VISTA, California (Press Release) — Congregation B’nai Tikvah held its first annual “Iron Bubbes” Latke Challenge at a Hanukkah celebration Friday, Dec. 3. Eight contestants competed for the title of “Best Latke” but the winner was not even a Bubbe (Grandmother in Yiddish) but a Grandfather instead. Gerry Wolfson, long-time member, won unanimously for his […]
Latke champion says this spud’s for you Read More »
Travel and FoodSAN DIEGO (Press Release) — David Forman-Barzilai, visiting professor of political science at UCSD, will be the guest speaker at Congregation Dor Hadash at the 2nd Friday Community Roundtable on January 14, at 7:30pm. His topic will be “Is Obama good for Israel?” Dr. Forman-Barzilai holds a Ph.D. from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and teaches
Professor to weigh Obama’s impact on Israel Read More »
San Diego Calendar, San Diego CountyWASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)– In response to the Senate’s failure on Thursday, Dec. 9, to advance legislation to repeal the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, Rabbi David Saperstein, director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, issued the following statement: “Today, Senators have failed to support the men and women of the U.S. Armed
Reform Jews decry Senate’s failure to repeal ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Read More »
USA
By Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO–On Thursday morning, the last day of Chanukah, Sol Minsberg gave me an article to read after minyan. It was published on the website of Reform Judaism (www.rj.org). Its author, William Berkson, points out the how Chanukah is understood in Israel versus the United States. “In Israel, Chanukah is largely
Chanukah in America raises the question of assimilation Read More »
Jewish ReligionHAIFA (Press Release)– Prof. Ido Izhaki, head of the Carmel Research Center at Israel’s University of Haifa, recommends after the massive fire: “Let nature take its course” “The forest on the Carmel Mountains is adapted to fires. Some vegetation species have developed resistance to fire and some have developed a dependence on fire, such as the
If left alone, Carmel forest will grow back, professor asserts Read More »
Middle EastBy Rabbi Shmully Hecht NEW HAVEN, Connecticut — The Oslo Accords died on October 11, 2010, after a long and painful terminal illness. Oslo Accords died around October 11th after a lifetime of wretched illnesses. Born to great fanfare, Oslo never lived up to the messianic expectations set by the many mid-wives who attended and
Oslo Accords, September 13, 1993 – October 11, 2010, RIP Read More »
Middle East
By Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — Often, small details give a tremendous insight into political realities. Such an example is the remark made by a high-ranking Palestinian official about the tragic fire in northern Israel. When the fire broke out, 40 Israeli prison guards were rushed to a prison to evacuate the prisoners there in
Palestinian leaders yell political theatre at a crowded Israeli fire Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — It is easy to blame Binyamin Netanyahu’s right of center coalition for the failure of the American peace initiative. Examined in isolation, it seems clear that five parties with 61 seats in the 120 member Knesset are standing in the way of that 90 day extension of the building freeze,
Blaming Israeli rightwingers for frozen peace efforts is for the intellectually simple Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
By Mike Gerber LONDON — San Diego is five and a half thousand miles from my home city London, but just a mouse click away in cyberspace – and that’s all it takes to listen in to my, Mike Gerber’s, Jazz Jews radio show. The opportunity to front this new show, for the internet station
Jews … and all that jazz Read More »
Travel and FoodNEW YORK (Press Release)– ARZA (Association of Reform Zionists of America) reacts with alarm to a recent report that 50 leading Israeli municipal chief rabbis, all employed by the State of Israel, have signed on to a religious ruling that forbids renting homes to Gentiles–a move particularly aimed against Arabs. This ruling comes just months
ARZA condemns Israeli rabbis who forbid renting homes to non-Jews Read More »
Middle EastBERLIN (Press Release)–Germany has agreed to double to € 110 million (US$ 147m) its annual funding for home care provided to Holocaust survivors. The change takes into account “the sharply increased need for home care”, the Federal Finance Ministry said. The money paid by the German government to Holocaust survivors is distributed to 32 countries
Germany doubles its support for ailing Holocaust survivors Read More »
Travel and FoodWASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release) – Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), chair of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-MI), and Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Edolphus Towns (D-NY) have introduced the Housing Opportunities Made Equal (HOME) Act in order to extend critical federal civil rights protections
Bill would extend housing access to LGBTs, others, under U.S. Civil Rights laws Read More »
USA
By David Amos SAN DIEGO — If you love opera and enjoy a good mystery novel, this book is for you. Murder in the Pit by Erica Miner is a murder-intrigue story which takes place at New York’s Metropolitan Opera House. What is really a lot of fun is to follow the fictional plot
Music and mystery combine harmoniously in ‘Murder in the Pit’ Read More »
Travel and FoodWASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)– Representative Steve Rothman (D-NJ), a member of the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, released the following statement on the $205 million allocated toward Iron Dome, an advanced Israeli anti-rocket system, that has been included in the continuing resolution (H.R. 3082) to fund the rest of Fiscal Year 2011 that passed Wednesday evening,
House approves continued funding of Iron Dome, Israel’s advanced anti-rocket system Read More »
Middle East