Byliners

‘She The People’ Comedy Heads West to San Diego

This cutting-edge comedy has been delighting audiences in Toronto, Boston, Washington DC, and Chicago over the past three years, and now the Lyceum will host this group of world-famous comedic stars.  The Washington Post described this show as a “funny, fiercely political comedy-sketch show.” This script is written and performed by an all-female troupe and pokes fun at the female experience, attendant stereotypes, and common experiences. [Eva Trieger]

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

Israeli Shekel Increasing in Value Against Other Currencies

The shekel is strong. The dollar is weak. What does that mean? Commentary here puts the blame on high investments from overseas in Israel, especially in high-tech. It also means that Israeli purchases in the US, or in dollar-linked countries–including Israeli travel overseas, are cheap. But Israel exports to the same places aren’t as profitable as usual. There are fewer dollars coming into the country in exchange for what’s exported.  [Ira Sharkansky, Ph.D]

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Business & Finance, International, Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USA

Eye Surgeon Works Nearly Non-Stop in Ethiopia

It comes as no surprise that we inhabit an unequal world. We have only to look around us to see that there are those blessed with material goods, living in areas where services are accessible and abundant, contrasted with those who lack even the essentials such as food and shelter. Here in America, as in most developed nations, we seldom consider what it means to have no constant clean source of water or minimal medical services. In Ethiopia, this is the norm. [Eva Trieger]

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Eva Trieger, International, Science, Medicine, & Education

Psychologist Advocates for Recognition of The Ghost Army

Bert Edelstein elevated his hand one foot above the table at which he was sitting.  “My correspondence file is almost this thick,” he commented. He sent letters to the House of Representatives and the Senate.  After the House adopted legislation to recognize the Ghost Army with a Congressional Gold Medal, the focus turned to the U.S. Senate.  Under the rules, for the measure even to be considered in committee, it must have at least 67 co-sponsors — two-thirds of the full Senate.  The count is getting closer and closer. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, San Diego County, USA

Philo and Maimonides Analyze the Relationship of Leah and Rachel

In this week’s Torah portion (Parshat Vyetse), Philo’s comments about Leah and Rachel’s relationship is striking. One can see that it is not merely brothers who fight with one another. The same also applies to sisters—especially when it is over the love of the same man! Although the Bible is full of tales regarding polygamy, one should not infer that the biblical writers endorsed this ancient Bedouin practice, which still occurs today. Quite the opposite—the ideal marriage is between one man and one woman. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]

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Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi

Five Imaginative Teenagers Win Young Playwrights Honors

While so many dreams were dashed in this crazy pandemic period, Playwrights Project refused to succumb to any hurdles. The 37th consecutive annual California Young Playwrights Contest was held, and held vigorously, with great response! The actual in-person celebration won’t occur until January 22, 2022, but the cat was let out of the bag to a select few (ahem! this reviewer) last Saturday night.  And quite an evening it was. I was made privy to the top five young writers, aged 13-17. I have covered this competition in the past, and I am never left with a sensation anything short of amazed and humbled. [Eva Trieger]

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

Jewish Veterans Swap Favorite Stories of Military Times

After raising the flag and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, military veterans at  Tifereth Israel Synagogue on Veterans Day, Thursday, Nov. 11, shared some of the happier stories about their time in the military or just afterwards. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Travel and Food, USA

Haftorah Reading for November 13, 2021

This literary Prophet’s entirely poetic passages are filled with moral castigation of the priestly class. They are set in c. 740 BCE in the Northern Kingdom. They follow well the literary rules of ancient Hebrew poetry. Scholars note that Hosea’s writings reflect traditions about the patriarchs, which diverge from those in Genesis. [1] As with other prophets, he likely is a composite figure. [Irv Jacobs, M.D.]

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Irv Jacobs, MD, Jewish Religion

‘Progressive Caucus’ Deserted Their Constituents

New York state Jews who live in the Bronx’s Riverdale section or Scarsdale and New Rochelle in Westchester County, not to mention their non-Jewish neighbors, almost lost their infrastructure funding thanks to their congressman, U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman. He and five other so-called “progressive” Democrats would have tanked the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill last Friday if not for the intervention of 13 Republicans in the House of Representatives. [Bruce S. Ticker]

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Bruce Ticker, USA

Tel Aviv Opera Produces a Truly Magical ‘Magic Flute’

A performance of ‘The Magic Flute’ in the evening led us to spend a day in Tel Aviv, enjoying the view of the sea from the restaurant on the sun-drenched promenade, partaking of the aesthetic delights on offer at the Tel Aviv Museum (including the delicious cakes in the coffee-shop there) and ending with a highly innovative performance of the opera. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]

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Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

More Questions Raised About Governance of Friendship Circle of San Diego

Shoshana Grossbard, a respected economist who serves as editor in chief of the Review of Economics of the Household, has urged Acting U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman and San Diego District Attorney Summer Stephan to look into the circumstances surrounding the domination of the nonprofit Friendship Circle of San Diego (FCSD) by the family of disgraced Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein of Chabad of Poway. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, San Diego County