Jewish Religion

Chutzpah or faith? Bride plans wedding without groom

The Wedding Plan written and directed by Rama Burshtein, distributed by Roadside Attractions; Hebrew with English subtitles.  To be presented May 26 at Hillcrest Cinemas. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO — There is a scene in The Wedding Plan in which Michal (Noa Koler)  is being driven to the wedding hall. She has on her […]

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Jewish Religion, Middle East, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Macron visits Holocaust Memorial a week before presidential run-off

French centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron visited the Holocaust Memorial in Paris on Sunday, one week before he faces off against far right leader Marine Le Pen in the country’s presidential election. Amid worries about rising nationalism, and on the day France remembers thousands of Jews who were deported to Nazi death camps, Macron warned the

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International, Jewish Religion

The Conservative member of parliament who went all the way for Israel

Though British MP Andrew Percy always had an affinity for the Jewish state, he didn’t imagine that it could be more than that — until he converted to Judaism By Jenni Frazer LONDON — Andrew Percy is a successful Conservative politician. He’s a Member of Parliament and Minister for the Northern Powerhouse, a campaign to

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International, Jewish Religion, Middle East

CBI will honor Berk, Bernstein and Mills on May 6

SAN DIEGO  (Press Release) — Beth Israel will celebrate three honorees at its annual fundraiser this year, Eat, Pray, Sing!.  Rabbi Michael Berk will be honored for his ten years of dedicated service as Senior Rabbi, Rabbi/Cantor Arlene Bernstein will be recognized for 20 years of service as cantor and most recently as rabbi as well, and

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Jewish Religion, San Diego Calendar

Genizah treasures to go on exhibit

CAMBRIDGE, ENGLAND (Press Release)– Treasures from the world’s largest and most important collection of medieval Jewish manuscripts – chronicling 1,000 years of history in Old Cairo – will go on display in Cambridge this week for a six-month-long exhibition at Cambridge University Library. Discarded History: The Genizah of Medieval Cairo opens to the public on

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East

Jerusalem hotels: Unlikely hotbeds of furtive, meticulous romance

In lobbies throughout the capital, young ultra-Orthodox men and women sit down every evening to participate in a carefully rehearsed dating ritual By Tracy Frydberg Just inside the ornate glass doors stands a cluster of modestly dressed young women, not too overtly scanning the crowd. The objects of their attentions are sitting restlessly in the

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Jewish Religion, Middle East

Who will tell their stories? “We will!” students answer

By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – One of the nightmarish questions we Jews ask ourselves is “After all the Holocaust survivors have passed on, who will tell their stories?” Following a Havdalah service on Saturday night at Tifereth Israel Synagogue, a group of pre-teens and teens affirmed in unison: “When they are gone, we

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, USA

Netanyahu faces coalition anger over Israeli court’s Shabbat ruling

Tel Aviv (dpa) – A Supreme Court ruling in Israel allowing some shops to remain open on the Jewish Shabbat has prompted anger from within Prime Minister Netanyahu’s ruling coalition, local media reported Thursday. About 160 shops in Tel Aviv, a highly secular coastal city, can remain open on the Jewish Shabbat according to the

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Jewish Religion, Middle East

‘If there is danger to life, it is an obligation to force-feed’

The hunger strike now being held by jailed terrorists comes with various ramifications, starting with the expected rioting on Palestinian streets and possibly beyond, and extending to the question of the Israeli government”s ability to stand up to this sort of struggle. Among other things, a hunger strike like this leads to the question of

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Jewish Religion, Middle East

25,000 Jews celebrate Passover in the Patriarchs’ city

Over 25,000 Jews visited the Patriarchs’ city of Hevron over Pesach (Passover). The visitors toured various historical sites in the city, enjoyed the “Lagaat Banetzach” (literally, “to touch eternity”) exhibit, and were even able to visit rarely-open sites, such as the grave of the first Biblica Judge, Otniel ben Knaz and the ancient “Kasbah” neighborhood.

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Jewish Religion, Middle East