The official journal of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum has published an article depicting the Jewish National Fund as a colonialist exploiter of the Palestinian Arabs. Is this an appropriate way for a federally-funded museum that is mandated to teach about the Nazi genocide against the Jewish people to be using taxpayers’ dollars? [Moshe Phillips]
U.S. Holocaust Museum publishes attack on JNF Read More »
Middle East, USA
There are protests and riots across Iran, brutally put down by Iranian security forces and Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corp (IRGC); the government is charging families for the bullets used to kill their loved ones before releasing bodies to them. Inflation is rampant and economic growth is negative. Sanctions on Iranian oil shipments have led Iran to steal Iraqi oil, one cause of the anti-Iranian riots across Iraq. Yet, Iran continues to arm its proxies and allies with missiles that can strike Saudi Arabia, the Gulf States, Jordan and Israel. Ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones, controlled by Iran’s Quds Force, are being spread across the region. [Shoshana Bryen and Stephen D. Bryen]
As Iranians riot, Iran stirs trouble elsewhere Read More »
International, Middle East, Shoshana Bryen, Stephen D. Bryen, USA
On one side of the seating area on Sunday, Dec. 8, was a documented German cattle car used to transport Jews from Warsaw to their death in Treblinka. On the opposite side was a full-sized WWII era American Sherman tank, the kind of war machine needed and used to end the Holocaust. It was a dramatic setting for a crowd of hundreds to view the opening of Israel Then and Now, a traveling exhibit combining historical images, milestone moments, interactive media, and film. [Jerry Klinger]
Traveling Israel exhibit opens in Florida Read More »
Jerry Klinger, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, USA
The local Jewish community has watched congressional candidate Sara Jacobs, 30, grow up within institutions named for her family. For example, she attended the preschool and later participated in 18 J*Company shows on the Jacobs Family Campus of the Lawrence Family JCC. Her parts ranged from the mother in Benjamin and Judah to the “scary grandmother” back from the underworld in Fiddler on the Roof. [Donald H. Harrison]
Sara Jacobs on her family, issues, and spending Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Judaism, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
When reading the San Diego Union-Tribune, there are times that I feel I am benefiting from more than the news. The newspaper also reinforces some fundamental concepts of good behavior and dare I say it? – morality – in its coverage. Let me work from the back sections to the front to explain what I mean. [Donald H. Harrison]
Morality lessons in the daily news Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions, The World We Share, USA
Three Democratic members of Congress representing portions of San Diego County – Susan Davis, Scott Peters, and Mike Levin – were among 192 cosponsors of a House Resolution approved by a vote of 226-188 on Friday, Dec. 6, that reiterated support for a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict. A fourth San Diego Democrat, Juan Vargas, joined his colleagues in the majority. [Donald H. Harrison]
Resolution on Israel wins S.D. reps. support Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Middle East, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USA
These elections follow those in 2018 when Pennsylvanians re-elected Gov. Tom Wolf and Sen. Robert P. Casey, both Democrats, while Democratic governors were elected in the other states, Wisconsin and Michigan. … No doubt the Jewish vote contributed to Democratic gains in Philadelphia’s suburbs. The Jewish presence in Montgomery County has long been substantial and in recent years expanded northwards. Delaware County has had a smaller but steady Jewish population. In recent decades, the Jewish population has grown in Chester County and skyrocketed in Bucks County. [Bruce S. Ticker}
Pennsylvania vote could decide presidential election Read More »
Bruce Ticker, USA
Other items in this column include: *Numbers add up for Butterfly Project *Political bytes *Mazal tov! Mazal tov! By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO — In furtherance of the goals of the newly created San Diego Holocaust Survivor Coalition, the Jewish Federation of San Diego County has published a prototype book, sketching the lives of
Book charts lives, legacies of Holocaust survivors Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, San Diego County, USA
Michael Bloomberg wants Donald Trump defeated by someone—anyone. And towards that end he is prepared to self-fund his campaign and torpedo the President with TV, radio, and social media messaging. No need for mountains of paperwork, accountants and lawyers to keep track of the thousands of names, email accounts, job descriptions and zip codes of large and small donors—as other candidates must do. [Colleen O’Connor]
Bloomberg’s welcome impacts on the presidential race Read More »
USA
Noting that directors and affiliated faculty at federally-funded Middle East Studies programs who support an academic boycott of Israel have attempted to implement that boycott in ways that directly violate the legislative intent of Title VI of the Higher Education Opportunity Act, 88 education, civil rights and religious organizations on Wednesday called on U.S. Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to prevent this abuse. [Press Release]
DeVos urged to enforce Title VI rules against BDS Read More »
Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
True to its roots, when it was founded in 1936 to help European Jews who were being persecuted by the Nazi regime in Germany, the Jewish Federation of San Diego County on Tuesday, Dec. 3, launched a community-wide coalition to come to the aid and honor an estimated 500 Holocaust survivors who live in the county today. [Donald H. Harrison]
Community coalition to aid Holocaust Survivors Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Lifestyles, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Travel and Food, USA
An Open Letter to Administrators at McGill, York, and U Toronto: As you are certainly aware, in recent weeks a series of troubling incidents has occurred on your respective campuses. While the events in question were distinct, they all shared a common impulse by groups on your campuses who believe that they, and they alone, are able to set standards for free speech—in these particular cases, involving the debate about the Israeli/Palestinian conflict and how Jewish students and other Israel supporters are treated as part of the university community. [Richard L. Cravatts, PhD]
Administrators: Assert control of your universities Read More »
International, Middle East, Richard L. Cravatts, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
You might have heard attorney Roberta Taylor Winston perform as a cantorial soloist at Congregation Beth El, where she also has served on the board. Or perhaps you heard her belting out the songs for Congregation Beth Am’s Rockin’ Shabbat band. Even before that, you might have heard her sing as part of the High Holiday quartet that accompanied Cantor Alisa Pomerantz-Boro at Tifereth Israel Synagogue. Now, she’s campaigning for another spot in which she would have an audience, but instead of performing, for the most part, she would be actively listening. Roberta Winston, 58, is in a race to become a Superior Court Judge in Office No. 18, from which Judge Jacqueline Stern is retiring [Donald H. Harrison]
Attorney, singer Roberta Winston runs for judge Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA
Neither the British government nor the leaders of Germany and France wish to join Netanyahu’s bid to stay in power. That’s how I see the news that has just reached us in Israel. [Rabbi Dow Marmur]
European leaders give cold shoulder to Netanyahu Read More »
International, Middle East, USA