USA

Interfaith service condemns violence, lauds peaceful protest

In front of an outdoor menorah at Temple Beth Shalom in Chula Vista, seven Christian ministers joined host Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel in an interfaith service Wednesday that condemned the killing of George Floyd by the Minneapolis police, and extolled the teachings of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. on the importance of keeping protests non-violent. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, San Diego County, Sports & Competitions, USA

Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s life an example for today

Walking through the park this weekend I noticed a man on a bench reading Metaxas’ acclaimed biography of German theologian and anti-Nazi dissident Dietrich Bonhoeffer. And it occurred to me then and there that this is indeed a moment in our history when we may acquire much needed insight and inspiration by revisiting Bonhoeffer’s extraordinary life and legacy. [Sam Ben-Meir, Ph.D]

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International, Sam Ben-Meir, USA

Introspective JFS panel considers racism

Jewish Family Service of San Diego on Tuesday sponsored an internet panel discussion posing thorny questions about the Jewish community and race relations.  The panel brought together Rabbi Yael Ridberg of Congregation Dor Hadash; Micah Parzen, the executive director of the San Diego Museum of Man, and Kelly Greenberg Young, education director for the San Diego regional office of the Anti-Defamation League.  The moderator was Nate Looney, an African-American Jew who is Avodah’s recruiter of Jews of Color. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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

Jewish groups honor Muslim World League secretary general

In an international Zoomcast Tuesday, the secretary general of the Muslim World League invoked the shootings at Chabad of Poway and the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, along with other attacks on worshipers in Christchurch, New Zealand; Sri Lanka, Monsey, New York, and Halle, Germany, to call for world unity in fighting “the forces of hatred and intolerance.” [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, USA

OpEd: Jewish organizations should be open to mergers

Recently, the leader of the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ), Rabbi Rick Jacobs, termed the merging of parts of his organization with other Jewish denominations “a real possibility.”  Last week, we learned that two iconic Reform temples in Brooklyn are considering a merger. The rest of the Jewish community should take notice. [Commentary by Beth Sirull]

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San Diego County, USA

The George Floyd case as seen from Israel

Is there anyone within range of this letter who doesn’t know the sad story of George Floyd?
Here, half a world away from Minneapolis, and with our own problems of disease and violence, we’ve seen the film of his murder in custody of Minneapolis police, with his neck under the knee of one officer, while three others were near by. We heard his call that he couldn’t breath, but that brought no relief. Apparently he was picked up for a minor offense, and then killed by an officer with his own record of several complaints for undue violence. [Ira Sharkansky, Ph.D]

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USA

Hebrew Day School celebrates its 57th anniversary

Soille San Diego Hebrew Day School on Sunday, June 7, celebrated the 57th anniversary of its founding in a Zoom gathering that highlighted the life of the late Eilene Cummins, a longtime volunteer and former board president for the Orthodox school at 3730 Afton Avenue, San Diego. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

JNF aiding Negev communities including SD Jewish Federation’s sister region

In the summer issue of the online B’Yachad, published by the Jewish National Fund, attention is given to Israel’s desire to populate its northern “frontiers” — the Galilee to the north and the Negev Desert to the south. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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

Racists beware: God will hold you to account

This week has been very tough. I saw THE video. I couldn’t believe my eyes; a man sworn to protect and serve kneeling nonchalantly upon another man’s neck. An officer of the law casually draining the life from another human being while the human being begged for breath. The perpetrator’s apparent boredom is at the same time chilling and boils the blood! [Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort]

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Jewish Religion, USA, Yeruchem Eilfort-Rabbi

La Jolla prepares to welcome BLM marchers

The Black Lives Matter announcement of a march in La Jolla at 1 p.m., Friday, June 12, reads, in part: “The protests cannot remain only in areas with likeminded people.  La Jolla is a predominantly white and rich area desperate for awareness.  They have the power to sway leaders and thus we must educate them.  These minds cannot remain sheltered.” [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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

Rosenwald schools: Black-Jewish cooperation changed education

About a year ago, I, as the president of the Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation, had funded one more historical marker. It recognized the collaborative efforts of Julius Rosenwald, a Chicago retail industrialist philanthropist and Booker T. Washington, the Black American educator, and President of Tuskegee University in Alabama. The two men had come together as Americans, as equals. They joined to work for the mutual betterment of Black Americans through education and educational opportunity. [Jerry Klinger]

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Jerry Klinger, Jewish History, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA