By Ori Nir WASHINGTON, D.C. — I heard that America’s largest hummus producer is introducing a new product: a dessert chocolate “hummus.” And on the web, you will find recipes for brownie batter “hummus,” sweet potato “hummus,” as well as “hummus” cake and “hummus” milkshake. Now listen, I know from hummus. Real hummus. My physique […]
Trump’s Israel policy is topsy-turvy like Purim Read More »
Middle East, USA
Israel boycott advocates in San Diego County have been attempting, so far without success, to persuade local law enforcement executives to refuse to travel with the Anti-Defamation League for familiarization with Israeli police techniques. Tammy Gillies, regional director of the Anti-Defamation League, said such a push was successful a few years ago in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, “where the City Council was asked to stop organized trips to Israel by law enforcement. They passed that and it was a shock to us. … There are organizations in San Diego working very hard and lobbying our law enforcement agencies not to send people to Israel.” [Sour shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
Local law enforcement and Israel Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Eva Trieger, International, Middle East, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USA
Published posthumously with the help of her author daughter Helen Epstein, Franci’s War by Franci Rabinek Epstein is a well-written step-by-step recounting of Franci’s experiences during the Holocaust. A dress designer of good reputation in Prague, Franci was transported with her parents to Terezin, the Nazis’ “model ghetto” nearby. She was able to secretly rendezvous with her first husband, Pepik “Joe” Solar, who had been arrested and sent away earlier than she was. Soon, however, her parents were taken on another transport to their deaths, and with Joe leaving the ghetto daily to work as slave labor on a railroad spur, Franci often was left to her own devices [Donald H. Harrison]
A Czech woman’s journey through the Holocaust Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History
Prosecutors announced on Thursday they would seek the death penalty against John T. Earnest, 20, the alleged shooter who killed congregant Lori Gilbert-Kaye at Chabad of Poway last Passover while wounding three others, including Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein. Meanwhile, Tammy Gillies, the regional director of the Anti-Defamation League, was telling San Diego Jewish World that the effects of that April 27 shooting rampage are still being felt throughout San Diego County. “I think some of our institutions are taking more seriously the idea of security,” Gillies commented during an interview. “Some always have, and some not so much, but now are more on board.” Members of other religious communities are now “realizing that when we go to synagogue – when we take our kids to synagogue – we have to walk through armed guards to go, and I think that has been shocking to some other communities. I think it has raised awareness about anti-Semitism.” [Our shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
ADL’s Gillies tells of Poway shooting’s lasting impacts Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
Hatikvah, as Israel’s national anthem, stirs tender emotions among us whenever it is played, but for others it is a provocation. Likewise, a $225 million expenditure is seen as worth the price to defend Israel, but some newly-minted members of Congress do not readily understand that. Two episodes surfaced last week that reflected missed opportunities in communication for Jewish organizations that seek to be protective of Israel. Most prominent was the sharp bickering between Sen. Bernie Sanders and Jewish and political leaders over his attacks against AIPAC and Israel’s prime minister. Despite the offensive attitudes of some Israel critics, some of this acrimony could be grounded in AIPAC’s tactics to lose friends and influence people – the wrong way about Israel. [Bruce S. Ticker]
AIPAC should take a gentler approach toward Israel’s critics Read More »
Bruce Ticker, Middle East, USA
HAIFA, Israel — Despite a strong turnout for the Right, Israel is still facing a looming political stalemate. However, it’s not completely deja vu all over again as Israel’s third election in a little over a year did manage to produce some interesting trends. Dr. Ehud Eiran, University of Haifa’s Senior Lecturer in Political Science,
Arabs increase share of Knesset in latest election Read More »
Middle East
The Coronavirus, also known as COVID 19, is spreading steadily throughout the world. At first it seemed to be confined to one region of China, then to other places in the Far East, but now it’s getting closer every day, appearing first in Italy and then in the rest of Europe, the Middle East and now even Israel. The unfortunate Israelis who happened to be on the Diamond Princess cruise ship, commonly known in Israel as the coronaship, were first confined to their cabins for a fortnight, then isolated in Japan, and when finally allowed to return to Israel (not all of them though, as a few were found to be carriers before being able to board the plane bringing them to Israel, so had to remain behind), only to be subjected to another two weeks of isolation in a hospital in Israel. One sad result of this was that one couple had to be separated, the wife returning to Israel and the husband remaining in isolation in Japan. Those two happen to live quite near to me in Mevasseret, though I do not know them personally, I’ve read about them in the local paper, and my sympathies certainly go out to them. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]
Coronavirus curtailing normal life in Israel Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Lifestyles, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
Sadly, we have become accustomed to Trump’s lies and misstatements about the presumed progress the US made under his watch. It’s time to take a hard look at his domestic policy which is inflicting terrible damage and anguish on the majority of Americans. Trump knows that he lies regarding just about everything, but he continues to successfully sell his lies to his base, representing the 25 to 30 percent of Americans who still believe every word he says. [Alon Ben-Meir, Ph.D]
OpEd: Trump’s disastrous domestic policy Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, USAA strong link exists between Israel and the US, personified by Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump. Therefore there is linkage between the two ongoing leadership contests. Although Israel had enjoyed non-partisan support in the US for decades, that diminished rapidly under the Obama administration. In fact, as a last parting shot, President Obama ordered his ambassador to the United Nations to refrain from vetoing a particularly nasty Security Council Resolution (2344), which basically declares that Jerusalem and Israel’s heritage is Muslim/Palestinian, not Jewish. [Steve Kramer]
OpEd: U.S., Israel benefit under Trump, Netanyahu Read More »
Middle East, Steve Kramer, USA
Though all the results aren’t in yet, it’s very unlikely that Netanyahu and his right-wing allies will muster 61 out of the 120 votes in the Knesset to form a majority government. But it’s also clear that his rival Benny Gantz, the leader of the Blue and White party, won’t be able to form a government either. Yet, politicians close to both assure us that there won’t be a fourth round, following the three elections within the last twelve months. [Rabbi Dow Marmur]
After the Israeli election Read More »
Middle East
Sanders and Bloomberg were two of the 12 Jewish candidates whose names appeared on San Diego County ballots. Of the other 10, semi-official returns indicated that three placed in first positions — Sara Jacobs in the 53rd Congressional District, Joe Leventhal in San Diego’s 5th City Council District, and incumbent Bernie Rhinerson in the District B race for the San Diego Community College District. (Their second-place finishing opponents respectively were San Diego City Council President Georgette Gomez, City Attorney candidate Marni Von Wilpert, and Daniel Piedra.) [Donald H. Harrison]
Eight of 12 Jewish candidates made runoffs Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, San Diego County, Sandi Masori, USA
There were 12 Jewish candidates on San Diego County ballots on March 3. Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden were in a coast-to-coast race for delegates that stretched from Maine to California, with Biden winning or ahead at press time in Virginia, North Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Minnesota, and Massachusetts. Sanders won or was leading in California, Colorado, Utah, and Vermont. Michael Bloomfield won in the American territory of American Samoa, and was battling Elizabeth Warren for third place in many of the states. Texas and Maine saw seesaw battles between Biden and Sanders, both too close to call as we went to press. [Donald H. Harrison]
How Jewish candidates fared in March 3 primary Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, San Diego County, USA
The days before Monday’s balloting were as sleazy as any I recall, from watching Israeli elections since 1977. Bibi led the negative campaigning, bringing up issues against all the major figures in Blue and White that had been settled years ago, and charging Benny Gantz with faults up to incipient senility. Blue and White’s campaign pictured Turkey’s President Erdogan, speaking Bibi’s mantra against the charges of corruption, “There won’t be anything because there is nothing.” However, Blue and White’s campaign seemed mostly mild, repeating charges against Bibi, but not getting the air time that Bibi did. [Ira Sharkansky, Ph.D.}
Only more questions in wake of Israel’s election Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
While San Diego Jewish World does not plan to make any formal endorsements until the November election, we would like our readers to be aware of the names of our fellow Jews who are on San Diego County ballots. There are at least a dozen such candidates, whose Jewish affiliation has been made known to us. Whether they are Democrats, Republicans, or independents, we would like to congratulate them for putting themselves out there. [Donald H. Harrison]
12 Jews compete on San Diego County ballots Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, San Diego County, USA