Middle East

Comparing Torah (Va-Yera) with Ancient Practices

Va-Yera shows Abraham’s hospitality toward strangers, who turn out to be messengers of God. The messengers’ report that Sarah will have a child in a year.  It also includesGod’s plan to destroy Sodom and Gemorrah; Abraham’s plea to save those cities if a small number of righteous persons lived there; the encounter of Lot with Sodomites while he hosted two visitors; the destruction of those cities and Lot’s escape with two virginal daughters; incest between the daughters and Lot; Abraham’s further travels and encounters with King Abimelech of Gerar; Sarah giving birth to Isaac; the expulsion of Hagar and Ishmael from the family; the Akedah of Isaac; and lastly more genealogy of Abraham’s kin. [Irv Jacobs, MD]

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

Malawi to become first African nation to open Israel embassy in Jerusalem

Malawi is to become the first African country to follow the US example and open an embassy to Israel in the disputed city of Jerusalem, their foreign ministers announced on Tuesday.”I’m sure that more African leaders will follow this decision,” Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi told reporters after a meeting with his Malawian counterpart Eisenhower

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International, Middle East, USA

Lebanon decides not to charge Ghosn over Israel trip

Lebanon’s prosecutor general decided on Tuesday not to charge fugitive ex-auto tycoon Carlos Ghosn for visiting Israel in 2008 because a statute of limitations has expired, a judicial source said.Three lawyers filed a motion in January calling for the 66-year-old businessman to be prosecuted over his trip to the Jewish state as Renault-Nissan chairman.Lebanon is

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Business & Finance, Middle East

Coronavirus battles in Israel, election showdown in U.S.

Politics here and there. Lots of it, but in different contexts.
Here in Israel it focuses on what is said to be a significant drop in new infections, and what should be open in response. The reality is some doubt about the widely publicized figures, insofar as many of the Haredim are still avoiding the general rules about congregating, and not having themselves tested for the disease. [Ira Sharkansky, Ph.D]

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USA

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC-POLITICS- Dominican Republic considers relocating embassy to Jerusalem

The Government of the Dominican Republic has announced that consideration is being given to relocating its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv, to Jerusalem.Roberto AlvarezThe country’s Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez, made this disclosure during a recent phone conversation with his counterpart in Israel, Gabi Ashkenazi .“I congratulate the FM of the Dominican Republic, @RobalsdqAlvarez on

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International, Middle East

Diverse lectures on tap at Tapestry

This year’s Tapestry, sponsored by the San Diego Center for Jewish Culture’s  JLearn, promises to be more diverse, exciting and interesting than ever before. Experts have been tapped from all over the world to contribute to this extraordinary Jewish Learning event.

The first session, the keynote address on Saturday evening, November 7,  at 7:30 p.m.,  will feature David Meltzer, named one of Forbes’ 10 best Motivational Speakers. Meltzer will discuss how to “Stabilize Your Mindset and Stay Grounded. Focus on Your Core Values Through a Jewish Lens. “ [Eileen Wingard]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Eileen Wingard, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USA

Minyan of Jewish candidates on S.D. County ballots

We do not know the names of every member of our Jewish community who is running for a public office in San Diego County. While we are aware of those running for major offices at the federal, state, county, and San Diego city, community college and school board levels, we are unfamiliar with those who might be running in outlying cities or for the other school boards and special districts throughout our region.
So, what follows is not a comprehensive list, nor is it an indication of San Diego Jewish World’s endorsements. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Travel and Food, USA

For Bat Mitzvah, she traveled to Israel virtually

Sarah Golembsky and her family hoped to celebrate her Bat Mitzvah with a trip to Israel, but like many other B’nai Mitzvah, the pandemic made it impossible for her celebration to go as planned. She had to get creative. Sara and her family didn’t want to miss out on the Israel experience, so they did the next best thing: a live tour to Jerusalem and the Kotel through StandWithUs Discover. Virtual tours of Israel are one of the many educational opportunities offered to B’nai Mitzvah as part of a new StandWithUs B’nai Mitzvah Project initiative. [StandWithUs]

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Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Middle East, San Diego County, Travel and Food, USA

Why some American Muslims are choosing to vote Republican in the 2020 US election

Why would Muslims continue to vote Republican? It’s a question that has puzzled pollsters for years.For the majority of Muslim-American voters, the Republican Party – which led the war in Iraq, instituted the Muslim travel ban, and relocated the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem – does not represent them.However, a growing and significant minority

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Middle East, USA

Good News from Israel (Nov. 1, 2020)

The vision of Israel’s innovators brings tomorrow’s dreams much closer to today’s world. This week’s newsletter includes visual innovations such as an eye-tracking app to reduce stress; facial analysis to warn of a stroke, plus new bio-markers and telemedicine to highlight diseases optically. Israeli technology enhances websites to benefit the visually impaired, removes toxic algae infesting clear blue lakes and helps our US allies to see in the dark. Far-sighted Israelis are kickstarting sport for children, and boosting training for adults in athletics as well as in the hi-tech arena. Many of Israel’s other achievements can only be described as “out of sight”! [Michael Ordman]

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Business & Finance, International, Michael Ordman, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions, The World We Share, Travel and Food, USA

From Ingathering Exiles to Escaping Clans

Israel, the land that was meant to host the ingathering of the exiles and reunite the Jewish people, is tearing at the seams. There has never been real unity in Israeli society, but we always knew how to rise above our partisan interests in the moment of truth. We cannot do this anymore; hatred and division have taken over. It seems as though we are going to split into myriad groups and clans, and many will seek asylum elsewhere, and I am not sure they will be welcome anywhere. [Michael Laitman, PhD]

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Jewish History, Lifestyles, Middle East