LA JOLLA, California (Press Release) –Known for her vibrant personality, community leadership, sense of humor, creativity and, most importantly, her good work, Mickey Stern succumbed to cancer on July 1. Mickey is survived by her children, Bob Sturm and Melanie Sturm, son-in-law Marc Zachary, and her beloved grandson Zane Zachary. Her much-loved sisters – Dorothy Dimond, […]
Mickey Stern, 1934-2016 Read More »
Obituaries & memorials, San Diego CountyBy Joe Spier JERUSALEM– As I walk the grounds of Yad Vashem, I approach the Avenue of the Righteous Gentiles. At the entrance stand three plaques placed in an honored position. Raul Wallenberg, whose exploits in saving over 100,000 Jewish lives are well known, Irena Sendler, not so well known, saved 2,500 Jewish children from the
The village that saved the Jews Read More »
International, Jewish History, Middle EastBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — One of my favorite concepts in logic is the reductio ad absurdum (Latin: “reduction to the absurd”) argument, which is a logical method of argument that proves the falsity of a premise by following its implications to a logical but absurd conclusion. The latest news regards the nullification
Conversion by Rabbi Lookstein should be honored Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiOrthodox Jewish residents of the Crown Heights neighborhood in Brooklyn were shocked to discover in recent days that a newly established eruv had been destroyed. The eruv itself had elicited a greal of controversy, dividing the neighborhoods Chabad population with the growing modern Orthodox community. In late June, local Chabad rabbis issued an edict declaring
Who cut the Crown Heights eruv? Read More »
Jewish Religion, USAIsraeli NBA player Omri Casspi joins the list of Israeli celebrities publicly displaying their ties to Judaism and Jewish practice. Omri Casspi praying Screenshot/Instagram Casspi posted a picture to his Instagram account in which he is seen wearing Tefilin and a Tallit (prayer shawl), and praying in the morning sunlight. In the caption to the
NBA’s Omri Casspi gushes about meeting with rabbi Read More »
Jewish Religion, Sports & CompetitionsBy Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — Life is full of strange coincidences. I first encountered the story of Charlotte Salomon about twenty years ago, when an exhibition of her work, a series of paintings with captions describing her life and entitled Life? Or Theatre? was held at the Royal Academy in London. It made
Artist Charlotte Salomon’s life told in free verse Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Jewish History
By Jerry Klinger July 18, 1947, in international waters off the coast of Sinai, a shadowing British battle fleet attacked an unarmed American Chesapeake Bay steamer, the President Warfield. They had been shadowing the lumbering vessel since she left Sete in France. A warning to stop and submit to boarding came from the light cruiser
In memory of a fallen hero from Exodus-47 Read More »
Jerry Klinger, Jewish History, Middle East, Obituaries & memorials, USAHukat | Numbers 19:1-22:1 The mystery of death and the meaning behind the mystery have been central concerns of every religious tradition. This week’s portion includes a detailed description of a now-obsolete rite known as the ritual of the red heifer. This practice was intended to accomplish ritual purification for anyone who had had contact
The mystery of life and death Read More »
Jewish ReligionJERUSALEM (Press Release) — The American Jewish Committee (AJC) and the Shalom Hartman Institute are pleased to welcome the 23 prominent North American Christian leaders that will comprise Cohort V of the Christian Leadership Initiative (CLI), an intensive 13-month educational program on Judaism, a partnership of AJC and the Hartman Institute in Israel. The program begins
Christian scholars undertake 13- month Judaism study Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle East, USABy Rabbi Ben Kamin OCEANSIDE, California — More than fifty-two years ago, a Dallas businessman named Abraham Zapruder unwittingly filmed the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The 26.6 seconds of silent color 8mm imagery would remain the most examined film in history for decades. When it was eventually shown on television to the American
Don’t the dead deserve some privacy? Read More »
Jewish Religion, USAAUSCHWITZ-BIRKENAU, Poland – A sombre and visibly moved Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wiped away tears several times Sunday as he paid his respects at the biggest and most notorious of the network of death camps run by the Nazis. Walking alongside Auschwitz survivor Nate Leipciger of Toronto and the President of the Montreal Board of
Emotional day as Trudeau pays respects at Auschwitz Read More »
International, Jewish HistoryExcavations at a late-Roman era synagogue in the Galilee have unearthed more staggering mosaics depicting biblical scenes, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill announced this week. The ongoing dig at the 5th-century CE Huqoq Synagogue has previously uncovered brilliant floors featuring people, beasts and heroes from antiquity never before seen in ancient Jewish
Noah’s Ark, splitting of Red Sea appear in newfound mosaic at ancient synagogue Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle East“The fiercest arguments we have in parliament are over Israel.” These words, spoken by the chairman of the Dutch Foreign Affairs Committee, startled me. But they failed to faze the other committee members from the both the left and right. On the contrary, they all readily agreed. In the end, only I displayed surprise. “Let
Europe’s Continuing Fixation on Jews Must Not Grip U.S. Read More »
International, Jewish History, Middle East, USABy Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO — Judaism has always encouraged diversity of opinion among its adherents. Historically, it has been those who have insisted on unanimity of belief who have ended up on the defensive. However, the motivation of those who hold diverse opinions has always been subject to scrutiny. In putting forward differing
How a dispute can better the community Read More »
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