Counter-measures developed to guard against bacteria’s resistance to anti-biotics

TEL AVIV (Press Release)― Antibiotics can work miracles, knocking out common infections like bronchitis and tonsillitis. But according to the Center for Disease Control, each year 90,000 people in the U.S. die of drug-resistant “superbugs” ― bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a deadly form of staph infection resistant to normal antibiotics. Although hospital patients are particularly susceptible as a result of open wounds and weakened immune systems, the bacteria can infect anyone.

Dr. Micha Fridman of Tel Aviv University’s Department of Chemistry is now developing the next generation of antibiotics designed to overcome this kind of bacteria. And the key, he says, is in the bacteria itself.

“We took the mechanism of bacterial resistance and used this mechanism itself to generate antibiotics,” explains Dr. Fridman. “It’s thanks to these bacteria that we can develop a better medication.” Conducted in collaboration with Prof. Sylvie Garneau-Tsodikova from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, Dr. Fridman’s research was highlighted recently in the journal ChemBioChem.

According to Dr. Fridman, certain bacterial strains include enzymes which help the bacteria to inactivate antibiotics. When the enzymes meet with these antibiotics, they chemically alter the drug, making the antibiotic ineffective and unable to recognize its target.

Kyrgystan urged to bring synagogue pipe-bombers to justice

NEW YORK (Press Release) — The Anti-Defamation League on Tuesday called on the government of Kyrgyzstan to bring to justice those responsible for attacking a synagogue in the capital city of Bishkek with a nail-filled pipe bomb on the eve of the Jewish New Year.

In a letter to Kyrgyz President Roza Otunbayeva, Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director termed Kyrgyzstan’s response to the attack a test of her “promise to ensure the rule of law and effective government response in the face of ethnic violence.”

“A condemnation by you of this anti-Semitic attack and your public assurance that all efforts will be made to bring the perpetrators to justice will send the necessary message of zero tolerance for violent hate crimes and reassure the Jewish community,” wrote Mr. Foxman.

In her July 3 inaugural speech, President Otunbayeva addressed the issue of ethnic violence in Kyrgyzstan, noting that, “dark forces have spilled blood of many innocent people.” At the time she pledged to “spare no effort to create a new political culture for the country based on a strict adherence to the rule of law,” and would be “principled and consistently make demands on all branches of government to ensure it.”

The same synagogue in Bishkek was firebombed in April 2010, at which time the Jewish community appealed to the Kyrgyz government to take appropriate measures to guarantee its safety.

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Preceding provided by Anti-Defamation League

Clinton and Mitchell brief the media on Mideast talks

 WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release) — U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with news media while flying on Tuesday to Sharm el Sheikh for the second round of the Middle East peace talks, and U.S. Middle East Envoy spoke to the media in Sharm el Sheikh after the meeting of Israel’s Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.   The following transcripts were provided by the U.S. State Department: 

SECRETARY CLINTON: Now, I have, as many of you — and I look around and see people who have been following this for decades — have been asked repeatedly — I look (inaudible) –have been asked repeatedly what are the prospects for success, how can we evaluate? And I can only say this: that there is no prospect for success in the absence of direct negotiations; there is absolutely no way that the legitimate needs of Israel can be satisfied for the long term, nor that the aspirations of the Palestinians can be achieved.

So for me, it is a question of: how can we work toward making these direct negotiations break through the clear and difficult obstacles that stand in the way toward achieving a comprehensive peace? And the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations are part of what has to happen in the region that would include an agreement between Syria and Israel, and Lebanon and Israel. But we have to begin and we felt encouraged by the — both the words and the body language and the commitments made by the two leaders when we met with them in Washington.

 I am completely aware of all the challenges that we confront, but I have said, and I will repeat, that I think that the time is right for a lot of reasons for these two leaders and their people to work diligently and productively toward a resolution. So when we meet in Egypt tomorrow we will be having individual bilateral meetings, including with President Mubarak, and we will have then a trilateral meeting among the Palestinians, Israelis, and the U.S. The next day, we will continue those meetings in Jerusalem and we will push the parties to come to grips with a lot of the issues that have to be sorted out. 

Yes! Yes! Call me a Jew!

By Rabbi Ben Kamin

Rabbi Ben Kamin

SAN DIEGO — Somebody wrote me a nasty letter recently after something I circulated in this publication. 

“You wrote that because you’re a Jew,” spouted my critic.  To this branding, I say, thank you!  Thank you! 

Thank you for attributing to me the greatest possible ethnic compliment.  Call me a Jew, and I shall be satisfied and grateful.  I am so proud to be of a lineage and a people who have survived and even transcended the greatest and most unrelenting challenges ever known to any cultural group in the history of human life. 

We parented Christianity and Islam; the church and the mosque are the edifice-cousins of the synagogue.

We survived Hitler, and we will survive Bin Laden and that crazy fellow in Iran.  We lit the lights of Chanukah and outshone Greek Hellenism.  We wrote the texts of Rabbinic Judaism and outwitted the Roman Empire.  I find old Roman pottery along the beaches of a free Israel; we have a history and a future.

\We made Judaism portable and sprung from the clutches of the Inquisition of Spain, the pogroms of Russia and Poland, the massacres of England, the genocides of Germany, France, Latvia, and the Pale. 

We sent a magic carpet to Yemen, a caravan of relief to the Arab lands, prayer books and matzohs to the Soviet Union.

Out of proportion to our numbers, we marched with M.L. King, because we were the first to leave the bondage of Egypt.  Our Passover Seder remains the international meal of freedom.

On July 4, 1976, we sent the Star of David to rescue hostages in Entebbe and we now send the stars of our American Jewish youth to every university and into every corporate hall in this country and we send our bright and ambitious former youth group presidents to the Congress and—if a Jew had been counting—we would have sent a Jew to the vice-presidency of the United States in 2001. 

Call me a Jew.  I like living in a people who see wrong and try to right it, see trouble and figure out how to relieve it, see life and choose to live it.

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Kamin is a freelance writer based in San Diego

Everyone’s offended, but watch and be angry and proud

By Shoshana Bryen

Shoshana Bryen

WASHINGTON, D.C. –After the 9-11 ceremonies, commentaries and protests, it hardly seems necessary to suggest it – everyone is already angry, right? 

 
No, everyone is offended: offended by plans for “Cordoba House,” a mosque within the World Trade Center damage zone; offended by how offended mosque supporters are with what they think is the offense taken by the rest of us; offended about where the money will come from; offended by being asked where the money will come from; offended to be asked to prove you’re an American; offended by being called Islamophobic; offended by Democrats; offended by Republicans.

(Mayor Bloomberg and the President, among others, might have said that at some point, rather than denigrating people whose views differ with theirs.) But reasoned anger is an appropriate response to the attacks of September 11, 2001 and to the unfolding of our national life thereafter.

One of the mysteries of American life is the disappearance of the images of 9-11. We, who sat glued to our TV screens for countless hours that day, remember them – the planes, the fire, people crowded by the windows of the upper floors and the single man appearing to float on his way down a hundred stories. The crushed police cars and fire trucks – the wreckage of the protectors. The Statue of Liberty lifting her lamp to the disaster. The satellite photo that captured the smoke. The crumbling of edifices that helped to define America for Americans and for the world – the Twin Towers and the Pentagon. The crumbling of our innocence.

Australian Jewish World War I hero remembered on 70th yahrzeit

MELBOURNE (Press Release)–Last Sunday, 12th September, VAJEX held a graveside  service to honour the memory of Sgt Issy Smith, a recipient of the Victoria Cross.

It was a moving  and well-deserved tribute to a very brave man. At only 11 years old Issy stowed away on a ship from Egypt to Britain where at 14 he joined the British Army and saw active service in Africa and India. After this period, he emigrated to Melbourne, Australia. At the outbreak of WW1 he returned to fight with the British Army. In 1915 at Ypres he won the Victoria Cross for outstanding bravery in rescuing numerous injured soldiers whilst under constant enemy fire. It was said “no man deserved the VC more than him”.  In all, Issy was gassed and wounded 5 times. On discharge as an acclaimed war hero Issy again emigrated  to Melbourne, Australia where he was held in high esteem within the Jewish community.

Issy Smith, VC died on 10 September 1940 and was buried with full military honours in the Fawkner Cemetary

The Memorial Service was held on his 70th Yahrtzeit and many of his family members attended; his son, Mr Maurice Smith and partner, coming from NSW. Presidents of organizations, both Jewish and non-Jewish, joined together in friendship and warmth on the cold and blustery day.
 
VAJEX President, Mr Ben Hirsh, extended the Official Welcome, followed by VAJEX Patron MAJGEN Jeffrey Rosenfeld CStJ’s poignant address. Our committee member, SQ/LDR Harold Karpin, spoke and read Psalm 24 and our own Chaplain Rabbi Dovid Gutnick did his usual splendid job performing his duties. Mr Maurice Smith in telling anecdotes of his late father, had us smiling at some of the antics of the boy-soldier….apart from being a real mensch he was also a bit of a lobus.

Mr Joe Krycer, JNF President surprised many, as he was not long out of hospital, by leading the Tree Planting. We were delighted to see him up and about.
 
To see some of the photos, click on or go to the link here.

Questions about Palestinian sincerity obstacles to Mideast peace

By Ira Sharkansky

Ira Sharkansky

JERUSALEM–The conflict between Israel and Palestine is one of the most prominent of the world’s unsolved problems. The casualties are small in relation to what occurs wherever the United States military is directly involved. It is the location in the land considered holy by contending faiths, and the weight of Arab onlookers in international forums, that keeps this in the headlines.
Are we at the edge of a process that will solve this conflict?

Only time will tell.

Here I will focus on the complex political map of Israel, as I see it from public opinion surveys, media reports and commentators, and 35 years of talking to people with sharply different views.

There is a substantial portion of the population, perhaps a majority, willing to make substantial territorial concessions for “real peace.” However, a substantial number of people, perhaps as many as 100,000, are living on land that the national majority would concede. Some of those settlers are willing to move elsewhere, and some would jump at an attractive financial incentive, but many remember what happened when Israel removed its settlements from Gaza, and they are unwilling to move. Moreover, there is a substantial number of Israelis, including individuals who say they are willing to make substantial concessions, who express concern or major distrust about the willingness of Palestinians to do what it takes to assure “real peace.”

These “substantials” are vague, and do not fit together into something that we can interpret with a great deal of confidence.

Somewhat influenced, but also somewhat independent of public opinion, are policymakers with long experience in dealing with Palestinians, who are less than certain about the reliability of Palestinians. These include politicians and professionals in the military and civilian ministries. The politicians concerned about Palestinian reliability are not only members of right wing and centrist parties, but also those left of center. Knesset members of Labor and Meretz speak more often and more fully about the need to give up large portions of the West Bank. But some politicians on the left also indicate their concern about the intentions of Palestinians, especially those on the Islamic fringe. And the public has not shown a great deal of support for left of center politicians . Both Meretz and Labor are at  historic low points in their Knesset representation.

Americans, Europeans, and the UN Secretary General are pressing Israeli leaders to make concessions that will keep alive the prospect of reaching agreement. Some are also pressing the Palestinians to show flexibility, and not to walk away at the first sign of disappointment.

The formats are not promising. The emphasis is on meetings between the most senior politicians, in the presence of senior politicians from other countries. It is not the setting for hammering out detailed agreements about land, water, defense, temporary or permanent borders, refugees, waste disposal, environmental protection, the transfer of individuals from Israeli administration and Israeli health insurance, and the content of Palestinian education (relevant to Israeli concerns about incitement). It is also not the setting for Israelis or Palestinians ratcheting down from often proclaimed demands. Transparency is fine, but agreements may only grow in the dim light of private meetings, with participants explaining later what they have given up in order to get what they obtained.

There is no end to the scenarios that the hopeful and doom sayers describe.

Many of them begin from the widespread pessimism about the partners, onlookers and outside troublemakers, and the contrasting demands that argue against success.

Already the fighters of Gaza have stepped up their rocket launchings in hopes of doing something that will hasten the end of the peace talks. So far the IDF has not responded with anything more than pin point reprisals, but no one should rule out another round of widespread destruction.

The hopeful pessimists of Israel, i.e., those who are pessimistic about the peace talks but otherwise hopeful, see a continuation of economic progress in the West Bank, a continued refrain from violence on the part of the Fatah government, and a gradual development of Palestinian society and economy in the West Bank alongside Israel. Those goodies may come along with continued Israeli restraints with respect to the extension of settlements, but that requires an added dose of optimism.

I have not noticed anyone who is optimistic about Gaza.

There are some who are pessimistic about peace talks, and pessimistic about the continued restraint from violence of West Bank Palestinians. Settlers and their friends, and some who are not their friends but see the settlers as something to reckon with, see periodic waves of violence on the West Bank, Israeli reprisals, and continued expansion of Israeli settlements. Their scenario extends to the eventual dominance of Israeli settlers throughout the West Bank, and a one-state solution between the Jordan and the Mediterranean.

This one-state scenario differs by 180 degrees from the one-state seen by those who see Palestinian gaining dominance via a demographic advantage.

The settlers are patient, and none of the adults I know assume that they will see the end of conflict. It will take time, perhaps several waves of Palestinian violence and Israeli destruction in response, a gradual tiring of international watchers and minders, the drying up of overseas Palestinians willing to invest time and again in something that is destroyed, and the continued outmigration of Palestinians.

I would not count on such a unfolding of events that depend on so many assumptions, but neither would I dismiss it out of hand. Settlers think about something like this scenario, and mainstream Israeli politicians are sufficiently concerned about the reliability of Palestinians so that they may avoid any wholesale movement of the settlers that would nip it in the bud.

Some of my American friends might view all of this as Israeli arrogance, and a refusal to make the agreements that everyone else sees as essential. Americans can do their best in places like Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan, and then leave when it is apparent that they cannot get what they want. They can soothe their national conscience by granting citizenship to the Vietnamese, Iraqis, and Afghans who succeed in leaving their countries.

Israel’s problems are closer. We are stuck with hostile neighbors, still being taught in their schools that we have no rights here. Israelis listen to a thoughtful President and leading Europeans, a Secretary of State who sometimes screeches, and overseas Jews who think about what is best for us. But Israelis have not the option of retreating to the other side of the world if their hopes turn bad.

*
Sharkansky is professor emeritus of political science at Hebrew University

Adventures in San Diego Jewish History, March 4, 1955, Part 4

Compiled by San Diego Jewish World staff

Jolly Sixteen Sponsors Military Purim Dinner
Southwestern Jewish Press, March 4, 1955, Page 7

The Jolly Sixteen of San Diego will sponsor its annual Purim Dinner for military personnel on Wednesday, March 9^th, at Temple Center, it was announced jointly by Mrs. Louis Steinman, president of that group, and Morris W. Douglas, Chairman of the USO-JWB Armed Services Committee.

As in past years, Jolly Sixteen goes all out on Purim preparation and service in the Shalach Manos tradition; a complete dinner replete with all the Purim treats.

All Jolly Sixteen members are involved in this program of playing host to the military.  Lt. Cmdr. Eliyu H. Rickel, Jewish chaplain currently serving in San Diego, will officiate with a brief Purim service.

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Bay City Women Plan Dance At Country Club
Southwestern Jewish Press, March 4, 1955, Page 7

Final plans have been completed and its “grass skirts away” for the Bay City B’nai B’rith Women’s Fifth Annual Dinner Dance, at the Mission Valley Country Club on March 27^th at 6:30 p.m..

Dinner in the lush atmosphere of a tropical setting and dancing to the music of Earl Fisher and his Orchestra to set toes tapping are promised by Rose Felsman, Dance Chairman, and Rose Schwartz, co-chairman.

Reservations may be made by calling Rose at Juniper 2-1828, Jean Schiller at Hudson 8-1100 or Jean Finkelman at Hopkins 6-0389.  The donation will be $3.50 per person.

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Civic Music Assn. Opens Drive Mar. 7-12
Southwestern Jewish Press, March 4, 1955, Page 7

The San Diego Civic Music Association is announcing its 8^th Annual Membership Campaign the week of March 7 through 12, according to the president, Mr. Benjamin Rottman.

The San Diego Civic Music Association is a non-profit cooperative organization which brings to San Diego audiences excellent concerts by artists acclaimed both here and abroad.  Admission to these concerts is by membership card only and anyone may join during this one membership week by paying annual dues.  Membership privilege closes for the 1955-56 season on Saturday night, March 12, and no more members will be accepted for another year.  No tickets are sold for single concerts.

New members of  Civic Music Association will be invited to attend the next concert in this year’s series, which will be the famed soprano, Victoria de los Angeles. The date is Tuesday, March 22.  Information may be obtained by calling at Headquarters March 7 through 12, Musicians’ Club, 1154 12^th Ave., San Diego, or telephone BE 4-8431.

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Book Review Slated by T.I. Sisterhood
Southwestern Jewish Press, March 4, 1955, Page 7

The holiday of Purim will be feted and featured at the Tifereth Israel Sisterhood Luncheon meeting on Tuesday, March 8, at noon in the Synagogue Recreation Center. Hostess{es} for the luncheon will include Marie Richards and Rose Winicki as chairmen.

Highlighting the afternoon’s program will be a book review by Dorothy Belkin.  Mrs. Belkin will review “Prince of Egypt” by Dorothy Wilson.  This is the story of Moses from the time he was Prince of Egypt until he led the Israelites from the wilderness into the Promised Land.

An interesting and informative afternoon is promised to all who attend.

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Sharp Hospital To Be Dedicated Mar. 27
Southwestern Jewish Press, March 4, 1955, Page 7

Plans for the dedication of the Donald N. Sharp Memorial Community Hospital has been approved and Sunday, March 27 through Sunday, April 2, has been set aside as “Dedication Week,” it is announced by  Douglas Young, president of the San Diego Hospital Association, owners of the $4,500,000 project now nearing completion on Kearny Mesa, Highway 395.

In making the announcement Young said that George A. Scott has accepted chairmanship of Dedication Week. The public is invited to tour the hospital during the week, and also to attend the dedication ceremonies on April 2 and 3.

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B.B. Girls Seek New Members
Southwestern Jewish Press, March 4, 1955, Page 7

The B’nai B’rith Girls, who hold meetings every first and third Thursday of every month, are planning events.  After their meetings they plan to have speakers who will talk on teenage problems, hair styling and such. They are also planning on bowling and other kinds of sports.

Any girl between the ages of 14 and 18 is welcome to come to our meetings at 7 o’clock at Beth Jacob Congregation every first and third Thursday.

If you would like any further information you can call President Leani Leichtag at AC 2-7054 or Ros Steffel at AC 3-3410.

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Hadassah Presents First Celebration of “World’s Jewish Child’s Day” April 4^th
Southwestern Jewish Press, March 4, 1955, Page 8

The Western premiere of “World’s Jewish Child’s Day” will be celebrated at a mother and child luncheon on Monday April 4^th (Easter vacation) at Veterans Memorial Bldg., Upas and Park Blvd., at 12 noon.

An outstanding children’s program is being planned by chairman, Mrs. Julius Levin, and will feature several local TV artists with Danny Braemer as M.C.

Each coin-filled booklet (total $3.00) is the approximate cost of maintaining a child in Israel for a day of “work, study, food and play” and will admit one child for luncheon and the show. Full credit toward donor will be given to each mother for every filled booklet presented by the children. Adults will be served a delectable lunch for the nominal charge of 50 cents.  Booklets may be obtained by calling Mrs. Levin, CY-5-9432.

A capable committee assisting Mrs. Leven are as follows.  Program, Mrs. Joe Kwint, Mrs. Wm. Podoloff, Mrs. Philip Rand; Decorations: MRs. Paul Belkin and Mrs. E.M. Sims; Publicity, Mrs. Ray Lieberman and Mrs. Leon Solomon; Kitchen, Mrs. L. Weiss.

For reservations call Mrs. B. Lipinsky, AT 4-2332 or Mrs. H. Brookler, JU 2-5942.

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New Sewing Center Offers Real Service
Southwestern Jewish Press, March 4, 1955, Page 8

Susanne’s Necchi Eina Sewing Circle has just changed its location to 916 5^th Ave.  Right next to Security Trust and Savings Bank.  Henry Bowman, the owner, has developed a new idea in merchandising sewing machines, vacuum cleaners and the newest knitting machines.  The new Center will be the most modern sewing machine and appliance store in San Diego.  On the ground floor, a modern display room will show all the newest in sewing machines.  In addition there will be an instruction booth to teach people both sewing and knitting.  Also to be seen are the most modern repair facilities in San Diego, for sewing machines and vacuum cleaners.  In addition, a bargain basement to which nothing will be more expensive than $49.95.  Whether it is a sewing marchine or vacuum cleaner.

A complete stock of thread and notions will be added.The grand opening sale will start Monday March 7^th and continue for the duration of this month at which time special prices will be placed on all machines and parts giving a great number of savings to the general public. A special feature will be a free copy of Websters Unified Dictionary and Encyclopedia, valued at $20,00, free with the purchase of any new machine.

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Notice
Southwestern Jewish Press, March 4, 1955, Page 8

Every agency, organization and institution included in the Fund Campaign agrees to make no independent solicitations in San Diego. Should you be solicited in the future check with your United Jewish Fund office to ascertain whether or not it is a legitimate appeal.  The Fund can get the facts for you.

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Yo-Ma-Co Club
Southwestern Jewish Press, March 4, 1955, Page 8

At the meeting, Wed., March 9, Entertainment Chairman Doris Kossy has announced plans for a very special speaker, a former F.B.I. investigator.  This is one evening you won’t want to miss. President Ray Lowitz will conduct the meeting promptly at 9:00 p.m.

The Yo-Ma-Co Bowling League is continuing its fast pace. The Yankees (Spivaks and Goldmans) are still in first place with the Pirates (Pearls and Hermanns) in second place. Charlotte Friedlander is burning up the alleys with some terrific bowling.

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New Life Club
Southwestern Jewish Press, March 4, 1955, Page 8

“Jews in America 1654-1954” – An original drama and musical program on Jews in America for the past 300 years will be presented by Rabbi Morton J. Cohn and Cantor Julian Miller at the next meeting of the New Life Club, which will be held Sunday, March 6^th, at 6 p.m. at the Beth Jacob Center, 4475-30^th St.  Everybody is welcome. Refreshments will be served.

*
Adventures in San Diego Jewish History” is sponsored by Inland Industries Group LP in memory of long-time San Diego Jewish community leader Marie (Mrs. Gabriel) Berg. Our “Adventures in San Diego Jewish History” series will be a regular feature until we run out of history.  To find stories on specific individuals or organizations, type their names in our search box.

‘Love, Sex and Violence’ more charming than name implies

By Cynthia Citron

Cynthia Citron

SHERMAN OAKS, California — Sometimes a book of short stories is a welcome diversion from the usual industrial-strength novels.  Just as an evening of short one-acts can provide a satisfying evening at the theater.  And that’s just what playwright Helena Weltman and producer/director Pavel Cerny have brought to the stage of the Whitefire Theater in Sherman Oaks.

The six vignettes, collectively titled Love, Sex, and Violence Too is subtitled Or False Advertising, since there is mostly yearning for love, rather than love itself, and no sex or violence at all.

Although the first act gives sex a good college try as a young man (Allen Yates) brings home a waitress (Olivia Peri) from a nearby café.  He slips into a gaudy red dressing gown and plies her with wine in a paper cup.  But she is looking for a “meaningful relationship,” while he is just looking to get laid.

In the next scene a married couple (Lisa-Beth Harris and Joshua Grenrock) are having a late-night drink after a triumphant party celebrating the publication of her book on baking.  He is heaping her with platitudes, which only annoys her, and very soon their marriage is falling apart right before your eyes.  (Grenrock was the “brilliantly poignant” lead clown—the man with an air of desperation and a rubber face—in Circus Welt, which director Cerny adapted from Leonid Andreyev’s  He Who Gets Slapped, presented earlier this year.  Grenrock has been nominated for a 2010 Ovation Award for that role.)

Adrian Lee Borden and Desi Jevon are strangers marooned in a stalled elevator in “Boring,” the third vignette.  In contrast with the recent play Elevator, in which seven people are stranded in a large elevator, a situation that doesn’t seem at all frightening or claustrophobic, this elevator in “Boring” encloses the two actors in a very small square with little room to move around, and so their getting-to-know-you conversation is close-up, personal, and bizarre.

“Thirteen Months, Two Weeks” is how long Lacey Rae has been wasting the time of her psychiatrist, Robbin Ormond.  She lies, contradicts herself, and needles the doctor with confrontational personal questions, much to the psychiatrist’s consternation.  In desperation, the psychiatrist protests, “You hear my interest as a judgment…”

In the next scene Robbin Ormond plays the psychiatrist again, this time alone on stage talking to her own psychiatrist.  This vignette is the best of the lot, beautifully written and gloriously acted, as Ormond expresses her frustration and anger with her clients and deals with—and avoids—her own personal dramas.  “I can’t take life any more, it’s too painful,” she says.

And finally, ending on a lighter note, Lacey Rae meets a dancer (Eddy Hawks) in a hamburger joint and with headwaiter Ward Edmondson, the three “tap dance to survive,” as Eddy puts it.

While the six vignettes differ in tone and intensity, they make for an engaging mix—even though some scenes are considerably better than others (and sometimes make more sense).  For the most part, the overarching themes are loneliness, disappointment, and estrangement, but surprisingly, there is a good deal of humor in the midst of all the pathos.  And director Cerny has done a good job of bringing out the best in his actors.  Making it a very pleasant outing for a Sunday afternoon.

Love, Sex and Violence Too will be performed every Sunday at 2 p.m. through October 17th at the Whitefire Theatre, 13500 Ventura Blvd., in Sherman Oaks.  Call 866-811-4111 for tickets.

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Citron is Los Angeles bureau chief of San Diego Jewish World

ZOA challenges TIME magazine to debate on Israel

NEW YORK (Press Release)–The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) has condemned TIME Magazine for the anti-Semitic and misleading cover/article in its September 13, 2010 issue, falsely claiming Israel doesn’t care about peace, while ignoring the reality of Palestinians having repeatedly rejected every extraordinary peace deal Israel has offered. Not only do they reject peace offers, they also responded with terror and more incitement against Israel and Jews.

ZOA National President Morton A. Klein is publicly challenging the author, Karl Vick, or the TIME Magazine Editor, Richard Stengel, to a public debate on the subject of whether the Israelis or the Palestinians have shown little interest in a peace deal.

“The cover depicts a Star of David composed of daisies with the caption contained within, ‘Why Israel Doesn’t Care About Peace.’ The cover and the article are a malicious depiction of Israelis as a people more interested in making money and enjoying material pleasures than in concluding a peace agreement with the Palestinians. To prove its bogus thesis, TIME Magazine primarily relied on the words of two Israeli real estate agents, a left-wing columnist, a left-wing academic and a few others, while totally ignoring Palestinian Authority (PA) lack of interest in peace.

Karl Vick’s article drives home the idea that Israelis are not interested in peace repeatedly, even in the article’s subtitle that includes the words, “Israelis feels prosperous, secure – and disengaged from the peace process. Is that wise?” The idea is insinuated in the article that the Israelis are heedlessly ignoring dangers and that Mr. Vick’s warning will be vindicated when violence at some point in the future breaks out – whereas in fact virtually all Israelis desperately want a real peace, but have understandably lost faith in the possibility of one because they see the PA daily fomenting violence and extremism in its schools, media, speeches and sermons.  They have also seen numerous past peace offers rejected by the Palestinians. After striving for years, making concessions, offering almost everything the Palestinians publicly claimed they wanted, only to receive terrorism and hatred in return, it is like the case of the boy who cried wolf – Israelis do not believe the stilted public statements directed to them from the PA about wishing to live in peace. The PA has no credibility with them.

Karl Vick also unsubtly introduces traditionally anti-Semitic stereotypes about Jews being preoccupied with money at the cost of human virtues – “they’re otherwise engaged; they’re making money, they’re enjoying the rays of the late summer” and preaches to the Israelis – “don’t Israelis know that finding peace with the Palestinians is the only way to guarantee their happiness and prosperity?” The article shows picture after picture of Israelis enjoying themselves in cafes and lying on sunny beaches (Karl Vick, ‘The good Life and Its Dangers,’TIME Magazine, September 13, 2010).

ZOA National President Morton A. Klein said, “This anti-Semitic and misleading cover and article plumbs new depths in TIME Magazine’s long-running, historic bigotry towards Israel. The ZOA demands an apology and retraction of this story which ignores all the concessions Israel has made to the Palestinians, including giving away half of Judea and Samaria, all of Gaza and agreeing to the recent 10-month construction freeze.

“During this period, there have been no Palestinian concessions, no fulfillment of its signed agreements to arrest terrorists, outlaw terrorist groups and end incitement to hatred and murder against Israelis and, until last week, a refusal to even negotiate. Meanwhile, the PA honors and lauds terrorists. But Karl Vick dishonestly withheld all this from his readers.

“Palestinian polls indicate continuing Palestinian support for terrorism and non-acceptance of Israel as a Jewish state. Palestinians have been consistently polled supporting the so-called ‘right of return’ to Israel by Palestinian refugees and their millions of descendents, something that would turn Jews into a minority in their own country and end the Jewish state.

“Palestinian Authority leaders have publicly honored and glorified terrorists who murder Jews, including last month holding a public celebration of the 1978 coastal road massacre carried out by Fatah terrorists led by Dalal Mughrabi, in which 37 Israelis, including a dozen children, were murdered. The PA has also named two youth summer camps in Mughrabi’s honor. It has accused Israel and the U.S. of poisoning Yasser Arafat.

“In recent weeks, senior PA officials have called for Israel’s destruction and demonized Israel, not for peace and conciliation. On the very day negotiations between Israel and the PA commenced in Washington, D.C., the PA ambassador to Iran said that the PA will continue its war on Israel until ‘the complete eradication of the fabricated regime in due course’; another PA Minister threatened war if Israel does not return  to its ‘owners’ Jerusalem, which he described as ‘Palestinian … throughout history’ while another PA Minister honored the families of dead terrorists and accused Israel of harvesting the organs of dead Palestinians.

“None of this found its way into Mr. Vick’s article. It couldn’t – had he had the integrity to inform his readers of these issues, it would be impossible to falsely state that the Israelis are a bunch of heedless materialists who are unaccountably uninterested in making peace with Palestinians. Mr. Vick would be forced to admit that Palestinians are not interested in peace.

“Instead, Mr. Vick praises the PA for ‘taking a serious stab at governance, starting by professionalizing the security forces.’ He even writes, in reference to the murder of four Israelis by Hamas terrorists last week, that PA forces, even before that terrorist assault, ‘arrested more than 300 Hamas activists.’ What Mr. Vick didn’t tell his readers is that the PA is in a struggle with Hamas and therefore arrests Hamas members that are a threat to the Fatah-controlled PA, not because Hamas murders Israelis. He also didn’t tell his readers that in January, when Fatah terrorists murdered an Israeli in a similar roadside assault, the PA praised the terrorists as martyrs and heroes while condemning their killing by Israeli forces and that Salam Fayyad personally paid condolence calls on the terrorists’ families.

“As Bret Stephens observes in the Wall Street Journal, ‘Can the magazine point to equally pointed cover stories about internal Palestinian affairs and what, perchance, they mean for the peace process? I checked: It last did so in April 2002 with a largely sympathetic portrait of Yasser Arafat ‘All Boxed In’ by an invading Israeli army.’

“This wretched issue of TIME unfortunately partakes of a long anti-Israel tradition that includes instructing readers in 1977 that then-Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin’s name is pronounced like ‘Fagin,’ the hideous, villainous Jewish character in Charles Dickens’ novel, Oliver Twist. TIME Magazine also called Begin ‘dangerous.’

“TIME Magazine and Mr. Vick will no doubt repudiate these criticisms. I challenge Mr. Vick or Mr. Stengel to a public debate in which he will have the opportunity to explain why at length.”

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Preceding provided by the Zionist Organization of America