International

Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass in Civil War debate

A brilliant script by Richard Hellersen brought Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass back to life face-to-face on my computer careen.  I felt like a fly on the wall (better than a front row seat) watching  two brilliant portrayals by Hawthorne James as Douglass, and Ray Chambers as Lincoln in heated conversations actually documented by playwright Hellersen from meetings and correspondence between these two iconic and historic figures. [Cantor Sheldon Foster Merel]

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Cantor Sheldon Foster Merel, z"l, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Pray for the future of Israel

Those who regard The Jerusalem Post as Holy Writ – and I know such people – may have been startled by the concluding sentences in last week’s column by the paper’s editor: “Israel is in an unprecedented crisis, and this government is not functioning, It is time for it to go home.” [Rabbi Dow Marmur]

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Middle East

Some 70 years of love for tennis

The first time I ever saw or stepped on a tennis court was in 1949 when I was sixteen and got a job at Camp Watitoh near Tanglewood in the Berkshires as a maintenance worker. One of my first jobs was to brush and roll the tomato-colored clay tennis courts smooth early every morning. That was boring but tolerable in the cool early morning air. So now I was the tennis court maven, and was assigned to build two new courts in the lower unshaded unused part of the camp property. [Ira Spector]

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International, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Sports & Competitions, Travel and Food, USA

Jewish pirates took revenge on Inquisition’s nations

You might get the idea from the title of this book that it is about a BBYO Group enjoying a favorite ride at Disneyland. However, it is far more serious than that. It tells about the war Jewish refugees waged against Portugal and Spain and their Grand Inquisitors. It also offers a hint concerning the dispute between Spain and Portugal over the true nationality of 16th century explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, USA

Israel-Bahrain peacemaking draws applause

On a day that the world mourns the 2001 terror attack that felled the World Trade Center in New York City, damaged the Pentagon in Washington D.C., and took the lives of passengers aboard four hijacked airliners, there was some hopeful news as well. Peace in the Middle East is becoming contagious. Encouraged by the United States government, Bahrain and Israel have announced that they — like Israel and the United Arab Emirates previously — will sign a peace pact. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Science, Medicine, & Education, Travel and Food

Serbia-Kosovo Agreement Falls Far Short

The recent agreement between Kosovo and Serbia, brokered by the US, to normalize economic relations between the two countries fell short of the needed reconciliation process that would lead to full recognition of Kosovo’s independence by Serbia. Some elements of the economic normalization agreement are positive, including operationalizing the peace highway and the rail link between Pristina and Merdare, sharing Gazivode/Ujmani Lake and exploring its use as a reliable water and energy supply, and receiving financial support from the US International Development Finance Corporation and Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) for the above. These and other projects will create job opportunities for several thousand Kosovars and alleviate some of the economic hardship in the country. [Alon ben-Meir, Ph.D]

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Alon Ben-Meir, International, Middle East, USA

Biblical and ancient ‘chemistry’ and spirituality

Nitzavim/ Va-Yelekh (Deuteronomy 29:9-31:30) — From this double parasha, I chose three passages for comparison, from the internet, with ancient Israel’s neighbors. These were difficult passages on which to inquire of the internet, since they are literary figures of speech more than concepts of action. [Irv Jacobs, M.D.]

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International, Irv Jacobs, MD, Jewish Religion, Middle East

SWU webcast illustrates diverse support for Israel

StandWithUs on Wednesday evening presented a packed webcast, nearly an hour long, demonstrating the diversity of people who support Israel and the urgency that support has for Jewish and pro-Israel students attending high schools, colleges, and universities in North America and around the world. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Science, Medicine, & Education, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Seacrest Village may be answer for isolated Jewish seniors

Jewish seniors isolated during the coronavirus pandemic may be better off both physically and mentally by moving to the Independent Living section of Seacrest Village Retirement Communities, its president and CEO Pam Ferris says. [Donald H. Harrison, “Our Shtetl San Diego County column]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, USA

A Trip to Myanmar in 2013

Back to Shwedagon Pagoda, it dominates the Yangon sky. The legend is that when Buddha was alive and preaching 2500 years ago, two brothers who were disciples were returning to Myanmar and asked Buddha for something personal they could take with them. He gave them a single strand of hair. The hair was presented to the ruling king who honored and encased it in a pagoda. Over the centuries, successive rulers felt compelled to enlarge the pagoda and make it more grandiose. Today it stands 336 feet tall and is covered with 60 tons of pure gold. It is is encrusted at the top with 5448 diamonds, 2317 rubies and sapphires, and a 76-carat diamond at the pinnacle. [Ira Spector]

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International, Travel and Food