I have chosen three passages from the parasha for comparison with ancient non-Israelite practices concerning divinely appointed priests and poliical leaders; and the inheritance rights of daughters. (Irv Jacobs, M.D.)
Ancient practices: Divinely appointed priests, leaders; inheritances of daughters Read More »
International, Irv Jacobs, MD, Jewish Religion, Middle East, USA
The Tifnoute community of 44 villages (about 12,000 people) … is so remote that it takes 24 hours to get there due to having to circle around the Atlas Mountains in order to arrive, with the last 70 kilometers of which being unpaved paths. When, as Peace Corps Volunteers, we were assigned to the Toubkal park, we could choose to live anywhere among its valleys of villages, so when I heard that no one had gone to the Tifnoute, I said, “OK, I’ll do it, I’ll go.” I traveled in segments, and it took me three days to get there that winter in 1993. [Yossef Ben-Meir]
The Moroccan villager who changed my life’s course Read More »
International, Middle East, USA, Yossef Ben-Meir
Jew-hatred (politely termed anti-Semitism) has returned to the US and the West, jolting some Jews but befuddling others who fail to recognize the phenomenon. We baby boomers grew up in era of acceptance of the Jewish community. But this ancient hatred has reverted to the mean as the shock of the Holocaust has receded and Israel has become a powerful nation. [Steve Kramer]
Jew-hatred, then and now Read More »
International, Jewish History, Middle East, Steve Kramer, USA
The euphoria lasted exactly two weeks. As June progressed the general rejoicing and premature self-congratulation on the part of the government came to an abrupt stop. The dreaded second wave had arrived. The curve which had been flattened reared its ugly head again, and alarm bells started ringing as the number of infections rose drastically. The idea of returning to the theatre and the concert hall vanished like the proverbial mirage. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]
Between Hunkering Down and Resurgence Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Lifestyles, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
In one of its first San Diego presentations, Avodah held a webinar on Tuesday, July 7, on the issue of police accountability. Rabbi Aryeh Bernstein, director of the Justice Fellowship in Avodah’s Chicago offices, began by quoting Deuteronomy 16:18-20: [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
Deuteronomy, midrashim, and current police practices Read More »
Business & Finance, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Middle East, San Diego County, USA
There are several reasons to wonder about Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Is he losing it?
A prominent case is a series of tweets that he wrote against the decision of the Attorney General, that Bibi could not receive some 10 million shekels, about $2.9 million dollars, in a contribution from an overseas ally to be used to purchase his defense in a criminal trial. [Ira Sharkansky, Ph.D]
Fighting attorney general, coronavirus, Bibi lays annexation aside Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
A full schedule of local lectures and seminars is being offered this week on Zoom or Facebook, thereby providing some Jewish-themed diversion and learning for those who are sidelined by the coronavirus pandemic. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
Local Jewish agencies, synagogues set web lectures Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
While it is true that the far-right has been expanding in recent years, which could be interpreted as a reaction to the far-left tilt of the nation; the numbers according to FBI statistics are relatively small. What HAS expanded exponentially is the growth, power, and influence of both the radical left and Islamists, with an unconventional alliance between them; the ultimate goals of which is the destruction of Israel and the United States. [Caren Besner]
Danger to Jews comes mostly from the Left Read More »
Jewish History, Middle East, USA
Why did Bib Netanyahu delay his plans for annexation of territory in Judea and Samaria.? The fact that the Trump administration may have got cold feet about its “peace” (piece?) plan for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict may have been the decisive inhibiting factor. [Rabbi Dow Marmur]
Netanyahu, under various pressures, sets aside annexation Read More »
International, Middle EastThough I live in Jerusalem within walking distance to the Western Wall (the Kotel), I never go to pray there – for religious reasons. Abraham Joshua Heschel, the great 20th century Jewish thinker, has taught that Judaism doesn’t have holy places, only holy events. We celebrate time, not space. [Rabbi Dow Marmur]
Jewish unity at risk Read More »
Jewish History, Middle East
Recently our music reviewer Eileen Wingard was able to report on the successful gala concert of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, featuring the actress Helen Mirren along with a host of well-known musicians performing from private venues. However, not everyone was able to witness the concert live because anti-Israel hackers took it upon themselves to disrupt the program which some 13,000 people from around the world had signed up to watch. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
Cyber-attackers can’t silence the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Eileen Wingard, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA
As I focus on the debate among Jews about the relationship our community ought to have with the Black Lives Matter movement, I realize that discussion is driven by how traumatized our entire Jewish people have been by the Holocaust and its aftershocks. In my view, both the Jewish Right and the Jewish Left have patterned their behavior on what they have learned — and suffered — as a result of the Nazis’ slaughter of our Six Million ancestors, relatives, and friends. [Donald H. Harrison]
Dueling Holocaust imperatives: Never again vs. Never ever Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Lifestyles, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education
During his nearly 20 years in power, Recep Tayyip Erdogan has violated human rights in his own country of Turkey and destabilized and exploited others in order to promote his nationalist agenda abroad. Western powers, especially his allies in NATO, have ignored his transgressions as the price they are willing to pay to keep what they view as an indispensible ally. [Alon Ben-Meir, Ph.D]
NATO’s Erdogan problem Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, International, Middle East, USA
Whenever I’ve been to Israel, whether on a mission or an independent tour, I’ve been impressed by that country’s fresh vegetables, especially its tomatoes. Maybe it is because the country is so small that tomatoes can be shipped from farm to market to the salad plate in a relatively short time, compared to how long the same process takes in the United States. Israeli tomatoes taste juicier, fresher, and sweeter than American tomatoes. They are among the special taste treats of Israeli cuisine. [Our Shetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
Telling Israel’s positive story with tomato plants Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Middle East, San Diego County, USA