Byliners

Historian’s Memoir May Resound With Readers’ Memories

“Homelands: A Personal History of Europe” by Timothy Garton Ash; Yale University Press, 2023. By Oliver B. Pollak RICHMOND, California — Academic Zoom presentations have created a common market for sharing scholarship and continuing education. The Woodrow Wilson Center and the American Historical Society present scholars and discussants with cutting edge ideas, interpretations, and revelations. […]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Oliver Pollak

Jewish Trivia Quiz: Yom Kippur in Dizengoff Square

By Mark D. Zimmerman Since ‍2019, ‍Tel ‍Aviv’s ‍Dizengoff ‍Square ‍has ‍been ‍the ‍location ‍of ‍public ‍Kol ‍Nidre ‍and ‍Yom ‍Kippur ‍services, ‍sponsored ‍by ‍Rosh ‍Yehudi, ‍a ‍non ‍profit ‍organization. ‍The ‍services ‍have ‍attracted ‍upwards ‍of ‍2000 ‍attendees, ‍from ‍Haredi ‍Jews ‍wearing ‍kippot ‍and ‍tallitot, ‍to ‍secular ‍Israelis ‍in ‍shorts ‍and ‍with ‍bared ‍heads, ‍to

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Mark D. Zimmerman, Trivia, Humor & Satire

Recognizing the Miraculous in the ‘Mundane’

the personal stories told from Rabbi Zedek’s own experiences were the ones that most resonated with me as I read this slim volume.  Perhaps this is because I know from personal experience that we can intellectually quote from the works of others without taking their meanings deep into our hearts, but when we relate our own experiences, we are telling about something that in the everyday course of living made us take special notice. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion

Barry Robbins: Restaurateur, Food Brand Entrepreneur

The success of the bread was the second time that Barry Robbins and his retired major partner, David Levy, had a food product hit the big time nationally.  In fact, Levy once commented to Orange County Magazine that the success of the bread was “déjà vu all over again.” Before there was Milton’s Bread, there was Chicago Brothers’ Pizza. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Ben Dishman, Business & Finance, Donald H. Harrison, San Diego County, Travel and Food, USA

Book of Mormon is Completely Irreverent and Absolutely Delightful

Price suffers a crisis of faith, which leaves the compassionate but less educated and experienced Cunningham to minister to the natives. The only problem is that he has never actually read the Book of Mormon, and so as he attempts to help the villagers solve their problems he embellishes the stories in the good book with characters and plot lines from popular science fiction, superhero and fantasy movies.  This results in the conversion of the villagers, who are encouraged by Nabulungi (Keke Nesbitt) the sweet daughter of the village liaison (Lamont J. Whitaker).  [Sandi Masori]

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San Diego County, Sandi Masori, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Two Witnesses Prove God Exists

By Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin BOCA RATON, Florida — The weekly portion of Haazinu (chapter 32), the penultimate Torah’s ending, is “The Song.” In it, because he realizes the significance of his message, Moses reemphasizes the benefits and consequences derived from observing and disobeying the divine law. Jewish law generally requires, with few exceptions, two

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Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion

Discovering Purpose

By Teresa Konopka SAN DIEGO — With Rosh Hashanah this past weekend, there were plenty of festivities. From services to lunch to dinner to shofar blasts to tashlich, the opportunities to connect with community were endless. Chatting up friends old and new, I broke the ice with my standard question — “any new year’s resolutions?”

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Jewish Religion, Opinion, Teresa_Konopka

‘Passing Conversations’ Candidly Addresses Emotions When Death is Imminent

By Eva Trieger POWAY, California — When I read about a play written around the final conversations of a man with a terminal illness, I anticipated a maudlin, depressing evening of theatre. This was not the case. PowPac’s Passing Conversations, written by longtime theatre enthusiast and prolific writer, Brent Stringfield, was conceived during the pandemic.

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Eva Trieger, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Jewish Trivia Quiz: Tashlich

By Mark D. Zimmerman As ‍part ‍of ‍the ‍Rosh ‍Hashanah ‍observance, ‍many ‍Jews ‍participate ‍in ‍the ‍tashlich ‍ceremony, ‍usually ‍held ‍on ‍the ‍first ‍day ‍of ‍Rosh ‍Hashanah, ‍though ‍some ‍celebrated ‍tashlich ‍this ‍year ‍on ‍the ‍second ‍day ‍of ‍Rosh ‍Hashanah ‍because ‍the ‍first ‍day ‍fell ‍on ‍the ‍Sabbath. ‍Others ‍will ‍celebrate ‍tashlich ‍any ‍time ‍through

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Mark D. Zimmerman, Trivia, Humor & Satire