International

On those reactions critical of Trump’s Executive Order

Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act protects people from discrimination based on race, color or national origin in programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance – but it left a loophole by not mentioning religion. As such, Jews and supporters of Israel were not protected. On December 11, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order which includes Jews under existing Title VI protections against increasingly rampant campus aggression. [Steve Kramer]

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Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, Steve Kramer, USA

Bought, borrowed or stolen? Art from the Gurlitt trove

At an exhibit entitled ’Fateful Choices: Art from the Gurlitt Trove,’ the Israel Museum’s Curator of European Art, Shlomit Steinberg, gave a fascinating talk about the history, geography, sociology and provenance of the huge collection of paintings, drawings, prints and lithographs found in 2012 in an apartment belonging to Cornelius Gurlitt, an elderly recluse living in Munich and virtually unknown to the German authorities. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]

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Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Jewish History, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts

Jewish Historical Society obtains new collections

The Jewish Historical Society of San Diego, which maintains archives of our community’s history at San Diego State University, has acquired several more collections that will help researchers understand how our local Jewish community developed. [Donald H. Harrison]

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

Sa’ar mounts serious challenge to Netanyahu

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has a serious challenger, not from the Opposition but from his own Likud party. Gideon Sa’ar, a man in his early fifties, with a very credible history in Likud, as a Member of Knesset for many years and as a minister of education and interior, aspires to be the new star on Israel’s political firmament. He’s a candidate for party leader at the Likud primaries to be held later this month and  daring to challenge “King Bibi.” [Rabbi Dow Marmur]

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Middle East

Congressional leaders increase safety fund to $90 million for synagogues, other vulnerable locations

The Orthodox Union, the nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization, on Monday welcomed an agreement by Congressional  leaders to increase to $90 million the funding for the federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) that will help keep America’s synagogues,  other houses of worship, parochial day schools, and nonprofits such as hospitals, libraries and museums safe against terror attacks. The new funding level, which comes as part of Congress’s Appropriations package, represents a 50 percent increase compared to last year’s $60 million funding. [Orthodox Union news release]

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USA

Getting politically active on a Sunday afternoon

On Sunday, Hillcrest Indivisible hosted an “Impeach Trump” rally at Waterfront Park on Harbor Drive. Honestly, the turnout was less than huge. Jodie, one of the organizers from Hillcrest Indivisible, said that more than two thousand people had responded, but it looked like only a few hundred showed up. But a Trump-Baby Blimp –one of eight in the world- was there and quite a hit. [Eric George Tauber]

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Eric George Tauber, San Diego County, USA

Holiday display honors Chabad shooting victims

Tom and Debbie Farley have behind their home in neighboring Poway a 78-foot high pole that during the Christmas season becomes the trunk of a Christmas display of lights.  This year, the lights are blue, teal, and white – the colors of Chanukah in tribute to Poway of Chabad, which last Passover suffered a gunman’s murderous attack that took the life of Lori Gilbert-Kaye, and wounded Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, Noya Dahan, 8, and her uncle Almog Peretz. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, USA

On homelessness, impeachment, immigration

Our area may wish to consider an idea raised by Oakland Mayor Rebecca Kaplan that cruise ships may provide appropriate lodging for our homeless population.  Older cruise ships are being sold all the time, and with some ingenuity, they can be outfitted to serve not only as dormitories and mess halls but also as places where necessary social services and medical treatment can be easily provided. [Donald H. Harrison]

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

MOPA displays works of Jewish photographers

The works of past and present Jewish photographers are on display at the Museum of Photographic Arts in Balboa Park. There are seven works by Bern Schwartz in Talking With a Friend: Portraits by Bern Schwartz and a single work by Jacob Manowitz, a student at Meadowbrook Middle School. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County

A ‘Chanukah’ Party at the White House

I was given the high honor of being invited to this year’s Chanukah party at the White House. When a dear friend asked if I wanted to go I jumped at the chance. Why? It was not to see the holiday decorations (which made me feel as though I was in a winter wonderland), sample the lavish strictly kosher buffet (all I had was a couple of glasses of water), hear the Marine Corps band play Klezmer music (now THAT was otherworldly), see the historic displays of chinaware, meet the members of various branches of the armed services in their full dress regalia, or even to get the chance to meet the President, First Lady, Vice President, or other elected officials or dignitaries. [Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort]

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Jewish History, Jewish Religion, USA, Yeruchem Eilfort-Rabbi

Davis, Mazon, seek food for military dependents

An officer of Mazon, the Jewish Response to Hunger, says while a House-Senate conference committee-approved  3.1 percent raise for military personnel is welcome, “it doesn’t make up for nearly 10 years that pay raises for military personnel did not keep up with inflation and cost of living increases. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Middle East, San Diego County, USA