By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO — The regional office of the Anti-Defamation League has welcomed the prosecution of a La Mesa man on charges that he phoned death threats to the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) in San Diego. The ADL issued this statement on Thursday, Feb. 5: “Threats against individuals or organizations
ADL: Death threats against CAIR a ‘hate crime’ Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, USASANTA CRUZ, California (SDJW)–Twenty four Jewish organizations have sent a joint letter to California Attorney General Kamala Harris asking that she respond to questions raised about whether professors at public colleges and universities may use the facilities and resources of those institutions for the purposes of anti- Israel propaganda. A request for comment from San
24 Jewish groups press AG Harris for ruling Read More »
Science, Medicine, & Education, USATEL AVIV (Press Release) — Traffic slows to a crawl, then a stop. You are trapped in a bottleneck nightmare, and late for a meeting. The stress takes a toll on you psychologically — but your body is at risk as well, according to a Tel Aviv University researcher. A new study by Prof. Ruth Defrin
TAU: Stress reduces ability to modulate pain Read More »
Middle East, Science, Medicine, & EducationBy Rabbi Ben Kamin ENCINITAS, California — At this moment in the Hebrew cycle of Torah readings, the narrative of the Ten Commandments is front and center: in synagogues all over the world, “The Revelation” will be chanted from the Torah scroll and many people will actually stand up during the interlude when the Ten
Which Command of the Ten is most important? Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Rabbi Baruch Lederman SAN DIEGO — Rabbi Yaakov Hopfer, formerly Rav of Cong. Zera Avraham of Denver and currently a prominent Rav in Baltimore, attended a meeting of a number of charity organizations in Baltimore. The meeting was hosted in the home of a member of the community. The committee was discussing the best
Why the rabbi did not eat Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO — One of my favorite “bits” from the Pixar movie Up is that no matter how serious the situation, the dogs were distracted by the appearance of a squirrel. (If you don’t understand what I am talking about, you need to see the film!) I think I like this “bit”
For holy work, prepare and concentrate Read More »
Jewish ReligionLONDON (WJC) — Attacks against British Jews have reached a record high fueled by an explosion of violence in the Middle East. Hate crimes of anti-Semitism doubled to 1,168 in a single year for the first time last year, the latest study published by the Community Security Trust (CST) says. The main factor fueling the rise
2014 record anti- Semitic year in Britain Read More »
InternationalCampaign activity of Tzipi Livni’s husband seen as possible conflict of interest (JNS.org) The campaign activities of Naftali Spitzer, the husband of Hatnuah party Chairwoman Tzipi Livni, could be a conflict of interest for the Zionist Camp ticket in March’s Israeli elections. Spitzer has been very active in meetings and in defining the direction of
Jewish news briefs: February 5, 2015 Read More »
International, Middle East, USA
By Sheryl Rowling LA JOLLA, California — In a special pre-opening, underwriters-only screening on Wednesday, Feb. 4, the San Diego Jewish Film Festival presented Theodore Bikel: In the Shoes of Sholom Aleichem. Narrated by Alan Alda, with commentary from numerous notables including Gilbert Gotfried, Dr. Ruth Westheimer, Fyvush Finkel, and Aleichem’s recently deceased 102 year-old
Theodore Bikel: In the Shoes of Sholom Aleichem Read More »
Travel and FoodBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Six weeks before the election, the focus of campaigning combines personal attacks, accusations of illegality, and bombastic solutions to serious problems that have little chance of implementation. Call it playing to the low side, or creative innovation. Your choice. Likud’s opponents are making a big deal about Sara’s bottles and her management
Palestine so far missing from Israeli election debate Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Dan Bloom CHIAYI CITY, Taiwan — Although the Hebrew holy books, from the Five Books of Moses to the Torah, are not “science fiction” tracts, they do contain some out-of-this-world stories that always entertained me as a kid growing up in the 1950s and 1960s. Some of them are absolutely mind-blowing. And as people
Novelist whets ‘Water Knife’ to forecast drought wars Read More »
The World We Share
By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO—Some trees at Mission Trails Regional Park received hugs and a special birthday song on Wednesday, February 4, from elementary school-aged Hebrew School pupils studying with Chabad of East County. The occasion was Tu B’Shevat, also known as the birthday of the trees. Normally, students at the Chabad school, taught by
Happy birthday you tree, here’s a hug! Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, USACompiled by Donald H. Harrison Tom Wheeler, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, proposed rules on Wednesday, Feb. 4, to keep the Internet “neutral,” meaning that wealthy users could not gain preference or priority by paying more to their providers. The FCC’s chairman’s proposal — which now goes to a vote of the full Federal
Internet neutrality and privacy measures advance Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, USA