Story and photos by Steve Kramer EFRAT, Israel — Just minutes away from Jerusalem lies Gush Etzion (Etzion Bloc), nestled in the Hebron hills. It is certainly part of the Land of Israel, but it’s not run according to Israeli civil law. Instead, like the rest of Judea and Samaria, Israeli military law governs. Today […]
All Around Gush Etzion Read More »
Jewish History, Middle East, Steve KramerBy Jack Rosen NEW YORK –When Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez recently used the term “concentration camps” and the expression “Never Again” to refer to the detention centers on the U.S.-Mexico border, I found myself torn. The pain and urgency of America’s immigration and asylum crisis are immense. At the same time — and although my position
Wrong to use Holocaust analogies in immigration battle Read More »
International, Jewish History, USABy Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin BOCA
The myths behind Judaism’s summer fasts Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish History, Jewish Religion
By Jerry Klinger TRINIDAD, Colorado — Temple Aaron in this city celebrated its 130th birthday, Big Time on the weekend of June 21-23. The Temple is 200 miles from Denver, 200 miles from Albuquerque, 200 miles from nearly everything sustainably Jewish. Its last full-time rabbi died 103 years ago. Yet, the town enduringly refuses to
Trinidad, Colorado, celebrates Temple Aaron Read More »
Jerry Klinger, Jewish History, Travel and Food, USA
SAN DIEGO (Press Release) — The search for a new senior rabbi will be a principal topic for Congregation Beth Israel’s new president, Kimberly Carnot, when she addresses the Beth Israel Men’s Club at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, July 17. Rabbi Michael Berk retired at the end of the fiscal year, a day before Carnot took
Beth Israel’s search for a rabbi to be July 17 topic Read More »
Jewish Religion, San Diego CountySAN DIEGO — Here is a collection of songs recorded by Cantor Sheldon Merel during his tenure as cantor at Congregation Beth Israel. Click on any title to hear Cantor Merel’s recorded rendition. In some cases, the songs are accompanied by an explanatory article indicated by a date alongside. Adon Olam Adon Olam, Jazz Version
Cantor Sheldon Foster Merel’s shares his songs Read More »
Cantor Sheldon Foster Merel, z"l, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego CountyBy Bruce S. Ticker PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania — The dentist in the television series Seinfeld, Tim Whatley, D.D.S., converted to Judaism in order to tell Jewish jokes, so perhaps Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez claimed Jewish roots to exploit Jewish suffering – and in the process created a sideshow that diverted attention from the suffering of migrants held in
Holocaust, detention centers, and Ocasio- Cortez Read More »
Jewish History, USABy Dorian de Wind The Moderate Voice AUSTIN, Texas — During the Holocaust, Nederlandse Spoorwegen, or NS (the Dutch national railway company), on behalf of the Nazi occupiers, operated the trains that transported more than 100,000 Dutch Jews, first to “transit camps” and then to the Dutch border. There, the Dutch Jews were transferred to
Comparing Holocaust and slavery reparations Read More »
Dorian de Wind, International, Jewish History, USAThe Journey Back From Hell: Conversations with Concentration Camp Survivors by Anton Gill, Grafton Books, 1988. By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — Although published thirty years ago, this book is at least as relevant today as it was when it first appeared. As the survivors of concentration camps grow old and die it is
30- year- old Holocaust research still relevant today Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Jewish History.…and won’t you please release us from our commitment of 1492 to preserve the Jewish cemetery. The city wishes to build on those grounds, which today is encircled by our growth…’ Restpectfully, The Vitoria City Council (January 1952) (paraphrased) At Vitoria by Marcia Sue Riman Selz, Ph.D. Archway Publishing, 2016 Reviewed by Irvin H. Jacobs,
The 527 -year- old pact between Jews and Basques Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Irv Jacobs, MD, Jewish History
Story an photos by Oliver B. Pollak ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico – We’re in Albuquerque for the 75th birthday of Dr. Steve, the father of my daughter-in-law Erika. Steve’s wine cellar with red wines dating back to the early 1980s was an added pleasure. New Mexico’s Jewish history is more complicated than the rest of American
New Mexico’s Holocaust and Intolerance Museum Read More »
Jewish History, Oliver Pollak, Travel and Food, USA
By Cantor Sheldon Foster Merel ENCINITAS, California — In anticipation of celebrating the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, I did some research about the role of Jews in the Revolutionary War. Besides the well known figure, Haym Solomon, who helped finance the war, I learned that quite a number of Jews played significant roles
Jews of the American Revolution Read More »
Cantor Sheldon Foster Merel, z"l, Jewish History, USAEditor’s Note: Riots erupted in cities throughout Israel after an a bullet fired at the ground by an off-duty police officer on Sunday reportedly ricocheted and killed Solomon Tekah, 19, a member of Israel’s Ethiopian Jewish community. At a memorial service on Tuesday, Tekah’s father, Workah, declared: “We respect the laws and customs. Why are
The reason behind the rioting in Israel Read More »
International, Jewish History, Middle East, Sam LitvinBy Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin BOCA RATON, Florida — Maimonides: Between Philosophy and Halakhah: Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik’s Lectures on the Guide of the Perplexed is interesting because it shows the basic ideas of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s thinking. But readers should not suppose that they will gain an insight into the teachings of Maimonides or even some
Book prompts Jewish rationalism vs. mysticism debate Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion