Rabbi Yaakov Marks SAN DIEGO — Have you ever been in a situation where there seemed to be no positive ending and maybe things got even worse than you thought they could and then your “luck” changed and you have this sense of liberty and you wanted to scream out thank you!? The Talmud brings four […]
Weekly Torah portion: Tzav Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO — A commentary on a verse from this week’s parasha reminds me of how synagogues often conduct their budgeting process. In parashat Tzav we read: “And the flesh of his thanksgiving sacrifice of well-being shall be eaten on the day that it is offered; none of it shall be
Faith vs. reality in the budgeting process Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Arkady Mamaysky TARRYTOWN, New York — The word “soul” is repeated in many different situations by the adherents of various religions. But God has not given us the capacity to fully understand what a soul is. Most religious people believe that humans are not just physical and biological creatures. What makes us love or
Some reflections on the soul Read More »
Arkady Mamaysky, Jewish Religion
Story by Donald H. Harrison; Photos by Shor Masori SAN DIEGO – They fractured the lyrics of numerous popular American songs, and twisted the tale in the Book of Esther to fit those lyrics, but nobody objected. In fact, the audience loved it. It was the annual Purimshpiel on Wednesday evening, March 23, at
Annual shpiel twists plot, lyrics in Purim fun Read More »
David Ogul, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Shor M. Masori
God and Politics in Esther, 2nd Edition, by Yoram Hazony; Cambridge University Press; (2015); ISBN-10: 1107583454; $18.27 on Amazon. Rating ***** out of 5 Stars. By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Yoram Hazony’s exposition of the Book of Esther is priceless. In my Judaism 101 class, everyone read a little bit from God
God needs worthy people as partners for His miracles Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi
By Donald H. Harrison LAFAYETTE, California – It has been a quarter century since Rabbi Roberto D. Graetz came to this Northern California community after serving as a rabbi in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. But the soon-to-retire senior rabbi of Temple Isaiah has remained intimately involved in Latin America as a
Anachnu: Rabbi Roberto D. Graetz Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Jewish ReligionBy Rabbi Ben Kamin OCEANSIDE, California — Purim, or “Lots,”—a woman’s heroic story based in historical facts—begins Wednesday evening, March 23. The Scroll will be merrily read, recounting the rescue of the Persian Jews in 357 BCE from genocide. It should be noted that God is neither mentioned nor quoted anywhere in the text. God
When God is silent, Jews find a proxy such as Esther Read More »
Jewish History, Jewish ReligionBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — The news on Saturday night and Sunday was of a suicide bombing in Istanbul, with three Israeli tourists among the dead. Some will see a political irony in the death of an Iranian, as well. It’s not clear whether the presence of an Israeli tour group prompted the attack, whether
Suffering is not what makes Jews unique Read More »
International, Ira Sharkansky, Jewish History, Middle EastBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — Not all Zionist pioneers came to Eretz Yisrael to till the soil as a way of building a new society where Jews would be like all other nations. There were those who came in the belief that only in the Land of Israel could Judaism be renewed. It was
Zionist dream of renovating Judaism unrealized Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle EastBy Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO –When the singer Madonna, who is a disciple of the Kabbalah Center, decided that she wanted a Hebrew name, I found it ironic that she chose “Esther.” Esther is not a Hebrew name. Megillat Esther, the Scroll of Esther in the Bible, informs us that Esther’s Hebrew name was
Distinction between Jew and non-Jew is permeable Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Rabbi Yaakov Marks SAN DIEGO — The momentous occasion had arrived. After months of dedicated and selfless work, the Mishkan (the portable tabernacle) was completed and assembled. Moshe and all the people stood in awe and trepidation as they watched G-d’s glory descend and rest upon the Mishkan. The nation rejoiced, viewing this as a
Weekly Torah portion: Vayikra Read More »
Jewish Religion
The Passover Surprise by Janet Ruth Heller; illustrations by Ronald Kauffman; © 2015; Fictive Press; ISBN 978-1-927663-17-1; 35 pages including glossary and discussion drive. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO –A lot of ground is covered in this story for middle schoolers. It begins with a pre-teenage girl, Lisa, competing with her younger brother, Jon,
‘The Passover Surprise’ is brief yet topic rich Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, USABy Joe Spier CALGARY, Alberta, Canada — In Quentin Tarantino’s World War II revenge film the Inglourious Basterds, a team of Jewish American soldiers wreaks panic and havoc on the Third Reich in German-occupied France by killing as many Nazi soldiers as possible. They do so with relish, one nicknamed “The Bear Jew,” with a baseball
The story of 3 Troop, 10 Commando Read More »
International, Jewish HistoryBy Steve Kramer ALFE MENASHE, Israel — The words we use are important, especially when explaining a situation or making an argument. Evidently, Israelis haven’t read Lewis Carroll’s “Through the Looking-Glass.” It was Humpty Dumpty who said, “When I use a word, it means just what I choose it to mean – neither more nor
Why the world should say ‘Judea’ and ‘Samaria’ Read More »
Jewish History, Middle East, Steve Kramer