By Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO — On Tuesday I had one of my Community Jewish High classes participate in a provocative discussion. We began by reading the first chapter of the Joseph story from the Torah. In Genesis 28 we learn that Joseph “tattled” on his brothers, shared with them his dreams of one […]
Judah taught us how to reconcile Read More »
Jewish Religion
By Ben Cohen/JNS.org In the coming days, there will be much reflection on the life and legacy of Nelson Mandela, following the former South African president’s passing on Dec. 5. And in the coming weeks, we can anticipate a febrile exchange over his true views on Israel and the Middle East. We shouldn’t underestimate the
Nelson Mandela and Zionism Read More »
Jewish Religion
By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — One of the famous and most important questions asked about Hanukkah reads: What is Hanukkah? [i.e., “Why do we celebrate Hanukkah?”]. The question strikes a modern reader as odd. Surely, the Jews must have known about the holiday’s significance for several centuries! On the surface, one
What historic sources say about Chanukah Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi
By Donald H. Harrison CHULA VISTA, California — Temple Beth Shalom celebrated the fifth night of Chanukah Dec. 1 in both ancient and modern style. “Chanukah” is a Hebrew word meaning “dedication” as when the Maccabees rededicated the ancient Temple in Jerusalem in 167 BCE after it had been defiled by the Syrian
Rapping through Chanukah Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, San Diego CountyBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — I often get asked the questions, “What is the symbolism of the dreidel? What exactly is its origin?” The dreidel is a four cornered top that was popular in the medieval era and originally used for gambling. Jewish folklore purports that when the Syrians prohibited the
Symbolism of the dreidel and other Chanukah lore Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi
By Rabbi Ben Kamin ENCINITAS, California — The good-natured jostling about the uncommon calendar convergence this fall of Hanukkah and Thanksgiving leaves one with the taste of emotional leftovers. The Festival of Lights deserves more than being hyphenated every year with another holiday. Its themes and narrative are more powerful and redemptive than the commercial
Chanukah is not about turkey or tinsel Read More »
Jewish Religion
By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — The title of the lecture, ‘An Ode to Salonika: the Ladino Verses of Boueno Sarfatty,’ was not particularly enticing, but I decided to go along anyway. In the event, I was taken by surprise and completely captivated by the erudition, mental agility and linguistic ability of the speaker,
In remembrance of a heroine of Salonika Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Jewish HistoryBy Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO–On Wednesday evening I was among 1,000 Jewish men who were privileged to hear former Israeli Ambassador to the United States, Michael Oren, speak at the annual UJF Men’s Event. Among other comments, Ambassador Oren said that today there are two great centers of Jewish life: Israel and North America.
Israel and the Diaspora: Jewish concepts are changing Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — In his Torahmusings, R. Gill Student cites an endorsement of R. Steinsaltz’s translation from R. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb. His comments are especially important for anyone interested in the science of translation as it pertains to the translation of the Talmud: Every translation is to some extent a
Two digital versions of the Talmud compete Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi
Hitler’s Furies: German Women in the Nazi Killing Fields by Wendy Lower, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, NY’ ISBN 978-0-547-86338-2©2012, $26, p. 270, including index By Fred Reiss, Ed.D. WINCHESTER, California — That Hitler and the Nazi Party succeeded in killing more than twelve million “undesirables,” including six million Jews, hinges as much on the technology available
Book studies women murderers in the Holocaust Read More »
Fred Reiss, EdD, Jewish HistoryBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — This past week, I went to the local sushi bar for some Nova Scotia sushi rolls. While I was there, I noticed the large screen television featuring a bout that took place at Wrestlemania. Despite some of the usual shtick, the bad guy won fair and
Man doesn’t find spiritual connection by intellect alone Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO — In the early years of his life the patriarch, Jacob, was not a paragon of virtue. He came out of Rebecca’s womb hanging on to the heel of his older twin, Esau. He tried, in vain, to keep Esau from becoming the first born. A few years later,
Who did Jacob fight throughout the night? Read More »
Jewish ReligionNEW YORK (Press Release)– The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) expressed disappointment that George W. Bush has decided to move ahead with plans to speak at a fundraising event in Texas for an evangelical group that aims to convert Jews to Christianity. The former president is scheduled to speak on November 14 at a fundraiser for the
ADL ‘disappointed’ Bush to address ‘Messianic Jews’ Read More »
Jewish ReligionNEW YORK (Press Release) — Bonhams will offer two extraordinarily rare 1790 newspaper clippings in the inaugural Judaica sale on December 10, documenting President George Washington’s visit to the Touro Synagogue in Newport, RI, the oldest surviving Jewish Synagogue building in North America (est. $80,000-100,000). The experience would inspire Washington’s famous quote, “To bigotry no
George Washington’s Touro press clippings up for auction Read More »
Jewish History