Shorts: The Arts

Trump fires Jewish contestant

new york (jta) | An Orthodox Jew failed in his bid to become Donald Trump's next employee. Lee Bienstock was fired Monday, June 5 on the season finale of "The Apprentice."

Bienstock and another Jewish contestant, New Jersey's Dan Brody, observed Rosh Hashanah together early in the season, which caused the two to miss the third episode's task.

Only Bienstock, who grew up in the New York area, stayed in the running long enough to observe Yom Kippur, missing another task.




American Jewish literature to be taught at CSU Concord campus

The history of American Jewish literature will be offered for the first time at the Concord campus of Cal State East Bay.

The class, which will meet on six consecutive Thursday mornings beginning June 22, will be taught by Elaine Starkman, a literature and creative writing instructor.

The course will span 350 years of Jewish literature and cover such writers as Anzia Yezierska, I.B. Singer, Bernard Malamud and Philip Roth. The course fee includes a reader and parking.

The course is sponsored by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Cal State East Bay and Lehrhaus Judaica.

It costs $70 for OLLI and Lehrhaus members, $90 for non-members.

To register, visit the academic services building, its Web site at scholarolli.com or mail the fee to OLLI at CSU East Bay, Concord Campus, 4700 Ygnacio Valley Road, Concord, CA 94521.

Information: Joyce Podevyn at (925) 602-6776 or email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).




Vallejo theater group puts on 'Fiddler'

The Vallejo Music Theatre has planned fun activities both on and off the stage during its summer production of "Fiddler on the Roof," July 14 through Aug. 5.

In addition to the evening performances, other festivities will include a summer party with a wine tasting hosted by Sterling Vineyards, and a silent auction and dinner catered by City Lights on July 16 at 2 p.m.

There will be a dessert and chat with the cast and crew after the July 23 matinee. And on July 30, there will be a special outdoor matinee at Touro University — picnics are encouraged.

Performances will be held at the Fetterly Playhouse for the Arts at 3467 Sonoma Blvd., Vallejo. Call (707) 649-2787 for more information.




Art confiscated by Nazis is auctioned

vienna, austria (jps) | An Albin Egger-Lienz painting that the Nazis seized from its original owner fetched a record $1.17 million at an auction in Vienna.

"Totentanz 1809," or "Dance of Death 1809," was auctioned off May 30 at Vienna's Dorotheum. An official said that the winning bidder was an Austrian man in his 40s, but did not release his name.

The proceeds will go to Herta Fox of Los Angeles, a descendant of the Austrian Jewish family who owned the work before it was confiscated during World War II. The painting resurfaced after the war in the collection of a Lienz museum, where officials agreed to return it.




University to offer class on Matisyahu

new york (jta) | An American university is offering a class on Jewish reggae singer Matisyahu.

Students at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, N.J., will study Matisyahu and his use of biblical and Chassidic themes in his lyrics, reported the New Jersey Standard. The class is being offered as part of the school's new Jewish studies minor.