International

NHL’s Halpern a Jewish sports honoree

Halpern will become only the second hockey player to be inducted into the Jewish Sports Heritage Association, joining Mike Hartman, who played 58 of his 397 career games with the 1992- 93 Lightning during nine NHL seasons. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman also has been so honored. The induction ceremony at Temple Israel of Lawrence on Long Island, New York., was originally planned for April 26, but the Coronavirus pandemic forced cancellation of the program until 2021, at a date to be announced. Among this year’s other inductees are former Boston Red Sox infielder Kevin Youkilis, former NBA Commissioner David Stern, author Mitch Albom, boxing analyst Al Bernstein, and the late Ed Sabol and his son, Steve, co-founders of NFL Films. [Bruce F. Lowitt]

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Bruce F. Lowitt, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Sports & Competitions, USA

Playing election politics with the coronavirus

Trump played magician on Saturday when he announced a series of unilateral steps that is all flash and no substance. At first glance, he told America that the public will continue to receive unemployment checks and continue a moratorium on evictions. Reporters swiftly exposed the fine print. Trump said people will receive $400 weekly instead of the $600 they were receiving until July 31. But then each state must contribute $100 of that money, which means that the feds would offer $300. Nor would the provisions guarantee the eviction moratorium. [Bruce S. Ticker]

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Bruce Ticker, USA

Former La Jollan saves a life at son’s wedding

On Tuesday night, Aug. 11, I was dancing at my son’s beautiful wedding. We held the festivities outdoors at the Gush Etzion winery to comply with the Covid-19 coronavirus restrictions that are currently in place in Israel. The guest list was limited to very close friends and family. As I am not only a Pulmonary and Critical Care physician but also a first responder for United Hatzalah, I had my medical kit with me in the trunk of my car as is my usual practice. [David Kupferberg, M.D]

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Lifestyles, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education

Jews cheer, jeer Kamala Harris as Biden’s VP nominee

Back in June 2016, when California’s then Attorney General Kamala Harris was successfully campaigning for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate to succeed the retiring Barbara Boxer, I asked her at the United Domestic Workers Union Hall in San Diego about the ongoing Israel-Palestinian dispute. [Donald H. Harrison]

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

High Holy Day worship during the pandemic

People are worried about jobs, rallies, protests and yes riots. The real question now is it more important to open up the world than to live.? Is it worth partying on the beach, drinking alcohol in mass at a bar or living for a future time? Young people are dying and many are killing their parents by bringing the virus in their homes. Wake up. It is your life. Do not take it for granted.  And this advice applies to those considering High Holy Day services as well. [Rabbi Dr. Bernhard H. Rosenberg]

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Bernhard H. Rosenberg-Rabbi, Jewish Religion, USA

Pandemic ties Israeli politicians in knots

Stumbling and kvetching. These are our themes. And perhaps not only Israel’s. Set in the context of a pandemic, as yet without a date for vaccine, along with plenty of arguments among the professionals about transmission, infection rates, treatment of the ill, and how to deal with those not yet infected. Plus plenty of politics, with paid lobbyists, articulate advocates, real suffering of those not able to work, and lots of preferences. [Ira Sharkansky, Ph.D]

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East

Hillel announces initiative to combat antisemitism

Last week, we carried the news that Rose Ritch stepped down from her position as student body vice president at the University of Southern California because of the harassment she had to endure for being a supporter of Israel.  On Monday, Hillel International announced a new initiative to train campus administrators on how to recognize and deal with antisemitism. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Leichtag Foundation urges Beirut relief donations

The Encinitas, California-based Leichtag Foundation expressed shock and sadness over the Aug. 4 explosion that destroyed most of the port of Beirut, Lebanon, killing more than 150 people and leaving thousands homeless. “Responding hospitals, already stretched thin due to COVID-19 are now at overcapacity,” reported Charlene Seidle and Sharyn Goodson, respectively the Foundation’s executive vice president and vice president for philanthropy and organizational development. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Ken Stone, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Stephen D. Bryen

A modern African-Israeli tale set in Tel Aviv

Oscar Orleans is a university-educated refugee from the Congo, who made his way to Israel, and in this mystery novel serves as a consultant to the Tel Aviv police department in cases involving other Black Africans, regardless of from which  part of the sub-Saharan continent they came.  (Donald H. Harrison)

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Middle East

Face to face with the Cambodian genocide

Lieng, our fortyish Cambodian woman guide, told us prisoners were brought to these rooms for four months of torture before they were killed. They were defiled day and night without rest. The jailers extracted the names and locations of all their relatives and friends from them. Those people were also arrested and brought to the prison. The first people to be killed once wore glasses. The Khmer Army leaders were ignorant peasants and reasoned that anyone who wore glasses was an intellectual and hence were the enemy. People threw away their glasses and stumbled around when they became aware of this irrational thinking. A similar fate followed for any professional person, doctor, teacher, businessman, bureaucrat, etcetera. The legacy of this stupidity is, that Cambodia desperately needs to rebuild its intellectual capital to fully function as an independent nation. Today it is totally dependent on the aid of other nations to support basic services and repair war damaged structures. [Ira Spector]

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International, Travel and Food

Postcards and the Kindertransport

This story is built around 50 delicate letters, most written on the back of German period piece postcards: including garden scenes of fairy tales gnomes, elfs, leprechauns, and teddy bears designed for children. The letters, starting in February 1939 were by Max Lichtwitz, a Berlin lawyer, to his six-year-old son Heinz or Heini Lichtwitz, the future Henry Foner. They evoke love, longing, and irreparable loss. Max, a widower, sent his six-year son Heinz to England to live in Swansea, Wales with Morris and Winifred Foner. Max, his new wife and stepdaughter never got out of Germany, and were murdered in Auschwitz. [Oliver Pollak]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Jewish History, Oliver Pollak