Judaism

Yes, Virginia, there are Jews there too

By Mimi Pollack LA JOLLA, California — As an ESL teacher who has worked for 35 years with people from all over the world, I was very interested in going to see the presentation at the Gotthelf Gallery at the JCC last Monday evening on December 17th. First, there was the presentation by civil rights attorney […]

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International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Mimi Pollack, San Diego County

Obituaries and the Greatest Generation

By Oliver B. Pollak RICHMOND, California — Holocaust Survivors are our Greatest Generation. Their resilience and immigrant contribution to American life is formidable and compelling. The Bay Area is home to between 210,000, and 350,000 Jews. During 2018, the biweekly J of Northern California published 135 obituaries, 72 men and 63 women, ages 30 to

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International, Jewish History, Obituaries & memorials, Oliver Pollak, USA

Editor’s E-Mail Box: December 20, 2018 (5 items)

Protection against Iran and Hezbollah needed after U.S. withdraws from Syria — AIPAC The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) on Thursday issued the following statement concerning President Trump’s decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria. “With the decision announced yesterday to immediately withdraw U.S. troops from Syria, it is imperative that Iran and Hezbollah

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Jewish History, John McCormick, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Editor’s E-Mail Box: December 19, 2018 (4 items)

American Jewish Congress cautions against hasty U.S. exit from Syria The American Jewish Congress issued the following statement on Wednesday: “It was announced that President Trump is considering a full withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria. The reason given is that the terrorist organization ISIS no longer holds territory in Syria, thus the primary objective

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Jewish Religion, Middle East, USA

Editor’s E-Mail Box: December 18, 2018 (7 items)

Butterfly Project striving to memorialize each of 1.5 million children lost in the Holocaust Cheryl Rattner-Price, co-founder and executive director of the Butterfly Project, said 212,238 butterflies have been painted and exhibited around the world in an effort to represent the 1.5 million children who were murdered in the Holocaust. The non-profit organization hopes to

Editor’s E-Mail Box: December 18, 2018 (7 items) Read More »

International, Jewish History, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions, The World We Share, USA

Editor’s E-Mail Box: December 17, 2018 (6 items)

Child survivors of the Kindertransport to receive compensation 80 years later Julius Berman, President of the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference), announced Monday that as a result of ongoing negotiations between the Claims Conference and the German government, an agreement was reached on the 80th anniversary of the Kindertransport, to provide

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International, Jewish History, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

P.M. Morrison’s Jerusalem reversal shames Australia

By Helen Applebaum SAN DIEGO — Australia has a history with the Jews.  At the failed 1938 Evian Conference, convened to rescue the Jews from Hitler, the Australian delegate said: “It will no doubt be appreciated also that as we have no real racial problems, we are not desirous of importing them.” That shameful statement of

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International, Jewish History, Middle East

Outside influences always have impacted Judaism

By Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM —  Sir Simon Schama, celebrated historian, best-selling author, and TV personality was in Jerusalem the other day to give a lecture called, “Jewish Arguments Then and Now.” Starting with the two creation stories in the Book of Genesis and moving on through literature and history to important thinkers like Maimonides,

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Jewish Religion, Middle East, USA

A Word of Torah ~ Vayigash

By Rabbi Joshua Dorsch SAN DIEGO — Unlike many characters in the Torah, Joseph has no problem showing emotions. He cries on at least seven different occasions. Sometimes he cries in public, other times in private. Sometimes, so loudly others outside can hear him. Which is why it is intriguing that at the end of the

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Jewish Religion

Film Review: ‘Sacred’ from PBS

By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – Sacred, now streaming at https://www.pbs.org/wnet/sacred/sacred-full-episode/, views life cycle events and religious practices through the lenses of more than 40 videographers stationed on five continents – Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, and South America.  We see not only the well known western and eastern religions, but also tribal and

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International, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USA

Book review: ‘Memories, Miracles & Meaning’

Memories, Miracles & Meaning: Insights of a Holocaust Survivor by Fanny Krasner Lebovits (with Selwyn Isakow and Sid Shapira); Mascot Books (c) 2019; ISBN 9781643-071909; 199 pages plus family tree, photos and glossary; $22.95. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – At 96, Fanny Krasner Lebovits is still going strong.  I saw her as recently

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Middle East, San Diego County, USA

Editor’s E-Mail Box: December 11, 2018 (7 items)

House of Representatives adopts measure punishing use of human shields in combat The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) has commended the U.S. House of Representatives for adopting the Sanctioning the Use of Civilians as Defenseless Shields Act (H.R. 3342). This critical and timely legislation mandates new sanctions against Hamas, Hezbollah and foreign state agencies

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International, Jewish History, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

The Jewish stories behind ‘Miracle on 34th Street’

By Jerry Klinger BOYNTON BEACH, Florida — Every year, about this time of year, Christmas themed movies are flooding T.V. screens across the country. Ranked #9 out of 100 by the American Film Institute greatest films of all times is the 1947 beloved holiday comedy classic, Miracle on 34th Street. It is a warm feeling

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Jerry Klinger, Jewish History, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA