Out of the mouths of….. seven-year-olds comes the impetus for Craig Pomranz’s new children’s book, Made by Raffi. This is Pomranz’s first foray into publishing, but the singer/actor/dancer is no stranger to the limelight. [Eva Trieger]
Acceptance of Differences Is Theme of Children’s Book Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Eva Trieger
In the context of the 21 st century, Arafat’s rejection of a reasonable peace plan is the root cause of the May deaths of 12 Israelis and more than 230 Gazans, tit-for-tat bombardments, destruction of apartment buildings in Gaza, attempted evictions of Palestinians in east Jerusalem and police raids on the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem. [Bruce S. Ticker]
Arafat’s Refusal to Accept an Independent State Led to Subsequent Warfare Read More »
Bruce Ticker, Middle East
This poetic prose extract from Zechariah, a minor prophet (one of 12 in the Tanakh) was composed circa 520-510 BCE in Judea. His total writings consist of only 14 chapters. He lived in Judea, following the release of the Judean exiles by the Persian Emperor Cyrus, who had conquered the Babylon Empire (539 BCE). The then ruling emperor of Persia was Darius I (522-486 BCE). [Irv Jacobs, M.D.]
Haftorah Reading for May 29, 2021 Read More »
Irv Jacobs, MD, Jewish Religion
By Mimi Pollack and Marcela Roel LA MESA, California — Since March 2007, the U.S. Secretary of State has honored various women from around the world with the Secretary of State’s International Women of Courage Award (IWCA). This annual award honors women who have shown great courage, strength, and leadership to bring positive change to
Guatemalan Judge Erika Lorena Aifan – A Brave Voice Read More »
International, Mimi Pollack
Parasha Behaalotecha By Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. SAN DIEGO — This week’s Torah reading, Behaalotecha, appears to be the basis of one of my mother’s oft-repeated sayings, “Keep complaining and I’ll really give you something to complain about.” Seems the Israelites grew tired of their monotonous diet of manna, pining for the fish and other
Appreciating the Non-Material Treasures Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell
By Laurie Baron, Ph.D SAN DIEGO — Where there’s woke, there’s ire. What do James Bond and police officers with qualified immunity have in common? A license to kill. If someone likens something to the Holocaust to condemn it, then their reasons for condemning it are probably unconvincing. If Republican senators invoke the filibuster to
Satire: A Pax on Both Your Houses Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & Satire
By Alon Ben-Meir, Ph.D NEW YORK — Now that a third Israeli-Hamas war has ended as inconclusively as the two previous wars, will both sides prepare for the next one, or let sanity sink in and chart a dramatically new course that will end the vicious cycle from which neither side can ever escape? Righting
A Third Israeli-Hamas War—What’s Next Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, Middle East, USA
By Jacob Kamaras SAN DIEGO — How do you connect with Judaism? According to a comprehensive survey of Jewish Americans that the Pew Research Center released earlier in May, “Majorities of U.S. Jews engage in cultural activities like cooking Jewish food (72%), sharing holidays with non-Jewish friends (62%) and visiting historical Jewish sites (57%). Many
Jewish news is Jewish community Read More »
Jacob Kamaras, USA
U.S.-authorized asylum seekers assisted by Jewish Family Service of San Diego (JFS) may remember our city primarily as a place where they slept on hotel beds with clean linens, had three meals a day delivered to them, and got their first prolonged taste of American television. [Donald H. Harrison]
Asylum Seekers See Very Little of San Diego on Journeys to Sponsors Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, San Diego County, Travel and Food, USA
On Saturday, May 22, 2021, an interpretive supplemental footstone was added to the Admiral Max Horton memorial at the Rhosneigr seaside community in Anglesey, Wales. The successful placement grew from the unique friendship between Martin Sugarman, a Brit, and myself. Together we are pushing back, at least a little, the dark clouds of forgetfulness and antisemitism. [Jerry Klinger]
A Jewish Honor for Admiral Max Horton Read More »
International, Jerry Klinger, Jewish History
In 2020 the Trump administration decoupled the Palestinian Authority (PA) from the process of achieving peace elsewhere in the Middle East. It happened when Trump emissary Jared Kushner promulgated the proposal that resulted in the Abraham Accords. The Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco have all signed on to this breakthrough in Middle East diplomacy. This bottom up approach, through non-aggression and enhanced trade, R&D, and tourism, has withstood the latest warfare between jihadist Hamas forces in Gaza and Israel, which “ended” with a pause in hostilities on May 21. [Steve Kramer]
Drive to Rebuild Gaza Means Rebuilding Hamas Read More »
Middle East, Steve Kramer, USA
Greene was previously criticized for claiming that space lasers controlled by the Rothschild family were responsible for the California wildfires. She denied the charge that her claim was antisemitic, with what explanation? [Mark D. Zimmerman]
Jewish Trivia Quiz: Marjorie Taylor Greene Read More »
International, Mark D. Zimmerman, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA
Hamas made an error when it sent rockets to Jerusalem. Thousands of rockets and other missiles came from Gaza, mostly in the area around Gaza, but occasionally more widespread. A few came to northern Israel from Lebanon. Plus violence in Jerusalem, Acco, Lod, and other mixed cities. [Ira Sharkansky, Ph.D]
Tallying the Israel/Gaza War’s Political Aftermath Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin’s latest book in his trailblazing series entitled Mysteries of Judaism IV; Over 100 Mistaken Ideas about God and the Bible offers the reader a glimpse into this seasoned scholar’s views on many of Judaism’s most sacred beliefs concerning subjects as diverse as the importance of the creation narrative in the early chapters of Genesis, as well as many of the thorny problems emerging out of the creation narrative. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]
Author Dissects Popular Myths About the Bible Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi