By Danny Bloom TAIPEI, Taiwan — Are there any Jews in Taiwan? Well, there are 23 million Taiwanese Buddhists and Taoists, and a few Christian converts and Muslin converts, but there aren’t many Jews in Taiwan to speak of. But that isn’t stopping Lubavticher Outreach Rabbi Schlomi Tabib at the Taipei Jewish Center from celebrating […]
Festive Torah dedication ceremony in store for Taiwan Read More »
InternationalBy Steve Pomerantz WASHINGTON, D.C. — Like everyone else in America, I will never forget where I was on 9/11/2001 or how the events unfolded. After my Assistant told me to turn on my office TV, I witnessed the second airplane strike the World Trade Center and, again like almost everyone else, I realized that
Winning battle against terrorists requires determined action Read More »
USA
By David Amos SAN DIEGO — Nothing can recharge one’s emotional batteries to such a high level and at the same time drain you of physical energy beyond belief than to spend two weeks on the road with two active grandchildren. This is what we did in August, when we traveled 2600 miles with children,
Conducting grandchildren around the American West Read More »
USABy Rabbi Ben Kamin SAN DIEGO–Though an imposing figure of bulk and professionalism, rarely not dressed in his suit and tie, or in his naval reserve attire that he wore with quiet pride, he was a man of raw language, practical pursuits, and the New York streets. And this for the most part meant the
Walking with Rabbi Kaplan’s ghost Read More »
USABy Ira Sharkansky Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Our late summer trip began with several days in Rochester, New York, where Mattan is doing his PhD in political science. His career choice is the best indication that I have not been a complete failure. Before our trip, we heard from several people that Rochester is less
Reflections of an American Israeli on a visit back to the U.S. Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, USASDJW staff report SAN DIEGO — Sylvia Rouss, famous for her ‘Sammy the Spider’ series of Jewish books for children, has co-authored a new book with former Israeli ambassador Asher Naim, entitled “Jognau, the Dreamer.” It is about the migration of Ethiopian Jews to Israel, as told by one of the young immigrants. In an
Sylvia Rouss offers free children’s tale here about Ethiopian immigration to Israel Read More »
Middle East
By Rabbi Ben Kamin SAN DIEGO — He is understandably remembered and cherished as the iconic civil rights leader, “the drum major for justice,” and for his brilliant oratorical skills. Some also recall his provocative, brave cri de coeur as the vanguard protestor against the Vietnam War—which did not line up in his “moral field
MLK died helping the labor movement Read More »
USA
By Judy Lash Balint JERUSALEM –The brit milah of Yishai and Malkah Fleisher’s second child, Eliezer Menachem, took place Sunday night in their apartment in Maale HaZeitim, overlooking the Temple Mount. The brief ceremony that initiated the baby into the covenant of Abraham closed circles for several of the people who crammed into the Fleisher’s home
Circles of family, history close in Jerusalem Read More »
Middle East
By Carol Davis GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Arizona–For decades I have wanted to visit the Grand Canyon. Finally, on my 74th birthday in May, my friend Debbie and I set out (from her Las Vegas home) to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon for a three-day excursion. Never in my imagination had I pictured
By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel – People in this country are accustomed to grumbling about everything – the government, the cost of living and above all the weather. They are not, or at least have not been in the past, accustomed to doing anything much about any of them. This is in contrast to
Man-on-the-street protests focus on everyday annoyances Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Israel is best known for its chronic problems with Arab neighbors. And now there are demands from middle- and upper-middle income young Israelis about the cost of living. Yet what is arguably the country’s most serious problem is somewhat under the surface as seen by overseas observers, i.e.,
Israel ponders what to do with unproductive Haredim Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Rabbi Ben Kamin Rabbi Ben Kamin SAN DIEGO — When Katrina all but drowned New Orleans starting six years this very day, media pundits and animated politicians followed with serious criticism of the federal and state responses and glaring lack of preparedness. A great deal of focus fell upon President George W. Bush’s evident
Officials were right to be cautious about Hurricane Irene Read More »
USAEditor’s Note: The president and chief executive officer of the Jewish Federation of San Diego County, Steven J. Morris, on Friday sent out the following message to the community regarding renewed violence along Israel’s borders with Gaza and Egypt. Sha’ar Hanegev, the partnership region of the San Diego Federation, lies alongside Gaza in Israel’s northern
Jewish Federations promptly help victims of rocket attacks from Gaza Read More »
Middle EastBy Rabbi Ben Kamin SAN DIEGO — He started out with the most outrageously un-rabbinic analysis of why Haiti suffered so much more than did the other part of the island, the Dominican Republic, during last year’s catastrophic 7.0 magnitude earthquake: it was due to the widespread practice of homosexuality and the per capita AIDS
Homophobic rabbi is wrong on theology; embarasses fellow Jews Read More »
USA