With the approach of Memorial Day, I’d like to salute the memory of Private Herman Addleson, whose story I first wrote in Waxie: An American Family Business Success Story, a book that was published in 2016. [Donald H. Harrison]
Remembering Pvt. Herman Addleson, WWII paratrooper Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
Editor’s Note: Maile Faust, a junior at Francis Parker School, wrote this poem inspired by Elie Wiesel’s “Night,’ during her freshman year. Her family is of mixed Jewish-Christian ancestry. Maile has seven years of ballet and 8 years of Free Style Martial Arts, in which she has earned a black belt. An honors and advanced placement student at Francis Parker, she intends to pursue a college degree in mechanical engineering.
Poetry: Endless Night Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Jewish History, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education
“Iftar” is the break-the-fast meal at sunset each night during the Muslim month of Ramadan. Ordinarily, participants–often including welcomed non-Muslims–will eat a prodigious meal together and share family stories and high points. On Thursday, two organizations teamed up to host a different kind of Iftar that brought together celebrants from around the world and from several different religions. [Donald H. Harrison]
30 leaders gather for an interfaith Iftar Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, The World We Share, USA
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spent the hours leading to the Sabbath last Friday by having Israel’s back while getting his inspector general off his back. Israel’s reputation has long been impaired in part by the concept of intersectionality, and what happened Friday exemplifies how resentment of President Trump can undermine support for Israel. [Bruce S. Ticker]
Republicans’ domestic record hurts Israel’s cause Read More »
Bruce Ticker, Middle East, USA
The administrations [of Hebrew day schools] wanted the students to understand what it was to be an American, what the sacrifice of our Soldiers was all about and how Jewish Soldiers honorably served their Nation. They took great pride in knowing that we as Jewish-Americans served and continuing to serve, bleed, and die for our Nation. To this day, an Orthodox Hebrew day school in Rockland County displays at their entrance a six feet by five feet Iraq battle flag from the 101st Airborne Division that I sent them in 2003. They display it so that all their students, staff and faculty will not forget the sacrifice of our Jewish Soldiers to their Nation. {Rabbi Carlos Huerta]
If you cut me, I bleed American Read More »
Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, USA
By Sarah Stern EMET Founder and President WASHINGTON, D.C — In quoting Former Vice President Joe Biden’s remarks on a call with donors, EMET shared that Biden stated, “Criticism of Israel’s policies is not anti-Semitism. But too often that criticism morphs into anti-Semitism.” He further stated, “We have to condemn anti-Semitism (on the left) And
EMET founder calls on Biden to rebuke anti-Semitism in Democratic party Read More »
Middle East, USA
In Israel we are just beginning to feel the easing of the strict lockdown rules. At the recent very low-key Independence Day celebrations one of the individuals honoured with lighting one of the twelve flames which traditionally mark the opening of the day’s events declared how much she missed being able to see, hug and kiss her grandchildren. That must have triggered something in the national psyche, as not long afterwards the Prime Minister announced – as part of the easing of restrictions – that grandchildren will henceforth be able to visit their grandparents, though still keeping a safe distance. I doubt that any other national leader has included that particular facet of family life in their official announcements about relaxing coronavirus restrictions. Well done, popular entertainer Tzippi Shavit! [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]
Hanging out with hubby at home in Israel Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Middle East
Next Sunday, Binyamin Netanyahu is about to make history, but not of the kind for which he wants to be remembered. The court just ordered him to appear in person at the opening of his trial on three charges of breach of trust, accepting bribes and fraud. This will be the first time in the history of the State of Israel that a prime minister will be in the dock while in office. [Rabbi Dow Marmur]
Netanyahu trial to make history, possibly tumult Read More »
Middle East
I have chosen three passages from this parasha (Bamidbar) for comparison with ancient pagan practices, from internet sources. [Irv Jacobs, M.D.]
Censuses, war camps and first-born redemptions in the ancient world Read More »
International, Irv Jacobs, MD, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East
It was as Lawrence Baron, the distinguished history professor, rather than as Laurie Baron, the brilliant satirist, for whom women and some men gathered for a Zoom presentation on Tuesday sponsored by Tifereth Israel Synagogue’s Sisterhood. They asked him to evaluate the factors that led some non-Jews during the time of Hitler to risk their lives and those of their families to protect Jews from the genocide. Who, indeed, were the people who have become known in history as “The Righteous Gentiles”? [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
Who were the Righteous Gentiles? Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Lawrence Baron, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
Jewish Family Services (JFS) is one of twelve immigrant-serving nonprofit organizations selected to help individuals apply for and receive disaster relief assistance in their region. Each organization was chosen based on their experience in serving immigrants, and to act as a distributor of assistance funds. JFS has hotlines assisting immigrants in San Diego County and Imperial County. [Omer Zalmanowitz]
JFS distributes COVID19 relief funds for immigrants Read More »
San Diego County, USA
As the only daily Jewish news outlet in our county, San Diego Jewish World has made it a mission to keep track of important races in the county in which members of the Jewish community will be runoff candidates in the November general election. Now, with the nation, state, and local governments all in the process of looking beyond the coronavirus pandemic to the recovery of the economy, candidates for mayor, Congress, and the County Board of Supervisors are again making news. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
Local political races re-energized Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Middle East, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA
For the first time in more than a year, Israel has a government approved by the Knesset, instead of a series of continuing governments with limited authority to make policy.
The last day and hours before the announcement was a mess, with announcements of who would get what ministry, by Gantz and even more by Netanyahu, with several prominent disappointments among those left out. [Ira Sharkansky, Ph.D]
Featherbedding key to Israeli coalition Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastTwo grocery store incidents in Santee earlier this month in which a man wearing the hood of the Ku Klux Klan, and a man and woman wearing masks featuring swastikas, continue to reverberate. San Diego County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher proposed that a countywide Human Relations Commission be re-established and empowered to look into such incidents, and the San Diego Union-Tribune ran three opinion pieces Monday on the incidents and their impact on the City of Santee. In another response to hate, the Combat Anti-Semitism Movement (CAM) arranged for 25 olive trees to be planted at Kfar Silver Youth Village in southern Israel in memory of Lori Gilbert Kaye, who was murdered when a gunman attacked Chabad of Poway on the last day of Passover in 2019. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
San Diego County, nation, respond to hate incidents Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Eva Trieger, Jewish History, Middle East, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA