Rooted in Kabbalah, it is based on the belief that language itself is woven into creation and that hidden truths can emerge when letters are transformed. [Betzy Lynch]
‘Atbash’ is a kabbalistic tool for deeper linguistic exploration Read More »
Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors
Of the 6,274 antisemitic incidents recorded across the United States in 2025, 671 targeted synagogues specifically. The overwhelming majority (85%) were harassment, with verbal and written threats comprising the largest single category. But the threats were not only words: nine were physical assaults, two of which involved a deadly weapon. [Press Release]
Nationwide antisemitic incidents occur inside and outside synagogues Read More »
Antisemitism, Jewish Religion, Press Release, USA
The Hebrew language is gloriously rich in words for “poor person.” We’ve got dal, evyon, oni, rash — a whole thesaurus of poverty. Yet when the Torah lays down the laws about helping the poor, it refuses to use any of them. Instead, it keeps repeating one single word: achicha — “your brother.” [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]
Parsha Behar: Schnorrers are unsung MVPs of Jewish history Read More »
Business & Finance, Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, Staff and Bylined Contributors
We realized that if we truly wanted to reach students where they are at scale, we needed to rethink the entire model. So, we asked: what if, instead of waiting for students to come to us, we brought the experience directly to them? [Heidi Gantwerk]
Holocaust van will take education to students instead of vice versa Read More »
Heidi Gantwerk, Holocaust, International, Jewish History, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors
Jewish Americans established a critically important place in our nation’s history because of the strength of our democracy, which has ensured our voices and views are heard. [Halie Soifer]
Life cycle events make me reflect on how good it is to live openly as a Jew in America Read More »
International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Obituaries & memorials, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA
AJC San Diego has developed a set of mini-lessons about notable Jewish San Diegans throughout the city’s history. Click here to view the lessons, three of which are narrated by this publication’s publisher and editor, Donald H. Harrison. [Cailin Acosta]
AJC San Diego publishes resource for Jewish American History Month Read More »
Business & Finance, Cailin Acosta, California, Israel, Jewish Religion, Opinion, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food, USA
Rabbi Rimon told President Herzog. He added that, as someone engaged in the intersection of Torah and science, he is well-acquainted with the teachings of President Herzog’s grandfather, Rabbi Yitzhak HaLevi Herzog, who served as the first Chief Rabbi of Israel and previously as Chief Rabbi of Ireland. [Press Release]
Israel’s President Herzog promotes integration of science and Torah Read More »
Israel, Jewish Religion, Press Release, Science, Medicine, & Education
What was once a field of study is becoming a field of struggle, as a new guard of politically minded academics swaps the scholar’s mantle for an activist’s bullhorn. [Shlomo Dubnov]
‘The Elephant Stampede’ on Israel by UCSD Jewish Studies Read More »
Antisemitism, California, Israel, Jewish History, Opinion, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA
We live in a world that rarely stops. There’s always another email, another obligation, another goal. Even when we “rest,” we’re often scrolling, consuming, distracting ourselves. Stillness can feel uncomfortable. Slowing down can feel like falling behind. And over time, we begin to internalize a dangerous equation: I am what I produce. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D.]
Parshiot Behar & Bechukotai: Do you have that shmittah feeling? Read More »
Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Michael Mantell, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors
Morris explained that optimal hope allows people to continue striving even when success seems unlikely. Rather than being driven only by expectations of fulfillment, optimal hope is fueled by wishes, aspirations and determination. [Cailin Acosta]
Rabbi Leon Morris describes why the Jewish people have always remained hopeful Read More »
Antisemitism, Cailin Acosta, Israel, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined ContributorsWhat makes this book shine is its consistent structure: sharp questions on the text, insights drawn from Chazal, classical commentaries, and Chassidic thought (especially Chabad), followed by the powerful “Making It Relevant” section. These practical takeaways and reflective exercises are the book’s greatest gift—they transform passive reading into active spiritual growth, helping readers see the big picture of each week’s parsha as a roadmap for their own lives. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]
‘Making It Relevant’ aligns Torah with modern life Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Staff and Bylined ContributorsEven as overall incidents decreased, physical assaults increased by 4 percent, and incidents of assault involving a deadly weapon increased by 39-percent. Moreover, three people were murdered in antisemitic attacks this past year: two victims in the May 21, 2025, shooting outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., and one victim who died from injuries sustained in the June 1, 2025, firebombing attack at a “Run for Their Lives” event in Boulder, Colorado. [Press Release]
Although living in the southern kingdom of Judea, he felt called by God to prophesy in the northern Kingdom of Israel during a time of the latter country’s enormous prosperity and demeaning inequality (c. 760 BCE). (Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin)
‘Amos: The Genius of Prophetic Rhetoric’ is superb Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion, Staff and Bylined ContributorsHe approaches the Torah not as an infallible divine dictation but as a profoundly human document shaped by historical context, one that still radiates divine sparks and enduring ethical power. This perspective grants him the freedom to question, reinterpret, and reclaim troubling narratives that have challenged readers for generations. {Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel}
‘Torah Wrestling’ grapples with the Bible’s most troubling episodes Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Staff and Bylined Contributors