Donald H. Harrison

PJ Library helps families seeking more Jewish context

By H. Applebaum SAN DIEGO — What do parents do if they are raising a Jewish child, yet have no resources at hand?  The cause could be intermarriage, or living far from family or other Jews, or all of the above.  When Jews leave traditional Jewish enclaves, and children come along, it presents a challenge.

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

Israeli history/ poli sci prof lectures May 15

  SAN DIEGO (Press Release) — Prof. Luba Levin-Banchik, visiting Israeli scholar in residence at San Diego State University, will address the 6 p.m. dinner buffet meeting of the Beth Israel Men’s Club which begins at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, May 15, at 9001 Towne Centre Drive, San Diego. Levin-Bianchik teaches courses in history and political

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Middle East, San Diego Calendar, Science, Medicine, & Education

Four teens win Peter Chortek Leadership Awards

SAN DIEGO, CA (Press Release) – The Peter Chortek Leadership Award (PCLA), facilitated annually by the Jewish Community Foundation, was recently presented to four San Diego County high school students. The 2019 awards went to Aurora de Tagyos, Ilan and Max Matkovski, and Talia Schauder for demonstrating teen excellence in community service and leadership. The

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San Diego County

Rabbis, not Torah, decreed counting days of the Omer

By Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin BOCA RATON, Florida — The Torah says count weeks, but Jews count days. As I described in detail in my book Mysteries of Judaism, the ancient religious Jewish group Pharisees, who existed from about 320 BCE until 70 CE, and the rabbis who followed them changed all of the Jewish practices

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Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish History, Jewish Religion

Gerald Robbins’ piano recital a holiday gift

By Eileen Wingard SAN DIEGO — Gerald Robbins is a pianist I have watched during his musical development, from prize winner of both the Young Musicians Foundation in Los Angeles and the Van Cliburn Competition in Texas, to his successful career as soloist with major symphony orchestras, and as chamber music collaborator with some of

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Eileen Wingard, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County

‘Just Kidding:’ Trump winds up memoir, for now

By Joel H. Cohen NEW YORK — President Trump has temporarily completed the memoir of his presidency, called “One Great Tweet for Mankind: Told You I’d Make America Great Again.” “As much as I’ve enjoyed sharing my very intelligent thoughts about world and domestic issues, I have to devote my full, remarkable energy to ruling,

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Joel H. Cohen, Trivia, Humor & Satire

Bibi’s new government likely to be even more right-wing

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Bibi has declared victory, and widespread support, but that ain’t true. Actually, Likud ended up in a tie vote with Blue-White, a party created only a couple of months before the election. Bibi’s support comes also from a cluster of religious parties, and two smaller entities whose heads are hoping

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East

The kvetching and the hope

By Brian Tauber SAN DIEGO –In the aftermath of a very controversial election in Israel, let us take a moment and assess the non-political situation. In neighboring Lebanon, Hezbollah has more missiles aimed at Israel (approximately 130,000) than most countries even possess. In Gaza, Hamas and their “brethren” work daily to bring the destruction of

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Middle East, USA

DVD Review: ‘Streit’s Matzo and the American Dream’

Streit’s Matzo and the American Dream by Michael Levine, © 2017 Menemsha Films, 83 minutes; available via Amazon. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – Those of us with Eastern European origins could visit Ellis Island where immigrants were processed, then go to New York’s Lower East Side to tour the Tenement Museum, which recreates

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Jew- hatred in Ireland basis of support for P.A., Gaza

By Barry Shaw NETANYA, Israel –Tuvia Tenenbom is a film-maker and best-selling author. He writes a series of books about the contemporary global pathology against Jews. His book ‘Catch the Jew’ highlights the anti-semitism behind the often faux support for the Palestinian cause.  This echoes the research I have done for my own book, ‘Fighting

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Barry Shaw, International, Middle East