ROME (WJC) Pope Francis on Sunday paid his first visit to a synagogue as Catholic pontiff, greeting Rome’s Jewish community in a show of interfaith friendship. Rome’s Great Synagogue is home of the oldest Jewish community in the Diaspora. The pope joined a standing ovation of the congregation when Holocaust survivors wearing striped scarves reminiscent […]
Pope Francis visits Rome Synagogue Read More »
International, Jewish HistoryIsrael aims to compel social media to combat Palestinian incitement (JNS.org) Israeli Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan on Sunday proposed new legislation that would compel social media platforms to remove posts deemed to directly incite murder or violence. According to Erdan, an Israeli law should be enacted in conjunction with legislation in other Western
Middle East Roundup ~ January 18, 2016 Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — This ain’t a simple country. Part of the explanation is that Jews are not a simple people. And another part is that the Land of Israel, however you define its boundaries, was and is an outsider in both ancient and modern versions, always having to defend itself in a tough
Idealism often must give way to reality in Israel Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle Easthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankie_Vaughan
The Jewish singers: Frankie Vaughan Read More »
Travel and FoodBy Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO─ Fending off Donald Trump’s questioning of whether he is eligible to serve as president, Ted Cruz has hired Aretha Franklin to sing “You Make Me Feel like a Natural Born Citizen.” at his campaign rallies. * In response to criticism for his slow reaction to the water contamination crisis in
Humoring the Headlines: January 17, 2016 Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & Satire
Editor’s note: Anachnu, which means “we” in Hebrew, is a new column by San Diego Jewish World editor and publisher Donald H. Harrison, in which he will tell about the Jews he meets–those who are famous, and those who are not. All of them have interesting and worthwhile stories. By Donald H. Harrison The farther away the event, the
Anachnu: Ruth Messenger Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, USABy Kenneth Bandler NEW YORK — The American Jewish Committee (AJC) is outraged by the overnight attack, Jan. 16-17, on the Church of the Dormition in Jerusalem. “Christians to Hell” and other hateful, threatening graffiti were scrawled in Hebrew at the Benedictine Monastery. “Once again, we are compelled to condemn vandalism of Christian holy sites
AJC speaks out on church vandalism, Iran deal Read More »
International, Middle East, USABy Rabbi Ben Kamin BERLIN, Germany—Not lost upon me is the irony of commemorating Martin Luther King Day while visiting here in the one-time capital of the Third Reich. My daughter Sari is posted here for a work assignment; I have come over during a sojourn in Israel. Dr. King would be pleased with this
MLK was a man, not a postage stamp Read More »
International, USAEvery Man in This Village is a Liar, by Megan K. Stack, Doubleday Publishers, 2010 By Sheila Orysiek SAN DIEGO — Megan K. Stack, a reporter for the Los Angeles Times writes from distant lands wracked by war and unrest. She takes the reader to Afghanistan, Yemen, Iraq, Lebanon, Egypt, Libya, various Palestinian areas, Israel and
Jewish Library: ‘Every Man in This Village is a Liar’ Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories
Editor’s note: Anachnu, which means “we” in Hebrew, is a new column by San Diego Jewish World editor Donald H. Harrison, in which he will tell about the Jews he meets–those who are famous, and those who are not. All of them have interesting and worthwhile stories. A doctor who campaigned against cigarette smoking By Donald H. Harrison
Anachnu: Dr. Bill Sperling Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & EducationBy Barry Shaw NETANYA, Israel — Recent incidents highlighted the dangerously failed European left-wing politics that has draped itself in the false cloak of morality and judgment. Israel has been hit by over a thousand terror attacks perpetrated by Palestinian Arabs in a four month period. With knifing, car ramming, fire bombing, rock throwing and
Sweden’s leftist government inviting terror Read More »
Barry Shaw, International, Middle EastBy Sheryl Rowling SAN DIEGO — The stock market is going crazy. When it bumps up, we’re all happy. When it drops, especially more than one day in a row, we panic. We can’t control the market; all we can do is react – or not. Rather than act rashly, let’s take a look of
Even if stock market is crazy, you don’t have to be Read More »
Sheryl Rowling, USABy Richard L. Cravatts, PhD BOSTON — Winston Churchill could have been observing the sorry state of academic free speech today when he observed that “Everyone is in favor of free speech. Hardly a day passes without its being extolled, but some people’s idea of it is that they are free to say what they
Open Hillel seeks to install enemies in the tent Read More »
Middle East, Richard L. Cravatts, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — BDS has some traction among academics, performers, trade unions, churches, and retailers, but it has also generated opposition in all of those fields. If it has had any tangible economic impact, it is more likely against Palestinians dependent on employment with Israeli firms located in the West Bank, and in lowering
Why the BDS campaign is ludicrous Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East