Dan Pine

No Rat King, no fairies—just one ‘MeshugaNutcracker’

Published on December 14, 2006

"The MeshugaNutcracker!" tells the tale of eight citizens of Chelm, the mythical shtetl of fools, who gather every year to perform at their Chanukah festival. Through the course of the two-act musical, each tells a story of Chanukah heroes from the time of the Maccabees through today.

‘Love With Noodles’ Rife With Canoodles

Published on November 3, 2005

Narrated in the first person, present tense (always risky), "Love With Noodles" follows Gelder's canoodling with a string of women who enter his life just as he emerges from mourning his late beshert, Ellen. Gelder lives alone. His grown son, Eric, faces financial ruin. What's worse, Eric is planning to marry a non-Jew.

Musician Finds Salvation in Hip-Hop

Published on November 27, 2003

Oakland-based singer/songwriter Hyim has a Middle East peace proposal he'd like to float: Send 10,000 kids to the region, have a heart-to-heart with their Arab and Israeli counterparts and then get 'em all singing.

Octogenarian Sets Sail With Memoir

Published on July 31, 2003

"Keeping Ahead of Winter" written and illustrated by Ruth Silnes (Xlibris Corporation, $21.99).

Run a Google search of "Jews" plus "boats" and you'll likely come up with something about steamships and Ellis Island.

Then there's Ruth Silnes, one Jewish mariner who refuses to go into dry dock.

Laughing Through the Years and Tears

Published on May 29, 2003

Esther Weintraub is a stand-up comic who can't stand up.