International

Administrators: Assert control of your universities

An Open Letter to Administrators at McGill, York, and U Toronto: As you are certainly aware, in recent weeks a series of troubling incidents has occurred on your respective campuses. While the events in question were distinct, they all shared a common impulse by groups on your campuses who believe that they, and they alone, are able to set standards for free speech—in these particular cases, involving the debate about the Israeli/Palestinian conflict and how Jewish students and other Israel supporters are treated as part of the university community. [Richard L. Cravatts, PhD]

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International, Middle East, Richard L. Cravatts, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Attorney, singer Roberta Winston runs for judge

You might have heard attorney Roberta Taylor Winston perform as a cantorial soloist at Congregation Beth El, where she also has served on the board.  Or perhaps you heard her belting out the songs for Congregation Beth Am’s Rockin’ Shabbat band. Even before that, you might have heard her sing as part of the High Holiday quartet that accompanied Cantor Alisa Pomerantz-Boro at Tifereth Israel Synagogue. Now, she’s campaigning for another spot in which she would have an audience, but instead of performing, for the most part, she would be actively listening.  Roberta Winston, 58, is in a race to become a Superior Court Judge in Office No. 18, from which Judge Jacqueline Stern is retiring [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA

EU’s Blatant Anti-Semitism

[BDS advocates] have persuaded the European Union to introduce a labeling policy on Jewish produced products and services from Judea and Samaria in Israel, frequently called “the West Bank,” and in diplomatic circles the “disputed territories.” In a unique policy, the EU is insisting that Israeli products emanating from Jewish towns, villages, and industrial areas in these areas can no longer be labeled “Made in Israel” but must be designated some other description. [Barry Shaw]

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Barry Shaw, International, Jewish History, Middle East

Now candidates want to sell campaign giveaways

Back in the days when I was the politics writer for The San Diego Union (1972-80), things were a lot different.  Campaigns were delighted if supporters would put up yard signs, or ruin their car bumpers with political stickers. They were only too happy to give such materials to you, and while they were at it, give you even more for your friends and neighbors too. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, San Diego County, USA

Sephardic family spread over nine countries

One is reminded of the saying “to save  life is to save a world” when viewing the family tree of Sa’adi Besalel Ashkenazi a-Levi (1820-1903), who was a publisher during the 19th century in the Ottoman empire city of Salonica, known today as the Greek city of Thessaloniki.  He has over 100 descendants spread across nine countries, and that doesn’t count spouses of the children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and so forth. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History

After Thanksgiving it’s still time to be thankful

It’s been said that the hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings.  Chinese wisdom teaches, “When you drink from the stream remember the spring.” Research has shown that people who regularly practiced grateful thinking were more than 25 percent happier, slept better, suffered lower levels of stress and even spent more time exercising. People sure like to complain. According to one recent author, Prof. Richard Emmons, who wrote a book on Gratefulness, “Preliminary findings suggest that those who regularly practice grateful thinking do reap emotional, physical, and interpersonal benefits. […]  Grateful people experience higher levels of positive emotions such as joy, enthusiasm, love, happiness, and optimism […] The practice of gratitude as a discipline protects a person from the destructive impulses of envy, resentment, greed, and bitterness.” [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]

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Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, USA

Religious misconceptions about women’s infertility

The idea of the barren woman caught my attention, as it occurs numerous times in the Tanakh.  I checked the internet for how the issue was handled by others in former times.  There is much on the topic, actually universally throughout history, and often in an unkind way toward the woman who doesn’t conceive. Commonly she was considered to have sinned. In the Fertile Crescent, because of its fertile land, there was a large focus also on the fertility of animals and women.  A near complete absence of true scientific knowledge prevailed.  Pregnancy was attributed to a gift from the gods, and its absence a punishment by gods. [By Irv Jacobs,MD]

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International, Irv Jacobs, MD, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education

Holocaust education planned throughout county

There will be an emphasis on Holocaust education in December and January.  The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum of Washington D.C. puts on a presentation Dec. 5 at Congregation Beth El about the experience of deaf people under the Nazis.  The main Chula Vista Library prepares for an exhibition that begins Jan. 12 on Survivors who immigrated to the South Bay. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Bloomberg’s presidential campaign hits S.D. airwaves

Anyone familiar with the “Dayenu” (It would have been enough) recitation during a Passover seder will feel a certain sense of familiarity with the Jewish presidential candidate’s lengthy biographical spot in which he introduces himself to voters in California’s March 3 primary election.  Reciting a list of Bloomberg’s accomplishments, the narrator punctuates the litany with “He could have stopped there” but he went on to accomplish more. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

IDF reservists to undergo therapy in San Diego

Three congregations and the Jewish Federation of San Diego County are preparing for the visit of an Israel Defense Force reserve unit whose members have been through the stress of battle and now need rest and relaxation to help them cope with symptoms of PTSD. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Science, Medicine, & Education

Israelis’ Stockholm syndrome

Many, perhaps most, Israelis seem to think that it’s time for Netanyahu to resign. He doesn’t appear to think so, but it’s not clear that he’ll be able to stay in office. Unless a government is formed in the next few days, Israel will go to elections again. As they seem to abhor the idea of having to go to the polls for a third time within the year, they’ll blame Netanyahu for it and his Likud party may do badly, despite the fans afflicted by the Stockholm syndrome. Let’s hope that parliamentary colleagues will move heaven and earth to avoid elections and join the Blue and White party in forming a unity government. But will they succeed? [Rabbi Dow Marmur]

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Middle East