I don’t know if Mordechai Ronen is familiar with the philosophy of the late Emil Fackenheim, famed University of Toronto professor. But he seems to have absorbed Fackenheim’s most cited dictum that after the Holocaust Jews are commanded to survive in order to deprive Hitler of a posthumous victory. Hitler’s aim was to erase the […]
An inspiring story of survival Read More »
International, Jewish HistoryFrom Within the Tents: The Sabbath Prayers, Essays by the Rabbis and Professors of Yeshiva University edited by Rabbi Daniel Z. Feldman and Dr. Stuart W. Halpern; Maggid Books, New Milford, CT; ISBN 978-1-59264-446-9 ©2014, $29.95, p. 295 plus Appendix By Fred Reiss, Ed.D. WINCHESTER, California –Hermann Cohen, arguably the greatest German-Jewish philosopher of the nineteenth
Yeshiva University essays prayers of Shabbat Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Fred Reiss, EdD, Jewish History
The House of Dreams by Kate Lord Brown, © 2016 St. Martin’s Press; ISBN 978-1-250-08453-8; 304 pages plus author’s note and acknowledgments; $25.99 By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – This historical novel paints a picture of international rescue worker Varian Frye as he smuggles artists and poets out of France in 1940 and 1941
A fictional variant on the life of Frye Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. HarrisonUS President Barack Obama’s visit to the UK last week in which he gave unsolicited advice pressuring Britain to stay in the European Union (EU) has raised fury among Britons, but also disbelief among American Jewish leaders given Obama’s apparent double standards. Several top British politicians last Friday suggested Obama is pressuring the UK to
Obama accused of hypocrisy following speech in Britain Read More »
International, Middle East, USABy Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — It came as something of a shock to me a few years ago to hear that there are some people who have mixed feelings about celebrating the Jewish festival known as Passover (Pesach). For someone like myself who quite likes eating matza this seems strange. But then I
Memories of Passovers past Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Jewish Religion
Public institutions in Umm Al-Fahm are closed Sunday, after residents decided to strike over two violent murders over the weekend. 25 year-old Mohammed Agbarieh and 27 year-old Hussein Mahajina were found shot dead in two different parts of the city Friday both left behind young brides and both were due to be married within the
Umm Al-Fahm: Residents ‘on the brink of war’ Read More »
Middle East
The Israeli Air Force scrambled jets Saturday morning to intercept a civilian jetliner from Egypt, after the pilot failed to identify before entering Israeli airspace, as is standard procedure. When normal communications with the Air Sinai plane were established, the two warplanes stood down, but continued to escort the aircraft until it landed safely at
IAF jets scramble after Egyptian plane fails to identify Read More »
Middle EastBy Sheila Orysiek SAN DIEGO — One of the most dramatic stories of the Hebrew Bible is told in the Book of Exodus; the story of the enslavement of a people and their flight to freedom. Though this epic event is recounted every year during the Passover Seder, the possibility of such an enslavement still
From the Jewish library: ‘Slave, My True Story’ Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short StoriesBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — “It’s the economy stupid” is one of the catchphrases that has come into general use in different forms in the wake of Bill Clinton’s successful 1992 presidential campaign. I’m thinking of it as I read yet another respected credit rating agency (Fitch) expressing confidence in Israel’s economy. An important reason
Economy one reason Netanyahu stays in power Read More »
Middle East
Shmulik Paints the Town by Lisa Rose (illustrated by Catalina Echeverri); Kar-Ben Publishing; ISBN 978-1-4677-5239-8; 32 pages; $17.99. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – Have you ever told your child a shaggy dog story? Like the one about the man who convinces the manager of the movie theater to let him and his dog
A shaggy dog story for Israel Independence Day Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison
Thanks to Phil Snyder for finding this video and passing it along. And thanks also too Nina Paley for creating it!
A jazzy Passover~ Go Down Moses Read More »
Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Trivia, Humor & Satirehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sid_James
The Jewish actors: Sid James Read More »
Travel and FoodAn international meeting meant to kickstart the Israel-Palestinian Authority (PA) peace process must result in guarantees and not just declarations, French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault told Haaretz Thursday night, shortly after his country announced the May 30 summit. The goal of the summit, he said, is to “build a collective commitment of the international community
French FM: Only the ‘two-state solution’ will work Read More »
International, Middle East
Many bar- and bat-mitzvah kids mark their special day by doing something to “give back” to the community – volunteering in a soup kitchen, or raising money for a new TV at a senior citizen’s center. Raising $76,000 to establish Israel’s first mobile printing lab, replete with brand new 3D printers and other equipment, would
Bar Mitzvah boy donates 3D tech bus to Israel Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle East, USA