New books: French Jewish art collectors and their wartime travails By Howard Freedman Jan 14, 2022 Although few of us can relate to the rarefied worlds of wealthy Jewish art collectors during the French Third Republic, two recent books reinforce some profound lessons there are to learn from their experiences. In “The Vanished Collection,” Pauline Baer de Perignon records her investigation into the legacy of her Frankfurt-born great-grandfather, Jules Strauss, who… Read More
History From reverent to raunchy, vast Yiddish archives are reunited online The Holocaust all but destroyed a centuries-old Jewish civilization, while the war carved up nations and left the Continent divided between the allied… By Andrew Silow-Carroll, JTA Jan 11, 2022
Art UC Hastings to Kamala Harris: Where’s the mezuzah we sent you? When a friend of UC Hastings law professor Marsha Cohen read a media report last month that Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff… By John Ferrannini Dec 15, 2021
Religion Oakland artist Ava Sakaya Rosen creates Torah-inspired tarot deck A forest fire, racing up a mountain. A tortoise, deep inside the earth. A dark sea, rough on the surface and still beneath it. These images, carved on… By Maya Mirsky Dec 3, 2021
Bay Area Black-Jewish group embraces S.F. guaranteed income program Marika Brussel has been receiving $1,000 each month since May, no strings attached, from the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. The 52-year-old ballet… By Andrew Esensten Nov 18, 2021
History Little-known L.A. museum puts the saga of Soviet Jewry on display In the dark days of the Cold War, photographer Bill Aron, the son of a Russian émigré to Philadelphia, traveled to the Soviet Union. In Moscow, Leningrad,… By Tom Teicholz, Forward Nov 16, 2021
Art Saved from destruction, UCSF’s Zakheim murals are moved to storage A major work by the late San Francisco Jewish artist Bernard Zakheim, one that graced the walls of UCSF’s Toland Hall for 83 years, has been extracted in… By Laura Paull Nov 15, 2021
U.S. Van Gogh stolen from Rothschild by Nazis sells for over $35 million A watercolor painting by Vincent Van Gogh that was stolen by the Nazis from its Jewish owner during the Holocaust was sold at auction for $35,855,000… By Shira Hanau, JTA Nov 15, 2021
Books With 'Frog and Toad' illustrations, puppet designer is 'Doing Her Best' Much of Ellie Hajdu’s artistic career has been devoted to designing puppets. Now she’s trying her hand at book illustration, and her first work is a “Frog… By John Ferrannini Nov 9, 2021