USA

The Potential Fall of Congresswoman Summer Lee, the Squad Member From Pittsburgh

By Bruce S. Ticker PHILADELPHIA — After seven months on the job, U.S. Rep. Summer Lee set herself up for the winter of Summer, to borrow from “The summer of George” title of a Seinfeld segment. Earlier this month, she traded barbs with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which criticized her decision to boycott […]

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Bruce Ticker, Israel, Opinion, USA

Jewish Men’s Choir Brings Joy in Several Languages

What once was a choir featuring the voices of male expatriates from South Africa has become a choir of many international voices performing not only Jewish liturgical music but also secular songs in Yiddish, Ladino, Hebrew, and English.  Choir members hail from countries around the world, among them the U.S., South Africa, France, Guatemala, Mexico, and Israel. [Donald H. Harrison]

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

Rabbi-Cantor Cheri Weiss Combines Love of Judaism and Music

“Sometimes, I will do a creative service,” she continued. “I will have a theme and I will have some of the basic prayers, but I also ask people to bring poems or stories or something unique that speaks to the theme that I provided. Those were really received well because people could feel that they were participating. I am much more interested in participation than I am in performance.” [Donald H. Harrison]

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

Gala to Honor and Learn from Israeli Survivors of Terror

The rocket explosion killed Ella and wounded Tamir, who still has some shrapnel in his head. Today, Tamir is a married adult. He has been asked to talk about “how he survived and how is his life now,” commented Carine Chitayat, the Swiss-born executive director of the Foundation. [Donald H. Harrison]

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

Jews in Giuliani’s Space

By Bruce S. Ticker PHILADELPHIA — “This is an affront to American democracy and does permanent, irrevocable harm to our justice system,” says America’s Mayor. Rudy Giuliani was not referring to accusations that he conspired to overturn Georgia’s 2020 presidential election results. He was slamming the fact that a county prosecutor — a Black woman

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Bruce Ticker, Opinion, USA

Speaker Tells of Life Among the Abayudaya Jews of Uganda

McKinney and Rabbi Marko renewed their friendship over the August 11-13 weekend, when McKinney served as Tifereth Israel Synagogue’s scholar-in-residence. She outlined what Jewish life is like in the Abayudaya villages, covering Jewish holiday and life cycle observances, and told of the efforts the foundation she heads is making to help impoverished families and children with disabilities. (Donald H. Harrison)

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California, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Shoshana McKinney, Travel and Food, USA

San Diego Jewish Community Responds to Maui Fire Tragedy

For Jewish San Diegans, there was little to do immediately about the massive fires that swept through Lahaina and other parts of the island of Maui, except to contribute money to reputable relief organizations and to reach out to friends and relatives who either were living on the island or visiting the historic former capital of the Hawaiian royal family. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, San Diego County, USA

Former U.S. Attorney Grossman Reflects on His Career

Former U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman, who left office on August 4, recalls a High Holy Day service he attended that was held outside during the COVID pandemic. “I looked up to the roof and I could see armed guards,” he said during an interview on Thursday, Aug. 10. “It was just stunning to me how that could be happening at a time when you really want to be engaged in prayer and anything other than security.” [Donald H. Harrison]

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

Tripwires in the Tree of Life Trial…Er, That’s Trials

By Bruce S. Ticker PHILADELPHIA — It was a paradoxical week for American Jews, as much as it was historic. The sentencing of Tree of Life synagogue killer Robert Bowers raises disturbing questions about antisemitism’s link to mental illness, the deterrence value of the death penalty and the merits of hate-crime laws. What does Bowers’

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Bruce Ticker, Opinion, USA

Joey Landwehr Takes the Reins at the Center for Jewish Culture

For the last 17 years Joey Landwehr has served as the artistic director of the JCompany youth theatre.  Now, he’s been elevated to the position of artistic director of the San Diego Centre for Jewish Culture, of which JCompany is a part.  [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, The Arts, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Despite Boycott, UCSD Prof. Plans Exchange Program with Tel Aviv University

UCSD Anthropology Professor Geoffrey Braswell says the decision last month by the American Anthropology Association (AAA) to boycott Israeli universities for their alleged support of “Israeli apartheid” will cause some American professors and students who engage in research with Israelis to feel stigmatized and ultimately may diminish, rather than elevate, the academic field of anthropology. [Donald H. Harrison]

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

Middle School Remembers Jewish Astronaut Judith Resnik and Challenger Crew Mates

The seven astronauts reflected American diversity. They included Air Force Lt. Col. Dick Scobee, the spacecraft’s commander; Navy Cmdr. Michael J. Smith; electrical engineer Gregory Jarvis; physicist Ronald McNair, the second African-American in space; and these three “firsts”: Air Force Lt. Col. Ellison Onizuga, the first Japanese-American in space; Christa McAuliffe, the first teacher in space; and Judy Resnik, the first Jewish woman in space. [Donald H. Harrison]

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

World’s Largest Organized Jewish Youth Sports Event Continues with Opportunities for Inclusion, Volunteer Service

(Press Release) Following the historic JCC Maccabi Games in Israel, the world’s largest Jewish youth sports event continues with JCC Association of North America’s 41st JCC Maccabi Games® and Access events in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, August 6-11, hosted by the David Posnack JCC. The opening ceremony will kick off at the FLA Live Arena on Monday, August 7,

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International, Israel, Sports & Competitions, USA

StandWithUs IsraelLINK Middle School Curriculum and The Jewish Agency for Israel Partner on Program for ShinShinim

LOS ANGELES (Press Release) — StandWithUs’ signature middle school curriculum IsraelLINK and The Jewish Agency for Israel are pleased to announce that they have partnered on a new venture in which The Jewish Agency’s ShinShinim (service-year emissaries) will present the IsraelLINK curriculum as part of their year of service. Israeli high school graduates, ShinShinim work

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Israel, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA