Rabbi Philip Graubart installs Jan Tuttleman as new Jewish Federation chair By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO—The umbrella agency of San Diego’s Jewish community celebrated its 75th anniversary with a new name, new logo, new board chairperson and a newly-defined six-part mission. All this became clear Thursday evening, June 10, when the agency formerly known [...]
By Rabbi Philip Graubart LA JOLLA, California — Not long ago a well-known Jewish female singer performed in my synagogue on a Saturday night. She was staying in town over Shabbat. In making the arrangements, she requested that she be put in a hotel in walking distance to an Orthodox synagogue. I was surprised because [...]
By Rabbi Philip Graubart LA JOLLA, California –If you grew up in circumstances similar to mine (American, suburban, public high school), and with a similar sensibility, then a few weeks ago you felt a sharp pang of loss, with the death of J.D. Salinger. Many of us (actually, millions of us) had our first experience [...]
By Rabbi Philip Graubart LA JOLLA, California–Did God write the Torah? The question came up in my son’s Jewish high school last week provoking some surprisingly heated discussions. I say “surprisingly” because I wouldn’t have expected eleventh graders to care so passionately about a theological issue. Also, this is a community Jewish school, a pluralistic, [...]
By Rabbi Philip Graubart LA JOLLA, California–Who is the most influential writer for American Jews? To my mind, it’s Daniel Gordis, the American-born rabbi, writing from Israel. Gordis grabs his readers with passionate, cogent arguments, but also through his chosen medium: emails, which fly through cyberspace, landing in tens of thousands (or more) inboxes, provoking [...]
By Rabbi Philip Graubart LA JOLLA, California–Why do Jews live in settlements on the other side of Israel’s supposed green line? Recently, after yet another series of tension-filled discussions with the United States, Israel announced yet another settlement freeze. This pattern of American-Israeli discussions, disagreements, threats, and then freezes and occasional subterfuge regarding the settlements [...]
By Rabbi Philip Graubart LA JOLLA, California –Last month I saw the Coen Brothers new movie A Serious Man. I was curious because I’d heard both Coens’ claim that the movie was their take on the biblical story of Job – and I, I must admit, am a Job fanatic – a follower of all [...]
