Page 29 - Jewish News_December-2020

JEWISH INTEREST December 2020 29A

Stars of David Interested in Your

By Nate Bloom, Contributing Columnist
Editor’s note: Persons in BOLD CAPS are deemed by Nate Bloom to be Jewish Family’s History?
for the purpose of the column. Persons identified as Jewish have at least one Jew-
ish parent and were not raised in a faith other than Judaism – and don’t identify
with a faith other than Judaism as an adult. Converts to Judaism, of course, are Nate Bloom (see column at left) has become a family history expert in 10
also identified as Jewish. years of doing his celebrity column, and he has expert friends who can help
when called on. Most family history experts charge $1,000 or more to do a
New(ish) Broadcast is most famous as the star of the ’70s full family-tree search. However, Bloom knows that most people want to start
and Streaming Offerings sit-com Alice. Kopell is best known for with a limited search of one family line.
The pandemic, frankly, has made writ- playing Dr. Adam Bricker, the ship’s
ing in advance hard. Series and orig- doctor, on the hit program The Love So here’s the deal:
inal films are now often added to the Boat.
TV/streaming schedule with short About a week after the Israeli TV Write Bloom at nteibloom@aol.com and enclose a phone number.
notice. I mention this to explain why series Valley of Tears began airing in Nate will then contact you about starting a limited search. If that
many “things” that began in November Israel (October 15), HBO Max bought
are being mentioned in this column for it and begin streaming the series on goes well, additional and more extensive searches are possible.
the first time in December. The silver November 12. Two episodes of the The first search fee is no more than $100. No upfront cost. Also,
lining is that it is far easier now than it 10-episode series are being shown several of this newspaper’s readers have asked Bloom to locate
was, say, 10 years ago, to catch up with each week. Valley, the most expensive
episodes of a series or to view a film Israeli series ever made, is about the friends and family members from their past, and that’s worked out
way after its premiere. 1973 Yom Kippur War. Here’s the of- great for them. So contact him about this as well.
The comedy/drama series B Pos- ficial summary: “It tells four emotional
itive began on CBS on November and highly personal stories of individ-
5 (8:30 p.m.). Drew (Thomas Mid- uals swept away from their loved ones Now streaming on Netflix is The without screen credit, including a big
dleditch) is a therapist and the newly by the ravages of war, four parallel Life Ahead. Sophia Loren, 86, plays part of The Wizard of Oz; and he just
divorced father of a 12-year-old daugh- plotlines, intertwined together into one Madame Rosa, a Jewish Holocaust couldn’t stop drinking until it killed
ter. He needs a kidney transplant and climactic battle.” survivor who became a prostitute him. All the well-known people named
he finds a match in Gina, a past ac- Valley of Tears was the name giv- after being liberated. In her old age, Mankiewicz were/are closely related
quaintance. SARA RUE, 41, co-stars en to the Yom Kippur War battles in she provides daycare for the children to Herman. Google him and you’ll find
as Julia, Drew’s ex-wife. You might re- the Golan Heights, where 173 Israeli of (active) prostitutes. The film focus- them all easily.
member Rue as the star of the sit-com tanks stopped 1,200 Syrian tanks from es on her relationship with a black, By the way, the next time you
Less than Perfect, which ran for four reaching the Jordan River. Valley was Muslim 12-year-old boy. The film is see a lot of Jews playing non-Jews,
years, ending in 2006. She was born co-written by RON LESHEM, 41. He based on The Life Before Us, a 1976 think of this film. There are 13 im-
Sara Schlackman (Rue is her mother’s also co-created Euphoria, an Israeli book by ROMAIN GARY that won portant characters and no Jewish ac-
maiden name). Appearing in recurring TV series that became, in its American France’s highest literary award. Re- tors play any of them, although five
roles are BERNIE KOPELL, 87, and version, a hit for HBO. Leshem served views are very good for Loren’s first were “all” Jewish in real life and two
LINDA LAVIN, 82. Both play res- in Israeli military intelligence, and for film in 10 years. It was directed by her more had Jewish fathers. The direc-
idents of an assisted living facility three years reported on events in the son. tor (David Fincher) and screenwriter
where Gina works. Lavin plays Norma, Golan and the West Bank for a leading Mank, a biopic about famous screen- (the late Jack Fincher) aren’t Jewish
a woman who lived a “big life.” She Israeli paper. writer HERMAN MANKIEWICZ either.
(1897-1953), begins streaming on On Thursday, December 17, CBS
Netflix on Saturday, December 5. It All-Access will start streaming The
Robert and Esther Heller focuses on the period during which Stand, a mini-series based on the Ste-
CRC Mankiewicz co-wrote the script for phen King novel. Basic plot: Most of
COMMUNITY RELATIONS COMMITTEE
the great film Citizen Kane with Orson the people in the world die in a pan-
P R E S E N T S Welles. They were co-winners of the demic and the ones left are psychi-
A Ritchie Boy 1939 Oscar for best screenplay for the cally drawn to a religiously devout
African-American woman or to an evil
film. Mank, which opened in limited
white man who may be the devil incar-
theater release (to be “Oscar eligible”),
with author Linda Kass has received rave reviews and it will be nate. NAT WOLFF, 25, plays Lloyd
Wednesday, December 9 • 2:00 pm a best-film Oscar nominee. Henreid, a petty criminal who becomes
A biopic about Mankiewicz can’t
Mr. Evil’s smartest and most loyal lieu-
(Waiting room opens at 1:30 pm) be dull. He was extremely funny; he tenant.
improved hundreds of films, usually
n her moving and memorable novel
Iinspired by her father’s life and written
using different stories, bookseller Linda SERVING THE JEWISH
Kass shares the little-known account of L’Dor COMMUNITY SINCE 1978
Charter Members of Temple Sinai
the Ritchie Boys. Often Jewish German-
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