Undeterred and full of confidence, I’ve launched the first-ever ”cli-fi movies initiative” to try to get the “cli-fi” term into the ears, eyes and minds of major Hollywood players in the 2020s. My long-term goal: to make cli-fi a genre term that everyone in Hollywood knows by the year 2030. [Dan Bloom]
Activist pushes Hollywood to adopt cli-fi genre Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts
One is reminded of the saying “to save life is to save a world” when viewing the family tree of Sa’adi Besalel Ashkenazi a-Levi (1820-1903), who was a publisher during the 19th century in the Ottoman empire city of Salonica, known today as the Greek city of Thessaloniki. He has over 100 descendants spread across nine countries, and that doesn’t count spouses of the children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and so forth. [Donald H. Harrison]
Sephardic family spread over nine countries Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History
It’s been said that the hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings. Chinese wisdom teaches, “When you drink from the stream remember the spring.” Research has shown that people who regularly practiced grateful thinking were more than 25 percent happier, slept better, suffered lower levels of stress and even spent more time exercising. People sure like to complain. According to one recent author, Prof. Richard Emmons, who wrote a book on Gratefulness, “Preliminary findings suggest that those who regularly practice grateful thinking do reap emotional, physical, and interpersonal benefits. […] Grateful people experience higher levels of positive emotions such as joy, enthusiasm, love, happiness, and optimism […] The practice of gratitude as a discipline protects a person from the destructive impulses of envy, resentment, greed, and bitterness.” [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]
After Thanksgiving it’s still time to be thankful Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, USA
While his critics have often characterized President Trump as a “divider,’ recent glorification by admirers may have changed the description to ‘uniter.’ But not necessarily the way he might prefer. [Satire by Joel H. Cohen]
His admirers believe God chose Trump Read More »
Joel H. Cohen, Trivia, Humor & Satire
Humans have always been storytellers, whether around a firepit in some jungle or around a fireplace in an urban apartment, the children and grandchildren listen to the stories. They learn the sagas of their parents, their grandparents, and their grandparents’ grandparents, who became Indian chiefs or generals or were jailed and escaped or who started a business or a university. [Natasha Josefowitz, PhD]
Connecting to ancestors and descendants Read More »
Jewish History, Lifestyles, Natasha Josefowitz
The idea of the barren woman caught my attention, as it occurs numerous times in the Tanakh. I checked the internet for how the issue was handled by others in former times. There is much on the topic, actually universally throughout history, and often in an unkind way toward the woman who doesn’t conceive. Commonly she was considered to have sinned. In the Fertile Crescent, because of its fertile land, there was a large focus also on the fertility of animals and women. A near complete absence of true scientific knowledge prevailed. Pregnancy was attributed to a gift from the gods, and its absence a punishment by gods. [By Irv Jacobs,MD]
Religious misconceptions about women’s infertility Read More »
International, Irv Jacobs, MD, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education
There will be an emphasis on Holocaust education in December and January. The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum of Washington D.C. puts on a presentation Dec. 5 at Congregation Beth El about the experience of deaf people under the Nazis. The main Chula Vista Library prepares for an exhibition that begins Jan. 12 on Survivors who immigrated to the South Bay. [Donald H. Harrison]
Holocaust education planned throughout county Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
By Dan Brin WEST HILLS, California — Nathaniel Oakes Brin was only 28 years old when his life ended in a tragic accident in Northridge on Nov. 20.. Nate’s life was brief, but it was a life filled to overflowing with love for the simple joys of living: ice cream on waffles, a good hamburger
Father mourns Nate Brin, 28 Read More »
Obituaries & memorials, USA
Anyone familiar with the “Dayenu” (It would have been enough) recitation during a Passover seder will feel a certain sense of familiarity with the Jewish presidential candidate’s lengthy biographical spot in which he introduces himself to voters in California’s March 3 primary election. Reciting a list of Bloomberg’s accomplishments, the narrator punctuates the litany with “He could have stopped there” but he went on to accomplish more. [Donald H. Harrison]
Bloomberg’s presidential campaign hits S.D. airwaves Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
Three congregations and the Jewish Federation of San Diego County are preparing for the visit of an Israel Defense Force reserve unit whose members have been through the stress of battle and now need rest and relaxation to help them cope with symptoms of PTSD. [Donald H. Harrison]
IDF reservists to undergo therapy in San Diego Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Science, Medicine, & Education
Even after all the evidence presented at the House Impeachment Hearings, the American public opinion polls have not registered a significant shift in the numbers supporting impeachment and those opposed to it. I believe this has nothing to do with the substance of the case against Trump and more to do with his ability to coin demeaning names for anyone who criticizes him. Perhaps Michelle Obama was wrong. Maybe we should abandon the high road and engage in name calling. Here’s my list of suggested epithets: [Laurie Baron, PhD]
If Democrats followed Trump’s example Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & Satire
Many, perhaps most, Israelis seem to think that it’s time for Netanyahu to resign. He doesn’t appear to think so, but it’s not clear that he’ll be able to stay in office. Unless a government is formed in the next few days, Israel will go to elections again. As they seem to abhor the idea of having to go to the polls for a third time within the year, they’ll blame Netanyahu for it and his Likud party may do badly, despite the fans afflicted by the Stockholm syndrome. Let’s hope that parliamentary colleagues will move heaven and earth to avoid elections and join the Blue and White party in forming a unity government. But will they succeed? [Rabbi Dow Marmur]
Israelis’ Stockholm syndrome Read More »
Middle EastJewish Family Service is in the process of contracting for its fourth “Safe Parking” area for homeless persons who live in their motor vehicles. Three such areas are located in the City of San Diego – on Balboa Avenue, Aero Drive, and near the SDCCU stadium. The fourth, if given final approval Dec. 18 by the Encinitas City Council, will be located at the Leichtag Commons on Saxony Road. [Donald H. Harrison]
JFS plans 4th ‘Safe Parking’ facility for homeless Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Lifestyles, Middle East, San Diego County, USA
If you’re looking for a love story, this week in Toldot, we read a magnificent one, in fact the first. You see, we are told that husband and wife are to, “cleave to each other and become one flesh.” This is precisely what Isaac and Rebecca teach us so perfectly. In fact, they even prayed as one. We see this in the gematria of Yitzhak יצחק and Rebecca רבקה totaling 515, which equals to the gematria of בשר אחד or “one flesh.” Even more, 515 is also the gematria of tefilah תפלה. [Michael Mantell, PhD]
The love story of Isaac and Rebecca Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell