Below are the names of writers who are currently active. For others, living and deceased, please type their name into the search box above the masthead on our home page, www.sdjewishworld.com
By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — One of the more interesting questions that is sometimes asked in modern anthropology is whether a group is a collection of individuals, or are they like a body with various members? Much of this has what to do with the issue of individual vs. corporate identity. […]
Have some Lubavitchers turned the late rebbe into an idol? Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California– R. Yochanan observed, “If the Torah had not been given we could have learnt modesty from the cat, honesty from the ant, fidelity from the dove, and good manners from the cock which first coaxes and then mates.”– BT Eruvin 100b “Had the Torah never been given,” say
Humans have much to learn from their dogs and cats Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi
Haazinu (Listen Up): A Book of Prophecy by Yerachmiel Ben-Yishe, Gefen Publishing House, 2011, 268 pages, ISBN 9789652295347,Retail price unlisted. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO– Family members and an ex-lover of terminally ill patients gather before and after their hospital visits to share their sorrowful memories and to reflect on life’s larger purpose. In
By Eileen Wingard SAN DIEGO –Pianist Daniel Wnukowski performed the remarkable fete of playing all five Beethoven Piano Concerti on three consecutive nights with the Tifereth Israel Community Orchestra (TICO) under the direction of David Amos. Attending the Monday and Tuesday evening concerts in the Cohen Social Hall of Tifereth Israel Synagogue, we were impressed
Pianist approves predecessor’s piano choice; plays all five Beethoven concerti Read More »
Eileen WingardBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California –Avraham Burg is an interesting personality. He challenges the religious sensibilities of the Orthodox and Jewish world. Burg is also a leader in the Israeli peace movement. He served two terms in the Israeli Knesset. Over the years, he has emerged as one of Israel’s most articulate
Noah was a worker not a philosopher Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — One of the most respected Chabad authorities on kosher food, who is also the chief rabbi of a haredi city in Israel, has banned the use of tap water on Shabbat. Bnei Brak’s Rabbi Moshe Yehuda Leib Landa issued a halachic ruling that using a faucet
Does turning on the water faucet violate Shabbat? Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi
By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — Despite rumors to the contrary, Israel is a normal country at least as far as retail therapy is concerned. Shopping malls are popping up with ever-increasing frequency wherever one looks. They incorporate many advantages for both vendors and shoppers, and the ambience in them varies from quiet
Normal Arab-Jewish coexistence in Israel goes unreported by media Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Middle East
SAN DIEGO — Melanie Rubin is a collector of Jewish-interest license plate images. And she has found another two. “A Mensh” (for those who don’t know) is someone who is a good person, a humanitarian. And” OyImla8″ suggests someone with a great sense of humor who’s a little tardy. If you have a Jewish-interest license
Jewish-interest license plate Read More »
Jewish Religion, Melanie RubinBy Eileen Wingard SAN DIEGO–Lighting up the musical firmament over an eight day period in February, four outstanding Israeli musicians will be featured in performances in our fair city. Super Star Itzhak Perlman will present a Violin Recital in Copley Symphony Hall on Sunday evening, February 18. Eight days later, Israeli Pianist Ory Shihor will
Four Israeli musicians, including Itzhak Perlman, to perform this month in San Diego Read More »
Eileen WingardCourage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen–Winston Churchill By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California–Over the years, many of us regarded the Jewish Press as the Orthodox answer to the National Enquirer. Mind you, the Enquirer is quite entertaining. However,
A bold newspaper helps a gay Orthodox man to tell his side Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi
By Judy Lash Balint JERUSALEM–As the center of the Jewish religious world, you would think that Jerusalem would have hosted a kosher wine festival before–but no, the first Jerusalem Kosher Wine Exhibit took place just this week at the Binyanei HaUma convention center. With a steep entry price of 70NIS per person (my press card
Jerusalem hosts its first kosher wine exhibit Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Middle East
By Donald H. Harrison LA JOLLA, California — San Diego State University History Prof. Lawrence Baron was greeted with a full house Wednesday, Feb. 1, at Warwick’s Bookstore for his talk about The Modern Jewish Experience in World Cinema, an anthology he edited of movie analyses by 49 authors, including three from San Diego: himself,
Movies tell more than one version of Jewish history Read More »
Donald H. HarrisonBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Over a year has passed since the terrible Arizona shooting, when a gunman opened fire, killing six people and wounding 13 others. Gabrielle Giffords, a conservative Democrat representing Arizona’s Eighth District, was among those wounded. She remained in critical condition after she survived a single gunshot to
Reasonable restrictions necessary on who can buy a gun Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Kingston, Ontario was once a quiet peaceful community. That all changed when Mohammad Shafia, his wife, and son decided to murder the girls of their family. When he discovered his daughters sending pictures of themselves posing in bras and panties to their boyfriends, he said,
Misogyny may be found in doctrines of some Muslims, some Jews Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi