Donald H. Harrison

She’s got the Post-Purim Blues

At last! The long-established, but until now little-recognized, syndrome that afflicts Jewish women is finally getting the attention it deserves. The illness, known at Post-Purim Blues, shares some symptoms with Post-Partum Blues, the depression that some mothers experience after the birth of their baby. With help from friends, relatives and professionals, those afflicted with either problem generally overcome the ailment in a short period of time. [Just Kidding column by Joel H. Cohen]

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Joel H. Cohen

JAFI brings teen emissaries in SD County home

Three Israeli youth who have been serving in San Diego County as shlichim (emissaries) for the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) left for Israel on Sunday — their one-year tours in the United States interrupted by the shutdown of many area Jewish institutions in reaction to the spreading coronavirus.  Opportunities to interact with Jews on an organized level having been greatly reduced in San Diego County, the three 18-year-olds will return to Israel where, after a mandatory 14-day quarantine for all returnees to Israel, they will be able to do volunteer work and have Pesach seders with their families. [Our shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jerry Klinger, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, The World We Share, Travel and Food, USA

Stocking up for emergencies an Israeli constant

I’m ready. I had no need to stock up on toilet paper, pasta, tins of food or any other staple, as I am always certain to have good supplies of those items. Anyone, like myself, who has lived in Israel, and especially Jerusalem, for over fifty years, has learned to always be well supplied with good stocks of foodstuffs. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]

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Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Lifestyles, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education

Israelis, Palestinians join forces against coronavirus

When Israel was hit by a monstrous fire, Palestinian firefighters crossed the Green Line with their firetrucks and risked their lives to save Israelis. And when Palestinians are hit by COVID-19, Israel’s public health professionals work side by side with their Palestinian colleagues, supplying them with test kits, medicine and knowhow. “There are no borders here…There is no ‘them’ and ‘us,’” Brig. Gen. Ghassan Alian, the commander of Israel’s Civil Administration in the West Bank, told Israel Radio last week. In such times, you cannot but wonder why Israelis and Palestinians do not harness their shared humanity, their common sense and their sense of common future to end the bloody conflict between them. Unlike pandemics, wildfires and earthquakes, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is manmade. And this manmade calamity can be undone by humans – if they find it within themselves to relate to the other as humans, as equals, as equally human. [By James B. Klutznick and Aviva Meyer]

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Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Coronavirus ~ It’s our time to shine

I humbly submit that it is our time to shine. Yes! Of course we should take the precautions mentioned by the governmental agencies. Certainly we should be washing our hands with soap as much as possible and using hand sanitizer when we cannot wash. Indeed it would be wise to postpone our planned cruises and other international (or perhaps even domestic) travel. And yes, if your children’s school says to keep the kids at home that is what we should do. But none of that means we are meant to helplessly cower under our beds fearing our own shadows! If the government says we need to place distance between each other they mean PHYSICAL distance. Since we are challenged with maintaining physical distance it is time to close the spiritual distance! [Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort]

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Lifestyles, Science, Medicine, & Education, Yeruchem Eilfort-Rabbi

A Talmud-based Passover tale for children

Somewhere in Eastern Europe, in a little Jewish village, a woman who had been preparing to burn the last pieces of collected chometz in anticipation of that evening’s Passover seder, was startled to see a white mouse jump up on her table, steal a piece of bread, and leave crumbs behind as it ran away. [Book review by Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Trivia, Humor & Satire

Parent of 3 SDJA students tests positive for coronavirus

A parent of three San Diego Jewish Academy students has tested positive for coronavirus, according to Chaim Heller, the retiring head of the school.  In a letter to other parents sent on Saturday (Shabbat) , he wrote, “The parent was at school during the past week.  Their children, who are in grades, 1, 3, and 6, were in many rooms, including the Ulam (Auditorium), many times during the past week as well.  They were with their friends acting in a regular, non-distance manner during that time.  Effectively, they could have been with anyone from the school, from ECC [Early Childhood Center] to high school.” [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jerry Klinger, Jewish Religion, Lawrence Baron, Science, Medicine, & Education, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA

Congresswoman Davis tells federal response to coronavirus

Like you, I am deeply concerned about the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) on our health, our loved ones, our lifestyle and our economy. As we continue to face this outbreak, I will keep updating you on what Congress is doing to counter the coronavirus (COVID-19) and its effects. My office is dedicated to keeping our constituents informed about the virus and focused on helping San Diegans who need assistance. [Congresswoman Susan Davis]

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San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

S.D. County battens down for coronavirus siege

Our county battened down on Friday to wait out a coronavirus siege, with Jewish and general community institutions announcing closures as a precaution to prevent the virus from spreading.  In addition to the developments reported on Thursday, there were these additional developments to report on Friday. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education

Meet Ted Stern, SD’s king of pedal steel guitar

In ancient times, kings ruled local fiefdoms.  In the world of pedal steel guitar, it is much the same way. Ted Stern, is San Diego’s king of pedal steel guitar! My wife Kyra and I caught the Jeff Berkeley Band, playing in East County. Being from Texas, I was thrilled to hear a Pedal Steel Guitar and a player who knew his stuff.  He wasn’t just good, but really good.  Who is this guy?  I didn’t think anyone played pedal steel guitar in California.  His name is Ted Stern.  How did a nice Jewish boy from Brooklyn, New York, become San Diego’s pedal steel king? [Mark Thomas]

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Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County

A Word of Torah: The infamous Golden Calf

This week’s Torah Portion is titled ‘Ki Tisa’, translated as, ‘And you shall count.’ The beginning of the portion tells us about the commandment to take a census of the men of Israel, from the ages of 20-60, who would be eligible to serve in the army. The census was not done in a typical fashion by direct count. Instead each person gave a half-shekel coin and those coins were then counted. The money taken from this census was used for communal needs. Later in our portion the difficult story of the infamous Golden Calf is related. … [Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort]

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Jewish Religion, Yeruchem Eilfort-Rabbi