By Donald H. Harrison OAKLAND, California – Generally when we think of the Bible and the heavens, we think of Genesis 1 which describes how God created the universe. However, here in Oakland, Genesis 29 also comes to mind. That is because the names of the two refractor telescopes at the Chabot Space and Science […]
The far- sighted Leah and Rachel Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Science, Medicine, & EducationBy Dan Bloom CHIAYI CITY, Taiwan — With the Paris climate talks concluded, and with most climate commentators agreeing that the COP21 ”agreement” still needs some fine-tuning and follow-up, things are looking good for the future of humanity. For Sarah Newman, a 50-something Jewish writer in Cincinnati, this is is also a time to start
Young adult cli-fi book hopes to shape values Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish Religion, The World We ShareBy Sheila Orysiek SAN DIEGO — Neil Folberg’s And I Shall Dwell Among Them: Historic Synagogues of the World, Aperture Book Publisher; 1st edition, September, 1995, is a very special treasure. Each of the almost two hundred large color photographs is an individual work of art about Judaism’s places of worship. Folberg brings expertise and
Photo book of synagogues deeply touching Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish History, Jewish ReligionBy Kenneth Bandler ROME — Rabbi David Rosen, AJC (American Jewish Committee) International Director of Interreligious Affairs, welcomed a new Vatican document on Catholic-Jewish relations at a Vatican press conference today on the 50th anniversary of Nostra Aetate. The document, “A Reflection on Theological Questions Pertaining to Catholic-Jewish Relations,” was issued by the Pontifical Commission for
AJC welcomes new Catholic statement on Jews Read More »
International, Jewish History
-34th in a series- Exit 10, College Avenue, San Diego ~ Beth Jacob Congregation By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO—Approaching Beth Jacob Congregation, the first thing most people notice is the unusual protrusion from the red roof. No matter what might have been intended by the architect, Synagogue Administrator Rand Levin says the story is told
I-8 Jewish Travel: Beth Jacob & the pomegranate Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Travel and Food
By Eric George Tauber SAN DIEGO — On January 14th, 1977, a great blizzard hit the northeastern United States. In Cincinnati, my brothers and I cheered it on, certain of school closures the following day. Little did I imagine that -on that very night, in a hospital in Long Island, New York- the great love
Jackie Kaufman Tauber, 1977-2015 Read More »
Eric George Tauber, Obituaries & memorials, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
SAN DIEGO–As the world celebrates the going and coming of another year, from 2015 to 2016, the occasion will be a bittersweet one for Tifereth Israel Synagogue’s former rebbetzin, Jeanne Gold, and her brother Shelly Weissbuch. It was another secular new year, in 1938, when Esther and her husband-to-be, Jule, were planning their own wedding for
Esther Weissbuch, 1915-2015 Read More »
Obituaries & memorialsBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — It isn’t every day I come across a theologically provocative news story headline like the New York Daily News did this morning in the terrible aftermath of the mass shooting that took place in San Bernardino, California—which claimed the lives of fourteen people, while injuring over
True, God can’t fix this; we must! Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, USALauder urges Hungary to defund statue of Nazi collaborator NEW YORK (WJC) — The president of the World Jewish Congress (WJC), Ronald S. Lauder, called on Hungary to stop the unveiling of a statue in honor of a Horthy-era government minister funded in large part by a grant from the Hungarian government. The life-size bronze
Never Again: Holocaust news for Dec. 3, 2015 Read More »
Jewish History
— 33rd in a series — Exit 10, College Avenue, San Diego ~ Mikvah Israel By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO—Susan Shapiro estimates that 200 women in San Diego County regularly go to a mikvah (ritual bath) every month to infuse their marriages with spirituality and passion. Of these, the mikvah attendant estimates, between 60
Mikvah Israel: Immersing oneself in Judaism Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, San Diego CountyThe Weekly Mitzva by Binyamin Tabory, Maggid Books, Jerusalem; ISBN 978-1-59264-435-24 ©2015, $24.95, p. 228 By Fred Reiss, Ed.D. WINCHESTER, California–A mitzva is a religious commandment. Traditional Judaism expects that each person will, to the best of his or her ability, fulfill in letter and spirit the 613 commandments identified in the Torah, the Five Books of
How to interpret, understand the mitzvot Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Fred Reiss, EdD, Jewish ReligionROSTOCK, Germany (WJC) — A 95-year-old German must stand trial for charges that he assisted in the murder of at least 3,681 people at Auschwitz-Birkenau during World War II, a judge ruled on Tuesday. The court in the northern German city of Rostock decided that Hubert Z. is fit to stand trial, noting that the defendant can be
Never Again: Holocaust news for Dec. 2, 2015 Read More »
International, Jewish History
By Ryan M. Greiss NEW YORK — The Jerusalem-based nonprofit Shavei Israel has launched a Portuguese-language e-book called “Do You Have Jewish Roots?” offering a practical guide to uncovering one’s Jewish ancestry. The unprecedented 109-page guide is aimed at assisting the millions of people in Brazil, Portugal and elsewhere who may have a long-lost Jewish lineage.
Helping Portuguese, Brazilians, others find Jewish roots Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion
MADRID, Spain (WJC) — King Felipe VI on Monday thanked Jews of Spanish origin who were expelled from the country in the wake of the March 1492 edict by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. “Dear Sephardim, thank you for your loyalty,” the king told representatives of Sephardic Jews from different countries, during a ceremony at the Royal
King Felipe VI thanks Sephardim for their loyalty Read More »
International, Jewish History