By Rabbi Ben Kamin OCEANSIDE, California — It’s painful to compare the presidential candidates of 2016 to, say, those who sought the office in 1968—when my generation was living through both the gallant civil rights movement and the ghastly war in Vietnam. This lament applies to leadership figures in general—they are dwarfed against the largeness […]
Today’s candidates vapid compared to those of ’60s Read More »
USABy Sheila Orysiek SAN DIEGO — The Framers of the U.S. Constitution wanted to create a national government to strengthen the unity of the disparate States so that foreign entities looking at us would see a united face – the United States. Diversity may supply the building blocks, but it is not diversity that makes
The Founding Fathers called it ‘faction’ Read More »
USABy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM–It’s impossible to believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu didn’t know the views of Dr. Ran Baratz before nominating him as his next spokesman. Baratz lives in a settlement and has for a long time been publishing very right-wing views. It seems that Netanyahu may want Obama to know when they meet
Little expected from Obama- Netanyahu meeting Read More »
Middle East, USAAfter the Survivors perish, who will tell their stories? By Dan Bloom CHIAYI CITY, Taiwan–Some time in the near future, the last known Holocaust survivor will pass away, and there will be no more people to tell the first-hand story of what happened in those dark days in Europe. When I asked two people recently
Never Again: Holocaust news for November 7, 2015 Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Jewish History, USAReform Judaism umbrella passes transgender rights measure ORLANDO, Florida (JNS.org) The umbrella body of Reform Judaism in the U.S. passed a resolution to recognize the rights of transgender individuals on Thursday. The Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) voted on the “Resolution on the Rights of Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming People” at its biennial conference in
American Jewish Report: November 6, 2015 Read More »
Jewish Religion, USADemjanjuk Holocaust trial witness dies SANTA BARBARA, California (JNS.org)– A Holocaust survivor of the Sobibor Nazi death camp who testified at the trial of alleged camp guard John Demjanjuk has died at the age of 88. Polish-born Thomas (Toivi) Blatt was one of a few Jews who managed to escape the Sobibor camp in
Never Again: Holocaust News for November 6, 2015 Read More »
International, Jewish History, USA
Reform Judaism umbrella poised to back transgender rights ORLANDO, Florida (JNS.org) The umbrella body of Reform Judaism in the U.S. is set to pass a resolution to recognize the rights of transgender individuals. The Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) will vote on the “Resolution on the Rights of Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming People” at its
American Jewish Report: November 5, 2015 Read More »
USA
By Julie Schlosser SEATTLE, Washington — Like most Jewish people, each year at the High Holidays, I pause to look inward. It’s such a powerful window to stop, reflect and refocus. About six years ago, I remember sitting uncomfortably during Rosh Hashanah services. I was restless. I had a good job as a journalist at
The charming side of Jewish giving Read More »
USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — While there is seldom a let-up in calls from the State Department, White House, or the New York Times that Israel must do more to solve the problem of the Palestinians, there is much less noise about the mess just over the US border with Mexico. There is considerable argument
Mexico, Palestine provide challenges for U.S., Israel Read More »
International, Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USABy Toby Klein Greenwald EFRAT, Israel — A bi-partisan group of congressmen recently (the week of Oct. 11-18) had the opportunity to go places and meet people that are not usually on the agenda of American diplomats or politicians who come to Israel. Scott Garrett R-NJ, Jim Jordan R-OH, Raoul Labrador R-ID, Alan Lowenthal D-CA, and
What five U.S. Congress members saw in Israel Read More »
Middle East, Toby Klein Greenwald, USABy Richard L. Cravatts, PhD BOSTON — In what is yet more evidence that universities have become, at least where campus free speech is concerned, “islands of repression in a sea of freedom,” as Chester E. Finn Jr., a former Assistant Secretary of Education has described them, the Wesleyan University community has been undergoing collective
Free speech at Wesleyan for those with ‘proper’ ideas Read More »
Richard L. Cravatts, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
By Rabbi Reuven H. Taff SACRAMENTO, California — On Sunday morning October 18th I went to Church. I know, a bit unusual for a rabbi to attend church services on a Sunday. But since my wife Judy and I were visiting my youngest son Ari who relocated to Charleston, South Carolina, I was drawn to
Rabbi prays at stricken South Carolina church Read More »
Jewish Religion, USABy Rabbi Ben Kamin OCEANSIDE, California — It’s been a couple of weeks now since my new life, alone, began here. This transitional town, situated between the glistening ocean waves and Marine fatigues of Camp Pendleton, is hardly associated with metro San Diego’s more effete communities such as La Jolla, Del Mar, or Rancho Santa
Simplicity and kindness mark his starting over Read More »
San Diego County, USABy Richard L. Cravatts, PhD BOSTON — Perhaps when literary critic C.S. Lewis despaired of “omnipotent moral busybodies . . . who torment us for our own good,” he was speaking about those well-meaning, but naïve college students who “torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.” Lewis’s observation
SJP wants ‘free speech’ for itself, not for others Read More »
Middle East, Richard L. Cravatts, USA