Our Shtetl San Diego: September 1, 2019
Items in today’s column
* Responding to Hate Crimes
* Remembering Binnie Brooks, z”l
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Donald H. Harrison, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, USAJudaism
Were Adam and Eve and family alone on Earth?
By Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin BOCA RATON, Florida — Although there is no proof that other humans existed, it is reasonable to suppose that Adam, Eve, and their three sons were not the only humans during the early post creation years. One of the biblical writing methods, is not to reveal everything, to leave it
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Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish ReligionMy world turned upside down 80 years ago today
By Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — Today (Sept 1) is the 80th anniversary of my becoming a displaced person. That’s how I described the day in my memoir Six Lives: On September 1, 1939, my world collapsed. I mark the date every year as the anniversary of my anxiety neurosis. It was the day Nazi
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International, Jewish History, Middle EastNote to President Trump: We Jews love to argue
By Rabbi Michael Berk Times of San Diego SAN DIEGO — Lately I have taken umbrage at President Trump’s intrusion into an aspect of Jewish culture that is not well understood outside the Jewish community, and at the same time is a key to Jewish persistence throughout history. Since Jewish survival is a mystery, and
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Jewish Religion, USAOur Shtetl San Diego: August 30, 2019
By Donald H. Harrison Helping Holocaust Survivors SAN DIEGO — Meeting the needs of impoverished Holocaust survivors is a new joint initiative of the Jewish Federation of San Diego County and Jewish Family Service in association with the Seed the Dream Foundation and KAVOD Survivors of the Holocaust Emergency Fund (SHEF). In a statement in
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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USABiography recalls Cantor William Sharlin’s career
By Cantor Sheldon Foster Merel ENCINITAS, California — The distinguished Rabbi Richard N. Levy paid tribute to his colleague, Cantor William Sharlin in recognition of 30 years as originator and Director of the Department of Music at the Hebrew Union College in Los Angeles. “William, you taught me the difference between davening and singing, between
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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Cantor Sheldon Foster Merel, z"l, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, USAOur Shtetl San Diego: August 29, 2019
Bullet holes at Temple Emanu-El cause for deep concern By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – The report of the discovery of two bullet holes in a wall of Temple Emanu-El, apparently fired from College Avenue, has prompted the regional chapter of the Anti-Defamation League to offer a $3,000 reward for information leading to the
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Donald H. Harrison, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, USAA visit to Rashi’s home town
By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson TROYES, France — Several years ago I was told that I really ought to visit the French town of Troyes (pronounced ‘Trois,’ like the number three in French), since it is a charming medieval town. It is also the birthplace of Rashi, the great twelfth century commentator on the Bible and the
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Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Jewish ReligionD’var Torah for August 31, 2019
Parasha Re’eh Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. SAN DIEGO — This Shabbat, Rosh Chodesh Elul, begins the season of “cheshbon hanefesh,” a sacred task involving an “accounting of the soul.” It’s no coincidence, of course, that the parasha we read, Re’eh, begins: See (look), I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: the
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Jewish Religion, Michael MantellNotes on Torah reading for August 31, 2018
Re’Eh Deuteronomy Chapters 11:26-16:17 By Irv Jacobs, M.D. LA JOLLA, California — This parsha focuses on blessings and curses, in anticipation of behavior after entering the promised land. I have chosen a few passages, clashing with, or at least puzzling to, modern sentiments. I. Deuteronomy, Ch. 12: vv. 2-3 Moses commands, “You must destroy all
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Irv Jacobs, MD, Jewish ReligionOrthodox Jewry Is Changing
By Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin BOCA RATON, Florida — Professor Chaim Waxman, a prominent and highly respected sociologist of contemporary Orthodoxy, has made a superb assessment of the history, development, and current and future situation of Orthodoxy in his relatively short but comprehensive 178-page book, Social Change and Halakhic Evolution in American Orthodoxy, with 48
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Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish History, Jewish ReligionIn Morocco difference is a strength
By Caroline Kirk MARRAKECH, Morocco — This country’s belief in the strength of pluralism has energized me and shown me that difference can serve as a strength for any country, whether it is religious or secular, large or small, developed or developing. I was told that there are spiritual answers to the question, “Why Morocco?”—every
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International, Jewish Religion, Science, Medicine, & Education, Travel and FoodWhen should rabbis address political issues?
By Rabbi Benj Fried Times of San Diego SAN DIEGO — A Times of San Diego article portrayed the major leaders and clergy in the San Diego Jewish community as passively mum in the face of President Trump’s anti-Semitic portrayals of Jewish Democrats as disloyal and vicious attacks on Congresswomen Tlaib and Omar. The article
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Jewish Religion, San Diego County, USABook offers tips and facts about DNA testing
Seed of Israel: DNA Guide To Tracing Your Jewish Ancestry by Joshua Robbin Marks, 48 pages including endnotes; available on Amazon.com for $14.99. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – Perhaps your friends or relatives have told you that they did a DNA test and found out about their ancestry, and now you’re wondering whether
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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Science, Medicine, & Education