By Yaakov Lappin WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senior officials from the Obama administration have begun descending on Israel once again to ensure that Jerusalem holds off on an attack on Iran. That, at least, is the message the White House is seeking to generate. “The national security advisor [Tom Donilon] and the American intelligence head [James […]
Calls to Israel to delay attacking Iran a ‘good cop’ p-r ploy? Read More »
Middle East
By Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM–When the founders of modern Zionism hoped that having a country of their own would make Jews like all other nations, they didn’t think that the Jews would adopt any of the despicable traits of the anti-Semites among whom they lived in dispersion. The aim of Zionism was not only to
HAIFA, Israel (Press Release) — Almost a decade after suspending its study abroad opportunities for students wanting to study in Israel, California State University has reinstated the program and chosen the University of Haifa as its location of its study abroad students in Israel. The Cal State Study Abroad Program is being reinstated in Israel
By Danny Bloom CHIAYI CITY, TAIWAN — If racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination, then faithism is the belief that belief in different gods or Gods justifies spiritualism discrimination in terms of who goes to heaven and who goes to hell, among other religious beliefs. In the
Is ‘faithism’ as dangerous as ‘racism’? Columnist seeks input Read More »
Jewish ReligionSAN DIEGO — Reuvie Goodwin, son of Young Israel of San Diego activists Richard and Julie Goodwin, has been selected for the JOLT program of National Council of Synagogue Youth and is now raising money to finance his trip to Poland, Austria and Israel. The teen wrote “This is a very selective program which accepts
Teen makes fundraising appeal for NCSY trip to Europe, Israel Read More »
Travel and Food
By Cynthia Citron VENTURA, California– It’s well worth the trip to the Rubicon Theatre, believe me. Tom Dugan is absolutely brilliant as the Nazi hunter, Simon Wiesenthal. And completely Standing Ovation-worthy. Dugan’s one-man show is set in a replica of Wiesenthal’s office at the Jewish Documentation Center in Vienna on the day of his retirement. As
Play depicting Simon Wiesenthal worth a standing ovation Read More »
Cynthia Citron
By Rabbi Ben Kamin SAN DIEGO — President John F. Kennedy rarely spoke publicly about his personal faith, though he brilliantly and effectively defused the issue of his being the first viable Catholic nominee for the White House. It was an ignominious issue in 1960 (hard to fathom nowadays) and he mitigated it head-on at
Quick takes on recent U.S. Presidents Read More »
USABy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM –Had the Nazis not come to power in his native Germany, W. Gunther Plaut would have become a judge. But being barred from pursuing a legal career because he was a Jew, he dedicated himself to serving God and his people. That brought him to the Hebrew Union College in
Remembering Gunther Plaut Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM –The more the pundits write and talk aboutIran, the less do we seem to know what’s really going on. Perhaps this is because the experts are as ignorant as the public, just more articulate. Here’re a few of the many possible scenarios I’ve gleaned of late: 1. A strike onIran’s
Is Iran trying to goad Israel into an attack? Read More »
Middle EastSAN DIEGO — Numerous press releases cross our desk concerning upcoming events in the Jewish community. As we get them, we’ll pass them onto you so you can add them to your personal calendars. POETRY CONCERT– Poet Jerome Rothenberg teams up with Yale Strom’s sextet to present a free concert, “The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising,” commemorating
Feb 19 calendar postings Read More »
Travel and FoodBy Cynthia Citron LOS ANGELES — A few days ago, the West Coast premiere of a play by David Ives demonstrated that that imposition of certain religious convictions on the differing beliefs of another person has been going on seemingly forever. Ives’ play is called New Jerusalem, The Interrogation of Baruch De Spinoza at Talmud Torah
Spinoza’s trial and excommunication subject of new play Read More »
Cynthia CitronBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — An internet friend sent me a video screed from an Atlanta television station that presents, in the most inflammable language, the old saw about too much foreign aid while Americans suffer. Even worse, some of that aid goes to refurbish mosques in unfriendly Cairo and elsewhere. The images tweaked
Giving foreign helps rather than hurts the U.S. economy Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, USABy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM –Not being one of them, I find it often quite uncomfortable to walk in ultra-Orthodox neighbourhoods inIsrael, e.g., Meah Shearim in Jerusalem, especially in the company of women. And when I read the notices and the graffiti on the walls, I become depressed by their often hysterical anti-Israel tone. It’s
Is El Al security particularly hostile to Arab passengers? Read More »
Middle East
By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Stories about the Wise Men of Chelm convey profound wisdom about the human condition, told through the medium of irony, sarcasm and dark humor. Here is one of my favorite stories. In the town of Chelm, two Rabbis were once seen arguing late into the night about
Questioning God’s existence is a good start Read More »
Travel and Food