The California Democratic Party, at its recent convention, passed over some of the Jewish Democrats running for offices in the San Diego County area in favor of better-known candidates. [Donald H. Harrison]
California Democrats pass over local Jewish candidates Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Middle East, Travel and Food
Like anybody old enough, I remember when President John F. Kennedy was slain, 56 years ago, November 22, 1963. And I also remember Dr. Glanzberg frightfully clutching his loaf of fresh rye bread. Our tiny Hebrew day school suddenly sent us home just before two o’clock—exactly when we would have concluded our day with the weekly, all-classes’ welcoming of Sabbath Eve. There would be no plastic mini cups of grape juice, thin challah slices, lit candles, and sung blessings that Friday afternoon—even as a fresh Thanksgiving wreath and some Indian corn were displayed. [Rabbi Ben Kamin]
Thanksgiving, JFK, and a coveted loaf of rye bread Read More »
USA
While Israelis are struggling to form a government as the result of a virtual tie between Blue and White and Likud, Americans for Peace Now has weighed in with a pamphlet that asks what politicians can do to move things forward. But in reality, the perspective of the pamphlet seems out of date, and dreams of what on the ground seems unreasonable. [Ira Sharkansky, PhD]
Americans for Peace Now proposals unrealistic Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USAThe Trump administration has reversed former President Barack Obama’s antagonistic policy toward Israeli settlements in the area known by some as the West Bank and to others as Judea and Samaria. [Donald H. Harrison]
Trump reverses U.S. position on Israeli settlements Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Middle East, USA
Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) report that its recent San Diego fundraiser attracted 650 contributors, who honored Sydney and Denise Selati of San Diego, and met five IDF soldiers who, according to security protocols, were identified by their first names or initials only. [Donald H. Harrison]
FIDF gala showcased IDF diversity Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, San Diego County
Since December 2017, a sort of “rolling rebellion” has been occurring across Iran. It is bigger, deeper and stronger than the Green Revolution of 2009 and taking place in great measure outside Tehran, where the population is more diverse. There have been strikes of truckers, bazaar shopkeepers, teachers, farmers, and students. See #WhiteWednesday on Twitter to watch brave Iranian women go into the streets and take off their head coverings. Sometimes they dance. Sometimes their husbands, fathers, and brothers go with them. Sometimes they are arrested and sometimes they go to jail. Unfortunately, it took the suicide of a young woman facing seven years in prison for attending a soccer match to get the attention of the Western press. [Shoshana Bryen]
Imperial Iran faces troubles at home and abroad Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana Bryen
I first met 18-year-old Michal Sharon in the Seacrest Village dining room as she was hopping from table to table cheerfully introducing herself. She was fresh out of high school in Israel and chose to delay her required service in the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) to spend one year in San Diego as an emissary in a new-to-San Diego program. [Cantor Sheldon Foster Merel]
Israel rabbi, student visit Seacrest Village residents Read More »
Cantor Sheldon Foster Merel, z"l, Middle East, San Diego County
After the Trump Administration’s “Remain in Mexico” policy was introduced in the summer, many asylum seekers were forced to stay in Mexico. While they wait for their court date, the need for shelters and other assistance in Tijuana has dramatically increased. Enter two grassroots organizations that were started in 2018 and early 2019 to support migrants in the Tijuana area. In 2018, Birdie Gutierrez, the daughter of migrant farm workers, founded Bridge of Love Across the Border and began to collect much needed items which were sent to migrant shelters in Tijuana. [Mimi Pollack]
‘Stay in Mexico’ policy shifts charitable focus Read More »
International, Mimi Pollack, San Diego County
A mildly demented and slightly disheveled gray-haired man comes to the window and says “I need to fill this prescription.” His mentally ill girlfriend blurts out he just had a heart attack and needs his blood pressure medicine filled. I overhear the technician at the window explaining to them that he does not have any type of health insurance to cover the cost of the medication. He asks the cost and is told it $48 for a one-month supply of his potentially life-preserving drug (and this is at a community healthcare facility for the poor and indigent). [Ben Dishman, PharmD]
Walmart’s pharmaceutical mitzvah Read More »
San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
In Western religions, the numbers 3, 7, and 40 have symbolic significance. So too are they important to the understanding of the life and works of Baldassare Forestiere, who created the sprawling underground gardens and home that today are recognized as a California Historical Landmark as well as a venue listed on the National Register of Historic Places. [Donald H. Harrison]
Religious numerology at a state historic landmark Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Lifestyles, Travel and Food, USA
Never able to shake off the painful memory of having his fingers shot off by an intruder at Chabad of Poway nor of seeing congregant Lori Gilbert-Kaye murdered and two other congregants wounded, Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein has decided to retire. [Donald H. Harrison]
Chabad of Poway’s Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein retires Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
The latest example of this pseudo-scholarship—born out of contortions of history and fact to conform, instead, to spurious narratives—has embroiled Boston University in a debate about the academic qualifications of a prospective faculty hire, Sarah Ihmoud, a postdoctoral associate in Anthropology and Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies. As is the current trend in the humanities and social sciences in academia, Ihmoud, in her writing about feminism and sexuality, focuses obsessively on the predations of the Jew of nations, Israel, in a torrent of so-called research. [Richard L. Cravatts, PhD]
Psuedo-scholars revive the blood libel Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Middle East, Richard L. Cravatts, Science, Medicine, & Education
Many of our readers may remember Art Linkletter’s television show Kids Say the Darndest Things. In classrooms throughout the nation, their parents say even darnder things. Just ask Cheryl Kolker and Jan Landau, longtime teachers at the San Diego Jewish Academy who have collected anecdotes from 30 of their colleagues in American public and private schools and put them all into a humorous book Teachers Have You Ever..!!@#*!! [Donald H. Harrison]
Humorous book relates teachers’ anecdotes Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
Most worrisome to Israel’s military is that what happened in Saudi Arabia could happen to Israel. On the night of September 14, two oil installations in Saudi Arabia were attacked by a combination of cruise missiles and a new type of delta-winged UAV. Uzi Rubin, one of the world’s leading missile defense experts, pointed out that there were 25 air vehicles in all, 18 drones and seven jet-powered cruise missiles. Of the 18 drones, 17 hit their targets (94%), while of the cruise missiles, only four hit their targets (60%). [Stephen D. Bryen]
Improved weapons could prompt full-scale Middle East war Read More »
Middle East, Stephen D. Bryen