Other items in today’s column include:
*Political bytes
*Recommended Reading
*Mazal tov! Mazal tov!
CHULA VISTA, California – Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel of Congregation Beth Shalom in Chula Vista is one of the most erudite pulpit rabbis in San Diego County, having written numerous books on the Jewish religion and on such Torah commentators at Philo and Maimonides.
When he’s not in the pulpit, teaching, or performing pastoral duties, it would appear that Rabbi Samuel is either studying or working at his computer – in some cases writing books, and in other cases turning out columns for San Diego Jewish World and other Jewish publications.
He has been collecting pieces of wisdom from the Torah, Talmud, the early Christian writers (when they still were considered Jews) and from other sources, and now he’s collated all this material into a 487-page volume, Gentle Judaic Wisdom for a Trouble World.
The book is divided into 30 chapters, and these chapters are further subdivided into topics. Space doesn’t permit a list of all the contents, but perhaps a look at Chapter 6 (Man and Wife as Counterparts) and Chapter 9 (Forgiveness) will give potential readers, political speech makers, and Toastmasters, some idea of the wealth of quotable information that awaits them. Various midrashic stories are peppered throughout the book.
Chapter 6 begins with quotes from the Bible, Talmud and the commentator Ben Sira. In a subsection called “Thoughts on Men & Women.” Subsequent sub-sections are “Choosing an Inappropriate Spouse;” “Desire;” “Temptation;” “Coveting;” “Wounds of the Heart;’ “Violating Sacred Boundaries;” “Tears;” and “Divorce.”
Chapter 9 on Forgiveness commences with a subsection on “Reconciling with Enemies;” “Finding Atonement;” “Fasting;” “The Parable of the Prodigal Son;” “Repentance;” and “Yom Kippur Atonement.”
Because this book is an anthology of Jewish wisdom literature, one can either consult the table of contents, or simply turn to any page at random to find thought-provoking parables and quotations from the sages of the ages.
It’s a book that can be kept on a nightstand, so a few pages might be read every night, or by a favorite reading chair for lengthier excursions into Jewish philosophy and wisdom.
*
Political bytes
*Terra Lawson-Remer, a candidate for the 3rd District County Supervisorial seat now held by Kristin Gaspar, has put together an 8-panel power point presentation as an Internet ad. “We face a climate crisis right here in San Diego County [slide of a wildfire]; That’s why I’m running for County Supervisor [slide of her]; As Senior Advisor in the Obama Administration I fought big polluters [slide of Washington D.C.]. With the World Bank, I fought for green climate investments. [Slide of solar panels and windmills in a mountainous area.] As a mom, the future of our plant is incredibly important to me. [slide of her kissing an infant in her arms]. As County Supervisor I will fight fiercely for climate action [slide of a bee on flowers] Economist. Environmental Attorney. Mom {slide of her with the ocean behind her] Terra Lawson-Remer. Democrat for County Supervisor. [Same slide as previous].
And speaking of Jewish wisdom (as we did at the top of this column), in a letter to potential donors, Lawson-Remer paraphrases the great sage, Rabbi Hillel: “If not us, then who? If not now, then when? Let’s do what we can in our own community to tackle the climate crisis, by defeating Kristin Gaspar and flipping the Board of Supervisors from red to blue.”
*
*U.S. Rep. Scott Peters (D-San Diego), responding to plans to quarantine a planeload of people from China possibly exposed to Coronavirus at the Miramar Marine Corps Air Station, commented: “I will continue to monitor the situation closely, and I am requesting a public briefing from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide San Diegans with the most updated information. On Saturday, the Department of Defense issued approval for the use of additional military facilities across the nation, including MCAS Miramar, to serve as repatriation centers for U.S. diplomats and American citizens returning from China who may have come in contact with the Coronavirus. As we continue to learn more, I urge everyone to remain calm and follow CDC guidance. There have been no confirmed cases of the virus within San Diego, Poway, or Coronado.”
Recommended reading
*The Moderate Voice website, edited by San Diegan Joe Gandelman, in commemoration of International Holocaust Remembrance Day ran a feature on Auschwitz in pictures.
*The Jewish Chronicle of London reports that according to one genetics testing company many Cherokee Indians have Jewish forebearers.
*The Jewish Journal of Los Angeles reports that whereas UC Berkeley once was thought of being an anti-Israel campus; it is no longer. Quite the reverse.
*In New York Jewish Week, a rabbi has advice for Orthodox families whose children fall in love with non-Jews.
*Vincent Andrunas of The San Diego Union-Tribune tells in Sunday’s edition (Page B-12) of a recent fundraiser for the Behavior Health Committee of Jewish Family Service at which Dr. Dan Coden and Liz Nederlander Coden, the event co-chairs arranged for four stars of the touring play Dear Evan Hansen to have a panel discussion about the lives and travails of actors.
*
Mazal Tov! Mazal Tov!
Reizi Rodal was recently born to Rabbi Yossi & Muka Rodal. Her birth was celebrated at a party on Sunday at Chabad of La Costa, where her grandparents, Rabbi Yeruchem & Nechama Eilfort, are the rabbi and rebbetzin. She also is the niece of Dina Polichenco, whose husband, Rabbi Mendel Polichenco, is spiritual leader at Chabad of Carmel Valley and was the founding rabbi at Chabad of Tijuana.
*
Donald H. Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com