48 April 25 • 2019
jn

MOVIE NEWS 
Wild Nights with Emily is a comedic, 
fictional take on the life of famous poet 
Emily Dickinson. It pos-
its that Dickinson (Molly 
Shannon) was a lesbian 
and had a longtime affair 
with her brother’
s wife (Amy 
Steinmetz). Comedic actor 
Brett Gelman, 42, appears 
as Thomas Wentworth 
Higginson (1823-1911). 
In real life, he encouraged 
Dickinson’
s writing, edited 
her poems for publication 
after her death and was a 
strong advocate for gen-
der equality. In the film, he 
comes off as a jerk who 
can’
t cope with a very smart 
woman. (Landmark Theater, 
opens April 26)
Filming has begun on The 
Plot Against America, a six-
part HBO series. It is based 
on the “alternative history” 
novel of the same name by 
the late Philip Roth. The 
book and series trace the 
effect of rising anti-Semitism 
on the middle-class Roth 
family following the elec-
tion in 1940 of isolationist 
Charles Lindbergh. The Roths 
are played by John Turturro 
and Winona Ryder, 47.

PLAY BALL!
The following 2019 major 
leaguers have at least one 
Jewish parent and identify 
as Jewish or secular. 
Richard Bleier, 31, relief 
pitcher, Baltimore. He has 
posted great stats in the 
last two seasons. He played 
for Israel in the 2013 World 
Baseball Classic (WBC). 
Ryan Braun, 35, outfield-
er/first base, Milwaukee. 
This six-time All-Star and 
the 2011 NL MVP isn’
t 
the dominant player he 
once was and his batting 
average dipped in 2018. Still he hit 20 
homers. Alex Bregman, 24, shortstop/ 
third base, Houston. Bregman signed 

a six-year $100M dollar contract 
extension in March. He’
s now the high-
est-paid Jewish baseball player ever. 
This contract is a testament to how 
well Bregman has played since mid-
2016, when he joined the “big club.” 
His hitting and fielding led the Astros 
to their first World Series 
championship in 2017. 
He repeated in 2018, with 
great stats that included 31 
homers. He was a 2018 All-
Star team member — and, 
yes, he had a bar mitzvah. 
Fun fact: His family went 
to the same Albuquerque 
synagogue as the family of 
Alexi Ashe, Seth Meyer’
s 
wife. Max Fried, 25, pitch-
er, Atlanta. Fried had a bar 
mitzvah and played in the 
2009 Maccabiah Games in 
Israel. He was in the majors 
for most of 2018 but saw 
limited playing time. Ian 
Kinsler, 36, second base, 
San Diego. Like Braun, this 
four-time All-Star isn’
t the 
star he once was. Still, he 
posts OK hitting stats and 
he won a Golden Glove in 
2018 for his great fielding. 
Joc Pederson, 26, outfield-
er, L.A. Dodgers. Pederson, 
a streak power hitter who 
was frequently injured, 
stayed healthy in 2018 and 
hit more consistently. He 
played for Israel in the 2013 
WBC. Kevin Pillar, 30, 
outfielder, San Francisco. 
This former bar mitzvah 
boy is a consistently good 
hitter and base stealer. 
Robert Stock, 29, relief 
pitcher, San Diego. After 
nine years in the minors, 
Stock made his big-league 
debut last June. His 100-
mph fastball may keep him 
up. And Rowdy Tellez, 24, 
first base, Toronto. He was 
called-up last September 
and was on a hitting tear 
for the rest of the season. 
Footnote: Former Tigers 
player and Tigers manager 
Brad Ausmus, 50, is now 
managing the L.A. Angels and former 
major leaguer Gabe Kapler, 43, is 
Philadelphia’
s manager. ■

NATE BLOOM

COLUMNIST

Brett Gelman

Alex Bregman

Ian Kinsler

Philip Roth 

celebrity jews
arts&life
JEWISH NATIONAL FUND OF WINDSOR

H O N O U R I N G
 ARI FREED &
DAN ORMAN 

 FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TICKETS:
519.969.8733 WINDSOR@JNF.CA JNFWINDSOR.CA

TICKET AND SPONSORSHIP PRICED IN CANADIAN CURRENCY. U.S. OR CANADIAN TAX RECEIPTS AVAILABLE.

THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2019

GIOVANNI CABOTO CLUB 

2175 PARENT AVE, WINDSOR, ON N8X 4K2

FEATURING ENTERTAINMENT BY CANTORS
NEIL MICHAELS, DAVID PROPIS AND MICHAEL SMOLASH

S P R I N G O P E N S T U D I O

FRI, MAY 3RD, 4-8 PM | SAT + SUN, MAY 4TH + 5TH, 12- 6 PM

LA RUCHE LIGHTING

Free, public event with live 
glassblowing demonstrations

One-of-a-Kind Gifts 
and Sculptures

770 Orchard Lake Rd 
Pontiac, MI 48341

248.745.3786 
epiphanyglass.com

Dine In Carry Out Delivery Available Call for Details

10% off 
Total order

Not to be combined with any other discounts 

or specials. Expires 4.30.19

CELEBRATE MOTHER’
S DAY WITH US!

10% off 
Total order

Not to be combined with any other discounts 
or specials. Expires 4.30.19

CLOSED ON TUESDAYS


VIA LEMON ON FACEBOOK
FACEBOOK
FACEBOOK
MLB SAN DIEGO PADROS