Judaism

Former San Diegan aids Sephardim seeking Spanish citizenship

UPDATE: March 14, 2026 — Nichole Martinez Kruse reports that she has closed the Welcome Home Sefardi business and therefore is no longer offering to facilitate for a fee citizenship applications for Portugal and Spain. — Editor, San Diego Jewish World. By Nichole Martinez Kruse ZARAGOSA, Spain — Throughout my life, I was drawn to […]

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International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, San Diego County

Police increase patrols following attack on rabbi

Other items in this column include: *Seacrest Village has newly reconfigured kosher kitchen *Jewish organizational news *In memoriam By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO — The San Diego Police Department considers last Saturday’s attack on Rabbi Yonatan Halevy to be a “high priority incident” and as a result will increase patrols in the University City

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Donald H. Harrison, Lifestyles, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USA

Sephardic rabbi says youths attacked him

By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO — Sephardic Rabbi Yonatan Halevy of Kehillat Shaar Hashamayin (Community of the Gates of Heaven)  has told police that he was attacked by teenagers during the Sukkot holiday last Saturday as he walked with his father Shalom Halevy, a stroke victim, near his congregation at 3232 Governor Drive, Suite

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, San Diego County

Jewish trivia quiz: Birkat Kohanim

By Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York — On the Jewish festival holidays, and additionally in some communities on Shabbat, the Birkat Kohanim–the Priestly Blessing–is traditionally offered as part of the Musaf service, the additional service that follows the Torah reading. But on Simchat Torah, which we just celebrated, the Birkat Kohanim is traditionally offered

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Jewish Religion, Mark D. Zimmerman

Crypto Jews: Finding and Embracing their Roots

By Mimi Pollack L’Chaim San Diego Magazine SAN DIEGO — My late fiancé, an 8th generation New Mexican, used to tell me about the secret or crypto Jews of New Mexico. He was convinced that although he was raised Catholic, some of his ancestors were “Conversos” or secret Jews who came to New Mexico when

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Jewish History, Mimi Pollack, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USA

Stop Burning Masks: Choose Life Over Death

By Rabbi Benjamin Herman MIAMI, Florida — In seeing footage of members of the Orthodox Jewish community in Brooklyn publicly burning masks has filled me with outrage and disgust. I recognize that this came in reaction to Governor Andrew Cuomo’s increasing restrictions largely affecting Orthodox Jewish communities where COVID is spreading like wildfire. Yet I

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Jewish History, Jewish Religion, USA

Facebook to ban Holocaust denial

NEW YORK (Press Release) — The Anti-Defamation League is relieved by Facebook’s announcement that it was updating its hate speech policy to prohibit any content “that denies or distorts the Holocaust.” This comes after nearly a decade of ADL advocating for such changes and just weeks before the 2020 presidential election, where users have been

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Business & Finance, International, Jewish History, USA

Torah for Children: Yay! We get to do it again

By Marcia Berneger SAN DIEGO — Simchat Torah is almost here! This Saturday evening we begin the celebration of Simchat Torah. This is a joyous holiday that celebrates the reading of the very last words of the Torah. But the Torah is like a never-ending circle. Once we finish reading it, we immediately begin again.

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Jewish Religion, Marcia Berneger, Science, Medicine, & Education

Streaming Jewish programs (Oct. 11-16)

  Compiled by Laurie Baron, Ph.D All times Pacific Daylight Time Sunday, October 11 11am  Mikhal Dekel, “Tehran Children: A Holocaust Refugee Odyssey,” Ghetto Fighters’ House Museum. Monday, October 12 10 am   Elai Rettig, “Israel’s ‘Special Relationship’ with the US,” Israel Center, Washington University. 10 am  Eliezer Diamond, “Generosity, Gratitude, and Faith: Rav Eliyahu Dessler’s

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Lawrence Baron, Lifestyles, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Science, Medicine, & Education, The World We Share, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USA