International

Meet Maya Abed, IsraAID volunteer coordinator in San Diego

These are busy times for Maya Abed, who hopes that in her near future she will be even busier.

This weekend she graduates from California State University Long Beach, where she completed a bachelor’s degree in communications.  She also has signed up to learn Spanish this summer in an effort to add another language to her fluent English, Hebrew, and American Sign Language.  And, for the next several months, at least, she is working as an IsraAID volunteer coordinator with the Jewish Family Service food distribution program in San Diego County. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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

Is Iran going home?

Aside from the devastation of the Wuhan virus, Iraq closed its 1,000-mile southern border with Iran for “security reasons” after months of Iraqi protests against Iranian interference in its domestic affairs. Oil prices flirted with zero in the wake of the Russia-Saudi oil war, and demand dropped owing to the virus, further gutting Iran’s treasury. Iran harassed U.S. Navy ships in the Persian Gulf, but according to Navy sources, the action was clearly for domestic consumption and posed no actual threat (although a mistake on either side could have had major repercussions, making President Trump’s warning more than reasonable). Germany, Tehran’s strongest defender in Europe, pulled the plug on Iran’s proxy army Hezb’allah. More than 390 members of the U.S. House of Representatives — including Ilhan Omar, not normally an opponent of the Iranian government — called for extending the international arms embargo against Iran, set to expire in October. [Shoshana Bryen]

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International, Middle East, Shoshana Bryen, USA

Einstein documentary includes historic San Diego footage

In the trailer above for the documentary Einstein: Still a Revolutionary, the children seen and heard chanting “Einstein! Einstein! Rah! Rah!” are San Diegans. Possibly some of them may be centenarians still alive today.  The full documentary briefly shows Einstein being greeted in San Diego by Mayor Harry C. Clark on December 31, 1930 as he disembarked here from the Belgenland. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Middle East, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

The Supreme Court and the Knesset

t was announced late last night that the Supreme Court decided not to interfere in the democratic process: (a) the prime minister was elected by Israelis who knew that he was under indictment, and (b) the coalition is being formed according to established parliamentary procedure. It is, therefore, not for the judiciary to tamper with democracy, even if the democracy is misguided in the eyes of many. [Rabbi Dow Marmur]

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Middle East

Ilhan Omar’s challenger is Antone Melton-Meaux

No “evil doings of Israel” for Antone Melton-Meaux, as Ilhan Omar once proclaimed. Rather, he argues that “Israel has long stood as a beacon of liberal democracy.” In backing a two-state solution, Melton-Meaux reflects: “The United States must be a partner in realizing a modern, prosperous Palestine. We need to renew our focus as an international leader in peace and help end this conflict.” [Bruce S. Ticker]

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Bruce Ticker, Middle East, USA

Remembering our Jewish Mamas as Mother’s Day approaches

With Mother’s Day coming this Sunday, May 10, we thought we’d solicit from readers some favorite memories and photos of your Jewish mothers.  Eileen Wingard was kind enough to help us launch this feature with a recollection about her mother, Rose Schiff, z”l.  As you will read, Eileen incorporated into her recollection two other areas of interest for this publication: Judaica collections and San Diego Jewish community reflections on Israel. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Eileen Wingard, Middle East, San Diego County, Sports & Competitions, USA

Hillel webcast ponders ethics of pandemic

During what Hillel of San Diego described as a webcast report from the front lines on Monday, May 4, UC San Diego student Bianca Kermani posed a question to San Diego State University graduate Sheryl Warfield, who is now working as a nurse in the intensive care unit of the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona. “What flaws have you noticed in the system?” she asked. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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

Coalition, coronavirus confusion in Israel

So far, no agreement on a government. There is argument about who will get which ministry. So far, no politician wants to be Health Minister. Perhaps those having to decide are waiting for the Supreme Court to make its decision. There remains a chance that it’ll veto the choice of Bibi as Prime Minister, given the three indictments against him. [Ira Sharkansky, PhD]

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East

Fighting Jew-Hatred on the Internet

On the positive side of the Jewish experience in America, Elan Carr, the U.S. Special Envoy to Combat anti-Semitism, mentioned today the late Dr. Jonas Salk, developer of the successful anti-polio vaccine, and founder of the Salk  Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla.  On the negative side, he brought up last  year’s attack on Chabad of Poway, at which Lori Gilbert Kaye was murdered. [Our Shtetl San Diego Column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Middle East, USA

Remembering Herzl on his 160th birthday

Theodor Herzl, whose 160th birthday was celebrated today, would not have been surprised by the anti-Semites who try to blame coronavirus on Jews or on Israel. Early in Herzl’s career, he came to the conclusion that hatred of Jews was a permanent problem that Jews could never eliminate, but only learn to manage, Gol Kalev, chairman of the America-Israel Friendship League’s think tank, commented on a worldwide webcast. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Middle East, USA

Ancient camel milk and urine remedy not recommended today

This past week one article from the Middle East created an uproar of discussion., Sabili Mehdi is the chairman of prophetic medicine society and has over 60,000 followers. In a video, Sabili urges his followers to drink camel urine, but it must be taken “fresh and warm.” [i] [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]

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Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education

Walk a mile in her hijab

More than likely you have heard the expression, “walk a mile in my shoes,” to caution against prejudging what anyone’s life is like.  Jewish filmmaker Nancy Cooperstein Charney poignantly brought that message home at the conclusion of her documentary, Who’s Next, when she filmed a large group of women, presumably non-Muslims, being shown how to put on a hijab, and then marching together in New York City.  I’m not sure, given the Islamophobic atmosphere in the United States today, how many other women would have the courage to do that. {Movie review by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, USA