By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — At the risk of repeating myself (and starting to sound like a cracked record), I feel impelled to write about yet another fascinating musical event I was privileged to attend. “An Evening in Hungary” was the title given to a programme of music primarily from that country performed […]
An Evening in Hungary Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Israel, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts
By Gedaliah Borvick JERUSALEM — Nachlaot is a cluster of over two dozen Jerusalem neighborhoods centrally located between Sha’are Chessed and the famous Machane Yehuda shuk. Nachlaot, which means lands of inheritance, became home to communities of Jews who emigrated from many different lands throughout the Diaspora. Nachlaot’s neighborhoods were established beginning in the 1870s
Nachlaot: A Cultural Mosaic of the Jewish Diaspora Read More »
Gedaliah Borvick, Israel, Travel and Food
NEW YORK (Press Release) — A generous $18 million lead grant from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust will support the construction of the state-of-the-art Helmsley Computer Science Building on the University’s new North Campus. The Computer Science Department is one of the University’s key engines of future growth and is one
This year, 2023, was declared in Lodz, Poland, to be the year of Chava Rosenfarb, one of its most famous Yiddish writers. In Lethbridge, Canada, meanwhile Goldie Morgentaler, daughter and translator of Rosenfarb from Yiddish to English, completed for publication 10 of her late mother’s stories. [Donald H. Harrison]
Rosenfarb’s Short Stories Depict the Inner Worlds of Holocaust Survivors Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Holocaust, International, Jewish Fiction, Lifestyles
By Bruce S. Ticker PHILADELPHIA — The gunman’s six words, as alleged during his trial, were both dreadful and predictable: “All these Jews need to die.” This comment, if believed by the jury, could be sufficient to tip the scales toward Robert Bowers’s punishment – the death penalty. The legal tussling over whether he should
From Pittsburgh to Parkland: Gun Violence and its Unintended Consequences Read More »
Bruce Ticker, Opinion, USA
Cooking is Lebovitz’s world. The kitchen from which she has been banished, for that one night only, officially has been named “Grammy’s Kitchen” in honor of Lebovitz, 85, who is called “Grammy Sheila” by the nine children and 15 grandchildren of Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort and Rebbetzin Nehama Eilfort, as well as by other younger members of the congregation. [Donald H. Harrison]
On This Special Day, Caterer is Refused Entry to Chabad of La Costa’s Kitchen Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Travel and Food, USA
It took over 100 years before the JCC Association of North America chose someone from the U.S. West Coast to serve as its chairman. That person was Gary E. Jacobs of San Diego, a former president of the Lawrence Family JCC, Jacobs Family Campus in La Jolla. As his four-year term was concluding, the JCC Association turned again to a San Diegan, David Wax, a retired executive with the San Diego-based, multistate Waxie Sanitary Supply company. [Donald H. Harrison]
2 National Leaders of the JCC Movement Got Their Starts in San Diego Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, San Diego County, Travel and Food, USABy Dorothea Shefer-Vanson JERUSALEM — A small notice tucked away in our local newspaper caught my attention, and the promise of a performance of choral music by Russian composers seemed intriguing. In addition, the venue was an unusual one – the Ratisbonne Monastery in Jerusalem’s Rehavia neighborhood. So, we ordered tickets and turned up on
Musica Aeterna in Jerusalem Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Israel, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts
JERUSALEM (Press Release) — More than 7,000 athletes from 126 countries competed in the 2023 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Berlin, Germany, but Israeli athlete Mir Segel made himself known by bringing home a gold medal in the 100-meter freestyle swimming competition. An avid swimmer and hardworking gardener with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Segel
Israeli Gardener Wins Gold at Special Olympics in Berlin Read More »
Israel, Sports & Competitions
In a letter to each youth, Biden wrote: “The American story depends not on any one of us, not on some of us, but on all of us. I congratulate you on taking it upon yourself to contribute to the public good … Throughout our country’s history, the American story has been strengthened by those who combine an optimism about what can be with the resilience to turn that vision into reality. I know I’m not alone in recognizing that those who are willing to step up and volunteer in service of community and country are essential to the ongoing work of forming our more perfect union.” [Donald H. Harrison]
22 Youths at Congregation Beth Israel Earn Presidential Volunteer Service Awards Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
Ruth Mastron, the president of the House of Israel in Balboa Park, has had an active love affair with that nation since 2008, the year she first volunteered to work for three weeks on an Israeli Army base. [Donald H. Harrison]
Ruth Mastron, House of Israel President, Volunteers for Janitorial Work in Israel Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Israel, Jewish History, San Diego County, Travel and Food, USA
Published by Reuters By Simon Lewis and Humeyra Pamuk WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Turmoil in the occupied West Bank, where violence between Jewish settlers and Palestinians is spiraling, is making Israel’s goal of normalizing relations with Saudi Arabia “a lot tougher, if not impossible,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday. The Biden administration
Blinken Says West Bank Unrest an Impediment for Israel’s Normalization Hopes Read More »
Middle East
In an interview, Ganley drew upon two nautical analogies to deliver the message that members of Jewish institutions should continually train themselves to counter threats. “When does the Navy stop painting a ship?” he asks rhetorically. “Never,” he answered. “We have to approach training the same way. Repetition builds muscle memory.” The same might be said about reading the Torah. As soon as we finish reading the concluding fifth book, Deuteronomy, we immediately begin again reading the first book, Genesis, so that the cycle of learning never ends. [Donald H. Harrison]
Secure Community Network’s Bill Ganley Describes Services to Jewish Community Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
SAN DIEGO (Press Release) — StandWithUs, an international, non-partisan education organization that supports Israel and fights antisemitism, has announced Oz Laniado as the new Executive Director of StandWithUs Southwest. In addition to San Diego County, the expanded region under Laniado’s oversight now includes Rancho Mirage, Orange County, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, and Colorado. Laniado served
Oz Laniado Named Executive Director of StandWithUs Southwest Read More »
Israel, San Diego County