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August 2, 2017 Vol. 10 No. 61
“Menashe”
Cast of “Menashe” Phooto courtesy of Twitter
Joshua Z. Weinstein Lifts the Veil on the Hasidic Community in “Menashe” By Beverly Cohn Joshua Z. Weinstein is a documentary filmmaker and cinematographer for over a decade with 20 shorts and features under his belt including, “Elaine Stritch: Shoot One Engine.” “Menashe” is his first narrative fiction feature and is loosely based on the real life
experience of Menashe Lustig, a devout member of the Hasidic community, and the lead character in this poignant film. The story begins with the death of his wife Lea and his valiant struggle to maintain custody of his son Rieven. Under the community’s strict laws, a child must be
raised by both parents, so the elders have ruled that his son must be turned over to Menashe’s married brotherin-law. Menashe’s Rabbi decides to grant him one week to spend with Rieven prior to Lea’s memorial. Their time together creates sweet moments of father-son
bonding as well as giving him a final chance to prove to his skeptical community that he can be a capable parent. What makes this film particularly compelling is not only the fascinating story line, but the fact that, lifting the veil of secrecy, it was shot in the non-secular
community in Brooklyn’s Borough Park, so that we get a peek into this private Orthodox world. Weinstein’s gift as both a director and a cinematographer accounts for the stunning performances from his cast of non-actors,
KMIR News Staff Palm Springs, CA Barbara Sinatra, a longtime Coachella Valley resident, philanthropist, and the widow of Frank Sinatra, has died at the age of 90. Barbara Marx Sinatra was born Barbara Blakeley in 1927. Mrs. Sinatra was a model and showgirl and came to the Desert with her husband at the time, Zeppo Marx of the Marx brothers. In 1973, she was living at Tamarisk Country Club with Zeppo, but the Marx’s had a neighbor who had taken a liking to Barbara, that man was Frank Sinatra. Barbara was the fourth
and final wife of old blue eyes. They were married in July 1976 at the estate of Walter and Leonore Annenberg and remained married until his death in 1998. But, her and Frank’s biggest impact on the valley may well be the Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center in Rancho Mirage, which they opened in 1986. The center is on the campus of the Eisenhower Medical Center. The non-profit facility provides individual and group therapy for young victims of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, and no child has ever been turned away by the center. She was a vocal supporter
of several valley charities and was the host of the Sinatra Celebrity Golf Tournament for
more than 20 years. In 1998, a Golden Palm Star on the the Palm Springs Walk of Stars
was dedicated to Barbara Sinatra. Source: KMIR
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Barbara Sinatra, Wife of Frank Sinatra, Dead at 90