Laurie Baron, Ph.D., compiles a list of streaming Jewish programs available via Internet between September 27 and October 1.
Streaming Jewish Programs (Sept. 27-Oct.1) Read More »
International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Lawrence Baron, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
When Enlisted Man Stuart Canin boarded a European-bound U.S. Army transport ship near the end of World War II, he carried with him his barracks bag, rifle, and a violin. Challenged by an officer about what he thought he’d need a violin for, Canin, then a teenager, replied “You Never Know.” He was so right. [Donald H. Harrison, “Our Shtetl San Diego County.”
GI Film Festival spotlights a Jewish violinist Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Melanie Rubin, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA
From this email, I learned that Ruth Bader Ginsburg – yes, that Ruth Bader Ginsburg – had designated a gift to Avodah upon her receiving the Gilel Storch Award, a prize for her outstanding human rights contributions. I was stunned by such an incredible and humbling honor. The weight of her legacy was palpable when we later received a signed letter on U.S. Supreme Court letterhead, in which she declared that “Avodah is respected by people across the political spectrum for its engagement in real tikkun olam.” [Cheryl Cook]
A letter from Justice Ginsburg Read More »
Obituaries & memorials, USA
It’s peaceful in St. Matthews tonight (Wednesday, Sept. 23), as usual, despite the announcement of the grand jury findings in the Breonna Taylor case, which left only one of three police officers indicted for their involvement in the killing of Taylor. (The charge was first degree wanton endangerment, for firing shots outside Taylor’s apartment.) My wife, Jeri, and I “defied” the curfew, in place throughout Louisville, but we saw no protestors, no police, on our post-9 p.m. walk. No surprise for this upper middle-class, predominantly Catholic, overwhelmingly white neighborhood, east of downtown Louisville. [Michael Ginsberg]
A tense night in Louisville, Kentucky Read More »
Michael Ginsberg, USA
Under the constitution, a president can be elected by a minority of voters, and the majority of senators can be elected collectively by a minority of voters. Trump was elected by a minority as were the 53 Republicans who now control the Senate, and they are authorized to stack the Supreme Court with right-wing justices whose rulings often threaten the welfare and freedom of the people. [Bruce S. Ticker]
Minority rules in selection of President, composition of U.S. Senate Read More »
Bruce Ticker, USA
Rabbi Stephen S. Wise, the most prominent American Jewish leader of the 1930s and 1940s, was a renowned orator who did not shy away from using his sermons to address social and political controversies. But on Yom Kippur in September 1942, as the Holocaust raged in Europe, the cat got his tongue. [Rafael Medoff, Ph.D]
The 1942 Yom Kippur sermon Rabbi Wise didn’t deliver Read More »
International, Jewish History, USAZoom, Facebook and YouTube cancelled use of their platforms Wednesday for the airing of a San Francisco State University sponsored webinar featuring airline hijacker Leila Khaled of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, with Zoom citing its obligation to obey U.S. law. [Donald H. Harrison]
Zoom, FB, YouTube block Leila Khaled speech to SFSU Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
Is the delaying of the burial of Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Ruth Bader Ginsburg by placing her in State for some days rather than burying her as soon as possible a violation of Orthodox Jewish law? A: It is not a violation. (Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin)
Ginsburg lying in State does not violate burial Halachah Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion, USA
A particularly execrable record for radical anti-Israel, anti-Semitic campus activism is to be found at San Francisco State University, and specifically in the pseudo-academic machinations of Professor Rabab Abdulhadi, director of the school’s Arab and Muslim Ethnicities and Diasporas Studies (AMED) program. Abdulhadi, who, among other slurs, referred to Zionists as white nationalists during a 2019 UCLA lecture, is embroiled in controversy once again for the upcoming virtual speaking appearance, to be held tomorrow, September 23rd, by Leila Khaled, a terrorist in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, whose resume includes her role in the 1969 hijacking of an Israel-bound plane and her arrest the following year during a failed hijacking of an El Al flight. [Richard L. Cravatts, Ph.D]
A ‘Safe Space’ for Terrorists at San Francisco State Read More »
Middle East, Richard L. Cravatts, Science, Medicine, & Education, USAPresident Trump has decided to replace the current “crusade against American history” by setting up the 1776 Commission to teach students “about the miracle of American history.” Historians from Fox News have leaked advance outlines of the lesson plans for the different eras in the American past. Here’s the one for the colonial period. [Satire by Laurie Baron, Ph.D]
Satire: The Happy History of the United States Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA
President Donald J. Trump on Sept. 19, the day of Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death, issued the following proclamation:
President Trump’s proclamation for Justice Ginsburg, z”l Read More »
Jewish History, Obituaries & memorials, USABack to work following the two-day observance of Rosh Hashanah, Jewish organizations are paying tribute to the life and legacy of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died at age 87 just before the High Holy Day. Among the tributes were the following: [Donald H. Harrison, “Our Shtetl San Diego County”]
RBG’s death prompts Jewish pride, sorrow Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Middle East, Obituaries & memorials, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA
Ray Frank was the great granddaughter of Rabbi Elijah ben Solomon, the renowned Gaon of Vilna. She actually organized the service that night in Spokane, Washington, as that community did not have a synagogue. She preached such a compelling message to the thousand attendees (Jews and non-Jews) about the importance of the Jewish community coming together and creating a congregation that a non-Jewish audience member stood up and offered the donation of a site for the Jewish community to build a synagogue. [Mark D. Zimmerman]
Jewish Trivia Quiz: Ray Frank Read More »
Jewish History, Mark D. Zimmerman, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA
The most spectacular woman I ever met in my life was not a raving beauty, nor femme fatale. She was a trim, blonde, middle-aged woman of unremarkable features. She had not achieved the political accomplishments of a Golda Mier, and lacked the poetic soul of a Maya Angelou.She was a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney. Spectacular is an accurate description of Gladys Towle Root and paradoxical would be the correct adjective to describe her. [Ira Spector]
The Root Cause of His Tennis Garb Read More »
Lifestyles, USA