International

Never Again Education Act passage hailed

Jewish and pro-Israel organizations responded favorably to the passage in the U.S. Senate of the Never Again Education Act, H.R. 943, which would provide federal funding to help give teachers across the country the necessary resources to teach about the Holocaust in their classrooms. The bill passed the House on January 27 and now goes to the President for his signature.  Following are comments from some of the organizations {Compiled from news releases]

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International, Jewish History, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

What was the Spanish Flu?

Between, January 1918 and December 1920 more people were killed by the Spanish flu than all the people who died during World War I soldiers and civilians, 50 million, about a tenth of the world population of 500 million at that time. The flu struck just prior to the end of World War I (1914-1918) when conditions in the US and world-wide were terrible: weak, hungry, overworked people living in overcrowded conditions. There were lots of movement of people around the world, such as soldiers moving from country to country. There was no concept of mitigation and isolation. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]

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International, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Protecting workers in San Diego County’s food chain

In a Zoom meeting on Wednesday, Charlene Seidle, executive vice president of the Leichtag Foundation, interviewed three panelists who help to make certain that the health and rights of workers in the food industry are recognized as an important priority for our society. [Our shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Travel and Food, USA

The Small Movement and Tikkun Olam

What is the small movement? It is an informal group of people brought together by yours truly to find ways to help others, especially during this pandemic.  This includes giving business to small mom and pop restaurants that may be struggling, buying pizzas for Grossmont Hospital staff,  making masks for Rady’s Children’s Hospital, making masks for shelters in Tijuana, gathering and donating food and fresh fruit to a food pantry, and making headbands for hospital staff to alleviate the discomfort of face masks and ears. [Mimi Pollack]

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International, Lifestyles, Mimi Pollack, San Diego County, USA

Antisemitic acts at highest recorded level in U.S.

The American Jewish community experienced the highest level of antisemitic incidents last year since tracking began in 1979, with more than 2,100 acts of assault, vandalism and harassment reported across the United States, according to new data from ADL (the Anti-Defamation League). The record number of incidents came as the San Diego Jewish community grappled with a violent, antisemitic shooting in Poway, along with horrific antisemitic attacks in Jersey City, Monsey, and a spree of vicious assaults in Brooklyn. [Anti-Defamation League press release]

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Jewish History, San Diego County, USA

Fixing the border sewage problem

Practically every day that it rains, sewage from Tijuana overflows into the United States and out to the Pacific Ocean in the vicinity of Imperial Beach.  This dangerous situation now will be addressed by a $300 million appropriation to the Environmental Protection Agency, it was announced Tuesday by California’s two U.S. Senators, Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris, as well as by San Diego County’s four-member congressional delegation of Susan Davis, Mike Levin, Scott Peters and Juan Vargas.    [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, San Diego County, The World We Share, USA

In defense of Epicurus

Epicurus was not as bad as he is portrayed. Judaism describes a non-believer in God as an Apicorus, a name most likely derived from the Greek philosopher Epicurus (341-270 BCE), as Professor Marcus Jastrow states in his famed Dictionary, although Maimonides in his essay “Chelek” states it is an Aramaic word. The rabbis thought that Epicurus denied the existence of God and was a hedonist who stressed that people should pursue happiness. According to the Babylonian Talmud Sanhedrin chapter 10, an Apicorus would have no life after death. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]

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International, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion

Two jails: One tough jailer

Two jails-separated by thousands of miles-reflect two 20th century struggles for independence. The irony lies in the fact that these two geographically distant fights for freedom were against the same harsh ruler and jailer, the British Crown. Today, neither Israel’s Central Prison Jerusalem (C.P.J.) nor Northern Ireland’s Crumlin Road Gaol in Belfast house inmates, but even as museums, their powerful histories continue to echo in the halls and cells. [Deborah Rubin Fields]

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International, Jewish History, Middle East, Travel and Food

‘Lark Ascending’ by Zina Schiff has S.D. Zoo inspiration

By Eileen Wingard SAN DIEGO — Throughout the years, many composers have been fascinated by the sounds of birds. Vivaldi imitated birdcalls in his Four Seasons, Haydn, in his Toy Symphony, Beethoven, in his Pastoral Symphony, Respighi incorporated a recording of a bird into his Pines of Rome, and a jazz violinist once popularized a

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Eileen Wingard, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County

Jewish trivia quiz: Little Richard, RIP

Rock and roll pioneer Little Richard died last week at the age of 87. Richard (whose real name was Richard Penniman) had his first hit, Tutti Frutti, in 1955, followed by other hits including Long Tall Sally, Good Golly Miss Molly, Jenny Jenny, and Slippin’ and Slidin’. He was a major influence on so many musicians who followed, including the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Joan Jett, Brian Wilson, Bette Midler, and Elton John. Which of the following is true about Little Richard? [Mark D. Zimmerman]

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Jewish History, Mark D. Zimmerman, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Obituaries & memorials, USA

We celebrate our Jewish mothers!

My wife, the former Nancy Zeiden, having a last name that started with “Z,” typically found herself at the end of the line, or the person whose name was printed last or near last in any program. This being mother’s day, I thought I’d correct this alphabetical injustice for anyone who has found herself in the same situation. Therefore, we are running our Mother’s Day salute in reverse alphabetical order! We start with Shelley Zimmerman’s mother, Elaine Zimmerman… [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Eric George Tauber, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Middle East, San Diego County, Sandi Masori, USA

Some coronavirus restrictions eased at Seacrest Village

Seacrest Village Retirement Community has reported that as of Friday, it had tested 125 residents for coronavirus, and thus far had received results for 104 residents — all negative. “We expect the remaining 21 test results within the coming days and will report back to you as soon as possible,” reported Pam Ferris, President and CEO of the home for seniors which is run under Jewish community auspices. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Sports & Competitions, USA

Dream of Azerbaijan’s ‘bronze woman’ lives on

“I was tortured, sold in the black market. But I am free now. I can go anywhere in the world, except Shusha.” This is what Princess Natavan says in my recurring dream — a dream that is particularly vivid this week.It has now been 30 years that Azerbaijani residents of the Karabakh region of the Republic of Azerbaijan were expelled from their native lands. The city of Shusha fell to the Armenian occupation on May 8, 1992. The Armed Forces of Armenia brutally murdered 200 people, took hostage more than a hundred civilians, and expelled over 22,000 Azerbaijanis from their hometown. [Aybaniz Ismayilova]

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International