By Rabbi Simcha Weiser (JNS) The Jewish future relies on the relevance that children find in what we Jewish teachers teach. Soon to be entering the new school year, we need thoughtful clarity for our teaching to remain relevant. As our Jewish educators prepare to “diligently teach our children,” we remind ourselves how privileged we […]
A Special Privilege to Teach Our Children Read More »
Opinion, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release) — The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced it has opened an investigation into a complaint alleging the University of Southern California (USC) allowed a hostile environment of antisemitism to proliferate on its campus, resulting in the resignation in August 2020 of its Jewish student government vice
Federal Probe Opened Into Alleged Antisemitism at University of Southern California Read More »
California, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
CLIFTON, New Jersey (Press Release) — The StandWithUs Saidoff Legal Department proudly announces its filing of an amicus brief on July 25, 2022, in support of Complainant-Appellant Elisabet h Schwartz, to help combat inflammatory anti-Israel and antisemitic rhetoric by members of the Clifton Board of Education in Clifton, New Jersey. StandWithUs’ brief responds to a
By Jacob Kamaras LA JOLLA, California — It’s relatively rare for the top lay leader of a Jewish organization with national or continental reach to be based on the West Coast, let alone in San Diego. That makes the leadership trajectory at the JCC Association of North America all the more unique. In late May,
San Diego Finds Itself at the Center of the Jewish Community Center Universe Read More »
Jacob Kamaras, San Diego County, USA
By Liora Berkstein SAN DIEGO — My experience at the Maccabiah Games was unforgettable. I had the extraordinary opportunity to be a part of the iCenter’s Educational Cohort’s “Israel Connect Week,” which took place July 5-12, 2022, the week before the opening ceremonies of the Maccabiah games in Israel held July 12-26. The iCenter focuses
My Week With the Maccabiah Team USA Delegation Read More »
Middle East, Opinion, Sports & Competitions, USA
A member of the Jewish community, known for his self-deprecating sense of humor, Kolender grew up at the Reform Congregation Beth Israel. However, when it was time for his bar mitzvah, he honored his grandfather’s wishes and had it at Beth Jacob Congregation, which is Orthodox. “The rabbi there was Baruch Stern, and it was the first bar mitzvah for him after the war,” Kolender told me back in 1996 when I profiled him for the now defunct San Diego Jewish Press-Heritage. Rabbi Stern’s children “had been killed in front of him by the Nazis, and he started crying and I started crying, and I’m not sure if we ever did get through the whole thing. It was something I never will forget.” [Donald H. Harrison]
Kolender Was City’s First Jewish Police Chief, County’s First Jewish Sheriff Read More »
California, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, San Diego County, Travel and Food, USA
(JNS) The land of Israel is “the most misunderstood country on earth,” according to Israeli actress, producer, author, and activist, Noa Tishby, who was recently named the Special Envoy for Combating Antisemitism & the Delegitimization of Israel by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs. As one of the nation’s most popular “positively Israel” keynote speakers,
By Howard Blas (JNS) Some doctors and lawyers of a certain age spend their days working at the office. Others fly to Israel to participate in a Maccabiah martial-arts event—or stay at home counting the days until they recover from a hip transplant and can compete in the 2025 Maccabiah triathlon in three more years—at
Never Too Late (Or Too Old) to Be in the Maccabiah Games Read More »
Middle East, Sports & Competitions, USA
By Mike Wagenheim (JNS) A wide swath of Jewish and pro-Israel organizations sent a letter to Morningstar executive chairman Joseph Mansueto and CEO Kunal Kapoor last week, urging the Chicago-based financial-services company to implement steps to root out anti-Israel bias at one of its subsidiaries. Signatories to the July 15 letter include the Anti-Defamation League;
Jewish Groups Demand Action From Morningstar Following Anti-Israel Bias Accusations Read More »
Middle East, USA
By Bruce S. Ticker PHILADELPHIA — Jeremy Ben-Ami might best be advised to check Principle #4 of J Street’s mission before he opens his big mouth in the future. Principle #4 of the Israel-centric organization advocates “vibrant but respectful debate about Israel.” Is “respectful” how J Street’s longtime president would characterize his statement in Saturday’s
J Street Gets a Z on Credibility Read More »
Bruce Ticker, Middle East, Opinion, USA
By Peter Tase MILWAUKEE — The select committee to investigate the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol has organized various hearings with former high-level officials of the Trump administration among those subpoenaed was the former White House Counsel Pasquale “Pat” Cipollone who deposited on June 29, 2022, a testimony as a part of the
Exiled Tibetans Show Violence in January 6 Insurrection Read More »
International, Opinion, USA
By Steve Kramer KFAR SABA, Israel — President Joe Biden’s recent visit here in Israel was hardly extraordinary. President Richard Nixon visited in 1974, the first American sitting president to do so. That was the year after the Yom Kippur War, when Nixon overruled his Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and made sure Israel was
Presidential Visit to Israel is Hardly Extraordinary Read More »
Middle East, Opinion, Steve Kramer, USA
By Ira Sharkansky, Ph.D JERUSALEM — He’s 79, eligible for residence in our retirement village. But still active. A resident of Delaware, and a U.S. senator then vice president since 1973. Israeli politicians are claiming that he’s visited Israel more times than any other president, but that may reflect little more than his long service
Joe Biden and His Visit to Israel Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, Opinion, USA
This chapter is a chance for me to step again from third-person history into first-person history because I was highly involved in the start-up in 1989 of Old Town Trolley Tours of San Diego. It came about because through The Harrison Enterprises, the public relations agency which I owned, I served as the executive director of the San Diego Cruise Industry Consortium. The consortium was created in 1983 under the aegis of Acting Mayor Bill Cleator to attract cruise ships to the Port of San Diego. Previously, I had served as communications director for Cleator during the period he served as a city councilman and acting mayor. [Donald H. Harrison]
How a Sightseeing Company Got its Start in San Diego Read More »
Business & Finance, California, Donald H. Harrison, San Diego County, Travel and Food, USA