharmaceuticals and many other food products.
My wife, Nancy, nudged me in the ribs. "But not mattresses, right?"
She was referring to the fact that San Diego's first Jewish settler and
entrepreneur Louis Rose—after whom was named the Roseville area of San Diego
where the Shelter Island boat ramp is located—had once tried futilely to
make a business out of drying the kelp and using it as a mattress stuffer.
In the 1850s, it was an idea before it's time. And still is.
"Gives a whole new meaning to the term kelp bed, doesn't it?" Saffer
commented wryly.
Kimmy Nice holds up some kelp as Jimmy
Staffer pulls
land locks the ladder to the Seal amphibious craft.
Before taking the tour, I
wondered whether I could demonstrate to our visitors from Louisville, Harry
& Sherry Jacobson-Beyer, the truth of the slogan of San Diego Jewish World that "there is
a Jewish story everywhere" even out on the bay.
Nice immediately set my mind at rest. She's a good Catholic girl, she
said, but learned a lot about Judaism before moving to San Diego. She had
spent two years serving as a nanny for a Jewish family in the Foster City
area, near San Francisco. She used to go over the children's Hebrew
lessons with them, and learned about Shabbat and the Jewish holidays.
"What's
the one called that's kind of like
Halloween?" she asked. "Purim." "Right," she said, "I really
like that one—and Chanukah too!"
Bush-Rice...
(continued from above)
The U.S. Secretary of State had
been in Potsdam for a meeting of the Quartet—the European Union, Russia, the
United Nations and the United States—on the situation in the Middle East.
A statement released on Thursday reflected the group's meeting on Wednesday.
It said:
"The
Quartet Principals - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, U.S. Secretary
of State Condoleezza Rice, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon,
High Representative for European Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana,
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and European Commissioner
for External Relations Benita Ferrero-Waldner - met
today in Berlin to discuss the situation in the Middle East.
"The
Quartet expressed its deep concern over recent factional violence in Gaza.
It called for all Palestinians to immediately renounce all acts of violence
and respect the ceasefire. It called upon the Palestinian Authority
government, in cooperation with President Abbas and regional actors, to do
everything necessary to restore law and order, including the release of
kidnapped BBC
journalist Alan Johnston.
"The Quartet strongly condemned the continued firing of Qassam rockets into
Southern Israel as well as the buildup of arms by Hamas and other terrorist
groups in Gaza. It endorsed PA President Abbas' call for an immediate end to
such violence, and called upon all elements of the PA government and all
Palestinian groups to cooperate with President Abbas to that end. The
Quartet called for the immediate and unconditional release of Israeli
Corporal Gilad Shalit. The Quartet urged Israel to exercise restraint to
ensure that its security operations avoid civilian casualties or damage to
civilian infrastructure. It noted that the detention of elected members of
the Palestinian government and legislature raises particular concerns and
called for them to be released. The Quartet noted its support for the May 30th
Security Council Press Statement on the breakdown of the ceasefire in the
Gaza Strip.
"The Quartet welcomed continued dialogue between Prime Minister Olmert and
President Abbas, including bilateral summits, and expressed support for U.S.
efforts to effect progress on security and movement and access issues. The
Quartet agreed that movement and access are essential and in this regard
called on both parties to implement fully the Movement and Access Agreement
of 15 November 2005. The Quartet urged the parties to work positively and
constructively in order to build confidence and to create an environment
conducive to progress on the political horizon for Palestinian statehood,
consistent with the Roadmap and relevant UN Security Council resolutions,
which should also be addressed in these bilateral discussions. Palestinians
must know that their state will be viable, and Israelis must know a future
state of Palestine will be a source of security, not a threat.
"The Quartet commended the excellent work of the Temporary International
Mechanism (TIM) and endorsed its extension for three months from July until
September 2007. It called on donors to follow through on past pledges of
support. The Quartet noted that the resumption of transfers of tax and
customs revenues collected by Israel on behalf of the Palestinian Authority
would have a significant impact on the Palestinian economy. The Quartet
encouraged Israel and the Palestinian Authority to consider resumption of
such transfers via the Temporary International Mechanism to improve the
economic and humanitarian conditions in the West Bank and Gaza. In light of
increased regional support for the Palestinians, the Quartet agreed to
review where additional donor assistance should be focused, with particular
consideration for infrastructure and development programs that can directly
improve the daily lives of Palestinians. The Quartet invited concrete
proposals from the parties on specific international support that could be
useful at this stage.
"The Quartet welcomed the extension of the EU Border Assistance Mission at
Rafah (EU-BAM). It reiterated the importance of resuming normal operations
at the Rafah crossing. Taking note of the continuing threat to Israel and
Palestinian security posed by smuggling, the Quartet welcomed progress in
the Quadrilateral Security Committee and called for greater efforts by all
parties to improve security along the Egypt-Gaza border.
"The
Quartet welcomed the re-affirmation of the Arab Peace Initiative, noting
that the initiative is recognized in the Roadmap as a vital element of
international efforts to advance regional peace. The Arab Peace Initiative
provides a welcome regional political horizon for Israel, complementing the
efforts of the Quartet and of the parties themselves to advance towards
negotiated, comprehensive, just and lasting peace. The Quartet noted its
positive meeting with members of the Arab League in Sharm al-Sheikh on May
4, and looked forward to continued engagement with the Arab states. It
welcomed the intention of the Arab League to engage Israel on the
initiative, and Israeli receptiveness to such engagement.
"Recalling elements of the April 18 decision by the Arab League Follow-up
Committee, the Quartet urged all involved to demonstrate their seriousness
and commitment to making peace. In that context, the Quartet reiterated the
need for a Palestinian Government committed to nonviolence, recognition of
Israel, and acceptance of previous agreements and obligations, including the
Roadmap, and reaffirmed its willingness to support such a government. The
Quartet encouraged continued and expanded Arab contacts with Israel, and
Israeli action to address concerns raised in the April 18 Arab League
decision, including a cessation of settlement expansion and the removal of
illegal outposts, as called for in the Roadmap.
"Looking ahead, the Quartet discussed a calendar for the coming months to
support and encourage progress on the bilateral and regional tracks. The
Quartet principals agreed to meet in the region in June with the Israelis
and Palestinians to review progress and discuss the way forward. The Quartet
also agreed to meet in the region with members of the Arab League to follow
up on the Arab Peace Initiative and efforts to advance the regional track.
Principals instructed the envoys to meet beforehand to follow up and explore
options for the way forward."
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