USA

Parsha Bo: Awakening the heart amid modern darkness

The Rebbe replied: This plague was not darkness in the eyes alone. It was a deeper darkness—a numbness of the heart where no one cared for their neighbor. No one felt the pain of another. No one rose to help the hopeless or answer cries of despair. In that profound apathy, society descended into terrifying isolation. That is the terror of such darkness. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]

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Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle East, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Jews in the News: Tuesday, January 20, 2026

Deborah Lipstadt, a former special envoy to counter antisemitism in Joe Biden’s administration, and Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, were offended by reports that Kamala Harris’ vetting team for her potential vice presidential running mates asked Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro if he had ever been a double agent for Israel. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Business & Finance, California, Donald H. Harrison, Israel, Jewish History, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

The disrupted dream: A fractured fellowship in San Diego

The reason cited—”concerns over potential disruption related to Zionism”—was a direct strike at Rabbi Leberman’s lifelong identity. As a man who has studied, served, and raised a family in Israel, his very presence was deemed a liability. This was no minor logistical adjustment; it was a deliberate choice that erased the presence of Jewish clergy from an event meant to embody Dr. King’s “Beloved Community.” [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]

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Israel, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Opinion, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Jews in the news: Sunday, Jan. 19, 2026

“By sharing our expertise with U.S. agencies, we help investigators across the United States to better understand the unique customs surrounding Jewish fatalities,” said ZAKA U.S. Executive Director Moshe Rozenberg. “We showcase how Israel has integrated these customs into its emergency and investigative practices and discuss what can be adapted in their own jurisdictions.” [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Israel, Jewish Celebrities, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Tale of an oleh: A satisfying life in two countries

I met the most wonderful girl in San Diego. We were married in June 1968. Together we decided our home would be kept Kosher. Being strictly kosher wasn’t a realistic option on a US Navy ship. Some of you know that I was talking with Madeline and said “We will live in Israel after I leave the Navy. Oh, and by the way, Will you marry me?” She agreed. When she was asked, later, about what brought her to Israel, her reply was always “Not what, but who.” [Aryeh Wetherhorn]

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Israel, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food, USA

Open Letter from the San Diego Board of Rabbis and Cantors

When Rabbi Leberman asked whether another rabbi might step in to offer the benediction in his place, that request too was denied. With the exclusion of Rabbi Leberman, so too came the elimination of any Jewish clergy from the All People’s Celebration. [Rabbi Jason Nevarez]

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Antisemitism, Israel, Jewish History, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Jews in the news: Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026

American-Israeli Rabbi Hanan Leberman of Tifereth Israel Synagogue was disinvited from delivering a closing message at the All People’s Breakfast in Balboa Park that will honor the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King on Monday, Jan. 19, causing shock, outrage, and protest from San Diego’s Jewish community. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Antisemitism, Donald H. Harrison, Israel, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food, USA

Walking through a year of your life with two rabbis

He founded Beit T’Shuvah in Los Angeles, a pioneering recovery center that fuses Jewish spirituality with addiction treatment. Residents don’t just talk recovery; they live it through Torah study, Shabbat observance, and honest confrontation with their souls. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Holocaust, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

AB 715, abolishing antisemitism in K-12 classrooms, ruled constitutional

Within a month after passage, a complaint seeking to halt the Jan. 1 implementation of the bill was filed against Newsom, Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond. The complaint claimed the law restricts teachers’ free speech rights, is vague and ambiguous, and denies students full learning opportunities. [Marsha Sutton, Times of San Diego]

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Antisemitism, California, Holocaust, Israel, Opinion, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

The apathetic West needs to wake up!

This moment of raw courage—ordinary Iranians facing murder squads, risking torture and death for dignity, women’s rights, and an end to clerical tyranny—deserves global attention. Yet, much of the Western liberal establishment, academia, mainstream media, and progressive circles have responded with disturbing silence or minimal engagement. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]

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International, Israel, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle East, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Jews in the news: Thursday, Jan. 15. 2025

A day of national mourning for the 15 slain victims of the Bondi Beach massacre will be observed in Australia on Thursday, Jan. 22. The preceding Monday at 9:30 a.m. Australian time (2:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 21, San Diego time) the federal Parliament will consider a condolence motion.  [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Israel, Jewish History, News Media, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA