Photo: Ed Flores Born Marcus Rothkovich in Dvinsk, Russia (now Latvia) in 1903, Mark Rothko was an artist who created larger-than-life canvases until his death by suicide in 1970. “Red,” John Logan’s play about Rothko, which garnered six Tony Awards in 2010, is currently onstage at the Seattle Repertory Company in a… Read more »
LOS ANGELES (Jewish Journal) — Jason Segel folded his 6-foot-4-inch frame compactly onto a couch at the Four Seasons Hotel and placed his hand upon his chin. Quirky and thoughtful in conversation, the star and co-writer of such comic hits as “The Muppets” and “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” spoke eloquently… Read more »
Geneva – Dr. Raz Somech is one of the main figures in the deeply moving documentary “Precious Life,” which was nominated for an Academy Award in 2011 and serves as a powerful image of hope in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In 2008, a four month-old baby from Gaza, Mohammed Abu… Read more »
NEW YORK (N.Y. Jewish Week) — The novelist Jonathan Safran Foer grew up with a fairly typical American Passover. His father would use the Maxwell House Haggadah, supplemented with his own pamphlet of writings, and lead the annual Foer Seder. But nine years ago, sitting at his family Seder… Read more »
Lisa Robins as author Sherri Mandel in ‘The Blessing of a Broken Heart’ The Phoenix-based Arizona Jewish Theatre Company will present “The Blessing of a Broken Heart,” based on the award- winning book by Sherri Mandel, from March 22 to April 1. Adapted by Todd Salovey, the play depicts a young American mother who moves her family from suburban Maryland to Israel… Read more »
Stuart Mellan The Jewish community will celebrate a longtime leader later this month at “All That Jazz,” a party honoring and starring Stuart Mellan, president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona for almost 18 years. “Stuart’s been so terrific,” says Donald Diamond, who initiated the event after… Read more »
BERLIN (JTA) — A new documentary is shining light on Germany’s neo-Nazi music scene and the role it plays in cultivating a violent far-right subculture. The film “Blut muss Fliessen” (Blood Must Flow) looks at the neo-Nazi music scene in Germany, as well as in Austria, Italy and Hungary.… Read more »
Mira Awad (left) and Noa Israeli star Noa and her touring partner Mira Awad will give a UApresents concert on Sunday, March 25 at 6:30 p.m. at Centennial Hall. “Noa and Mira are amazing Jewish Israeli and Palestinian Israeli singers; they bring a fresh musical approach to peace that shows that there can be… Read more »
LOS ANGELES (JTA) — For Israelis, winning the country’s first Oscar would be akin to scoring the first Olympic gold medal at the 2004 games in Athens. “If ‘Footnote’ gets the Academy Award for best foreign-language film, the reaction would be tremendous,” said Katriel Schory, executive director of the… Read more »
After filing to go public on the 1st of this month, Facebook’s highly anticipated offering is expected to be the largest in history, as the company is valued at up to $100 billion. The largest tech IPO since Google, market and technology focused outlets have been buzzing with comparisons… Read more »
NEW YORK (N.Y. Jewish Week) — Today the British noble with possible Jewish background is Cora Grantham, lady of the manor on the blockbuster PBS import “Downton Abbey.” We latter-day peasants lust so much for a connection to our betters that we don’t even care if they’re fictional. The… Read more »
Naomi Benaron The Pima County Library Foundation’s Circle of Book Clubs will present a literary salon with Naomi Benaron, Bellwether Prize-winning author of “Running the Rift,” on Sunday, Feb. 19, from 3 to 5 p.m. The Bellwether Prize, established and funded by Barbara Kingsolver, was created to promote debut novels that… Read more »
Ina Shivack and David Zinke in Festival Repertory Theatre’s production of Neil Simon’s “The Prisoner of 2nd Avenue.” Festival Repertory Theatre is performing Neil Simon’s “Prisoner of 2nd Avenue” through Feb. 26 at the Cabaret Theatre at the Temple of Music and Art. For tickets, call 529-3829.… Read more »
With four notable authors, including world-renowned “Clan of the Cave Bear” author Jean M. Auel and former University of Arizona President Peter Likins, the 16th Annual Brandeis National Committee, Tucson Chapter, Book & Author events promise to be a treat for readers. The Evening Soirée with authors Auel, Likins,… Read more »
Nancy K. Miller A Jewish uncle who was the first mayor of South Tucson, a family past discovered as an adult, ownership of unknown property in Israel — all this, and more, contribute to the story of Nancy K. Miller’s family. Miller, the author of “What They Saved: Pieces of a Jewish… Read more »
Capitol Steps performer as Sarah Palin. (Capitol Steps) The Capitol Steps have sung about it all — from Bill Clinton’s sexcapades to George W. Bush’s language-shattering syntax. The Washington-based group will bring their equally-offensive-to-all musical satire to the University of Arizona’s Centennial Hall on Wednesday, March 14 at 7 p.m. The performance will benefit the UA Hillel… Read more »
The Moshav band performs original world music, folk and rock in Hebrew and English, as well as "Shlomo tunes" of the late Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach. (Courtesy Moshav Band) LOS ANGELES (JTA) — With his yarmulke, ritual fringes and lyrics occasionally borrowed from ancient texts, Grammy-nominated reggae star Matisyahu may be the most publicly Jewish performer in the mainstream music scene. But he’s not the only one. Growing ranks of Jewishly committed performers are finding success on the national… Read more »
(Jewish Ideas Daily) — Some days, I think back 25 years to my high-school French course, where I first encountered the concept of the juste milieu — the happy medium — and the difficulty of achieving it. Why is it so elusive? Why do I often feel caught betwixt… Read more »
NEW YORK (N.Y. Jewish Week) — The issue of who can become a Jew through conversion is controversial and critical to determining the essence of the Jewish character, and as timely as the current headlines from Jerusalem. But as two rabbinic scholars — one Reform and one Conservative —… Read more »
"Kosher Cake" is one of two new albums by Shlock Rock marking the group's 25th anniversary. (Shlock Rock) STAMFORD, Conn. (JTA) — Before the Maccabeats created a sensation on YouTube with their Chanukah song, and before the scores of individuals recorded Jewish parodies on video, and before Jewish outreach organizations used popular music to connect with unaffiliated Jews, there was Lenny Solomon and Shlock Rock. For 25… Read more »
