California

California lawmakers take trip to Israel amid growing criticism of war in Gaza

Published by The Sacramento Bee SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A group of California lawmakers is on a three-day trip to Israel this week amid growing criticism from U.S. leadership over that country’s conduct in its war against Hamas in Gaza. In a statement, lawmakers said they will “meet with impacted communities and bear witness to the […]

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California, Israel, Nordot, USA

What Should Come First, Hamas Ouster or Ceasefire in Gaza? U.S. Senate Candidates Disagree

Lee wants an immediate, permanent ceasefire which would leave Hamas in power, and negotiations toward a two-state solution. Porter and Schiff also favor a two-state solution but not while Hamas is in power. Garvey says a two-state solution is naïve, because a Palestinian state would remain in favor of Israel’s destruction. [Donald H. Harrison]

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California, Donald H. Harrison, Israel, Middle East, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Katie Porter, Adam Schiff and Barbara Lee Swore Off Corporate PAC Money. What Does That Mean?

Rep. Katie Porter — who, of the three, has the shortest tenure in Congress — notes that her campaign has never received corporate PAC money, while Reps. Adam Schiff and Barbara Lee only began to reject corporate PAC money this election. The issue could come up again tonight, when the three Democrats and Republican Steve Garvey face off in the second televised U.S. Senate debate, hosted by KTLA, KRON and other Nexstar Media Group stations. [Yue Stella Yu, CalMatters]

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California, USA

Our Shtetl San Diego County: Focus on Education

San Diego Unified School District Board President Shana Hazan and Heather Ferbert, a candidate for San Diego City Attorney, held a joint news conference on Wednesday, pointing out that three great dangers jeopardize the health and safety of public school students. These are 1) Teen Dating Violence; 2) Child Abuse; 3) Weapons brought to schools. [SDJW staff]

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Antisemitism, California, Israel, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food, USA

Our Shtetl San Diego County: Snapshots of Antisemitism at Local Universities

The chairman of the University of California Board of Regents, Rich Leib, who is a San Diego County resident, disclosed to Sunday’s symposium on antisemitism cosponsored by the Jewish Federation of San Diego and the American Jewish Committee that the stands he has taken against antisemitism has prompted 120 groups to call for his resignation. “I can say that is not going to happen,” he declared during a panel session on campus antisemitism. [SDJW staff]

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Antisemitism, California, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Democratic Senate Candidates in California Split on Israeli Ceasefire; Agree on Combating Domestic Antisemitism

The most significant difference among the candidates was their answers to the ceasefire question.  While she favors eliminating Hamas as the power controlling Gaza, Lee said, “what I don’t think will assure Israel’s security is killing 26,000 women and children and civilians.” [Donald H. Harrison]

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Antisemitism, California, Donald H. Harrison, Holocaust, Israel, Jewish Religion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Jascha Heifetz

At age of 7, he made his concert debut, performing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in Kovno. In 1910, he entered the St. Petersburg Conservatory and studied under Leopold Auer. At the age of 12, in Berlin, he met Fritz Kreisler, who was so impressed by the boy’s playing, he reportedly commented, “We may as well break our fiddles across our knees.” [SDJW Staff]

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California, Israel, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Adam Lambert

Lambert’s big break came in 2009  when he finished as runner-up to singer Kris Allen in Season Eight of American Idol, covering such songs as “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” “Black or White,” “The Tracks of My Tears,” “Mad World,” “If I Can’t Have You,” “One,” “Cryin’,” “A Change Is Gonna Come,” and “No Boundaries. [SDJW staff]

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California, International, Jewish Celebrities, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Former Shin Bet Interrogator Profiles Hamas Leader Yahya al-Sinwar in SDJW Interview

“They shouldn’t have sent him out of prison,” Koubi said. “I knew that he would make a lot of trouble. Sinwar had murderous eyes. He hates Israelis, Jews, and the ‘infidels’ — a very deep hating. He knew the Koran by heart and the charter of Hamas by heart. He told me even that they were planning to kidnap more Israeli soldiers. He was right unfortunately.” [Donald H. Harrison]

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California, Donald H. Harrison, Israel, Jewish History, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Druze Diplomat Emphasizes Importance of Transcending Religious, Cultural Boundaries

Amit Mekel — the Los Angeles-based Deputy Consul General of Israel to the Pacific Southwest and the first non-Jewish Israeli diplomat in this region — shared that “I feel an even deeper calling to openly share my personal journey at every event since the war’s onset.”[Israel Bonds Press Release]

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Business & Finance, California, Israel, Press Release, USA

Our Shtetl San Diego County: Academy Award-Nominated Short to Screen at SD International Jewish Film Festival

The 17-minute Letter to a Pig, a nominee for an Academy Award as the Best Animated Short Film, will be screened at 7 p.m., Monday, Feb. 5, at the San Diego International Jewish Film Festival. [SDJW staff report]

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California, Donald H. Harrison, Holocaust, International, Jewish History, Ken Stone, Obituaries & memorials, Opinion, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA