By Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM –Benny Gantz, the leader of Israel’s Blue and White party, may have a distinguished record as the former IDF chief of staff (as have two other leaders, Ashkenazi and Ya’alon) and an attractive manner, but he hasn’t exactly overwhelmed us with his words and actions. Yet, according to current opinion […]
Gantz benefits from excesses of Netanyahu Read More »
Middle East
By Fred Reiss, Ed.D. WINCHESTER, California – Although the holiday of Rosh Hashanah occurs in the seventh month of the Jewish year, it begins a new calendar year, and those observing Jewish holidays understand they are using a calendar substantially different from the civil calendar: The Jewish calendar luni-solar; the civil calendar strictly solar. The
Some Secrets of the Jewish Calendar Read More »
Fred Reiss, EdD, International, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, The World We ShareBy Steve Kramer KFAR SABA, Israel — The Washington Post, no friend of Israel, devoted an editorial this August 27th to Israel’s supposed warmongering (active defense) against Iran. It’s true that Israel has been very proactive in its own defense in the last few month, attacking Iranian attempts to move its firepower closer to Israel’s
Wash. Post wrong on Israel’s defense against Iran Read More »
International, Middle East, Steve Kramer, USABy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — Today (Sept 1) is the 80th anniversary of my becoming a displaced person. That’s how I described the day in my memoir Six Lives: On September 1, 1939, my world collapsed. I mark the date every year as the anniversary of my anxiety neurosis. It was the day Nazi
My world turned upside down 80 years ago today Read More »
International, Jewish History, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM –It’s getting more dicey. There have been attacks, attributed to Israel, on Iranian locations in Iraq and Syria, as well as Hezbollah locations in Syria and Lebanon. And in Gaza. As well as action searching for attackers in the West Bank. And there’s an election in about three weeks. Polls suggest
Tensions ratchet up between Israel, neighbors Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
By Donald H. Harrison Helping Holocaust Survivors SAN DIEGO — Meeting the needs of impoverished Holocaust survivors is a new joint initiative of the Jewish Federation of San Diego County and Jewish Family Service in association with the Seed the Dream Foundation and KAVOD Survivors of the Holocaust Emergency Fund (SHEF). In a statement in
Our Shtetl San Diego: August 30, 2019 Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California –This article responds to an esteemed colleague who weighed in on the congressional candidacy of Ammar Campa-Najjar. Before beginning, I wish to make something clear: It is difficult to take incumbent Congressman Duncan Hunter seriously given his alleged illicit activities while he was in office. Frankly, he
A rabbi’s questions for Ammar Campa-Najjar Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle East, San Diego County, USA
By Douglas Parisi GARDNER, Kansas — We live in a time where we need to educate ourselves and our family on unfortunate events. It’s important to empower your loved ones to take action in active shooter situations, even amidst pangs of fear. This information is designed to highlight important conceptual aspects of readiness training. The
5 Things to Remember Near an Active Shooter Read More »
International, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, USABy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — Formally, Iran isn’t at war with Israel. But what about informally? The random reflections below are variations on this question. Hamas and the splinter groups in Gaza, inspired and supported by Iran, are attacking Israel. Though they suffer infinitely more than the Israelis when Israel retaliates, they seem determined
The calm in Israel – genuine or false? Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Is Gaza controlled by Hamas? And is Hamas the terrorist organization widely claimed? Or is there some degree of trust? Or at least an effort at communication between Israel and Gaza? We hear that there are 12,000 Gazans allowed into Israel. Some are business people, seeking deals. Some are workers,
Who is calling the shots in Gaza? Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
This is another installment in author Natasha Josefowitz’s memoir By Natasha Josefowitz, Ph.D. LA JOLLA, California — Back from our business trip/honeymoon in South America, my husband Sam’s apartment was in a basement on the west side of New York City. The small windows were right under the ceiling. We had a view of people’s
Natasha’s Memoir: Life in NYC, N.J., and Israel Read More »
Middle East, Natasha Josefowitz, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — It might surprise most people to know that ecological themes form an important part of the Torah and Tanakh. For example: Genesis begins with an important ecological truth: “The LORD God then took the man and settled him in the garden of Eden, to cultivate and
Massive tree planting program may save planet Read More »
International, Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle East, The World We Share, USA
By Moshe Dann The Jerusalem Post JERUSALEM — The last “book” of Torah, Devarim (words), is also called Deuteronomy because it contains many laws especially relevant to the conquering and settlement of Eretz Yisrael (Land of Israel) that were not presented in the first four books. It reflects the transition from the end of one
Deuteronomy: The Book of Jewish Sovereignty Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle East
This story was updated on August 26, 2019 By Ken Stone Times of San Diego SAN DIEGO — A week before the November 2018 election, 17 San Diego-area rabbis signed a letter denouncing Rep. Duncan Hunter‘s “fear mongering” attacks on the Palestinian ancestry of Christian opponent Ammar Campa-Najjar. They said the Republican congressman’s attacks on the