AUSCHWITZ, Poland (Press Release)–Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky, flanked by Israel’s former Chief Rabbi and government ministers, led a group of over 10,000 on the annual March of the Living at Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration and death camp in Poland, marking Holocaust Remembrance Day, Monday (April 12). “It is easy to say that the lessons of Auschwitz
Sharansky, Lau, Peer lead March of the Living Read More »
Middle EastSAN DIEGO (Press Release)—Harvard University Prof. Susan Rubin Suleiman will lecture Friday, April 30, on the experiences of murdered novelist Irene Nemirovsky, a Jew who converted to Roman Catholicism, but still was sent to Auschwitz under Nazi laws. Suleiman, who served as scholar in residence at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in San Diego, has
Harvard scholar Suleiman to lecture on novelist murdered by Nazis Read More »
Travel and Food
By Cynthia Citron LOS ANGELES–You wouldn’t think you could make a theater piece out of a textbook on acting, but Beau Bridges and his daughter Emily have done it—beautifully. The book is “Acting: The First Six Lessons” by Polish director and actor Richard Boleslavsky, and if all teachers were as articulate and emotionally charged as
A 'How To' Play at Theatre West Read More »
Cynthia CitronBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–The Holocaust leads all other tragedies in the extent of its commemoration. Numerous countries have an annual observance on January 27th, the anniversary of the day in 1945 when the Soviet Army liberated the largest Nazi concentration camp at Auschwitz. Some of them also commemorate Israel’s observance in the Spring. It comes
A short overview of Holocaust commemorations Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USA
By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO—The Visitors and Interpretive Center of Mission Trails Regional Park is low-tech compared to razzmatazz commercial attractions like Disneyland or Sea World, but it effectively teaches about Native American life and about nature. Its exhibits appeal to a full range of age groups with a variety of learning styles. Whether
By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO—There are some 40 miles of trails in Mission Trails Regional Park along the San Diego River and surrounding grasslands and mountains. Hikers can view Kumeyaay and Spanish archaeological sites, possibly encounter some endangered animals and some dangerous ones, and be introduced to plants with characteristics so interesting they almost
San Diego’s historic places: Mission Trails Regional Park offers insights into Kumeyaay Read More »
Donald H. HarrisonHAIFA (Press Release)–Just one “pulse” of artificial light at night disrupts circadian cell division, reveals a new study carried out by Dr. Rachel Ben-Shlomo of the University of Haifa-Oranim Department of Environmental and Evolutionary Biology along with Prof. Charalambos P. Kyriacou of the University of Leicester. “Damage to cell division is characteristic of cancer, and
Night-time artificial light can harm cell division process Read More »
Science, Medicine, & EducationBy Bruce S. Ticker PHILADELPHIA (Press Release)–American Jews were treated to two Biden-style “big deals” – one good for the Jews, one not so good. Most Jews probably cheered President Obama’s words when he signed the historic health-care bill into law: “The bill I’m signing will set in motion reforms that generations of Americans have
Two ‘big deals’ for U.S. Jews Read More »
Middle East, USABy Eileen Wingard LA JOLLA, California–The season’s heaviest rainstorm descended Wednesday evening, January 20, as fifteen people braved the inclement weather to gather at the JCC Astor Judaica Library for the first of three programs by local poets: Jewish Poets—Jewish Voices. Yael Gmach, who was scheduled to sing an original song in French, was stranded
A recap of the Jewish Poets—Jewish Voices program Read More »
Eileen Wingard
By Carol Davis CARLSBAD, California –When The Heidi Chronicles, Wendy Wasserstein’s Pulitzer Prize winning play for Drama hit Broadway in 1989 it had to have rocked many a boat. It was a reality check on the ‘women’s movement’ from 1965 to 1989 as seen through the eyes of protagonist Heidi Holland. I first
‘Heidi Chronicles’ — A reality check Read More »
Carol Davis, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – Janet Bartel, chief docent at San Diego Mission, treads as carefully as a performer on a tightrope when discussing the Kumeyaay Indian experience at Mission San Diego, There have been too many controversies not to. In September 1988, Pope John Paul II beatified Father Junipero Serra saying that
San Diego’s historic places: Mission San Diego tells circumspect tale of Kumeyaay life Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Israel returned from its Passover vacation, and unburdened itself of several files awaiting release from one official body or another. The scandal of the Holyland apartment development gained more weight with the detainment of another real estate mogul, said to have bribed local planning officials with respect to that project, and officials
Holyland scandal continues to dominate Israeli headlines Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USABy Bruce Kesler ENCINITAS, California–“I’m tired of hearing about the Holocaust.” Be close enough to most people for them to be honest, even Jews, and you’ll often hear that said. What they most usually mean is they are tired of hearing hypocrisy. Sunday is Holocaust Day, Yom Ha-Shoah, Day of Remembering the Catastrophe, sadly commemorated
Why some are tired of hearing about the Holocaust Read More »
Middle East, USABy Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO–Kashrut observance is one of the defining rituals of Judaism. For Jews, the food we put into our mouths is equally as important as the words that come out. Parashat Shemini cites the defining characteristics of Kosher mammals and fish. Mammals must have cleft hooves and chew their cud. Sea
The kashrut of self-control Read More »
Jewish Religion