Three congregations and the Jewish Federation of San Diego County are preparing for the visit of an Israel Defense Force reserve unit whose members have been through the stress of battle and now need rest and relaxation to help them cope with symptoms of PTSD. [Donald H. Harrison]
IDF reservists to undergo therapy in San Diego Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Science, Medicine, & Education
Many, perhaps most, Israelis seem to think that it’s time for Netanyahu to resign. He doesn’t appear to think so, but it’s not clear that he’ll be able to stay in office. Unless a government is formed in the next few days, Israel will go to elections again. As they seem to abhor the idea of having to go to the polls for a third time within the year, they’ll blame Netanyahu for it and his Likud party may do badly, despite the fans afflicted by the Stockholm syndrome. Let’s hope that parliamentary colleagues will move heaven and earth to avoid elections and join the Blue and White party in forming a unity government. But will they succeed? [Rabbi Dow Marmur]
Israelis’ Stockholm syndrome Read More »
Middle EastJewish Family Service is in the process of contracting for its fourth “Safe Parking” area for homeless persons who live in their motor vehicles. Three such areas are located in the City of San Diego – on Balboa Avenue, Aero Drive, and near the SDCCU stadium. The fourth, if given final approval Dec. 18 by the Encinitas City Council, will be located at the Leichtag Commons on Saxony Road. [Donald H. Harrison]
JFS plans 4th ‘Safe Parking’ facility for homeless Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Lifestyles, Middle East, San Diego County, USA
Scholars are asking if the various checks and balances of the US are strong enough to deal with a President who seems to be breaking a lot of the rules. We’ll see if his disregard for realities, truth, and the revelation of his tax returns, along with all the other charges continue to attract enough of the poorly educated Whites to give him another four years. Here in Israel the process is more clearly legal than political, but certainly with its political elements. [Ira Sharkansky, PhD]
Trouble at the top in U.S., Israel Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
In a country where multiculturalism has a reverent following and criticism of protected minorities has essentially been criminalized as “hate speech,” it is more than ironic that on some Canadian campuses radical students have taken it upon themselves to target one group, Jewish students, with a hatred that is nominally forbidden for any others. And with a recent incident that took place on November 20th, York University, in particular, has now revealed a troubling pattern of tolerating physical and emotional assaults by pro-Palestinian radicals against Jewish students and others who dare to demonstrate any support for Israel or question the tactics of Islamists in their efforts to destroy the Jewish state. [Richard L. Cravatts, PhD]
Jew hatred dressed in academic clothing Read More »
International, Middle East, Richard L. Cravatts, Science, Medicine, & EducationCongressman Scott Peters (D-San Diego) was the only member of the county’s congressional delegation to sign on to a letter drafted by Rep. Andy Levin (D-Michigan) that rebuked the State Department for its recent decision to reverse American policy that had opposed Israeli settlements in the West Bank, an area also known as Judea and Samaria. [Donald H. Harrison]
Peters joins critics of State Dept’s Israel policy Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Middle East, San Diego County, USA
“I’m not in favor of torture,” Dershowitz writes, “but if you’re going to have it, it should damn well have court approval.” His claim is that if we are, in fact, going to torture then it ought to be done in accordance with law: for tolerating torture while pronouncing it illegal is hypocritical. In other words, democratic liberalism ought to own up to its own activities, according to Dershowitz. If torture is, indeed, a reality then it should be done with accountability. There are, however, significant problems with the reasoning behind torture-warrants [Sam Ben-Meir, PhD]
Dueling movies and the case against torture Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Middle East, Sam Ben-Meir, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USAFrom time to time, we’ll be checking the websites, Facebook pages, and news releases of local Jewish candidates to see what they are emphasizing to voters. As they are competing in contests for federal, state, county, and city offices, it is natural that they address different kinds of issues. [Donald H. Harrison]
What local Jewish candidates are telling voters Read More »
Business & Finance, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Obituaries & memorials, The World We Share
From Iranian-controlled portions of Iraq to Lebanon, people are marching; women are tearing off their hijabs, while dancing to the sound of western music with their male friends. Iranian corruption and brutality have alienated the entire Muslim world in those countries. They demand a change. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]
Iranian demonstrators must be supported Read More »
International, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle East, USA
In the past, philanthropists Ernest and Evelyn Rady donated $60 million and $120 million to Children’s Hospital, which renamed itself as Rady Children’s Hospital. Now, the married philanthropists have offered to outdo themselves. They promised to match $200 million in donations from other people in an effort to create a $400 million Rady Reimagine Fund to chart and implement the pediatric hospital’s growth. [Donald H. Harrison]
$200m offered in match for Rady Children’s Hospital Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Business & Finance, Donald H. Harrison, International, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food
Even though it is battered and bruised, Israeli democracy is alive. Its institutions – even those under attack by this government, such as the media, the police, the entire justice system – are holding their ground and doing their jobs. [Daniel Sokatch]
Netanyahu indictment: A win for democracy Read More »
Middle East
The long-anticipated indictment of Prime Minister Netanyahu has finally come to pass today (Thursday, Nov. 21). For three years, Netanyahu spared no effort to scuttle three criminal cases against him, but failed. These charges and their implications have now become rather clear. They have occupied Netanyahu’s thinking as to how to save himself and maintain his position as Prime Minister. They have impacted Israel’s policies, in particular toward the Palestinians, and without a doubt the charges have adversely impacted Netanyahu’s efforts to form a government following the last two elections. [Alon Ben-Meir, PhD]
The political cost Netanyahu inflicted on Israel Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, Middle EastThere’s, therefore, a case for dropping charges against him on the understanding that, having just celebrated his 70th birthday, it’s time for him to retire and make money on the American lecture circuit. His friend Professor Alan Dershowitz, the distinguished jurist famous for having defended dubious characters in the United States, has argued that, from a legal point of view, Netanyahu hasn’t done anything wrong, implying that the prime minister’s contention that the police and the judiciary are after him may be justified. [Rabbi Dow Marmur]
Drop Netanyahu prosecution if he resigns Read More »
Middle East
Senators Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts were among Democratic presidential candidates to chime in, and both predictably misrepresented the situation after a cease-fire was declared. [Bruce S. Ticker]
Sanders, Warren misrepresent Gaza situation Read More »
Bruce Ticker, Middle East, USA