Byliners

Contemporary Torah Interpretation: Ki Tissa

When Moses comes down from Mount Sinai, he’s holding the rules by which they were to live and sees this golden calf party. Dancing and drinking are happening. But the righteous indignation was real—Moses smashed the tablets. Can you imagine the scene? Tablets shattered. Music stopped. People caught in mid-twerk. Silence. It was awkward. [Barrett Holman Leak]

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Barrett Holman Leak, Jewish Religion, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Parsha Ki Tissa: Bend or Break, Adapt to Advance

By Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. EL CAJON, California — This week’s Torah portion, Ki Tisa, provides us a powerful reflection on human nature, faith, and the psychological challenges we all face in our lives. The events surrounding the creation of the Golden Calf teach us about the consequences of our being impatient, inflexible and lacking

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Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell, Staff and Bylined Contributors

A ‘How To’ Book for Activists Pushing a Noble Cause

– For activists pushing a cause, this book offers nine tips for success.  It was written by one of the nation’s foremost advocates for inclusion in all walks of life of people with disabilities. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Business & Finance, Donald H. Harrison, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

OpEd: Israel Must Be Prickly Like a Porcupine

Israel’s softheartedness is a big problem. I’m not advocating that Israelis copy the inhuman, atrocious behavior of our enemies, but there must be a change from Israel trying to please the UN (won’t happen), the EU (won’t happen), the International Red Cross (won’t happen), and so many other individuals and groups (won’t happen). [Steve Kramer]

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Antisemitism, International, Israel, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Steve Kramer

A Tour of the Peres Center for Peace and Innovation

The Center is situated overlooking the beach at the point where Jaffa joins Tel-Aviv and where young Shimon Persky (later Peres) disembarked from the ship bringing him from Belorussia to Mandatory Palestine in 1934. After studying agriculture at the Ben Shemen school and helping to found Kibbutz Ma’alot in the Jordan valley, Peres was selected by Israel’s first Prime Minister, David Ben Gurion, to acquire arms for the nascent State of Israel. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]

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Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Israel, Jewish History, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Technology, Travel and Food

Israel Vows to Protect Druze in Syria

As violence escalates in Syria, Israel has announced its readiness to protect the Druze community, a minority group that has found itself caught in the crossfire of the country’s ongoing turmoil. The move highlights Israel’s longstanding ties with the Druze and underscores its concern for regional stability and humanitarian protection. [Miriam Gershenson]

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Israel, Middle East, Miriam Gershenson, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Actor Guy Pearce is Ill-Informed about Israel and Gaza

When he adorned his suit lapel with a “Free Palestine” pin in early March, I had to wonder if he deserved his nomination for best supporting actor in The Brutalist. Did he need to do any acting to portray an antisemitic industrialist? [Bruce S. Ticker]

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Antisemitism, Bruce Ticker, Holocaust, Israel, Middle East, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

An Ethical Will from a Fallen IDF Soldier

Inside was an ethical will written by Staff Sgt. Shachar Fridmann, who was killed in Gaza in action defending the state of Israel. He was only 21 years old. In his own words, “Be Good People. Smile. Strive to make every person you meet smile too. ..”

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Cailin Acosta, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Jewish Trivia Quiz: Space Exploration

Israel ‍is ‍the ‍smallest ‍country ‍in ‍the ‍world ‍with ‍a ‍space ‍agency. ‍The ‍agency’s ‍goals ‍include ‍building ‍satellite ‍systems ‍for ‍research, ‍developing ‍technologies ‍for ‍space ‍research, ‍and ‍promoting ‍international ‍cooperation ‍in ‍space ‍research ‍and ‍exploration. ‍Among ‍the ‍space ‍programs ‍operating ‍under ‍the ‍ISA ‍auspices ‍is ‍what ‍program ‍which ‍goes ‍by ‍a ‍“Jewish-style” ‍acronym? [Mark D. Zimmerman]

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Mark D. Zimmerman, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Technology, Travel and Food

Jewish Biography: Semyon Semkovsky, Ukrainian Philosopher

The only philosopher in Soviet Russia who spoke in defense of quantum mechanics and the theory of relativity and proved that the new theories do not contradict Marx’s philosophy, was Semyon Semkovsky, Doctor of Philosophy, Academician of the All-Ukrainian Academy of Sciences. [Alex Gordon]

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Alex Gordon, Antisemitism, International, Jewish History, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors

A Gem of a Holocaust Novel

Rachael, returning to her barracks from work sorting possessions of murdered new arrivals at Auschwitz, found in the mud a diamond and sapphire engagement ring.  Knowing that the ring would be useless to her, even dangerous if it should be discovered, she nevertheless slipped it into her pocket as a small act of defiance.
[Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Fiction, Staff and Bylined Contributors