Adina Bernstein

The best stories are universal. Regardless of the period it takes place in, the language, and the culture, there is something or someone for the audience to understand as their own.
In 2002, the indie film, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, became an unexpected hit. The heroine of the film, Toula Portokalos (Nia Vardalos) is far from the usual romantic comedy female lead. She is not a size 2, not a blonde with blue eyes, and is, well, ethnic. Put upon by her large, and outspoken Greek-American family...

As an adult, it’s easy to get caught up in the daily grind. Work, marriage, kids, etc., can eat up our day before we know it’s gone. Sometimes we need a proverbial kick in the behind to remind us to take time to breathe and bring out our inner child.
The 1991 film, Hook, is a sequel to the beloved childhood novel Peter Pan, by J. M. Barrie. It stars the late and still beloved Robin Williams as the adult Peter Pan and Dustin Hoffman as Captain Hook. When his children are kidnapped by Hook, Pet...

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A Lesson About The Health Release of Emotions That is Universal, Regardless of Age
Meowy and Ruffy is a whimsical children's book that follows best friends, Meowy and Ruffy on a typical day. They imbue simple wisdom through the questions they pose while discovering the world around them. "What do you do when you feel blue?" asked Ruffy, "I close my eyes and let some yellow in," said Meowy. Coupled with magical illustrations that take a dive deep into their imaginations, the friend...

After nearly two years of living with COVID-19, I think it is pretty safe to say that most of us have been touched by the COVID-19 virus, either directly or indirectly.
Recently, two people that I am very close to have caught COVID.
In early January, one of my relations was hospitalized and caught the virus in the process. Thankfully he was home in a few days. This person is older and has a number of health problems. When I was told that given his age and medical condition, he would have been...

In 1953, a new play premiered. Written by the legendary playwright Arthur Miller, The Crucible is loosely based on the Salem Witch Trials. Though the narrative is based on historical events, Miller was indirectly talking about McCarthyism and its destructive effects. The claim was that Communists had somehow infiltrated the United States. When the movement finally died down a few years later, it was not without consequences. Lives and careers were forever ruined, even when it was revealed tha...

Every religion has its own formal way of asking for forgiveness of our sins. In Judaism, the High Holidays (Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur) are two of the most important days of the Jewish calendar. During that time, we ask both G-d and our fellow mortals to exonerate us from our negative actions during the previous year.
This is the second year in which Covid-19 has drastically changed the way the High Holidays are celebrated. In the before times, the shul (like many shuls across the world) wh...

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A self-help book that is unimaginative and fails to inspire readers to move on.
Love and loss collide and intermingle in this brave autobiographically inspirational story. Well-watered is an authentic depiction of the author’s strength – a strength born out of her vulnerability, and a deep bond which she shared with her mother.
Her command of the English language, as well as a French based creole allows her to interweave a discourse on a mother’s love with grief; access the humour a...

A few weeks ago, my best friend from college and her husband came for a visit. They live in upstate New York, near where we went to school. We’ve been friends for nearly 20 years. As much as I appreciate the conversations over social media and text, there is nothing like having a conversation in person. It was a lovely weekend that I will forever treasure.
Then the message popped into the text app on my phone the Tuesday after they returned home. My friend said that she had a fever. I was hop...

I love a good romance. The first spark of something, the quickening heartbeat of the growing attraction, the crescendo when the couple comes together, and the happy moment when they walk off into the sunset. It brings a smile to my face that compares to few things within the world of fiction. The problem is that too many narratives insert a romantic storyline that feels forced, unnecessary, or half-written.
The Last Letter from Your Lover, based on the book of the same name by Jojo Moyes, was...

When considering whether to accept a job or not, one of the factors is the work-life balance. In an ideal world, we would be able to leave at the same time every day and have the rest of the evening or weekend to ourselves. But some jobs require more time than others, even when they bleed into our non-work lives.
One of the most appreciated and loved mainstream films of the first decade of the 21st century is The Devil Wears Prada. Based on the book of the same name by Lauren Weisberger, the ...

It has been said that if we ignore the lessons of history, we are doomed to repeat it. In an article in the Washington Post published on June 30, Washington state Rep. Jim Walsh compared the Holocaust to vaccine measures taken by local and state governments. Comparing coronavirus to the holocaust is not just wrong; it is vile – and dangerous.
I am an American Jew. One of the reasons I am here today is that my forebears made the decision to leave Eastern Europe and make a new life in America i...

In an ideal world, adults would be rational and logical when it comes to making decisions – specifically, when it comes to our health. But we don’t live in an ideal world. Scientists and doctors can present all the evidence they have, but some people still don’t feel the right decision is worthwhile…That is, unless they are being bribed.
Though the rates of those vaccinated nationally is rising in most parts of the country, many cities, states, and locales have resorted to offering prizes and...

Normal is relative. What is everyday to one person is completely out there to another. Before COVID-19, normal was going to work and/or school, seeing friends and family, having a social life, etc. For the last fourteen months, our lives revolved around staying home, wearing masks when we were outside, and generally avoiding any activity that increased our risk of getting sick.
With millions vaccinated and the number of Americans who have caught COVID going down, the country is starting to re...

After the Holocaust, the catchphrase “Never Again” caught fire. It was supposed to be the reminder of what hate and prejudice can do to humanity. But in the 76 years since World War II ended, it has become nothing more than empty words.
Aida Selmanagic Is the Oskar Schindler for Our Era
The new movie, Quo Vadis, Aida? takes place in 1995 Bosnia. As the Bosnian war rages on, the comfortable life Aida Selmanagic (Jasna Đuričić) had is in the past. With the Serbian army rolls into the town of Sr...