There is no wonder that every person and news outlet that saw Trump’s letter to Turkey’s president Erdogan thought it was a joke. When it was confirmed that the letter was indeed authentic, bewilderment and disbelief struck everyone who read it, as no US president has ever written such a disgraceful letter which will be remembered in infamy. [Alon Ben-Meir]
OpEd: Trump’s letter to Erdogan a disgrace Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, Middle East, USA
Astronaut Jessica Meir, who earned her doctorate from the Scripps Institute of Oceanography here in San Diego, on Friday was part of the first all-female team to do a space walk from the international space station. She and fellow American astronaut Christine Koch were tasked with repairing a power control unit – a job that in the slow motion of space took seven hours and 17 minutes, including interruptions to take congratulatory calls from President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, Presidential Advisor Invaka Trump, and NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. [Donald H. Harrison]
15th Jew in space in first all-female space walk Read More »
Cantor Sheldon Foster Merel, z"l, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
Ironically, the US itself can weaken the world role of the dollar by unrestrained budget deficits (although the mechanism is uncertain) and certainly by overusing economic sanctions as a form of warfare. Sanctions involve ending a country’s direct links with the US economy, and indirectly by limiting its use of the dollar. We can cut off its use of US financial institutions and urge foreign banks to do the same by threatening their access to US financial facilities. Our weakening of the Iranian economy indicates that economic sanctions can be quite effective. The natural way for a sanctioned country to respond is to seek other currencies with which to do business and use financial institutions without links to the US. If the US does a lot of this, a critical mass of “sanctioned” countries might find a common new currency for their international transactions. The Chinese Remindbi comes to mind. The dollar’s world role would be greatly reduced. [Lawrence Krause, PhD]
Weaponizing the dollar Read More »
Business & Finance, International, Middle East, USA
I am a former Democrat, who left that party after its hard left, now called progressive, wing did everything it could in 2006 to oust U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut from his seat, which he nevertheless won as an independent. Many of us Jews had taken tremendous pride in Lieberman having been Al Gore’s 2000 vice presidential running mate, the first Jew to be so nominated by either major party. So, we felt the effort to dump Lieberman to be a slap in the face. Yes, he was more conservative than many of us on some issues, but he always was an upstanding example of integrity and civility. [Donald H. Harrison]
Why I’m supporting Amy Klobuchar for President Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Middle East, San Diego County, USA
Who says that Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has something against a homeland for a displaced people? Not for the Kurds, of course, but he must want a homeland for…you’ll never guess…the Palestinians. [Bruce S. Ticker]
Turkey’s Erdogan kills Syrian Kurds and excoriates Israel’s treatment of Palestinians Read More »
Bruce Ticker, Middle East
The Jewish custom of once a year building a little hut or sukkah in one’s garden or backyard supposedly harks back to the time many thousands of years ago when the Hebrews were wandering in the wilderness after having left Egypt and had to live in makeshift huts or tabernacles, more or less in the way the Bedouin Arabs live today. Like many aspects of the Jewish religion, practice and history are bound up together. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]
Memories of a childhood sukkah Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Jewish Religion, Middle East
rom November 15-16, 2019, more than 1 million Jews in over 1,500 cities around the world, including San Diego, will unite for the annual international Shabbat Project. Last year, the Shabbat Project attracted more than 1 million participants in 101 countries across 1,511 cities and towns. This year, organizers believe the initiative will top those numbers.
Global Shabbat project expects a million plus participants Read More »
International, Jewish Religion, Middle East, USAMr. Netanyahu, It is time for you to reflect on where you stand and how best to serve the country you care about in a time of much uncertainty and turmoil.
Netanyahu should spare Israel humiliation, pain Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, Middle East, USA
SAN DIEGO− President Trump wrote a letter to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Oct. 9 in which he said, “”Let’s work out a good deal! You don’t want to be responsible for slaughtering thousands of people, and I don’t want to be responsible for destroying the Turkish economy — and I will.” In the
How Erdogan might have replied to Trump Read More »
International, Lawrence Baron, Middle East
Dr. Sol Lizerbram, the Rancho Santa Fe resident who serves as national president of the Jewish National Fund, offers some statistics to back up the claim that sending a teenager to JNF’s Alexander Muss High School program in Israel can contribute in the long run to Jewish continuity.
JNF: Israel schooling leads to Jewish continuity Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Judaism, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USA
Kurdish forces, facing a well-armed and aggressive Turkey, appear to have turned to the Syrian government — meaning its sponsors in Iran and Russia — for rescue. It makes sense in historical terms, although it is likely to be bloody in current ones. Historical, in this case, means before the U.S. military presence in the northern part of the country.
Russia, Iran oppose Turkey in Syria Read More »
International, Middle East, Shoshana BryenTwo days before the Day of Atonement, The New York Times reported that Jeremy Corbyn had advanced a signficant step toward becoming Britain’s prime minister. Yom Kippur itself was consumed by fatal shootings outside a synagogue in Germany; a military earthquake in Syria that could easily extend to Israel; and two scary incidents in Elon, North Carolina, and White Plains, New York. This confluence of events cast a bleak shadow for 5780, the new Jewish year. It makes one wonder what else can happen.
Jewish Year 5780 starts with bad news Read More »
Bruce Ticker, International, Middle East, USA
According to the European Union Commission’s website, during the last decade the EUC has given over 2 billion Euros to Arab Palestinians in the “West Bank” and the Gaza Strip. This does not include extra payments for health, welfare, and education, and legal services to assist claims against Israel. Additionally, the EUC is funding illegal Arab building in Area C, which is under Israeli control via the authority of the IDF and its civilian branch, COGAT. This includes assistance to PA residents who infiltrate into Area C and build illegal homes in Arab villages.
Europe’s proxy war against Israel Read More »
International, Middle East
Items in today’s column include:
*UC San Diego books former Israeli FM Tzipi Livni for Nov. 11 lecture
*Three Jewish philanthropists to receive UC San Diego Chancellor’s Medal
*San Diego Humane Society hosts training for animal law enforcement officers
*Political bytes
*Fundraising
*Coming our way
*Remembering Sy Brenner
Our Shtetl San Diego County: October 12, 2019 Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education