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Friday, May 9 Israel at 60 talk by Eyal Dagan
Sunday, May 18 Community Israel Independence CelebrationWednesday, May 28 JFS~Ellen Saks lecture on mental illness
THE VIEW FROM JINSA
Could Mohammed ElBaredei have a bias?
By Shoshana Bryen
 WASHINGTON, D.C.—Following CIA testimony to Congress regarding the North Korean/Syrian project in the desert, Mohammed ElBaradei, Director of the IAEA, is furious! Not with North Korea and Syria for what they were doing, but with Israel and the United States for not telling him about it. "The director general deplores the fact that this information was not provided to the agency in a timely manner, in accordance with the agency's responsibilities under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, to enable it to verify its veracity and establish the facts... [and] "The director general views the unilateral use of force by Israel as undermining the due process of verification that is at the heart of the non-proliferation regime."
Even if ElBaradei could indeed "verify veracity and establish facts," which would be a generous thought given the IAEA's track record, it would hardly suffice. While Iran is making very public progress toward nuclear capability, complete with provocative rhetoric and the deliberate flouting of the IAEA, the international community has been demonstrating collective disregard of the threat and/or impotence to deal with it. We conclude, as we assume Israel did, that actual non-proliferation, NOT "the due process of verification" is "the heart of the non-proliferation regime."
 "Process," as in the "peace process" is code for talking around existing threats to Israel's safety and indeed, given the possibilities of a nuclear threat, Israel's continued existence. If Israel steps outside the "process" to engage in actual security measures - checkpoints, targeted killings, sweeps or the destruction of a nuclear-related facility - it is condemned for not offering the political niceties due the countries or organizations that would destroy it. The United States is condemned for generally supporting Israel's right to self-defense.
A similarly threatening situation is growing again in Lebanon. It turns out that UNIFIL has been concealing information about Hezbollah activities south of the Litani River, according to Ha'aretz, "to avoid conflict with the group... In the last six months there have been at least four cases in which UNIFIL soldiers identified armed Hezbollah operatives, but did nothing and did not submit full reports on the incidents to the UN Security Council." Indeed, according to the paper, there was a clash between armed Hezbollah operatives and a UNIFIL force which did not return fire, as its mandate requires, but rather left the area - and then filed a report with the Security Council skipping the part about the shooting and the running away.
At the same time, according to the UK Observer, "Hezbollah... is now sending hundreds, if not thousands, of young men into intensive training camps in Lebanon, Syria and Iran to ready itself for war with Israel... The initial training and selection of recruits is done in Lebanon, with Iran preferred for training on specialities - use of certain weapons, RPGs and anti-tank missiles."
Since the bad guys are unwilling to turn themselves in, the international agencies are easily misled, and the presumed good guys are too timid to make waves, what is the option for the intended target, other than to watch the threats grow?
This is not only a question for Israel.
THE JEWISH CITIZEN The Political Scene
Filner turns spotlight on veterans' suicides
By Donald H. Harrison
 SAN DIEGO—U.S. Rep. Bob Filner, chairman of the House Veteran Affairs Committee, said on Monday night his committee has scheduled hearings May 6 into allegations that the Bush administration is trying to cover up a high number of suicides among veterans of the Iraqi and Afghanistan Wars.
The San Diego Democrat said that approximately the same number of Vietnam War veterans committed suicide as were killed in that conflict—roughly 58,000—and now there is evidence that the pattern is being replicated in the Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts.
He added that such evidence was developed in a federal class action suit brought against the Veterans Administration by families in Washington State who contend the VA neglected the mental health of veterans, including those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
Furthermore, said Filner, “emails came out of that in which you have the V-A mental health director talking to his boss, the undersecretary for health, about statistics that prove that almost everything people have been saying about suicide is right, and how should they cover it up?”
The emails were divulged on April 21 by CBS News.
The author of the controversial e-mails, Dr. Ira Katz, deputy chief for patient care services of the VA’s Office of Mental Health, is expected to testify before the committee. According to a witness list published by the committee, he is expected to be accompanied by such other V.A. officials as Dr. Robert Rosenheck, the director of the division of mental health services and outcomes research; Dr. Lawrence Adler, director of the Mental Illness Research Education Clinical Center; Dr. Frederick Blow, director of Serious Mental Illness Treatment Research and Evaluation Center, and Dr. Kara Zivin, a research health scientist.
Veterans Administration spokesman Phil Budahn said the VA will refrain from commenting in the media about the allegations growing out of the federal lawsuit, but said Katz would address the questions at the Veterans Affairs Committee hearing
In general, Boudahn said, it should be noted that “the VA operates probably the largest mental health care system in the country. This year we expect to spend about $3 billion on mental health out of a budget of over $90 billion. We have 9,000 people whom we consider front-line mental health professionals, more than 3,200 of them hired within the last three years.”
The VA will treat approximately 5.5 million individuals this year, including “about one million who carry a psychiatric diagnosis of some kind,” the spokesman said. “We are reaching out aggressively to the latest generation of combat vets. We have learned long ago that not all the wounds of war are visible. We think we are an international leader in the treatment and research of PTSD. We believe we provide world-class health care for our veterans.”
 Filner speech in San Diego was given at a gathering of the Democratic Professional Club at the home of Janed Casady (center in photo) in the Mission Hills neighborhood. The meeting also attracted Vickie Butcher (left) and Mike Lumpkin (second from right), competing Democratic candidatesfor the 52nd Congressional District seat that unsuccessful Republican presidential candidate Duncan Hunter is vacating, and two Democrats who seek to replace Republican incumbents. They are 49th C.D. candidate Bob Hamilton (second from left), who will face Republican incumbent Darrell Issa in November, and 50th Congressional District aspirant Cheryl Ede (right), who seeks to unseat U.S. Rep. Brian Bilbray.
“The war is chewing up our young people so badly… physically and psychologically,” Filner said. “It is amazing, our advances in medicine: I have been to Iraq and Afghanistan and I’ve seen these incredible people flying the planes, doing the Med-Evacs, doing the operations, they are so professional. I just wish our policy makers were worthy of their sacrifices. But thanks to their expertise, there is a wounded-to-dead ratio higher than any other time in the history of mankind, that is 17- or 18-to-1, compared to 3-to-1 in Vietnam, and 1-to-1 in World War II. So if you survive the battlefield, you have a 95 percent chance of living, which is incredible. But that also means that they have incredible wounds from which before they would have died. We have to take care of them.”
Turning to Lumpkin, a retired Navy commander of a SEAL unit and Iraq War veteran, Filner added: “I don’t care if it amputation, brain injury, and of course this PTSD—Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder—you can’t go to war without being affected by it, right?
“Absolutely true,” agreed Lumpkin.
“In fact,” Filner continued, “virtually every young man or woman has a brain injury or PTSD. I want a system that says ‘you prove to me that you don’t have it,’ rather than the case now in which they have to come in to get diagnosed. Now, you get 20 percent of the people coming in and there are 80 percent not even coming in for diagnosis. That lets ticking time bombs, in my opinion, into the society.”
Filner noted that he had opposed the Vietnam War back in the 1960s and 1970s, and expressed regret that Americans “didn’t honor” the veterans of that conflict when they returned home. “We should have differentiated between the war and the warrior,” he said. “Because we didn’t, half the homeless people on the streets tonight are Vietnam War veterans.”
He noted a series of stories that ran in the New York Times dealing with problems of veterans who have returned from the Iraq and Afghanistan War. “A third of those who have been diagnosed with PTSD—and, as I said, that’s only a small percentage of those who might have it—already have committed felonies, including 200 homicides, most of which were family members.
“We send these kids off to war and then don’t take care of them when they come home,” Filner said.
Filner told the Democratic party group that the Bush administration will be asking for $100 billion in supplemental funds for the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars. “We know the cost of veterans care will be $60 billion a year for the next ten years. At least, put in the money now for the warrior,” he said.
Nobody in the Bush Administration “wants us to think about that,” he said. “They don’t want us to see the kids coming back in caskets. They don’t want us to see the wounded. They are lying about the suicides…. Everyone wants to help, but they say, ‘hey, we don’t need your help.’”
The congressman said that the people of television’s Sesame Street program for children have recognized that there are numerous children in the country—perhaps as many as one million—whose fathers have or may be coming home from Afghanistan or Iraq in a wheel chair or with PTSD. “So with the Muppets, they are going to have a DVD that we are going to give out to the kids of every combat soldier,” he said. “Every employer, every teacher, every minister should know about PTSD so we can help them.”
The congressman said the Bush Administration has been doing “everything they can to stop us from doing good. I will give you just one case: About 20,000 young people who tried to get out of the service for PTSD…were diagnosed, probably through direct orders from above…with personality disorders. That begs the question of why we (the military) took you in. If you have a personality disorder, it seems to me we are obligated to deal with you. But like your HMO says if you have a preexisting condition (it is not covered), a personality disorder is preexisting, so you are not entitled.
“So we chew you up and then you get out in a way in which we don’t have to be responsible for your medical care, and then, by the way, if you didn’t serve your full time that you might have a signing bonus for, you get a bill for $13,000 to $15,000. This is what these guys are doing; it is incredible. Anyway, we are going to fight that fight in behalf of the veterans…”
Filner also said that in a few weeks his committee hopes to report out a “GI Bill for the 21st Century.”
“Everybody has heard about the GI Bill of World War II,” he said. “I am here because of that. My dad was able to get some education when he came back from World War II, and more important we bought our first house for a few thousand dollars. I always lived with relatives in apartments; all of sudden we are middle class. It changes who you are and eight million veterans got that opportunity. We haven’t done that for veterans since then. The Vietnam GI Bill had nothing comparable. So we want to update education benefits to meet the real cost of college; housing benefits to meet the true cost of what is going on, and we want to give the National Guard, who are doing half the fighting, access to those benefits.”
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Balloon Utopia
Sandi Masori
619 339 8024
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THE JEWS DOWN UNDER
Search for missing Israeli back packer
By Garry Fabian
 SYDNEY—The first cousin of the missing Israeli traveller has sent a desperate plea to the Australian Jewish community to help in the efforts to find her.
Sagiv Avidar, a 29-year-old lawyer from Israel, has extended his stay in Sydney in the hope that his cousin Liat Tas-Okin will be found.
Avidar came to Australia with his brother, Ofer, from Israel to travel and had planned on celebrating Pesach with Tas-Okin.
"We're celebrating Pesach, which symobolises freedom of our nation from slavery, but it's also about being as a Jewish nation together," Avidar said.
"I'm calling for all Jewish people that can help in any way whether its donating money, resources or personal help to do whatever we can and hopefully to find Liat as soon as possible...."
Tas-Okin, 35, a psychologist, was backpacking around New Zealand when she went missing three weeks ago after failing to return from a three-day trek of the Routeburn track near Queenstown on March 25.
Last week, Magnus International Search and Rescue arrived in New Zealand to search for Tas-Okin.
Four search teams, helicopters, a rescue expert, a specialist search dog, as well as two Chabad rabbis from Canterbury and the Israeli consul from the embassy in Canberra have been assisting with the search mission.
Tas-Okin's brother, Itamar Tas, was flown to New Zealand earlier this month.
Tas-Okin is 1.46m tall with a thin build, olive complexion, brown eyes and dark curly shoulder length hair, worn in a pony tail.
The search for missing Israeli backpacker was boosted late last week by the addition of a search helicopter underwritten by Chabad-Lubavitch of Sydney.
The 35-year-old Israeli woman has been missing for almost three weeks, after failing to return from a three-day trek on the Routeburn Track near Queenstown, which she started on March 25.
Search and rescue experts recommended deploying additional search helicopters, which cost thousands of dollars.
Rabbi Pinchus Feldman, dean and spiritual leader of Chabad-Lubavitch of Sydney, took on the challenge of raising the funds and was successful in this endeavour last Friday.
"The donor was Sydney philanthropist Kevin Bermeister," said Rabbi Eli Feldman of Young Adult Chabad.
He added that more funds may be needed if the search was extended.
University appointment cause of conflict
MELBOURNE- A spat has emerged between the Australia/Israel Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC) and two prominent Jewish academics over the lobby group's appointment of a campus student coordinator.
The head of the Australian Centre for Jewish Civilisation at Monash University, Professor Mark Baker said this week that "The clash of civilisation is being fuelled at our universities, courtesy of our own lobby group, AIJAC," while another Monash academic. Melanie Landau, also commented on the issue.
AIJAC, together with American organisation, StandWithUs, recently appointed Joel Burnie, a former president of the Australasian Union of Jewish Students (AUJS), as its campus representative.
While AIJAC and Burnie maintain that his role is to work with AUJS on campus to promote Israeli culture and to promote awareness of Israel, Professor Baker and Landau see it as a step in the wrong direction.
Landau recently wrote a letter to the mainstream press that Burnie's appointment undermined "the dialogue about Israel and the Jewish culture that we are building across the university, not to mention academic ethos of creating a space for co-existence of conflicting narratives."
Landau said that any issue of bias on campus should be taken up through internal, university-based channels.
Baker argues that there was "no need to widen the war and bring in proxy mercenaries to torpedo the battle with watchdogs and overseas provocateurs." Students, he said, should be left on their own "to navigate the information trail and jump their own individual hurdles."
But Dr Colin Rubestein denied rumours that AIJAC had been scrutinising taped lectures for hints of bias against Jewish people or Israel and accused Professor Baker of mistreating Burnie, who is a former Monash University student.
Baker said that Burnie reported anti Israel bias to him. "It's not hard to build a case" Baker said about Burnie's report. "There's no shortage of academics who foam at the mouth at the mere mention of Israel, but they usually condemn themselves through their own extremism."
Dr Rubestein called Baker's behaviour "disappointing." "Burnie did not receive advice or support, but a public attack. Professor Baker refused even to hear out his complaint on the grounds that Burnie was working for AIJAC."
"We want simply to assist students to do exactly what Professor Baker urges, to run their own war of counter idea, and we are delighted with the useful contribution Burnie is already making nationally", Rubestein said.
Extradition moves closer for Zentai
CANBERRA - Community leaders have welcomed the High Court of Australia’s decision to reject the appeal of alleged Nazi war criminal Charles Zentai, leading the way for Australia’s first extradition of a suspected Nazi war criminal.
Zentai, an 86-year-old former Hungarian warrant officer, has been fighting extradition to Budapest for almost three years.
He is accused of fatally beating 18-year-old Peter Balazs on November 8, 1944.
In a 6-1 judgement, the court ruled this week that Zentai’s proposed extradition hearing in the Perth Magistrates Court could be heard.
Jeremy Jones, the director of community affairs of the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council, said that the ruling sent out a “clear message” that Australia was “not a place for corrupt people who committed crimes against humanity to disappear into the bush, but a country that takes issues of justice seriously."
Jones said he hoped the extradition would be dealt with promptly.
“No-one should ever be allowed to evade the consequences of their actions simply by crossing a national border,” Jones said.
Shmuel Rosenkranz, the immediate past-president of Melbourne’s Jewish Holocaust Centre, said it was a significant result, adding that he hoped the Magistrate’s Court would follow the High Court in its decision.
Zentai was arrested by Australian Federal Police on July 8, 2005. Since being arrested, he has denied any involvement in the crime, alleging that he left Budapest on November 7, 1944.
His involvement in the abduction, beating and murder of Balazs first came to the attention of Hungarian authorities during the trial of fellow soldier Lajos Nagy in 1947.
The B’nai B’rith Anti-defamation Commission (ADC) also welcomed the decision by the High Court .
ADC chairman John Searle said it was essential the accused stand trial. “Avoiding detection or apprehension for so long does not bring with it a reward of escaping prosecution. As with any heinous crime an accused should stand trial,” he said.
Searle said survivors of the Holocaust and their children continue to live with the painful aftermath of the horror. Indeed sometimes damage was becoming worse as victims aged.
He said distance in time or place should not prevent a trial. “The crimes we are talking about are truly horrendous. There should be no use-by date on justice in such matters.”
The extradition application will now be heard in the Perth Magistrates Court.
Remembering Jewish Anzacs
MELBOURNE—In the minds of many Jewish Australians, thoughts of war are likely to conjure up images of the Holocaust. However, there is a group of Jewish soldiers who are remembered every year on April 25 for making the ultimate sacrifice as Anzacs.
Major Philip B. Levy, who was born in New Zealand, but whose nephew Hal lives in Melbourne, is one of those soldiers. Major Levy died during World War II from wounds inflicted as a result of his service in Greece and Libya.
Major Levy whose family arrived in New Zealand in 1835 and who were instrumental in establishing a Jewish community in Wellington provides a fascinating insight into life on the battlefield through the letters he sent home to his family.
On April 4 1941, he wrote to his family: "I'm sitting in a lovely wet hole up on a hill waiting for the Huns to arrive. They are due any time now."
The letters show he had no misconceptions about the danger he was exposed to.
"One gets fatalistic," he wrote. "I don't believe any amount or dodging will get you out of the one that has your name on [it]."
In another letter later that month, he wrote that being under fire from German mortars and machine guns "sounded like every Guy Fawkes Day rolled into one, but there was more steel and lead flying round my ears".
He wrote of the army's retreat to Athens after fighting in the battlefield.
"At Athens, we went into cover on the outskirts for that night and next day, and the following night marched in the dark very quietly down to a beach four miles away, and the Navy took us off," he informed his family back home.
"It was marvellous after clambering up over the side of the ship to arrive in the ward room and find huge jugs of steaming cocoa."
But life on the ship didn't prove to be easy.
"Yesterday, the Huns bombed this ship and missed us by 10 feet. The force of the explosion lifted the bow clean out of the water."
Major Levy was part of what has become known as the forgotten group of Anzacs: a group of 18,000 Australians and 18,000 New Zealanders who fought gruelling battles against the Germans in Greece and Crete in World War II. More than 1500 soldiers died in the battles.
A newspaper report recording Major Levy's death said that despite working as an advertising manager, he showed a "keen interest in military matters" and served with the artillery.
( The term ANZAC, which is an acronym for Australian & New Zealand Army Corps was coined when the landing took place on 25th April 1915 in the Dardanelles in Turkey, with a strong Australian and New Zealand as part of the British forces. ANZAC Day, celebrated annually on 25th April, is a significant public commemoration)
Marchers set to depart for Poland
CANBERRA—The latest group of March of the Living (MOTL) participants will this year take part in a world record attempt to have the most people singing Israel's national anthem -Hatikvah - at the one time.
The special addition to this year's celebrations for Israel's 60th birthday for 87 Australian and New Zealand MOTL participants.
The participants, who this year will travel with two Holocaust survivors and two community leaders, will go with the blessing of Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd who has wished the group good luck on its trip.
Sue Hampel, MOTL Australia convenor, said it was becoming more difficult to find Holocaust survivors who could participate in the march as they grew older.
AIJAC director of international and community affairs, Jeremy Jones will join the trip, as will George Foster, the president of the Australian Association of Jewish Holocaust Survivors and their Descendants.
"They will be giving talks at some of the locations, and their role is also to spread the word back home", Hampel said.
Eight youth movement and eight teachers will also accompany the group, together with Rabbi Ralph Genende from the Caulfield Hebrew Congregation, who will provide spiritual guidance to the group.
MOTL is an annual event that sees thousands of high school students commemorating Yom Hashoah. The participants complete a three-kilometre march between two Nazi-Polsih concentration camps, Auschwitz and Birkenau.
Interfaith professorship for Rabbi John Levi
MELBOURNE - Interfaith pioneer Rabbi John Levi has been awarded a professorship at the Australian Catholic University (ACU), a post he will use to "build even stronger bonds between the university and the Australian Jewish Community" he said.
"The appointment is a very sincere attempt by a Catholic community to make sure they don't lose touch with their Jewish roots."
The ACU has appointed Rabbi Levi, emeritus rabbi of Temple Beth Israel as adjunct professor to the Asia-Pacific Centre for Inter-religious Dialogue, based in Melbourne.
"We are proud to welcome Rabbi Levi to ACU National," pro-vice chancellor Professor Gabrielle McMullen said.
"Rabbi Levi's background in history and community leadership will allow ACU National to develop further co-operative inter-faith projects and stimulate continuing research."
Rabbi Levi has a distinguished academic record in both rabbinic and secular scholarship. He helped to found the Victorian Council of Christians and Jews, and later the Australian Council for Christians and Jews, of which he is a patron.
The ACU is Australia's only Catholic, national publicly funded university.
Bridge-building an ongoing project
MELBOURNE- Last week the leading editorial of Melbourne's premier newspaper praised a team comprising of Israelis and Palestinians that is to play later this year in the Australian Football League International Cup in Melbourne.
Without detracting from this exercise, it should be noted that myriad bridge-building events between Muslims and Jews continually take place in Victoria and elsewhere.
One such example is the annual dinner for executive members and staff of the Jewish Community Council of Victoria and the Islamic Council of Victoria, which was held in Melbourne last week. In a relaxed environment, 12 members of the two communities shared an informal meal and something even more important - personal experiences, reflections on their mutual membership of minority faiths and cultures, common concerns and fears, and plans for joint activities.
During the evening, it was acknowledged that there were issues on which the communities might not agree. At the same time, however, both parties were adamant that these issues must not dominate their relationship. They agreed that they not only owe this to their own communities, but even more to Australia, which has offered a home to all, including refugees and offered them the opportunity to rebuild shattered lives.
ARTS IN REVIEW
Gaviota: hacienda tale in Porfirio's time
By Carol Davis
 SAN DIEGO—The Ion Theatre located in a small suite just below the Grantville Trolley Line is ‘The Little Theatre That Could." It thinks big, puts on productions that look big and in the scheme of things has been doing amazing works for a small theatre company; Pillowman; tick… tick Boom and Punks to name a few. And if living up to the ‘B’ word is their goal, La Gaviota (the Seagull) their latest production by one of its founders and executive artistic director Claudio Raygoza, is their response.
Raygoza’s work is an adaptation of or inspiration from Chekhov’s The Seagull. But instead of the Russian characters, places and mentality, characteristic of Chekhov’s Russia, Raygoza frames his piece in Veracruz, Mexico 1910 because… “He was inspired to write the piece by, in part, the experience of his mother’s side of the family – Russian Jews who emigrated to Mexico."
With a large ensemble of twelve capable and staunch supporters of Ion, Raygoza’s epic, which takes place during the Mexican Revolution, lasted a little over three hours on opening night. That’s long! But that’s my only criticism. It’s appealing, well done and holds your interest from beginning to end. It was in much need of editing then, and I’m guessing it already has begun.
The first thing that draws you in is the beautifully authentic looking set (Matt Scott and Raygoza), consisting of the front portion of a Hacienda with pavers on a porch leading into the main house, lots of potted plants and hangings symbolic of the territory. The Hacienda is set on a beachfront property with real sand covering more than half the stage. A huge tree with a lone branch reaches out across the backdrop. I was impressed.
Not to be out done by the set, the cast is nothing less than excellent from the top down. Linda Castro, who had been a main stay actor on San Diego stages but left for personal reasons, is back again as Irene, (Irene Isabel Morado y Aguilar) and she is just what the doctor ordered. She is full of vim, piss and vinegar as the actress/mother (some refer to her as a Diva) who returns to her homestead with her beau of the hour, celebrated novelist, Alejandro Gabriel Romero (Raygoza) who follows her around like a puppy dog until… well.
Her son, Nicolas Manuel Aguilar, or Nico (Steven Lone) is an aspiring young filmmaker who is in love with his prime star Nina Andrea Zaragozo (the beautiful Sara Beth Morgan). Together they expect to set the world on fire with their revolutionary new medium, the motion picture. In a melodramatic moment set to impress his mother, they stage a scene (she in back of a curtain like screen) mouthing words as she comes dripping wet from the water in back of her. Nico has written an end of the word script. It’s sadly comical and inventive, but fails to impress Irene.
Others in their world include Delfina Esther Morado (Trina Kaplan) as the matriarch of the Hacienda; Pedro Guillermo Morado (Bernard Baldwin) owner of the Hacienda; Irene’s brother, Juan Carlos Garcia (coincidentally, John Garcia); Hacienda foreman, Armida Garcia (Estrella Esparaza-Johnson); the foreman’s daughter, Paula Elena Garcia (Catalina Maynard); housekeeper and the foreman’s wife, Sergio Manuel Diaz (John Padilla), the country doctor and Paula’s former lover; and Simon Michael (Matt Scott) a French Medic and Armida’s wanna be lover.
Nothing really happens in “La Gaviota." Families argue, lovers tangle and triangle, mother and son have their day and relationship (oedipal though it may be), small talk occupies most of their free time and every now and then something of small importance happens like the government has confiscated all the horses so Irene and Alejandro can’t go on their vacation riding off into the sunset, or the roads are barricaded, or Irene isn’t impressed with her son’s new project and he throws a hissy fit, or Armida doesn’t want to marry Simón Michael.
While the revolution against Porfirio Díaz’s rule is being fought in the background, life goes on at the hacienda. And as it raises a few eyebrows and inconveniences some there are more interested in their own little closed world with idle concern for the arts rather than in other worldly problems.
Colliding with all the small talk of the family and revolution Nico, who by this time had become a famous movie producer, comes to grips with the fact that the love of his life Nina will never be his. She still pines for Alejandro (the two ran away together earlier on). He has reconciled that he will be with Irene. In a touching if not horrifying moment we see Nico in shadow tossing a rope up over the branch of that magnificent tree, and while the rest of his family chats idly away, he hangs himself.
If you’re familiar with The Seagull, you will see more parallels in this world premiere showing of La Gaviota.
I can’t tell you how impressed I was with the overall acting from the entire company. Ms. Castro, as noted is at the top of her mark. When she is on stage, all eyes are on her and she never disappoints our expectations. As her son Nico, Steve Lone is young, handsome and vulnerable, spoiled and coddled at the same time and plays it to perfection. The love of his life Nina as played by Sara Beth Morgan, is not only beautiful but intensely believable. The two are a wonderful together.
Trina Kaplan plays Delfina, the grandmother with a twinkle inn her eye and an unspoken knowledge that she is well aware of her family’s foibles. Bernard Baldan as her son Pedro is virile and convincing. John Padilla, Catalina Maynard, Matt Scott and Estrella Esperaza-Johnson…the list goes on and on and not one weak link among them. Credit director Glenn Paris for his sensitive and even-paced production and hats off to Raygoza, who not only wrote the adaptation, but his performance as Alejandro is consistent throughout.
Judy Watson’s costumes range from the beautiful and sophisticated gowns and dresses for Irene to the period and proper class costumes for both working class and family members. Raygoza and Brylan Ranscht designed the lighting; Raygoza is also credited for the film/video/sound designs. He is one busy man. Hats off to Ion and Raygoza for this huge undertaking.
La Gaviota continues through May 17th at the The Lab, 4580-B Alvarado Canyon Rd. San Diego.
See you at the theatre.
J.W.B.-U.S.O Closes San Diego Office
From the Southwestern Jewish Press, December 30, 1949, page 1.
Henry Weinberger, chairman of the Jewish Welfare Board Armed Services Committee of San Diego, announced the re-organizational plans, effective December 31, 1949, whereby the services rendered to Jewish servicemen will be handled directly out of the Los Angeles office of the Jewish Welfare Board. This announcement was made after a luncheon meeting of the JWB Committee held at the San Diego Club on December 22, 1949.
Joachim Hammer, Director of the San Diego Area for JWB-USO, in making his report to the committee, indicated that this decision was mutually agreed upon by the Natonal office of JWB and USO Headquarters in New York City. The move was dictated purely on the basis of economy. The program of retrenchment was made necessary by the lack of support of USO by the Community Chests throughout the country. Plans are now underway whereby in every county of the United States a USO Council is being organized and the indications are that with the more intensive interpretation of the needs for services to the men in the Armed Forces that this financial support will be forthcoming. Continuing his report, Hammer announced that a Jewish Chaplain, on active duty was being assigned by the Navy for duty in the 11th Naval District Headquarters in San Diego. This assignment will probably become effective very early in 1950. A request was made for the Armed Services Committee to remain intact to act as a liaison between the Jewish Chaplain and the San Diego community, and to serve on the city wide USO Council when this Council is created.
Hammer expressed his sincerest and deepest thanks for the very fine cooperation that the JWB Committee had given him in the performance of his duties on behalf of the Jewish servicemen. He further commented that the Committee’s potential for service had barely been tapped and that it was certain that the Jewish community in San Diego would rise to any demand made upon it.
Albert A. Hutler, director of the United Jewish Fund nd member of the Committee, expressed he Committee’s appreciation for the fine service that Hammer had rendered since his assignment in San Diego in March of this year. He stated, on behalf of the Committee, its regrets at his transfer.
Hammer’s new destination is unknown but the indications are that his new assignment will take him overseas.
Mr. Louis Breslow, representative of JWB in Los Angeles, under whose attended territory the San Digo Area has been reconsolidated, attended the meeting.
Daughters of Israel
By Sophie Gaber
From Southwestern Jewish Press, December 30, 1949, page 6
 Rewarded and respected his efforts be
Attentive to duty and conscientious is he
Best sermons are his aim; his congregation to please
Blessings be upon him for his sincerity and good deeds
Inspiring and interesting his sermons you’ll find
Making a wonderful impression on his listeners’ minds
On any occasion as the case may be
Naught but food facts he’ll make us see
Remarkable is the place
ON 30TH AND Howard
Enthusiastically he is greeted by a wonderful crowd
Life long happiness be his share
Enriched with good health and never care
Very best of luck we wish him always
Enlightened are we since his stay
Never absent is he, rain or hail
Surely with such a leader our Shule will not fail.
Honors Come to Professor Nasatir
From Southwestern Jewish Press, January 13, 1950, page 1
A singular honor has been accorded Dr. A.P. Nasatir. He has been informed that he has won the Fulbright grant, which will take him to Europe for a year’s study and research. Much of his time will be spent in the archives in Paris, where he will be working filling in many of the present gaps in the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. The results of his work in Paris will enrich American research history. This will be Nasatir’s third trip across the Atlantic in the interest of United States history.
Dr. Nasatir took all his academic training at the University of California, at Berkeley. When he was ready to take his examinations for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, the University faculty members frowned upon the idea, for they thought he was too young—not yet 20.
He first went to Europe in 1924-25, after winning a Native Sons of the Golden West travel fellowship. But one year of research was not enough for him. In 1930-31, he returned to Paris to continue his studies under the Social Research council’s working fellowship, which enable him also to study in Madrid and London. He brought back 72,000 sheets of transcription to be translated here—a herculean task. Stack on stack of documents still to be translated from French and Spanish explorations, stare at him from the crowded desks, drawers and closets in his offices at college andat home.
Dr. Nasatir’s prolific work has reaped a harvest that includes many important articles in the California Historical Society’s quarterly and a gigantic work of 1000 pages that is a calendar, or catalog, of all materials in the French archives relating to California before it became American territory. This book is called “French Activities in California,” and it was published in 1945 by the Stanford University Press.
It is regarded as a highly valuable key to a romantic part of California history. Anothr monumental volume, called “Imperial Osage” is ready for release, this work dealing with the development of the Mississippi Valley.
Recently, Dr. Nasatir was commissioned by a ST. Louis historical society to edit at least two other volumes of documents for publication this year, adding to his long and distinguished list of research historical works.
Dr. Nasatir has established a national reputation in the field of history. As a winner of the Fulbright Award (he was selected as one of twenty, though there were many hundred of applicants from American Universities). Dr. and Mrs. Nasatir will leave San Diego for Paris at the end of this academic year.
SAN DIEGO JEWISH WORLD THE WEEK IN REVIEW
Donald H. Harrison in San Diego: 'Dreamcoat': A cup for Judaism's candle
Rabbi Dow Marmur in Jerusalem: Shas leaders: so 'religious,' yet so corrupt
Lynne Thrope in San Diego: Liz Bartell ambiance, Paul Murphy cuisine are perfect mother's reward at Humphrey's
Adventures in San Diego Jewish History: What was the Jewish community news in 1949? Archives of the Southwestern Jewish Press provide some of it.
Donald H. Harrison in La Mesa, California: La Mesa developer saw 'Promised Land' from the heights of his own Mount Nebo
Rabbi Dow Marmur in Jerusalem: How Israel at 60 differs from Israel at 50
Sheila Orysiek in San Diego: Klezmer—Jewish music for your soul
Ira Sharkansky in Jerusalem: Palestinian choice: delusions or own state
Adventures in San Diego Jewish History: What was the Jewish community news in 1949? Archives of the Southwestern Jewish Press provide some of it.
Judy Lash Balint in Jerusalem: A Jerusalem sight not to be passed over
Shoshana Bryen in Washington, D.C.: Why is Olmert discussing Golan Heights?
Rabbi Baruch Lederman in San Diego: Chofetz Chaim Yeshiva leader Rabbi Henoch Leibowitz, ztzl, had spiritual magnetism
Rabbi Dow Marmur in Jerusalem: Is Kadish kaddish for Pollard's freedom?
Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal in San Diego: Minyan prayer for 3 kidnaped soldiers
Ira Sharkansky in Jerusalem: Political smoke in the Israeli winds
Adventures in San Diego Jewish History: The Southwestern Jewish Press in July 1949 printed articles detailing the histories and purposes of various Jewish organizations in San Diego. We reprint some of them here.
Shoshana Bryen in Washington D.C.: Syrian-Korean nuclear program mysteries
Gerry Greber in Carlsbad, California: Is afikomen needed if end-product near?
Rabbi Dow Marmur in Jerusalem: Syrian-Israeli peace: genuine offer from President Assad or just a cynical ploy?
Sheila Orysiek in San Diego: Chapter Five in the serialization of her novel, Reluctant Martyr
Adventures in San Diego History: The Southwestern Jewish Press in July 1949 printed articles detailing the histories and purposes of various Jewish organizations in San Diego. We reprint some of them here.
Carol Davis in Carlsbad, California: A 'Kiss' that completely shook their world
Donald H. Harrison in San Diego: And what if you are wrong, Jimmy Carter?
Sheila Orysiek in San Diego: Confidence counts; kindergarten counts
Hal Wingard in San Diego: Two songs--'Oh, Jerusalem' and 'The Wisdom of Chelm'
Adventures in San Diego History: The Southwestern Jewish Press in July 1949 printed articles detailing the histories and purposes of various Jewish organizations in San Diego. We reprint some of them here.
Shoshana Bryen in Washington, D.C.: Hamas made a goat of Jimmy Carter
Garry Fabian in Melbourne, Australia
—Youth sought for Holocaust program
—Educators learn about Pesach
—Lips sealed on Jewish pre-summit talks
—ADC denounces dinner honoring Pavelic
—University students bake matzah on campus
—Power company relents on Pesach power cuts
—Pesach encompasses every Jew
—Matzah selling like hot cakes—literally
—A minyan near you?
Donald H. Harrison in San Diego: Book on Golda Meir trashes Shimon Peres
Rabbi Dow Marmur in Jerusalem: Israel's brightening diplomatic picture
Adventures in San Diego History: The Southwestern Jewish Press in July 1949 printed articles detailing the histories and purposes of various Jewish organizations in San Diego. We reprint some of them here.
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Nancy Harrison
Victor Schulman was elected President of the United Jewish Fund of San Diego last week at the first meeting of the new Board of Directors.