Seraphic Secret

Robert J. Avrech: Emmy Award winning screenwriter. Movie fanatic. Helplessly and hopelessly in love with my wife since age nine.

Judaism

Succot 2019

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A Yemenite Jew named Yehia holding a lulav and etrog—the four species— in a succah, Jerusalem, 1939.
A Yemenite Jew named Yehia holding a lulav and etrog—the four species—in a Sukkah, Jerusalem, 1939.

As Jews all over the world make last minute preparations for the holiday of Sukkot, which begins this evening, here are a few wonderfully evocative pictures of Jews celebrating this joyous holiday in Israel — and a rare photo of Jews in Samarkand.

You will dwell in booths for seven days; all natives of Israel shall dwell in booths.

—Leviticus 23:42

On the first day, you will take for yourselves a fruit of a beautiful tree, palm branches, twigs of a braided tree and brook willows, and you will rejoice before the L-RD your G-d for seven days.

—Leviticus 23:40

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Friday Photos: True Hollywood Confessions

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“When I die, my epitaph should be: I died a thousand deaths. That was the story of my film career. Most of the time I played in mystery and intrigue stories. They didn’t know what to do with me at the end, so they killed me off.” — Anna May Wong

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Friday Photos: True Hollywood Confessions

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Myrna Loy & William Powell in The Thin Man, 1934
She grinned at me. “You got types?”
“Only you, darling — lanky brunettes with wicked jaws.”
—Dashiell Hammett, The Thin Man (1929)

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Friday Photos: True Hollywood Confessions

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“When we were at MGM, we worked years before anybody called us stars. Louis B. Mayer brought us along in little parts – even ‘Love Finds Andy Hardy.’ Then, if we showed promise, he would put us opposite the established stars – like Clark Gable, Robert Taylor, Spencer Tracy – who could lend us the power of their names.
“Then, when we became established, he would costar the rising young players with us.
“Believe me, when the time came for us to move from the featured players’ building into the building of the star’s dressing rooms, it was a thrilling event in your life. It was like entering a new kingdom in which you were the queen.”
—Lana Turner

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Torah Dedication in Memory of Ariel Chaim, Z’L

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Karen and I dedicated a Torah to our synagogue in memory of our son Ariel Chaim, Z’L. On the evening of August 22, at our home, there was a ceremony where the last hundred letters of the Torah were filled in by our friend, a scribe, with a few dozen honored family and friends present.
All Photos: Steve Cohn Photography www.stevecohnphotography.com (310) 277-2054 © 2019

In his 1899 Harper’s Monthly essay, “Concerning the Jews”, Mark Twain concludes his reflection on the Jewish people with a question.

All things are mortal but the Jew; all other forces pass, but he remains. What is the secret of his immortality?

There is no secret.

At least not to those of us who understand Jewish history and our eternal covenant with HaShem.

The Jewish people are immortal because of their adherence to the Torah.

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