I thank Marc W., an old high school and college friend, for inspiring this article regarding my April 12 column. You might have had similar questions to Marc’s. Below are my answers. [Steve Kramer]
Explaining Israeli Sovereignty in the Land of Israel Read More »
Middle East, Steve Kramer
The proxy war that Saudi Arabia and Iran have been waging in Yemen for the past five years goes beyond the pale of human capacity for extreme cruelty and ruthlessness, and against the spirit and the letter of the Quran. Ironically, whereas Saudi Arabia has many reasons to end the war, which prompted its recent decision to declare a unilateral ceasefire, Islam’s forbidding of the killing of innocent people was never considered a reason to halt the fighting. [Alon Ben-Meir, Ph.D]
Yemen war a crime against humanity, Islam Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, Middle East
The BBC film Children of Wandermere is a heart- rending and at the same time heart-warming film of the incredible rescue mission of 300 children from ages 3 to 16 who survived the death camps of Germany in 1945. The first group of youngsters was flown for eight hours seated on the floor of a converted RAF bomber. They only had the clothes on their backs and some meager possessions. Until the Red Cross provided clothes, all the children went around in their underwear. [Cantor Sheldon Foster Merel]
‘Children of Windermere’ a riveting dramatization Read More »
Cantor Sheldon Foster Merel, z"l, International, Jewish History, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
The Gaza Youth Committee’s concept of self-determination was short-circuited by Hamas, which rules Gaza with a tight grip. The decade-old committee has spent the last half of its existence virtually meeting with Israelis in small-scale video chats targeted to develop a new generation of leaders who seek to live in peace. Last week, Hamas pulled the plug when it arrested the committee’s leader and several others who participated in its latest video chat on Zoom, the popular teleconferencing platform, The New York Times reports. [Bruce S. Ticker]
The high crime of discussing peace with israelis Read More »
Bruce Ticker, Middle East
Suzanne Choney posted a photo on Facebook today of her parents, Rosa Rubel and Icek Choinowski, who 75 years ago today were “among 60,000 human beings being liberated from the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in Germany.” Choney added, “I know we all have so much to worry about now. But I think of my parents, known in America as Rose and Irving Choney, the bravery of the Allies and the good people everywhere, and the evil faced by millions. And I remember. Just as all of us will remember this time.” The photo, at left, of her parents was taken in London in 1947, two years after their liberation. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
Remembering dear ones of now and then Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, USA
There is a sense of solidarity when an internationally acclaimed artist shares a living room space with the community at large, and a heightened sense of togetherness when viewers from all over the world take a moment in time to experience a resonant musical event as a people. Idan Raichel’s “In Your Living Room” Live Concert from his home in Tel Aviv, Israel, continued the new format of live concerts in situ in this time of quarantine. [Omr Zalmanowitz]
Idan Raichel’s concert voiced a universal plea Read More »
Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts
Residents throughout our county are joining a unique, worldwide virtual memorial to remember the victims of the Holocaust. Sidelined by the coronavirus pandemic from attending this year’s “March of the Living” which brings thousands of Jews to the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration complex in Poland to mourn those who were murdered by the Nazis, members of the Jewish community instead are posting their sentiments on line via the Never Means Never website created for the purpose by March of the Living organizers. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
Remembering via a virtual March of the Living Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, USA
They say it’s like a war, but it isn’t. Our wars are shorter, more dramatic, with something like an end coming after days or weeks. And those running them are more regimented and united. It’s possible to exaggerate, of course. Our wars have their civilian commentators, ranging across the board politically. But nothing like the variety we’re hearing from those talking about Coronavirus. [Ira Sharkansky, Ph.D]
Coronavirus and coalition politics dominate Israeli news Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
Federal relief funds for local universities and colleges and for their students in need during the coronavirus pandemic were announced on Monday by Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-San Diego). In total, 23 institutions of higher learning in the count are receiving grant totaling $137,435,195, and will be required to distribute at least $71,360,718 in grants to students to pay for housing food, and other essentials. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
Congresswoman Davis announces financial help for students Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
William James (1842-1910) America’s greatest psychologist of his time, quoted from a friend of his, “There is very little difference between one man and another, but the little there is, is very important.” What applies to the individual certainly applies to the world of faith. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]
Interfaith responses to coronavirus Read More »
International, Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle East, USA
while there is no consensus on the origins of COVID-19, there is no doubt that it has been a bonanza for states and terrorists who now know a lot more about critical vulnerabilities of big powers including the United States and NATO, as well as Russia and China. [Shoshana Bryen and Stephen D. Bryen]
What the pandemic taught adversaries about U.S. Read More »
International, Middle East, Shoshana Bryen, Stephen D. Bryen, USA
The coronavirus crisis has confronted Israelis with at least three instances of leaders flaunting rules that they have set and which they expect others to obey. [Rabbi Dow Marmur]
Israeli politicians should abide by their own rules Read More »
International, Middle EastWhat if American Jews read on the front pages of The New York Times and the Washington Post that Israeli Jews would estrange themselves from American Jews, if the latter chose to vote for a president who was lukewarm on Israel, instead of one who was very pro-Israel? Americans would be piqued that Israelis expected them to vote as if Israel were at the top of their priority list! [Steve Kramer]
In reply to 140 U.S. Jewish leaders Read More »
Middle East, Steve Kramer, USA
Americans emphatically state that American Armed Forces liberated the notorious Buchenwald Concentration Camp. Some Germans say it never happened. [Jerry Klinger]
Buchenwald’s liberation is Germany’s political football Read More »
International, Jerry Klinger, Jewish History