The Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego is spotlighting three local organizations that provide comfort to the homeless and the poor during the Thanksgiving holidays. [Donald H. Harrison]
Jewish Community Foundation’s ideas for Thanksgiving Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Business & Finance, Donald H. Harrison, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County
The origins of U.S.-Israel security cooperation are in the Cold War understanding that the United States could not engage all the adversaries of all its allies and friends around the world. It was embraced warily at first — the Americans were unconvinced they would receive anything of value and the Israelis were concerned about continued freedom of action. But it worked. Israel went from being considered a net security consumer to a net security producer, meaning the United States did not have to expend resources to defend Israel. And Israel participated in making the Middle East and eastern Mediterranean regions more secure due to its presence. [Shoshana Bryen]
How U.S. benefits from alliance with Israel Read More »
International, Middle East, Shoshana Bryen, USA
Stephen D. Smith is the executive director of the USC Shoah Foundation, which houses the archive of interviews of Holocaust Survivors financed by movie producer Steven Spielberg. He will be a special guest Jan. 12 at the grand opening of RUTH (Remember Us The Holocaust), a Chula Vista Civic Library exhibit named in honor of the late Holocaust survivor Ruth Sax. [Donald H. Harrison]
Chula Vista exhibit to focus on Holocaust survivors Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA
Amir Ohana is Israel’s Minister of Justice. Sort of. Sitting in an interim government, he is prevented from acting on all relevant matters. But he can speak. And he did so shrilly, against what he called a cult of prosecutors within the prosecution service, as well as supporting members of the media. [Ira Sharkansky, PhD]
Netanyahu supporters denounce prosecutors Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
he State of Israel is an amazing place. Ever wonder about the secrets behind how Israel, a tiny country with the highest concentration of start-ups per capita worldwide, is raising generations of entrepreneurs who are disrupting markets around the globe and bringing change to the world? What factors have led to these remarkable achievements, and what secrets do Israeli tech entrepreneurs know that others can learn? [Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel]
Chutzpah and Balagan: partners in innovation Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle East
Social media users in San Diego County and around the country soon will be bombarded with the Republican Jewish Coalition’s opening salvo in an effort to reelect Donald Trump in 2020 – a 30-second video spot contending it is a “shanda” (disgrace) how leading Democrats are attacking Israel. [Donald H. Harrison]
Republicans launch bid for Jewish support in 2020 Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, The World We Share, USA
We are nearing the end of 2019. And, there’s something significant to note about this year and 2020: There will likely not be any tax increases during these years. Currently, we are enjoying the lowest income tax rates in decades as well as the highest estate tax exemptions. Income tax rates range from 10% to 37% and capital gains tax ranges from 0% to 20%, while the estate & gift tax exemption is $11,400,000 per person! What does this have to do with you? Plenty! Especially if you have retirement accounts and/or are worth more than $2 million per person. [Sheryl Rowling, CPA]
Time to consider Roth conversions, estate planning Read More »
Business & Finance, Sheryl Rowling, USA
The playwright Eugene O’Neill (1888-1953) grew bored and frustrated by what passed for theatre early in his life. There were few stories told that connected with reality; instead, theater essentially was spectacle – lots of costumes, big sets, predictable plots and one-dimensional characters. He wanted to change all that, suggested Tory Starling, the educational technician at the Eugene O’Neill National Historic Site. He experimented in various forms of theatre. [Donald H. Harrison]
Tao House: Where O’Neill wrote well-known plays Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Lifestyles, The World We Share, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USA
Both Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren have made US military aid to Israel a cornerstone policy on their competing campaign trails. Detractors of Israel like to jump on the figure of $3.8 Billion (2019) that the United States gives to Israel for its military defense. What they do not take into consideration are three important factors that make the US-Israel defense relationship truly unique. [Barry Shaw]
U.S. receives large returns on Israel investment Read More »
Barry Shaw, Middle East, USA
It’s difficult to know whether Netanyahu’s obsession with Iran is because he cares for his country or if his real purpose is to persuade Israelis that he and only he can make sure that Israel remains secure, expanding at the expense of the Palestinians and prosperous? The answer isn’t simple. For there’s much to suggest that Israeli hostility to Iran has brought the Jewish state closer to many Arab states, notably Saudi Arabia and Gulf States, on the basis that my enemy’s enemy is my friend. Much of that may be thanks to our prime minister. [Rabbi Dow Marmur]
Should Israel moderate its Iran stand? Read More »
Middle EastBesides being Jewish what do these people have in common? Amir Amedi, Ron Arad, Marc Benioff, Michael Bloomberg, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Daniel S. Goldin, Roger D. Kornberg, Deborah Nadoolman Landis, John Landis, Uri Levine, Shuki Levy, Daniel Libeskind, Shimon Peres (z”l), Ehud Shabtai, Amir Shinar and Barbra Streisand. [Donald H. Harrison]
A consortium of 100 geniuses Read More »
Business & Finance, Donald H. Harrison, International, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Sports & Competitions, The World We Share, Travel and Food
The slights, slurs, and racist comments that Marra had to endure will make my fellow Jewish readers’ cringe. How can any Jew, knowing how our people have long felt the sting of prejudice, inflict such outrageous behavior on a person of another ethnicity? But to our shame, some of us do. [Donald H. Harrison]
A memoir of overcoming racism Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, USAWith the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) planning its Western Regional Gala on Thursday, Nov.7, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, and the San Diego/ Orange County/ Arizona chapter planning a local gala just two days later on Nov. 9 at the Hilton Bayfront Hotel here in San Diego, it’s likely to be a busy time for the local chapter’s board. [Donald H. Harrison]
A busy November for Friends of Israel Defense Forces Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego Calendar, San Diego County
The senator’s scheme to relieve their pain collapses when he proposes that funds for humanitarian aid there be diverted from the $3.8 million that America sends to Israel each year for military aid. Why Israel? Why not all the oil-rich Arab countries that spend their money on royal palaces and extravagant vacations? They launched the war of 1948 that sent Palestinians fleeing Israel in all directions or living mainly in Gaza and the West Bank. What is their responsibility? [Bruce Ticker]
Arab countries should pay for humanitarian relief in Gaza Read More »
Bruce Ticker, Middle East, USA