By Eric George Tauber CINCINNATI, Ohio — Several years ago, on the sixth night of Chanukah, Chabad set up a giant Menorah for a celebration at Mission Valley Mall. It was fun. Kids were busily making crafts. Some were dressed as Maccabees and Dreidels and there was Chanukah music coming from the speakers. This is […]
Why We Need Chanukah Read More »
Eric George Tauber, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Opinion
By Jacob Kamaras After using “Hanukkah” so far this holiday season—as I’ve used throughout my journalistic career, in line with AP style—on Monday I was informed by our founder and editor emeritus, Don Harrison, that we’ve used “Chanukah” over the years.” San Diego Jewish World will now be switching back to Chanukah. But remember, ultimately,
How Do You Spell Chanukah? (Hanukkah?) Read More »
Jacob Kamaras, Jewish Religion
By Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. SAN DIEGO — This week’s parasha, Miketz, comes on Chanukah and on Rosh Chodesh Tevet. Yet, Chanukah isn’t mentioned even once in all of our Torah. Recall that in last week’s parasha, Vayeishev, Joseph was thrown into a pit. Joseph prayed and Hashem answered his prayers. This week, we read
Parashat Miketz and Chanukah: A Story of Resilience and Hope Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell
So, about two months ago, Rabbi Labkowski and his wife Tzipora opened Bay Kosher in the front part of the building that also houses their shul, Chabad of Lamorinda. He engaged Mendel Schiffer, a native of Akko, Israel, to manage the store for him. Schiffer, who didn’t care for retirement, had been in sales most of his life, and yearned for something new to do. [Donald H. Harrison]
Chabad Opens Kosher Market in Lafayette Read More »
Business & Finance, California, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Travel and Food
By Dorian de Wind The Moderate Voice AUSTIN, Texas — Since the Jewish calendar is based on lunar months, the eight days of the Jewish festival Hanukkah do not begin on the same (Gregorian calendar) date every year. During the Holocaust, at Hitler’s death camps, the first night of Hanukkah fell on dates ranging from
Eight Days of Auschwitz Read More »
Dorian de Wind, Holocaust, International, Jewish Religion, Opinion
By Sarah Ogince (JNS) The lights are kindled, the shamash is returned to its place and the family breaks into song: It is a rousing, march-like melody that is the aural equivalent of the menorah’s light—energy, joy and hope in the depth of winter, a promise of rebirth. It’s a familiar, comforting scene, repeated in
Everyone Knows ‘Ma’oz Tzur,’ Except They Don’t Read More »
Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts
By Oliver B. Pollak, Ph.D. RICHMOND, California — Hanukkah is virtually here. You have no cards. Oy vey. Think creatively. Repurpose and recycle those New Year and Passover greeting cards you got as donation inducements from the myriad of worthy Jewish charities. Hanukkah is after all a holiday when you make do with what you
Making Cards for Jewish Holidays — Hanukkah Cards a la Carte Read More »
Jewish Religion, Oliver Pollak
My friend Susan Ferraro, who lives in a rural part of Northern California. tells me that since about the age of 7, she had fantasized about becoming a Jew. It started, she said, when she read Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl. As children often do, she imagined herself invulnerable; death being something that unfortunately happened to other people. If she had been born Jewish, and living at that time, she could have prevented those Nazis from hurting Anne and her family and those hidden with them in the secret annex. [Donald H. Harrison]
Postwar Encounters with the Holocaust Read More »
California, Donald H. Harrison, Holocaust, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts
SAN DIEGO (Press Release) — Sesame Place San Diego, the only theme park on the West Coast based entirely on the award-winning show Sesame Street, is hosting a Hanukkah Celebration on Monday, December 19. The holiday daytime fun includes a menorah candle lighting ceremony led by local Rabbi Daniel Reich, a festive dance party with
By Alex Gordon HAIFA, Israel — On March 1, 1881, in Russia, members of the People’s Will assassinated Tsar Alexander II. The murder, to which the Jews had nothing to do, triggered the largest wave of Jewish pogroms in the 19th century due to a blood libel against Jews falsely accused of complicity in the
The Triumphant and Tragic Odyssey of the Inventor of Sea Cruises Read More »
Alex Gordon, International, Jewish History, Opinion
(JNS) Sefaria, a provider of digital Jewish texts at no cost, on Tuesday launched its offering of the four foundational texts of the Chabad-Lubavitch Chassidic movement. The newly available texts include a fully bilingual edition of the Tanya, the cornerstone philosophical text of the Chabad movement; a Hebrew version of Torah Ohr, a 19th-century compilation
Foundational Texts of Chabad Movement Launched in Digital Form Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish Religion, USA
By Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin BOCA RATON, Florida — Maggid Books, together with Yeshiva University Press, published “A Guide for the Jewish Undecided: A Philosopher Makes a Case for Orthodox Judaism” by Dr. Samuel Lebens, a rabbi and Orthodox Jew who is an associate professor of philosophy at the University of Haifa in Israel. His
Book Offers a Philosopher’s Case for Orthodox Judaism Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion
By Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. SAN DIEGO — You’ve heard it many times, “Man plans, G-d laughs.” Or perhaps, like me, you’ve heard this version, “Mentsch tracht, Gott lacht.” I like “Man thinks, G-d Winks.” Regardless, like all of us who prefer to live without being mutchet or tcheppeht, (pressured or bothered), Jacob found that life has
Parashat Vayeishev: Man Thinks, God Winks Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell
By Steve Kramer KFAR SABA, Israel — Hanukkah starts on Sunday night, December 18. It is usually celebrated during the “Christmas season.” This coincidence makes the Jewish holiday very significant in the U.S., probably more so than in Israel. Here, the holiday is mostly noted by the ubiquitous appearance of oily donuts, jelly ones and
Hanukkah: An Overview Read More »
Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Steve Kramer