Donald H. Harrison

Survey Finds Jewish College Students Fear for Their Safety

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The first poll to specifically examine rates of anti-Semitism among college students who claim a strong sense of Jewish identity and connection to Israel finds that, among this group, students are feeling unsafe and, as a result, are learning that to avoid antisemitism they must view their religion as something to hide, not celebrate. In fact, the survey indicates that the longer students stay on campus, the less safe they feel and the more they feel the need to hide their identity. [News Release, Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law)

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Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Are There anti-Orthodox Views in Ecclesiastes?

Kohelet (also spelled Qohelet), Ecclesiastes in Greek and now English, is read during the holiday of Sukkot. We do not know why this book was chosen from among the books of the Bible called The Writings. A popular explanation is that Sukkot is a happy holiday and Ecclesiastes is read to add a calming, some sobriety. The following is my review of The Anchor Bible commentary of the book. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]

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Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion

Satire: Hey Senator Manchin

To the tune of Officer Krupke:                                                    

Dear stubborn Joseph Manchin
You gotta understand.
Can you make an exception?
Pass the bills Biden has planned.                                                                                                                       
The GOP’s are flunkies.
They’re pawns of Donald Trump.
Mitch McConnell thinks you are a chump.  [Laurie Baron, Ph.D]

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Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA

Jewish Trivia Quiz: Submarines

Israel has a fleet of five Dolphin-class submarines, all purchased from Germany. While they have the capacity to fire torpedoes and anti-ship missiles, there is much speculation that Israel also has to capability of launching nuclear weapons from their submarines. What is found on each of Israel’s submarines that is not typically found on other nations’ submarines? {Mark D. Zimmerman]

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International, Mark D. Zimmerman, Middle East, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA

Tzimmes Offers Full Array of Jewish Music in ‘The Road Never Travelled’ CD

Tzimmes, the Vancouver-based Jewish band under the direction of Moshe Denburg, has just released a two-disc recording, The Road Never Travelled, celebrating  its 35th anniversary. This is the group’s fourth album.
Denburg figures prominently in all the selections, as vocalist, guitarist, composer or arranger. The Montreal native, son of Orthodox Rabbi Chayim Denburg and Yiddish singer Miriam Denburg, attended Yeshivah University, following in the footsteps of his father and older brother, Judah Denburg. There, along with religious studies and academics, Moshe learned to read and notate music. Studies at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and Jerusalem’s Music Academy furthered his Judaic and musical education. World music then beckoned, with time spent in India and Japan. In addition to forming Tzimmes, in 1986, a band frequently hired for British Columbia’s Jewish simchas, Denburg, 15 years later in 2001, founded The Vancouver International  Cultural Orchestra, an organization for which he still composes and with which he remains affiliated. [Eileen Wingard]

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Eileen Wingard, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts

Escapees, Covid and Sukkahs Major Topics of Israeli News

Three main items on our news. First, security personnel have caught the final two escapees, in Jenin. Apparently with some help from Palestinians via Israel intelligence operatives. Second, Israel continues to give third booster shots to all those above 12 years of age, despite an FDA vote approving third booster shots to those 65 years and older. Third, the City of Jerusalem has destroyed a jerry-built Succah in the ultra-Orthodox neighborhood of Mea Shearim. [Ira Sharkansky, Ph.D]

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East

Questions to Ponder During Sukkot

Rabbi Abraham Chill (1912-2004) gives readers of his book The Minhagim, Hebrew for customs and ceremonies, a very readable discussion of many Jewish practices, focusing on 27 holidays and events: synagogue, Shabbat, Rosh Hodesh, Yom Kippur, Passover, Shavuot, Tisha B’Av, Rosh Hashanah, Sukkot, Hanukkah, Tu B’Shevat, Purim, marriage, birth, pidyin haben, bar mitzvah, tallit and tzitzit, tefillin, keriat shema, shemoneh esreh, birkhat kohanim, tahanun, Torah reading, ein k’elohenu, meals, mezuzah, and death and mourning. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin}

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Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion

A Jewish Perspective on the Pandemic

Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel, spiritual leader of Temple Beth Shalom in Chula Vista,  has created a pearl of a book that I highly recommend. It is a fascinating, encompassing, very erudite and broad in scope. Rather than just Covid, or Judaic angle, this is a general book that reflects on the question of religion and the benevolent God in the presence of so much human misery, natural disasters and plagues. [Bar-Giora Goldberg]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish Religion

X-Troop: The Jewish-British Secret Weapon of World War II

A new cemetery headstone was placed in the Manchester, U.K. Jewish Cemetery, September 2, 2021.Unveilings at gravesites of new memorial stones are not unusual.  This stone was different.  There was no formal unveiling. The memorial stone was placed in the cemetery by strangers who had nothing to do with the deceased nor had ever known him.  They were separated by great distances and many years from the events of his life and death. But… then again, they were not. [Jerry Klinger]

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Travel and Food

Haftorah Reading for September 25, 2021

Except for an opening prose sentence of introduction, this haftorah is entirely classical ancient Hebrew poetry/song. Nominally, it is David’s closing hymn of victory and thanksgiving to God who had ‘saved’ him from all enemies, particularly Saul. With minor textual variations, the whole hymn is also found in Psalm 18. [1] Historically we don’t know which text came first. [Irv Jacobs, M.D.]

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Irv Jacobs, MD, Jewish Religion

Good News from Israel (September 19, 2021)

NETANYA, Israel — In the Sept. 19, 2021 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include: 
–3 million Israelis have had their Covid antibodies boosted tenfold.
–Israeli surgeons successfully separate twins conjoined by their heads.
–Israel’s first female Muslim IDF Major.
–An Israeli startup converts text into video read by an animated narrator.
–The value of Israel’s trade with Arab states in 2021 is triple that of 2020.
–Israeli pianist wins international record contract.
–The Land of Israel reveals more Jewish history. [Michael Ordman]

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Business & Finance, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Michael Ordman, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Science, Medicine, & Education, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USA

S.D. International Film Festival Features Flics For Every Palate

If you’re a fan of the silver screen, you are in for a treat! Block off your calendars for October 14th through the 24th for the 20th anniversary of the San Diego International Film Festival. This extravaganza of films contains a vast array of genres including narrative films, documentary films and short films. With great sensitivity to the pandemic and public safety the SDIFF is offering many of the films virtually, while other films will be presented all around San Diego’s beautiful and iconic backdrops including Balboa Park, the USS Midway and the Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa, paying homage to America’s Finest City. [Eva Trieger]

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Eva Trieger, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast