Jewish American Chamber of Commerce—Numerous business cards were exchanged at the Westgate Hotel at JACC's first anniversary celebration tonight; but Danny Dabby still had a
hand free to

SAN DIEGO—For her 60th birthday, they would like to give the old lady a new dress, a face lift, and some nice accessories so she can continue to be an enchanting hostess for many years to come.

Opened in Balboa Park in 1948, the same year that Israel became a state, the lady otherwise known as the House of Israel has become somewhat run down with wear.  So members of the Jewish American Chamber of Commerce decided to celebrate their organization's own first anniversary this evening (Saturday) with a silent auction and slide show in behalf of a campaign to architecturally renovate the cottage.
Rina Kabiljo, an Israeli architect with Carrier Johnson here in San Diego, showed renderings of a renovated cottage maintaining its Spanish style exterior but having its two-room interior transformed into a reflection of the old and the new Israel. 

The larger room, which one steps into from the entrance of the cottage, would feature a large image of  Jerusalem and would have a new floor of Jerusalem stone, Kabiljo said.  The smaller room, which is a step down to the right from the main room, would be transformed into a high tech and computer center featuring interactive displays showing Israel's leap

into 21st century technological leadership. Sharing his dream of the renovation, which has an estimated price tag of $60,000, was Amnon Silberger, the volunteer House of Israel president who earns his salary working for Qualcomm in the Human Resources Department.

Showing slides during a salmon dinner in the Versailles Room of the Westgate Hotel, Silberger said his own life in a way was typical of Israel's: His parents moved to Israel after surviving the Holocaust.  When his father "got off the ship, he was handed a gun and told to go fight" in Israel's War of Independence.  The senior Silberger looked at the gun, inquired which side was the one you pointed at people, and headed off to war.  "Luckily," said the HOI President, his father "didn't have to" fire the weapon.   

Israel, suggested the HOI president, was a third-world country during the years that he was growing up.  In fact, he said, he could remember how exciting it was when cousins from the United States came to visit, bringing with them the latest in western consumer goods—things that Israelis never thought they would have. 

He went on to serve in an explosives disposal unit in the Israel Defense Forces,fighting in the 1982 War in Lebanon.  He was shot at.  "It's interesting stuff," he added in some understatement.  "It's what people in Israel do."

From the Army, he went on to live in Tel Aviv and Haifa, eventually moving to the United States. Making the parallel explicit, Silberger added that Israel in some measure was a result of the Holocaust, jumped from a third-world economy to global leadership in the field of technology, and always had defending itself as part of its reality.  "I'm not special," he said. "I'm a typical Israeli."

Silberger said he considers the House of Israel to be an important opportunity for the story of Israel to be explained to the many tourists and San Diego residents who visit the Balboa Park area which the House of Israel shares with other cottages from around the world.  Among these, he noted, are the House of Iran, and the House of Palestine, both of which "present their stories."  The House of Palestine, he added, "does great public relations for Palestine; we want to do a great job for Israel."

Some of the exhibits at the House of Israel are pretty old," said Silberger.

He didn't say it, but over the years some of exhibits collected by the House of Israel have been more in the line of tschotchkes—knick-knacks— than museum-quality artifacts.

Although ages of the people attending the dinner ranged from the 20s to the 70s, there were far more of the former, and silent auction items were well suited to the price ranges of people starting out on their careers.  Bob Lipton, who chaired the auction, said about $2,000 was raised on such offerings as a brunch at the Westgate Hotel; dinner at the University Club; a Lang's Bakery gift certificate, gift wines; a Hornblower dinner cruise: yoga classes; a day at the spa: a two-hour flight over San Diego, a color outdoor banner, and seven different selections from Lipowich Judaica.

LOS ANGELES (Publicity Release)—StandWithUs (SWU), a Los Angeles-based international education organization, will launch a month-long ad campaign in mid-May through June 11, urging Palestinians to teach their children peace instead of hate, and urging Palestinian extremists to reform.

SWU's ads will appear in 20 downtown Washington DC metro stations to counter the misinformation in an anti-Israel ad campaign scheduled to run in the stations concurrently. The anti-Israel ads, sponsored by the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, (ETO) depict a Palestinian child dwarfed by an Israeli tank and call for the U.S. to cut aid to Israel until it ends the occupation of Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

According to SWU, the anti-Israel ads misinform the public about occupation, funding, and responsibility for violence. Israel withdrew completely from Gaza in 2005 and from over 40% of the West Bank almost nine years ago. The land was turned over to the Palestinian Authority and 98% of Palestinians are self-governing under its rule. Unfortunately, the 2005 withdrawal did not promote peace. Instead, rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel rose four-fold. Furthermore, the ETO ad implies that the U.S. only aids Israel. But America has also given billions of dollars in aid to the Palestinians either directly or through the United Nations over the years.

SWU especially objects to the misleading picture of a Palestinian child apparently threatened by an Israeli tank and charges that the ETO ad is deceptive and emotionally manipulative. Israel is not fighting children. It is defending itself against extremists like Hamas, Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad whose charters call for Israel's obliteration and whose terrorist attacks target civilians, including school children and toddlers, stated Roz Rothstein, SWU's international director.

Underscoring this message, SWU's ads call public attention to these Palestinian extremists and to the indoctrination of Palestinian children. The SWU ads show photos of Palestinian toddlers whose parents dress them as terrorists and of Palestinian pre-teens at a terrorist training camp. The text calls for Palestinians to teach peace to their children and for extremist groups to moderate and amend their charters which call for Israel's destruction. The ads stress that Israel is seeking a partner for peace.

SWU contends its ads point to the real tragedy for Palestinian children. Extremists and Palestinian media, schools and mosques indoctrinate them with hatred and encourage them to engage in violence and aspire to be suicide martyrs. Teaching hatred and violence to little kids and pre-teens is a form of child abuse, and dooms hopes for a better future. Peace, understanding and tolerance must be taught, stated Rothstein.

Israelis and many Palestinians long for peace, but it can begin only when the younger generation is taught tolerance and instilled with a vision of co-existence for a better future," comments Esther Renzer, SWU International President. "Hopefully, our ads will help Americans understand the tragic problems within the Palestinian Authority so they will support constructive policies essential to advancing peace."

StandWithUs is an international, non-profit Israel education organization that hosts speakers and conferences, offers website resources and creates materials widely distributed in universities, libraries, high schools, churches and communities that teach about Israel. Based in Los Angeles, SWU has offices and chapters in New York, Detroit, Michigan, San Francisco, Orange County (CA), Buffalo and Israel. For more information, visit: http://www.standwithus.com

The foregoing was provided by Stand With Us. 

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Your specialist in cruises and tours           Upcoming 2007 San Diego  sailings: May 27-December 29: Carnival: Elation: multiple 4-and 5-day sailings, round trip to Mexico. Sept 23-Dec 30: Princess Cruises: Dawn Princess: 7-day round trip to Mexico Sept. 28: Celebrity Cruises: Summit: 14-day Hawaii Sept. 29: Holland America: Oosterdam, 7-day Mexico.

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Jews in the News          
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 News spotters: Dan Brin in Los Angeles, Donald H. Harrison in San Diego, and you. Wherever you are, send a summary and link to us at sdheritage@cox.net.  To see a source story click on the link within the respective paragraph.
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* U.S. Rep. Howard Berman (D-Los Angeles) says the feeling permeates Congress that the public expects action on undocumented immigration, which he called a "national crisis."  Jerry Kammer of the Copley News Service has the story in today's San Diego Union-Tribune.

*Duke University law professor Edwin Chemerinksy, ACLU attorney Mark Rosenbaum, and Los Angeles City Councilman Jack Weiss provide a chorus of approval for Los Angeles Police Chief's actions in the wake of an incident in which police officers were videotaped beating protesters at MacArthur Park, but there is discontent among rank-and-file police officers over the chief's approach.  Patrick McGreevy and Matt Lait have the story in today's Los Angeles Times.

*District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis was accused by Chula Vista City Councilman Steve Castaneda of trumping up criminal investigations of him to aid the reelection campaign of his rival Chula Vista Mayor Cheryl Cox.  Dumanis had no comment.  The story by Tanya Mannes is in today's San Diego Union-Tribune. Meanwhile, in his column in the same newspaper, Logan Jenkins awarded a "brick" to the district attorney's office for its handling of a minor case at Mira Costa College in Oceanside.

*Ranaan Eliaz, a former director at the Israeli National Security Council, has written a fine background piece about the Jewish roots of French President-elect Nicolas Sarkozy, which can be found on the website of the Australian Jewish News.

*Death has taken screenwriter Bernard Gordon, 88, who led the protest against the awarding of a lifetime achievement Oscar to Elia Kazan because of Kazan's cooperation with Senator Joseph McCarthy's discredited Communist hunts.  An obituary by Valerie J. Nelson is in today's Los Angeles Times.

*Don Harrison and the San Diego Jewish World were announced to the readership of the San Diego Union-Tribune in Sandi Dolbee's Weekly Offerings column today under the subheading "Worthy of Note."  We thank her for the kindness.

*A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held yesterday for the Hertzberg/Davis Forensic Science Center, named for former Assembly Speaker Robert Hertzberg and former Gray Davis.  But delays have prevented the operation from moving into the building.  Patrick McGreevy and Stuart Pfeifer have the story in today's Los Angeles Times.

*Dan Hirsch, co-chairman of the Santa Susana Field Laboratory Working Group, expressed support for a bill by U.S. Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Simi Valley) extending federal benefits to workers who can link their cancer to exposure at Rocketdyne's Santa Susannah Field Laboratory, a one time DOE facility.  Gregory W. Griggs has the story in today's Los Angeles Times.

*Gary & Jerri-Ann Jacobs reportedly are closing escrow on a $50 million complex of four homes in Del Mar, a real estate transaction that may be the largest in San Diego history.  Roger Showley has the story in today's San Diego Union-Tribune.

*Brian & Rebecca (Feen) Kanefsky are married today because their mothers decided to do some online prospecting with JDate. Nicole Neroulias of Religion News Service has the story in today's San Diego Union-Tribune. A companion article polled readers on their Jewish mothers.

*Barry Scheck, co-founder of the Innocence Project, hailed the decision of a judge in Oklahoma who freed 22-year inmate Curtis E. McCarty after hearing evidence that a since-fired Oklahoma City chemist may have tampered with evidence.  Henry Weinstein has the story in today's Los Angeles Times.

*Gary Weinstein, president of the Alpine Library Friends Bookstore, says the group which raises money for the library, is about to lose the space where rent was free and is now looking for a new home. Sharon A. Heilbrunn has the story in today's San Diego Union-Tribune.

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The Jewish Grapevine                                                    
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Some things we heard at tonight's JACC dinner

	BUSINESS BOOSTERS—Playwright Janet Tiger did double duty at the Jewish American Chamber of Commerce dinner this evening. Not only did she greet attendees in behalf of the chamber, she also was able to promote her upcoming play, which will open August 3 at the Swedenborg Hall at 1531 Tyler Street.  She shared with Eve Oslinger, Marcie Sterns and San Diego Jewish World that the play deals
Marcie Sterns and Eve Oslinger receive JACC brochure from membership chair Janet Tiger	with he question what if only taxes, and not death, were all that was inevitable in the world.

What would people do if they didn't die.  She said she tried to consider the question from many perspectives, at one point putting a question to Rabbi Scott Meltzer of Ohr Shalom Synagogue about the Jewish point-of-view on dying.  His response, that life should be preserved if feasible, was worked into the play's dialogue, she said.

Oslinger, meanwhile, passed on information that her son David Oslinger, a graduate of the Culinary Arts Institute, is soon to open a new eatery, Papaya Cafe, in the Palomar Park Business center. "That's a good mother," Sterns commented approvingly.

COMMUNITY OF ISRAELIS—Danny Dabby, president of the Community of Israelis of San Diego (CISD) as well as a vice president of the United Jewish Federation, said that the former organization has a threefold goal: "To preserve Israeli culture; to have contacts with Israel and to further integrate the Isaeli community into San Diego."  Among plans for the group, he said, will be a big family style picnic in June.  The potential audience is huge, he said. "We think there are 4,000 Israelis in San Diego."  Dabby is the president of Danmore Investments, which participates in various real estate partnerships that owns and operates shopping centers and apartment buildings.

TEAM BUILDING—Orit Ostrowiak helps teach people how to speak and how to build teams at work.  For example, she said, she recently instructed at a two-day conference for contract specialists of the Veterans Administration in Tucson.  "We do listening exercises to find out about each other, to break down barriers and to find a common human interest," she said. At home, with daughters Audrey, 6, and Maxine, 5, Ostrowiak is engaged in teaching of another sort. A follower of a strict vegetarian diet, she says she is doing her best to encourage her daughters to be healthy eaters.

VOLUNTEER—Among the House of Israel volunteers in evidence at tonight's Jewish American Chamber of Commerce dinner was Galia Bukszpan, who was born in Egypt, and who later immigrated to Israel, where she lived 15 years before moving on to San Diego.  She said she spends much of her time serving as a caretaker for her father, Henry, who at 95-years-old, is blessed with lucidity.  Before her own retirement, she said, she worked as a film editor both in Isael and up in Los Angeles

Do you have a simcha that you would like to share with the Jewish community?  Send in notices of birth, bar/bat mitzvah, wedding, special anniversary, or other special events, honors or celebrations (with photos if you have them) to the San Diego Jewish World.  There is no charge for items used in our Jewish Grapevine section.  Our email address is sdheritage@cox.net
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Life-Changing, Living Waters: A Renewal of Spirit

By Cantor Arlene Bernstein
Congregation Beth Israel, San Diego

SAN DIEGO—As the holiday of Shavuot approaches, I am reminded of the Book of Ruth, which will be beautifully chanted by members of our Confirmation Class. The Biblical Ruth is the first mention of “conversion” to Judaism. Ruth, the Moabitess, follows her mother-in-law, Naomi and with the famous words “...your people shall be my people and your God, my God...” affirms her choice for her life as a Jew.

Mikvah is part of the modern day conversion process, in addition to study, Jewish practice and the sharing one’s journey to Judaism, as well as discussing Jewish customs, holidays and law with a Beit Din (tribunal). Mikvah is the ritual bath, the use of natural waters, in which those who choose Judaism immerse themselves, symbolic of a rebirth, a change of status to become a Jew. Most religions use water in some form for religious purity and spirituality. Judaism has used this ritual for thousands of years.

For me, the use of the ritual bath has added depth – it is something that has the opportunity to make a spiritual difference in the life of every Jew who may choose to avail themselves of this ritual. I would like to share with you my own thoughts and experience of this extraordinary ritual in Jewish life:

Excited, nervous, joyful and introspective – these are my feelings as I enter the mikvah prior to our Rabbinic Ordination/Cantorial Investiture in May of 1993. The mikvah lady is excited for me and is thrilled that I am going to become a

(grandmother) – and her reassurance that this will be a great moment. She asks if I’ve showered; she checks my fingernails and cups my face in her hands after checking for earrings and other jewelry. “Take another shower and I’ll meet you in the mikvah!”  As I approach the mikvah, I am keenly aware about my choice to use the Jewish ritual bath at this important juncture in my life. I had always thought that I would use the mikvah as a ritual before marriage, as I was originally taught. After careful consideration, I concluded that for me, mikvah would add holiness to my choice to be a cantor for the Jewish people.

I hesitantly enter the room of the mikvah itself. I walk down seven steps – the water is exquisitely soft, warm and sparkling clean. The mikvah lady reminds me of my obligations to immerse myself and pray afterward. First I practice – it’s not as easy as I thought to make sure I am surrounded completely by water – but it is an ethereal feeling – something almost unexplainable. We open the channel so that the living waters can flow into the mikvah – and I begin to cry, so overwhelmed with the knowledge that for thousands of years, Jews have used the mikvah. “No problem,” her accent so thick and full of memory, “a little salt wouldn’t hurt the water.”

I immerse and I pray. The feeling is overwhelming – I am enveloped by mayim chayim – living waters. As I finish, a wash of emotions swirl around me. I have connected mystically with my ancestors, I have, in a sense, cleansed myself to receive my new responsibilities – I have changed. The feeling stays with me for hours and even days. I have only to close my eyes and I can recall the enveloping warmth of the waters and the emotions that surrounded my prayers.

It is with this personal experience that I have brought many women (and only women, as of this writing) to the mikvah. The reasons and places have been varied. I have gone to the ocean and the bay with brides and converts (large lakes and rivers also provide a “kosher mikvah”). I have brought to the mikvaot in Manhattan and at the University of Judaism, many women who have chosen Judaism; a divorcee; a rape victim and a 70 year-old woman, who, following in the tradition of having lived a full life, wanted to begin her “second” life, as it were, with a new sense of holiness and freedom. However, mikvah is not only for women, it is for men as well and it is an equally powerful ritual.

The preparation for the mikvah is exciting and filled with anticipation. We study together its history and purpose. As we talk about the reason for this ritual, we speak about the effects of change on ourselves and upon our family and friends as well as about expectations. We practice the prayers together and we look for appropriate readings or we write our own Iyyunim (special writings) to mark this extraordinary moment. 

But nothing equates with the fulfillment of the mitzvah itself. I have seen it over and over again: a person enters a mikvah in one way and they emerge from the mikvah changed and enhanced-imbued with a new spirit. Some part of the old is washed away and the new is elevated in holiness.

Would that it could be our Reform custom to have mikvah easily available to more people and perhaps to encourage its use before Shabbat and before the High Holy Days (this High Holiday preparation is a personal practice), our sense of kedushah (holiness) might be enhanced.

The physical act of changing one’s status, religious identity or one’s spiritual longing through this water ritual provides us with a powerful new way to see our future paths and our connection with our past: a renewal of body – a renewal of spirit.

The foregoing article was reprinted with permission from the May edition of Tidings, the newsletter of Congregation Beth Israel

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Arts in Review

Bernstein wraps up San Diego Opera
season in Mozart's Marriage of Figaro

SAN DIEGO—When the final curtain comes down on the last performance of Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro on May 16th the footnotes on the San Diego Opera's season will read that it was successful, controversial and different. For the most part, however, the season was a mixed bag of old, new and traditional.

Mozart’s Figaro, the final opera, picks up where Rossini’s Barber of Seville leaves off. Rosina (American soprano Pamela Allen) and Count Almavava (Polish Baritone Mariusz Kwiecien) are now married. Figaro (Bass-baritone Richard Bernstein) is in the service of the Count and is
Richard Bernstein as Figaro
planning his marriage to Susanna  (American soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian). Remember, Figaro was the barber in Barber of Seville while Susanna was also in the service of the court and is now the Count’s maid. She is still the main focus of this opera as well. 

When playwright Beaumarchais and librettist Lorenzo de Ponte presented this piece to King Louis and Marie Antoinette in 1781, the King was not happy with the way the mores and traditions of his countrymen were depicted. The  nobility and ruling aristocracy were made to look like uncompromising, foolish twits outwitted by the women of the court, which in fact they were. In reality the age old tradition, droit de seigneur, the right of a lord to deflower any virgin in his domain on her wedding night, had been renounced, but it is, in fact, what the entire opera is based on. Not being politically correct however, in the eyes of the king, it wasn’t until 1784 that the he allowed the premiere to be mounted. Opera buffa is the term used to describe the works of both Rossini and Mozart. It’s just plain silliness. But it is at the expense of the royalty.

Make no mistake, we know from the outset where Beaumarchais’ plot is going. The Count wants to bed Susanna before she marries Figaro. But when the Count tries to keep Figaro away from Susanna on their wedding day, Figaro gets annoyed and plots a ruse to trick the Count. Stirring up the pot, Almavava and Rosina, have grown apart, and that gives him an even greater excuse to be with Susanna and get rid of Figaro. 

Meanwhile Marcellina (Delores Zeigler),who is owed money by Figaro, wants to collect her debt by marrying him. Her lawyer, Dr. Bartolo, (Kevin Langan) pretends to give the go ahead to Marcellina and she is on a quest to marry Figaro. Lest we forget, the love sick Cherubino (Mezzo-soprano Sara Castle) loves Susanna and goes drooling every time he /she is in her presence. He’s an annoyance to the Count, who can’t quite figure him out. In fact, this character does get in the way. The folly of it, however, adds to the comedic antics of the entire cast.  It’s all a crazy mess and takes four acts, clever scheming by the women, some beautiful voices and the wonderful music of Mozart to sort the whole thing out.

The San Diego Opera has staged Figaro no less than six times including this production. The San Francisco Opera’s sets by Zack Brown, which were used for this production were also used in the past. The costumes are also from the San Francisco Opera.  San Diego Opera Artistic Director Ian Campbell decided to give opera lovers a chance to see the ‘behind the scenes’ workings of how the techs orchestrate the changing of the sets, when they left the curtains back during Acts I and II. Those who were interested, watched the choreographing of the sets while each of the pieces was moved and put into place for the second act. It wasn’t as much fun as watching the opera and the antics of the luminaries, but it was a good lesson on how much work is involved and why it costs so much to mount an opera. There were no less than 34 stage hands including electricians, carpenters, sound and props. (Total cost of the production was $1,513,814. That’s some chunk of change.)

On opening night maestro Edoardo Müller conducted with his usual finesse. The  San Diego Symphony Orchestra was on perfect cue as the  Overture brought just a tease of what was to follow. The overall production, while lasting nearly four hours was filled with talent galore, much buffoonery and comic romantic nonsense.  Bernstein, who is following in the tradition of many Jewish opera stars of the past, Richard Tucker, Jan Pierce, Robert Merrill, Regina Resnick and  Roberta Peters to name a few of the 20th century notables, was in fine voice as Figaro. No stranger to this role, he has performed it no less than 100 times including at the Met. At thirty four, he has many more years of great work ahead.  The youngest of four talented siblings, his brother Bradley is drafting an opera for him.  He was in rare form as he and Bayrakdarian’s Susanna looked and felt the sought-after lovers.

Baritone Mariusz Kwiecien’s Count Almavava is a perfect fit for this role. His physical presence, strong and convincing voice and overall confidence as an actor gave the part more credibility than if he had just been a fool. His looks, stance and determination was convincing enough for me to keep my eyes on him. Both Kevin Langan and Delores Ziegler showed their expertise as old pros and neither disappointed. Soprano Pamela Armstrong was a compelling Countess with a wide range of emotions and clear voice. On the whole, Mozart was a perfect way to end an evening and a perfect way to complete a season. 

For more information on this season and the upcoming season log on to www.sdopera.com

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All In The Timing worth experiencing

If you’re looking for something little different in the way of entertainment, you might want to cruise downtown to the 6th Avenue Bistro at the corner of 6th and B (1165 Sixth Ave) where ion theatre is staging a quirky little play by David Ives called All in the Timing. It’s a bizarre comedy that, in some ways defies all logic. There are six little one-act vignettes; sometimes amusing, sometimes mind boggling and sometimes just plain wacky.

There is a  four character ensemble: Laura Bozanich whose own timing is impeccable, Andrew Kennedy who is multi-talented, Kim Strassburger whose energy is endless and very weirdly funny and Jonathan Sachs who is the more somber of the group.  This young and lively cast make impossibly quick costume changes, scene changes and in one case, people to animal

Kennedy, Strassuburger and Sachs

changes and become whatever madcap, wild, or nutty  character that scene calls for.

In Sure Thing, a girl (Laura Bozanich and Andrew Kennedy) is sitting in a coffee house, the seat next to her is empty. A boy comes by and asks,“Is that seat
taken?” The first reply is “yes, I’m waiting for someone.” After a series of  quick replies that change with the ding of a bell until the right response is heard by both, he takes the chair next to her and they have a cup of coffee together. I don’t know if you have ever gone over a conversation in your head until the right response comes to mind, but that’s what that scene reminded me of. Both Bozanich and Kennedy are on top of their characters and set the tone for what’s to follow.

Philadelphia: is another one of those mind puzzles where a person’s geography dictates his state of mind. Jonathan Sachs and Andrew Kennedy pull this one off  in a fast talk banter, give and take about how different cities create their attitudes and thinking. Los Angeles; laid back and nonchalant. Oh, your  marriage is breaking up you, lost your job, no biggie.

Chicago: no life; Philadelphia; ask for one thing, get the opposite. Both Kennedy and Sachs are great in this one. It’s quite funny.

Next, the four come out carrying high stools and typewriters, bananas and toys. Called Words, Words, Words, three chimps are chosen to prove an experiment: The experiment being: If they are forced to sit at a typewriter long enough they, too, can pen Shakespeare’s Hamlet.  It’s odd, and yet funny to see the process. Jonathan Sachs as Milton, yes they all have names, who gets off one version while Kim Strassburger keeps typing a K, her name is Kafka. It’s pretty bizarre. And, oh, the bananas and the scratching…well, you just have to see for yourself. 

I must admit that seeing this madness is much more fun that reading about it because the expressions and the antics are just too outrageous to justly describe. As in Trotsky: Jonathan Sachs is Trotsky walking around  with an axe buried in his skull, but he doesn’t remember it happening It’s mishuginah. He rambles on about his ice pick phobia while  his kooky wife (Strassberger) is reading from an encyclopedia from the 1990’s saying today is  the day he dies, and the play is set in 1940.  Little stuff like that makes you want to scratch your head and have a long conversation about what you just saw after the food, drinks and eye popping comedy is over.

Co-directed by the companies co-artistic directors Glenn Paris and Claudio Raygoza this madcap comedy played at one of our local theatres in 2006 and both Glenn and Raygoza feel that in this new setting, the possibilities for an open ended run is going to happen because of the location and the connection to the Bistro. Along with ‘comedy tonight.” food and beverage can be ordered before, during and after the show so the audience (customer) can drink and nosh while watching. Just be careful you don’t swallow during a laugh-a- thon.

The staff, both at the restaurant and in the downstairs lounge, where the show takes place, is helpful and the menu upstairs in the Bistro is savory with lots of choices and enough to share.  If you want something off the menu the chef /owner Jack Gambrell will customize what you want. He did that for me. Reservations are recommended. It’s a bustling little place.

For more information call (619) 374-6894 or visit www.iontheatre.com Performances start at 8pm, Thursdays through Saturdays, and Sunday at 3pm. It’s worth a try.

See you at the theatre

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