International

Nazi symbolism found in GOP County Chair’s old video

A decades-old video involving San Diego County Republican chairman Tony Krvaric and images of Adolf Hitler and Nazi symbols has been brought to light by KPBS reporters Amita Sharma and JW August. It prompted San Diego City Council candidate Marni von Wilpert to call upon her opponent Joe Leventhal — who is Jewish — to return a $1,200 contribution he received from Krvaric “and demand new leadership in the Republican party that doesn’t casually traffic in hate.” [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Three takeaways from Holocaust, Immigrant biography

This is a story well told, except that you won’t know any more about the identity of the Mafia boss after reading this book than you do now.  Whoever he was, he took a liking to Helen Pinczewski, Solomon’s hardworking mother, after she and her husband David opened a candy store in an Italian section of Brooklyn.  He made it his personal mission not to allow any of the tough guys in the neighborhood to harass the couple, for whom he developed a great sympathy after learning they were Holocaust survivors. From my point of view, there were three important takeaways from this biography. [Book review by Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, USA

The coming Israeli-Arab alliance

The peace agreement between Israel and the UAE lays the foundation for a future Israeli-Arab alliance, which has been quietly developing behind the scenes over the past several years. I believe that over a relatively short period of time, such an alliance will emerge, eventually including nine Arab States: the UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, and at a later date, Kuwait, Qatar, and the Palestinians, creating a crescent of land extending from the Gulf to the Mediterranean. Such a new alliance will more than likely also include Sudan, Morocco, and other Arab states, and will decisively change the geostrategic dynamic in the Middle East. [Alon Ben-Meir, Ph.D]

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Alon Ben-Meir, Middle East, USA

Daily Zoom shul-hopping to recite Kaddish

The pandemic quarantine began in mid-March. One week later, my mother died in her sleep. She was 97 and lived in New York. I live in California. Our New York daughter “Zoomed” mom’s graveside funeral and we sat shiva online. So much of this time has been trying and sad. We miss our grandkids—even though we see them on FaceTime or Zoom almost every day. And we will forever regret not being able to say a proper good-bye to mom in person. [Irv Kass]

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Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

ADL offers a high school curriculum challenging bias

The Anti-Defamation League is offering to high schools and middle schools a curriculum designed to challenge biases and to encourage students to think critically, according to George Selim, ADL’s New York-based senior vice president of programs.  “With our powerful, new civics curriculum we’re cultivating the next generation of leaders to actively participate in their communities and champion social justice.  We’re especially excited about partnering with Bites Media with their carefully curated articles which lift up and highlight the relevance of our civics lessons.” [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Bruce F. Lowitt, Donald H. Harrison, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

MSNBC’s Ali Velshi’s reporting biased against Israel

When Ali Velshi speaks, change the channel. Better yet, MSNBC could arrange it so that Velshi can only speak at a street corner.Saturday morning, at 9:45, I experienced an absurd, surreal display of Velshi’s creepy concept of broadcast journalism. If Velshi lived in Russia, he would fit in well writing for Pravda. He offended Jews and other supporters of Israel. Velshi strung together a string of facts and brazen lies while neglecting to supply relevant context on a news program he hosted to conjure up a not-so-creative Israel-bash-a-thon. [Bruce S. Ticker]

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Bruce Ticker, Middle East, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

UAE a success for Bibi, but COVID-19 still a problem

It’s been a tough week to judge, and to summarize.The key event occurred Thursday, with the announcement of a formal agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. It came on condition that Israel shelve the plan to annex territories within the West Bank. Also, the UAE indicated that its Embassy would not be in Jerusalem, at least until there was some arrangement between Israel and the Palestinians. [Ira Sharkansky, Ph.D]

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East

Lebanese memories prompted by Beirut explosion

George Salameh, owner of the Alforon Restaurant on El Cajon Boulevard near 59th Street, remembers living within the area near the port of  Beirut that was leveled by the terrible blast on August 4  that killed at least 177 people and wounded or injured 6,000 more, leaving as many as 150,000 people homeless, and causing property damage estimated between $10 billion and $15 billion. [Our Shtetl San Diego County by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Middle East, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Travel and Food, USA

San Diego Jewish World endorses Sara Jacobs for Congress

With only nuance separating them on Middle East issues, and practically no discernible differences on domestic issues, I’ve been watching the tenor of their two campaigns to help me in my deliberations. There, I have to say, Sara Jacobs has been far more positive in her approach to the voters than Georgette Gomez. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Middle East, San Diego County, USA

Many benefits to Israel-UAE agreement

It’s “early days,” but the surprise “Abraham Accord” announced by Washington has been a stunner. Against all odds, nothing leaked from any of the governments involved: Israel, the United Arab Emirates (Emirates or UAE), or the US. The Emirates-Israel peace agreement is the first one in which a non-contiguous Arab country has reconciled with Israel and which can be characterized as “peace for peace.” [Steve Kramer]

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Middle East, Steve Kramer, USA