Byliners

Jewish Trivia Quiz: Tariffs

As ‍a ‍result ‍of ‍The ‍United ‍States–Israel ‍Free ‍Trade ‍Agreement ‍signed ‍in ‍1985, ‍there ‍are ‍few ‍tariffs ‍or ‍duties ‍on ‍goods ‍traded ‍between ‍the ‍United ‍States ‍and ‍Israel. ‍But ‍there ‍are ‍still ‍some ‍tariffs ‍in ‍effect ‍between ‍the ‍two ‍countries. ‍This ‍includes ‍United ‍States ‍tariffs ‍on ‍Israeli ‍“meat ‍of ‍bovine ‍animals,” ‍and ‍Israeli ‍tariffs ‍on ‍live ‍fish ‍including ‍tilapia, ‍carp, ‍and ‍trout. ‍What ‍tariffs ‍has ‍Israel ‍imposed ‍on ‍other ‍countries? [Mark D. Zimmerman]

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International, Israel, Mark D. Zimmerman, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA

Gymnast Survived Nazis; Went on to Become Gold Medalist in Olympics

This book, written in simple language for children between the ages of 5 and 9, tells of Ágnes being banned from the national gymnasium because she was Jewish.  In response, she secretly practiced early in the morning at an unlit, unheated high school gym with her friend Istvan Sarkany. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Holocaust, International, Israel, Jewish History, Sports & Competitions, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Jewish Biography: Fromental Halévy, Composer of Operas and Jewish Sacred Music

Halévy’s seminal work is the opera The Jewess (La Juive), which became one of the cornerstones of the French repertoire for a century. It was a grand opera in five acts, including ballet, choruses, spectacular processions and festivities. The premiere of the opera, based on a libretto by the famous French playwright Eugène Scribe, was a colossal success at the Grand Opera House in Paris on February 23, 1835. [Alex Gordon]

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Alex Gordon, International, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Staff and Bylined Contributors

San Diego-Based Photographer Specializes in Dog Portraits

Bayer is a pet photographer who comes to you and travels the country. Although San Diego is her home base, she and her husband spend a better part of the year traveling the country in their Airstream, taking photos for both private and commercial clients. [Mimi Pollack]

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Lifestyles, Mimi Pollack, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Times of San Diego, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA

An “Interview” with a Groundhog

“I might add that it is quite a puzzling day for me too. You see, I have a little touch of rheumatism and, like everyone else, I want the warmth of spring to come early, too. So every year at about this time I get my sunglasses and consider putting them on. so I won’t see my shadow or be bothered by the snow. But then I start worrying, especially since I can never remember whether I’m supposed to stay outside or go back into my hole – er, house.” [Bruce F. Lowitt]

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Bruce F. Lowitt, Jewish Fiction, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA

Mishnah Anticipated Scientific Understanding of Whispering, Digestion, Combustion

What particularly fascinates me is how the book reveals the Mishnah’s sophisticated understanding of physical and psychological phenomena that we’ve only recently begun to explain through modern scientific frameworks. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Biography Explains the Holocaust to Children Ages 8 to 12

It augments the narrative with supplemental pages explaining such terms and concepts as World War II, antisemitism, ghettos, partisans, the Holocaust, collaborators, the righteous among the nations, the camps, and resistance. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Holocaust, International, Jewish History, Staff and Bylined Contributors

‘Appropriate’ at Old Globe is Unsettlingly Thought-Provoking

The Old Globe Theater usually gets really talented professional equity actors for its shows.  Tony award winner ‘Appropriate’ is no different.  The all-star cast deliver a compelling performance; every single one of them deserves recognition. [Sandi Masori]

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San Diego County, Sandi Masori, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Taking in the Movies at the San Diego International Jewish Film Festival

The San Diego International Jewish Film Festival is being held at the Lawrence Family JCC. I love going to the movies but since having twins, those typical date nights with my husband are not very common anymore. [Cailin Acosta]

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Antisemitism, Cailin Acosta, California, International, Israel, Jewish Religion, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA

OpEd: Released Hostages Made to Suffer One Last Time by Hamas Captors

We witnessed the first images: Doron Steinbrecher, Emily Damari and Romi Gonen’s propaganda-filled transfer- how they were forced to smile, accept a certificate and “goody bag”, appearing as if their time spent as hostages was all fun and games. That image of Doron, a beautiful young woman, in a bright pink sweater surrounded by a swarm of hostile Arabs chanting “Death to the Jews.” [Ilanit Zakowski]

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Ilanit Zakowski, Israel, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Grace Church Pastors Tell Why They Choose to Stand with Us Jews

I began my intervention by stating that I did not choose to be Jewish, that I was born in Santa Barbara, Chihuahua, to Jewish parents, and that I was not asked for my opinion on religion when I was born, nor was I consulted about being circumcised at 8 days old. So, I suppose it was God’s will that determined my religion and, in part, my destiny. This automatically connected me with the audience because, like all religious people, they believe in God’s will, which allowed them to empathize with me. [José Galicot]

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International, Israel, Jewish Religion, Jose Galicot, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

$50 Million for Gaza Condoms? Fact Checker Very Much Doubts White House Claim!

If my math is right, $50 million would buy more than 2,400 condoms for each and every male in Gaza between the ages of 15 and 64.
That would allow the use of a condom every day, for almost seven years by every male in Gaza in that age group. A daunting task. [Dorian de Wind, The Moderate Voice]

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Dorian de Wind, Israel, Middle East, The Moderate Voice, USA