Newsletter of the Call of Girona - Number 13   «Light and stars in the Jewish quarter»
February 2010

Ephemera

A 'star' visits the Jewish quarter

Barbra Streissand

Barbra Streissand's signature (click to enlarge)

On 4th September 2009, with the first drops of rain on a late summer afternoon, a star fell onto the Jewish Quarter of Girona: the American actress and singer of Jewish origin, Barbara Streisand, accompanied by her husband, the well-known actor James Brolin. Their visit was an exceptional and completely unexpected event.

Coincidence or cause? As part of the previous lecture cycle organized by the Nahmanides Institute of Jewish Studies on the theme of "Judaism and the dramatic arts", a lecture had been planned on 29th April on the theme: "Yentl, the struggle for knowledge", given by Imma Merino. The talk was accompanied by the screening of a film in which Barbara Streisand had starred in 1984. The actress took this anecdote away with her as a souvenir, and also received a very positive impression of the Museum's permanent collection and of the project to rehabilitate the Jewish Quarter of Girona.