By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California –Sometimes, wisdom tales of the past have a way of speaking to us in the present. And although we often think of ourselves a product of the present, in reality, our personal narrative is inextricably connected to those who have preceded us from the past. This especially […]
History will note how we respond to anti- Semitism Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, USA
By Donald H. Harrison LA JOLLA, California — Congregation Beth El dedicated a 30 by 9 foot mural of a Tree of Life on Thursday, May 2, that incorporates, among other elements, ceramic butterflies symbolizing children who were murdered in the Holocaust. The outdoor Yom HaShoah ceremony led by the congregation’s former president Sonia Ancoli
Beth El dedicates ‘Tree of Life’ mural for Yom HaShoah Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Middle East, San Diego County, USABy Steve Kramer KFAR SAVA, Israel — “The term anti-Semitism was coined in 1879 by the German agitator [and Jew hater] Wilhelm Marr to designate the anti-Jewish campaigns under way in central Europe at that time. Although the term now has wide currency, it is a misnomer, since it implies a discrimination against all Semites.
The four sources of Jew hatred Read More »
International, Jewish History, Middle East, Steve Kramer, USAAsylum by Moriz Scheyer (Translated by P.N. Singer); Little, Brown and Company, 2016 By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — Written at the time of the actual events, this powerful book starts by describing the atmosphere in Vienna before the Anschluss by Nazi Germany, followed by the author’s flight, together with his wife and non-Jewish housekeeper, who
Book Review: ‘Asylum’ Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Jewish History
By Rabbi Rafi Andrusier SAN DIEGO –My association with Chabad of Poway began before we moved to San Diego to establish a Chabad House for the eastern San Diego region in 2012. Even before I met my San Diegan wife, Chaya, in 2010. In 2007, I was a young rabbinical student in Chicago, and I
How shall we respond to Poway Chabad shooting? Read More »
Jewish Religion, San Diego CountyBy Rabbi Joshua Dorsch SAN DIEGO — This has been somewhat of a surreal few days for the San Diego Jewish community. From Pittsburgh to Sri Lanka, over the past few months we have heard about attacks on houses of worship. While we gathered together and mourned with faith communities around the world, the attacks
‘Baseless love’ must replace ‘baseless hate’ Read More »
Jewish Religion, San Diego County, USA
By Toby Tabachnick Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania — I ran into an old friend about three weeks after the Tree of Life massacre, a former Pittsburgher, who wanted to talk about the events of Oct. 27. In particular, she wanted to know about one of the survivors, someone with whom she had grown up.
Pittsburgh 6 months later: ‘We are not okay’ Read More »
Jewish History, USABy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — One of my congregants posed an interesting question we ought to consider asking: What would Rev Martin Luther King Jr. have said about the Poway synagogue shooting? It is an important question—not just for members of the Jewish community, but also for the African-American community. Throughout
What MLK would say about the Poway Chabad shooting Read More »
Jewish History, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, USABy David Harris NEW YORK — In the Jewish tradition, we are commanded to remember (zachor) and not to forget (lo tishkach). This week we commemorate Yom HaShoah, the Day of Holocaust Remembrance. On this solemn occasion, 74 years after the end of World War II: We remember the six million Jewish martyrs, including 1.5
Yom Hashoah: We Remember Read More »
International, Jewish History, Middle East, USABy Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort CARLSBAD, California — I just returned from an evening spent with my colleague, Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein. Although wounded on Saturday, he was up late fielding phone calls, making plans, and sitting with some old colleagues (one of whom is me). Rabbi Goldstein stared death in the face; the rifle of the
Local Chabad rabbis to attend National Prayer Fete Read More »
Jewish Religion, Travel and Food, USA, Yeruchem Eilfort-RabbiBy Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin BOCA RATON, Florida –There are two things I have been saying and then a third item came along and surprised me. I mentioned often that there is no concept of “sin” in the Hebrew Bible as a distorting stain upon the soul that requires a kind of supernatural atonement process,
The concept of ‘sin’ is not Jewish Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion
SAN DIEGO (Press Release) — Numerous activities have been scheduled to memorialize Lori Kaye, who was murdered by a gunman at Chabad of Poway last Saturday. San Diego State University students and the Jewish Studies Program plan a noon vigil on Wednesday, May 1, in front of Scripps Cottage on campus to stand “against all
Memorial events planned for Lori Kaye Read More »
Obituaries & memorials, San Diego CountyBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California –Congresswoman Ilhan Omar never ceases to surprise us with the countless inane claims she makes on a daily basis. In one of her more interesting canards, she claimed that “Jesus was a Palestinian.” One might imagine that she will soon claim that the Israelites were also really
Jihadi Islam’s campaign to erase religious history Read More »
International, Jewish History, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle East, USANEW YORK (Press Release) — The U.S. Jewish community experienced near-historic levels of anti-Semitism in 2018, including a doubling of anti-Semitic assaults and the single deadliest attack against the Jewish community in American history, according to new data from ADL (the Anti-Defamation League) issued today. ADL’s annual Audit of Anti-Semitic incidents recorded a total of
2018 saw 1,879 anti- Semitic incidents in U.S. Read More »
Jewish History, USA