Remembering Ira Levin
Author/ Playwright Ira Levin was born this day (August 27) in 1929.
Remembering Ira Levin Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Theatre, Film & BroadcastBooks, Poetry & Short Stories
Book offers tips and facts about DNA testing
Seed of Israel: DNA Guide To Tracing Your Jewish Ancestry by Joshua Robbin Marks, 48 pages including endnotes; available on Amazon.com for $14.99. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – Perhaps your friends or relatives have told you that they did a DNA test and found out about their ancestry, and now you’re wondering whether
Book offers tips and facts about DNA testing Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Science, Medicine, & EducationLinguist learns of biological father’s secret past
What Language do I Dream in? by Elena Lappin; HarperCollins, 2017, ISBN 9781554-684632. By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson DOMEYROT, France — As a bilingual speaker of Hebrew and English as well as having some knowledge of French and German, I was intrigued by the title of this book. But the beginning is something of a surprise, as
Linguist learns of biological father’s secret past Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, InternationalThe Ramban vs. Maimonides in theological debate
Nachmanides: An Unusual Thinker by Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin, Geffen Publishing House (c) 2018, ISBN 9789652-298874. By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — One of the most interesting books I have read in years is Rabbi Israel Drazin’s excellent primer on the Ramban, entitled, Nachmanides An Unusual Thinker about a brilliant rabbinic scholar
The Ramban vs. Maimonides in theological debate Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiChildren’s book tells of Miep Gies’s heroism
Miep and the Most Famous Diary by Meeg Pincus, illustrated by Jordi Solano, Sleeping Bear Press (c) 2019, ISBN 9791534-11-0250, 40 pages, for children 6-10; $17.99. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO — The story of the woman who hid Anne Frank and her family focuses on the time immediately after the Franks were dragged
Children’s book tells of Miep Gies’s heroism Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish HistoryWeiss propounds ‘Open Orthodoxy’ in new book
Journey to Open Orthodoxy by Avraham “Avi” Weiss, Ktav Publishing and Urim Publishing, New York © 2019, ISBN 978-1-60280-318-3, p. 592, plus appendix and index, $29.95. By Fred Reiss, Ed.D. WINCHESTER, California – Reform Judaism in eighteenth century Germany and Hasidism in the Ukraine in the same century represent the first modern ruptures in traditional Judaism;
Weiss propounds ‘Open Orthodoxy’ in new book Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Fred Reiss, EdD, Jewish ReligionRose and Max (z”l) Schindler relate their survivals
Two Who Survived: Keeping Hope Alive While Surviving the Holocaust; Rose & Max Schindler’s story, written by M. Lee Connolly; MRS Publishing © 2019; ISBN 9781738-19877; 179 pages including glossary; $21.95. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – There is a romantic notion in popular Judaism that everyone has a bashert – a special person
Rose and Max (z”l) Schindler relate their survivals Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, USAA modern history of the ancient Middle East
The Cities that Built the Bible by Robert R. Cargill, HarperOne, 2016 By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson DOMEYROT, France — This overview of the history of the Ancient Near East as it relates to the events described in the Bible is written in a language that is accessible to any reader who is not an expert in archaeology
A modern history of the ancient Middle East Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Middle East‘Unfreedom of the Press’ indicts Fourth Estate
By Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin BOCA RATON, Florida — Mark R. Levin’s very informative book Unfreedom of the Press may surprise many readers when they discover that the book is filled with eye-opening fascinating information that is written in clear easy-to-read English. Levin covers many interesting subjects relating to the press, newspapers, TV, radio, attacks on
‘Unfreedom of the Press’ indicts Fourth Estate Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., USAJewish gay comedian Jason Stuart speaks out
By Eva Trieger SOLANA BEACH, California — Steve Martin said of comedy, “It’s all in the ti-ming.” (He put the accent on the second syllable.) Well, if that be so, the time is now for Jason Stuart. The actor, stand-up comic and lecturer has also become a published author. This weekend celebrated a book signing
Jewish gay comedian Jason Stuart speaks out Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Eva Trieger, Theatre, Film & BroadcastWhen our Sky ‘met’ Albert Einstein
By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – Our cousins, Harry and Sherry Jacobson-Beyer of Louisville, Kentucky, paid us a visit, bringing along their 14-year-old grandson, Ethan Jacobson, of Fairhope, Alabama. Together, with Nancy’s and my grandson, Sky, 12, we visited the Reuben E. Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park. The boys went off in
When our Sky ‘met’ Albert Einstein Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Travel and Food, USARabbi in Florida enjoys learning about San Diego
By Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin BOCA RATON, Florida — Donald H. Harrison’s book Schlepping and Schmoozing through San Diego County, Vol. 1 is enjoyable, really fun to read, as one can tell by the book’s title. He has been a journalist since 1962 and is an excellent writer. His articles are not only enjoyable, sometimes witty,
Rabbi in Florida enjoys learning about San Diego Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish History, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Travel and Food, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USAWaiting for divine help can result in tragedy
By Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin BOCA RATON, Florida — Relying on prayer and divine help in daily life and when problems arise and not following the wise advice of Maimonides to use one’s intelligence, study the laws of nature, and act according to these laws, laws created by God, can, and usually does result in
Waiting for divine help can result in tragedy Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish ReligionComey’s ‘A Higher Loyalty’ details chaos at the top
By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — A friend gave me James Comey’s book, A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership, and it strikes me as worthy of a review. Comey was a bureaucrat. A professional in the field of law, who worked his way from Assistant US Attorney, through positions as lawyer in the private sector,
Comey’s ‘A Higher Loyalty’ details chaos at the top Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Ira Sharkansky, USA