Donald H. Harrison

Cornel West quits Harvard over tenure dispute, Palestine

Published by Al-Araby American political activist and public intellectual Cornel West published his written resignation from Harvard University on Tuesday over a tenure dispute and what he said was the institution’s rejection of his political views on Palestine. In his resignation letter which he published on Twitter, dated 30 June, West criticised Harvard’s alleged hostility

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Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Antisemitism and the Courts Probed in New Book

In Courtroom Trials in Jewish History, attorney and Jewish-community activist Esther Zaretsky offers an eclectic collection of stories about Jews who, in a broad sense, have had their day in court, courts representing justice at its worst, verdicts driven by antisemitism and anti-Israeli hatred. The title is somewhat of a misnomer, as there are no depositions or testimonies; no exhibits or closing arguments. Rather, Zaretsky provides the backstory leading up to the trial, the verdict, emphasizing how the “courts fail to affirm society’s most precious values of justice, equality, morality, and the preservation of human rights,” and its aftermath—we get to hear the rest of the story. [Fred Reiss, Ed.D]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Fred Reiss, EdD, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, USA

Torah Reading for July 17, 2021

Let’s begin at the beginning of this week’s parasha, which we read on the Shabbos before Tisha B’Av every year, and look at the first words of the Torah reading, “These are the words which Moshe spoke unto all of Israel across the Jordan…” Yes, Moshe spoke his words to ALL Jews, not just those alive then, but to all, including us today. When we read this parasha, Moshe is speaking directly to me and you. This makes Devarim a particularly human parasha, one in which Moshe establishes a quite personal relationship with each of us. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]

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Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell

An American Jewish Memoir of Food and Travel

In her zany account of her travels out west from her home in Plantation, Florida, Shari Wallack never got to San Diego, so I didn’t get the chance to see how her impressions of my hometown might match up with my own experiences.  If the two jibed, then I’d probably put utmost faith into her accounts of other places.  As it was, I simply had to enjoy her impressions of diverse locales between New York and Utah. Also, I was astonished by her reliance on serendipity and good Jewish cooking to turn even prosaic locales into adventures. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Travel and Food, USA

Dual Tragedies of a Patient with a Brain Hemorrhage and Her Caregiver Husband

Attorney Daniel P. Shapiro deeply loved his wife Susan and their three children.  He and Susan had enjoyed special moments together; places, songs, meals that ignited memories; meaningful yet  unspoken understandings typical of the happily married.  And then disaster in the form of a brain hemorrhage happened.  Susan slurred her speech, lost her mobility, and seemed unable to relate with the rest of her family. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Lifestyles

Germany to reopen one of nation’s ‘most beautiful’ synagogues

Published by DPA An historic synagogue in eastern Germany is set to reopen on Monday, after about 30 years of renovation works that cost around 12.6 million euros (15 million dollars). German Commissioner for Culture Monika Gruetters, along with members of the region’s Jewish community and local political leaders, is to preside over the reopening

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Jewish Religion

The Proper Way to Read Lamentations

Most Jews who read the book do so like they daven (read) the prayers, in a rush, with no intent of trying to understand what they are reading. I once saw a bearded synagogue rabbi fire a very nice highly intelligent un-bearded man because he was not pious enough by the rabbi’s standard to read the book from the Writing to the congregation, and had a bearded man recite the book from the pulpit. While the un-bearded man read the book for the congregation at a fair pace, the bearded man rushed through it as he sped through his prayers. Both the reader and the rabbi failed to understand why Jews were advised by their ancestors to read the Tanakh, including the book of Lamentations. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]

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Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion

Netanyahu’s Support Waning Among Likud Colleagues

Some members of the Likud party, those who say they want to head the party “after Bibi steps down,” are showing signs of insurrection. In the June 20 Jerusalem Post, veteran political columnist Gil Hoffman wrote, “In public, Likud MK and former health minister and head of the Knesset, Yuli Edelstein, has kept fairly quiet regarding his decision to run in the next Likud Party primary. In private, however, he has told other high ranking Likud members that he intends on winning [the next Likud primary] and didn’t spare any harsh words for his party leader and former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu ….” [Steve Kramer]

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Middle East, Steve Kramer

‘Russians’ vs. the Haredim in Israel’s Latest Political Battle

For years, Avigdor Lieberman has been calling for a limitation of what the Haredim have demanded, and received. He’s called for a liberalization of marriage laws, allowing the joining of those not Jewish according to Orthodox Rabbis, with those who are Jews. Or the union of two people who can’t satisfy the demands of the Orthodox, who insist on those born of a mother who can prove that she was born of a Jewish mother [Ira Sharkansky, Ph.D]

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Ira Sharkansky, Jewish Religion, Middle East

The Importance of Plants in Religious Art

What is the message conveyed by the representation of plants in religious text? What do the images that these references bring to our minds tell us about a people and a society? These are questions posed by award-winning artist and author Gloria Abella Ballen, whose book Garden of Eden: Plants of the Hebrew Bible was the subject of a recent webinar sponsored by the American Sephardic Federation. [Ellen Hernandez]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts

Bipartisan Rally Denounces Antisemitism

More than 3,000 people from across the country gathered near the U.S. Capitol on Sunday to stand in solidarity against the rising tide of antisemitism across the U.S. No Fear: A Rally in Solidarity with the Jewish People was organized by more than 100 Jewish and interfaith organizations from across the political and religious spectrum, under the leadership of Elisha Wiesel, business executive and son of Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel. [NoFearRally news release]

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International, Middle East, USA