USA

Out of the Mikvah and onto a Ph.D

The mid-life journey that led me back to college began in the mikvah. I had been observing the laws of Niddah (aka “Family Purity” or Taharat haMishpacha) for about six years when this immersion initiated a series of changes that brings me to where I am today. The night of this immersion (momentous only in retrospect), I had been struggling with post-partum hip pain for about a year and a half that no amount of physical therapy or chiropractic treatments was fixing. This night, the pain was unusually bad as I limped sideways down the mikvah steps. The attendant asked with clear concern in her voice, “Do you need help?” I said, “No, it only hurts”. But stairs had never hurt that bad. [Isobel-Marie Johnston]

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Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

New House foreign affairs chief eyes resuming US aid to Palestinians

The new chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee said Tuesday he would look to resume humanitarian aid to the Palestinians as part of a push by President-elect Joe Biden for a two-state solution. In an interview with AFP, Representative Gregory Meeks also supported the return of a diplomatic presence following outgoing President Donald Trump’s

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Middle East, USA

OpEd: Power versus Duty in American politics

To anyone paying attention the last four years, Trump’s refusal to accept that he lost the 2020 presidential election fair and square could not truly come as a surprise. That he would never concede was practically a given. What we could not know (and still do not know) with any certainty is just how far Trump will go to maintain his grip on power. [Sam Ben-Meir, Ph.D]

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Sam Ben-Meir, USA

Why Trump’s Senate supporters can’t overturn Electoral College results they don’t like – here’s how the law actually works

[Photo: Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images] On Jan. 6, the United States Congress will gather in a joint session to tally the votes of the Electoral College, which cast its ballots in state capitols last month. In his role as president of the Senate, Vice President Mike Pence is slated to officially announce Joe Biden as the

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USA

Pence: Man in the middle as Trump seeks unlikely miracle

Washington (AFP) – For three years and 11 months Mike Pence has been Donald Trump’s most devoted footsoldier, but in the administration’s closing weeks the vice president faces intense pressure from his boss to thwart final certification of the election that they lost. US election law dictates that Pence preside over Wednesday’s joint session of

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USA

Lawson-Remer receives major committee assignments

County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, in a demonstration of bipartisanship on Tuesday, Jan. 5, yielded the ceremonial board position of chairman pro tempore to County Supervisor Joel Anderson after she was nominated to the position by Supervisor Nora Vargas, who had also successfully nominated herself for vice chair and County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher as board chair. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, San Diego County, USA

Trump and Biden square off in Georgia on eve of epic Senate runoffs

ATLANTA — On the eve of high-stakes elections for control of the U.S. Senate, President Donald Trump and President-elect Joe Biden staged dueling rallies Monday aimed directly at their most loyal supporters on the outskirts of downtown Atlanta and rocky, rural northwest Georgia. The disclosure of Trump’s extraordinary demand to Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger

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USA

British judge denies US extradition request for WikiLeaks’ Assange

A British judge has ruled that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange should not be extradited to the United States to confront espionage charges, citing concerns about his mental health and the prison conditions he could face there. Judge Vanessa Baraitser delivered her verdict at London’s Old Bailey court on Monday, saying she was alarmed by the

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International, USA

Lawson-Remer tells ambitious agenda as new County Supervisor

Sworn in today (Monday, Jan. 4) as the 3rd District San Diego County Supervisor, Terra Lawson-Remer laid out an ambitious agenda for herself that included “an evidence-based” campaign against COVID-19, extending a financial “lifeline” to small businesses and workers in San Diego County; implementing a climate action plan; promoting racial justice; fighting homelessness; developing affordable housing; protecting the coastline; guarding against pollution-promoting urban sprawl; lessening the threat of wildfires; providing care for seniors, children, adults with mental or behavioral issues; assisting immigrants; and supporting the arts. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Middle East, San Diego County, USA