Books, Poetry & Short Stories

Pomegranates and Nine Jewish Facts About Them As Rosh Hashanah Approaches

As I am keeping an eye on a neighbor’s pomegranate tree, I wonder each year if they will be ripe and ready before Rosh Hashanah. For many years, we picked buckets full, and for a few years, it’s been just a couple. Every year, I leave a note in their mailbox asking when or if my kids can come and pick from their trees. I always sign the note, from your friendly neighborhood Jew. Giggle.

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Cailin Acosta, California, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Judaism, Obituaries & memorials, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, San Diego Calendar, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Travel and Food

Sharon Katz: A Life of Music and Service

South African musician Sharon Katz learned about the importance of giving back to others. This is something her mother instilled in her. In addition, growing up during the period of Apartheid, Katz also learned about racism and social inequalities. [Mimi Pollack]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Jewish History, Mimi Pollack, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food, USA

Rembrandt Loved Bible Stories and the Jews Who Populated Them

Written for children 5 through 9, Rembrandt’s Blessing tells the story of the Dutch Master’s love affair with Bible stories and by extension with Amsterdam Jews, whom he had pose for him. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Staff and Bylined Contributors

The Meaning of Teshuvah

Sometimes, I would forget and respond that the person asking for forgiveness could never do anything to hurt me on purpose. Then I am reminded that it is that time of year when we apologize, and when I say they are forgiven, I usually get a huge hug, which is a good start for the new year. [Cailin Acosta]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Cailin Acosta, Israel, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Obituaries & memorials, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, Travel and Food

‘Milena and Margarete’ Recounts Prisoners’ Love Affair in a Nazi Concentration Camp for Women

This is an incisive history of the Ravensbrück Concentration Camp from the perspective of two female prisoners who defied their Nazi captors and became lovers. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Holocaust, International, Jewish History, Staff and Bylined Contributors

What the Documentary Thesis for Studying the Torah Misconstrues

The “Documentary Hypothesis” originated when Jean Astruc (1684–1766) claimed he could identify the sources of the Bible by examining its use of divine names. His approach was later expanded by Julius Wellhausen (1844-1918), who identified four primary sources (J, E, D, and P) that he believed were combined to form the Pentateuch, also known as the Five Books of Moses. He based his theory in part on the consistent use of the names Elohim and Y-h-v-h in what he considered four writings by four different authors or groups. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion, Opinion, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors

‘The Boomer Archaeologist’ is UCSD Prof. Thomas Levy’s Very Readable Personal Memoir and Scientific Findings

Illustrated by Lily Almeida, this paperback chronicles Levy’s remarkable five-decade career as a Levantine archaeologist, weaving a rich narrative that blends autobiography with groundbreaking discoveries in the ancient Near East. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]

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Antisemitism, Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Israel, Jewish History, Lifestyles, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Technology, Travel and Food, USA

Elul is Here; Numerous Jewish Offerings Before the High Holidays

The month of Elul is upon us and marks the period of soul-searching leading up to the High Holidays. [Cailin Acosta]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Cailin Acosta, Donald H. Harrison, Israel, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Obituaries & memorials, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

LFJCC Board Chair Highlights Past and Future Programs

Wow! We really started off our new San Diego Center for Jewish Culture season with a Blockbuster! Jeffrey Seller, Producer of the most iconic Broadway show, the legendary Hamilton, and Producer of other groundbreaking shows such as Rent, Avenue Q, and In the Heights, really swept our audience off their feet! Winner of 22 Tony Awards, Producer of two Pulitzer Prize winning shows and drawing audiences exceeding 43 million around the globe, Jeffrey shared his personal stories with laughter, candor and humility in a one-on-one conversation with the talented and insightful Barry Edelstein, artistic Director of the Old Globe. [Liz Nederlander Coden]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food

Mystery Novel Tells of Art Heist’s Aftermath

In 2012, Rotterdam’s Kunsthal Museum was under renovation when three thieves—siblings Piet and Luuk Berkhof and their friend Ineke—pulled off a daring heist. They escaped with four masterpieces: two Monets, a Picasso, and Woman with Eyes Closed by “Hochberg.” [Cailin Acosta]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Cailin Acosta, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Ladino Words, Customs Highlighted in Board Book for Rosh Hashanah

For those who grew up in the Sephardic tradition, this board book intended for children aged 4 and under may be a simple primer about Rosh Hashanah.  But for those Jews who grew up in the Ashkenazic culture, it is an introduction to the way Sephardic Jews celebrate a familiar holiday. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food

LFJCC Open 4,800 Hours A Year for its Activities and Nearly 1,200 More for Its Partners’

Because there is so little downtime, there are almost no true breaks. Instead, what we experience is a shift in energy as we move through the year. This week was one of those shifts. Camp Jaycee marked the close of its 80th summer. The echo of hundreds of children singing camp songs, racing down hallways, splashing in the pool has begun to fade. Camp supplies are sorted and packed away for the future. A fresh coat of paint brightens the walls of the Gotthelf Art Gallery, now hung with new artwork. [Betzy Lynch]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Lifestyles, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Sports & Competitions, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast