IT’S MAGNIFICENT — I saw “My Name is Asher Lev” last week and to quote a line in the play about Asher’s work, “it’s magnificent.” I confess I never read the book so I don’t know how closely it follows it, but I really liked all 90 minutes of the play. I’m glad I read the glossary before the show began, because I wasn’t familiar with all the Yiddish sayings. I think Doogin Brown does an excellent job playing Asher Lev. I sat very close to the stage and got an up close and personal view of a variety of Brown’s facial expressions as he plays the lead from a young child through adulthood. As my friend who accompanied me that evening noted, the play is so much more than a “Jewish” play. It demonstrates the pull of an artist to create, the struggle between generations and his personal battle to balance tradition versus his views of modern life. If you have the chance before the play closes May 12, I highly recommend you see it.
JEWS AND BASEBALL — Last week a special two-disc DVD edition of Aviva Kempner’s Peabody Award-winning film “The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg” was re-released. The original DVD, which came out in 2001, is a humorous and nostalgic documentary about an extraordinary baseball player who transcended religious prejudice to become an American icon. If you’re ready for more baseball history after seeing “42,” this is perfect for you. The documentary examines how Greenberg was a beacon of hope to American Jews who faced bigotry during the Depression and World War II. The DVD package includes more than two hours of new extras, including a phone interview with Ted Williams, an interview with Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and more conversations with of Walter Matthau and Bob Feller. The DVD is available through the website http://www.hankgreenbergfilm.org.
Rabbi Alexander Kaye will not be speaking at Kehilath Israel Synagogue on Friday, May 3, or Saturday, May 4, as originally scheduled. Cancellation
