By Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. SAN DIEGO — The National Retail Federation’s research is telling us “more than 157 million Americans will celebrate Halloween this year, with eight in 10 millennials saying they are already planning something fun with their friends. Total spending in 2015 will top $6.9 billion, with the average American celebrating planning […]
No, it’s not Purim; it’s Halloween Read More »
Michael Mantell, USA
Dear Santa, Love, Rachel Rosenstein by Amanda Peet and Andrea Troyer, illustrated by Christine Davenier, Doubleday, © 2015, 32 pages of text; ISBN 978-0-553-51061-4; $17.99/ By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – It’s coming b-a-a-a-ck. The December dilemma. That’s when American Jewish kids want to be like the other kids and celebrate Christmas. In this
Children’s story prepares them for December dilemma Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, USA
By Jennie Starr SAN DIEGO — I am an Israeli-American, raised in the US, but I didn’t learn to speak Hebrew until I was an adult. Speaking Hebrew strengthened my connection to Israel, family, Israelis and even Jewish life. It helped me relate, made me more passionate about Israel’s vitality, and increased my sense of
The importance of teaching children Hebrew Read More »
Middle East, USABy Isaac Yetiv , Ph.D. LA JOLLA, California — The Democrat debate was a dull and boring staged performance with the main character, Hillary Clinton, and a few stage props, a statue here, a potted plant there. This was not a “debate;” this was a plebiscite, designed and orchestrated by the DNC leaders to achieve three
Democrats didn’t debate; they crowned Hillary Read More »
USABy Rabbi Ben Kamin NEW YORK–The familiar din came through the window of my short-term rental on East 73rd—grinding cement-mixer truck gears, roaring buses, the cacophony of car horns, the piercing BEEP-BEEP-BEEP of some other behemoth vehicle going in reverse. But I’m trying to go forward spiritually, emotionally, and the noise and pavement and general
Finding solace and meaning in New York City Read More »
USA
WASHINGTON, D.C. (WJC) — The Foreign Affairs Committee of the US House of Representatives unanimously passed a resolution “regarding the safety and security of Jewish communities in Europe.” This follows a hearing of World Jewish Congress leaders in March 2015. The resolution, pointing to data from the FBI and Jewish Community Security Service in
Never Again: Holocaust news for October 14, 2015 Read More »
International, USA
What did Ben Carson really say about guns and the Holocaust? By Abraham H. Miller/JNS.org The explosive controversy over Ben Carson’s remarks about Jews and guns illustrates a new low in media spin. Carson is a Republican presidential nomination frontrunner, and the legacy press needs to undermine his credibility. Therefore, the controversy is not remotely
Never Again: Holocaust news for October 13, 2015 Read More »
Jewish History, USABy Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. SAN DIEGO — Mark Twain once said, “It is curious—curious that physical courage should be so common in the world, and moral courage so rare.” To display moral courage in today’s world is, sadly, a rarity. Some have referred to the end of the twentieth century as the “Decade of
Teaching children moral courage Read More »
Michael Mantell, USAParis Mayor Pledges Fight Against Anti-Semitism NEW YORK (Press Release)– Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has signed on to Mayors United Against Anti-Semitism, an AJC initiative calling on municipal leaders across Europe to publicly address and take concrete actions against rising anti-Semitism. “The City has a responsibility to fight anti-Semitism, otherwise it will develop in the
Never again: Holocaust news for October 7, 2015 Read More »
International, Jewish History, Middle East, USABy Barry Shaw NETANYA, Israel — The words used to describe Obama in countries in the Middle East plus Ukraine include “unreliable”, “skittish”, “weak in negotiations” and “feeble in foreign policy.” Best evidence that these words have real meaning can be seen in the “words not action” policy of the Obama Administration when it comes
U.S. should bring war crime charges against Assad Read More »
Barry Shaw, International, Middle East, USABy Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. SAN DIEGO — What makes a child so angry or despondent that he or she would pick up a gun and shoot classmates and teachers? And what warning signs can parents look for? These are the questions we’ll answer in this column. The problem of anger is based on fragile
By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Barack Obama has given another speech on the models of 2009 Cairo that produced a Nobel Peace Prize, and the speech on Syria’s use of chemical weapons that began aggressively and retreated to an advocacy of diplomacy. The latest came at the annual Autumn speech fest of the United Nations,
Obama talks about Syria; Putin acts Read More »
International, Middle East, USA
SANTA BARBARA, California (Press Release) — The Israeli firm IDE Americas announced it has been selected to refurbish, operate and maintain the recommissioned Charles E. Meyer Desalination Plant in Santa Barbara, California. Under the city’s Design-Build-Operate (DBO) process, IDE was chosen to reactivate the plant for its proven experience, modular approach, and ability to meet the
Israeli firm to refurbish Santa Barbara de-sal plant Read More »
Middle East, The World We Share, USAFour Jews among 24 MacArthur ‘genius’ grant winners (JNS.org) Four Jews have been selected among this year’s 24 MacArthur fellows. The grants of $625,000 per fellow are colloquially referred to as the “genius” grants. Author Ben Lerner, a writer and professor at the Department of English at the City University of New York, won the grant
Jewish news briefs: October 1, 2015 Read More »
USA