By Norene Gilletz TORONTO, Canada –Shavuot, which begins at sundown on Saturday, May 26, commemorates the giving of the Torah to the Jewish people at Mount Sinai and is also the Festival of the First Fruits. Dairy foods such as cheesecakes, kugels and blintzes are traditionally served for Shavuot. Cheesecake is always a hit and [...]
By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Ever since I was a kid, I’ve loved baseball. When I was about 7 or 8, I could rattle off the top ten pitchers, batters, along with their minor league and career averages. Yes, baseball is terrific. Yet, today, I must confess: I do not like [...]
By Rabbi Ben Kamin SAN DIEGO — It was bad enough that Mariano Rivera, arguably the greatest relief pitcher in major league history, suffered a freak, batting practice-related, career-threatening knee injury on Thursday night. The fact that this happened to the consummate New York Yankee along the running track in Kansas City calls basic baseball [...]
By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Question: My mother is 90 years old, in frail health but of sound mind. Last year, one of her three grandchildren and the youngest of my two sons died in an accident at age 29. My son and my mom were close. As an adult, my son [...]
COMMACK, N.Y (Press Release). –Joanna Sue Zeiger, a 2000 Olympian and 2008 World Champion in triathlon and Ph.D. in genetic epidemiology, was inducted with eight other sports figures April 29 into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame located at the Suffolk Y Jewish Community Center here.. Zeiger, a native San Diegan now residing in [...]
By Natasha Josefowitz, Ph.D. LA JOLLA, California – The latest brain research—I should know something about it. The political rally—I should support the cause. A lecture on…whatever—I’m afraid to miss an opportunity to learn something. And so it goes: read the latest book—see the well-reviewed movie—attend the informative lecture—use the latest technology—do volunteer work—join the committee, the [...]
By Leah Singer SAN DIEGO – When our family lost our beloved Yia Yia (Greek for “grandmother”), it was tough. Although we knew Yia Yia was suffering from cancer, saying goodbye to a family member is always difficult. The day before Yia Yia passed away, Bryan (my husband), our daughter Sophie and I gathered by Yia [...]
By Natasha Josefowitz, Ph.D. LA JOLLA, California – If just about everyone in government is lying or fudging the truth (or so it seems) or taking advantage of their positions, whom can you trust? If hospitals err 30% of the time in the type of medication or the dosage administered to their patients, whom can you [...]
By Rabbi Ben Kamin SAN DIEGO — The soil of the graveyard tenders new meaning to the living, especially when men stand over the bones of their fathers. In Israel recently, I found a new and deeper affinity with my cousin, Amir. Effusive, kind-hearted, and carrying the mantle of young patriarch, Amir strongly resembles his [...]
By Rabbi Ben Kamin SAN DIEGO — He died suddenly and dramatically on March 2—thirty six years ago today, in 1976. At 59, I am fourteen years older than my father was when he succumbed to a massive myocardial infarction while playing handball at the Cincinnati Jewish Community Center. My young mother and I were [...]
