By Alex Gordon HAIFA, Israel — “Kleptomania” in Greek is a morbid craving for theft, “kleptocracy” is the power of thieves, “kleptopatria” is the theft of the homeland, the taking away of the country from people born and raised in it, whose ancestors have lived in it for generations, people brought up on its culture,
Burden of High Expectations, or Kleptopatria: That Was in Kiev Read More »
Alex Gordon, International, Jewish History
The San Diego Zoo is known as one of the world’s premier institutions for the conservation of endangered wildlife species. Along with its sister San Diego Safari Park, located in the San Pasqual Valley, the San Diego Zoo is considered one of the best, if not the very best, zoos in the world. Of particular Jewish interest is the fact that the San Diego Zoo has served as a big brother to the Tisch Family Zoo in Jerusalem, which also is known as the Jerusalem Zoo. Many of the exhibits in Jerusalem are modeled on those in San Diego and both zoos have received generous financial contributions from San Diegans. {Donald H. Harrison]
A Jewish Tour of Balboa Park Read More »
California, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USA
Some will call Stan Andrews a hero because he fought and gave his life for Israel during that country’s War of Independence. Others will call him a fool because he lusted after combat with the same recklessness that he pursued and casually bedded women. The truth lies somewhere in between the two assessments. Through meticulous research, the authors pieced together a complex portrait of a young man who was an accomplished writer, portraitist, and pilot. [Donald H. Harrison]
Stan Andrews: A Foolish Hero? Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Middle East, USA
Since the team’s induction into Major League Baseball in 1969 until 2021, the Padres counted 11 players and two coaches on its rosters who had at least one Jewish parent. In 2022, Bob Melvin became the team’s first manager with a Jewish parent. [Donald H. Harrison]
Before Melvin, Padres had 11 players, 2 coaches with at least one Jewish parent Read More »
AAA-Writers and photographers, Books, Poetry & Short Stories, California, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Celebrities, Jewish History, San Diego County, Sports & Competitions, Travel and Food, USA
By Jerry Klinger I had heard bits and pieces growing up about the infamously fabled killer, Jack the Ripper. Ghoulish murders and murder mysteries were never of particular interest to me especially when they involved horrific mutilations of the victims. The subject matter was just plain unpleasant to contemplate. Yet, always in the back of
Jews and Jack the Ripper Read More »
International, Jerry Klinger, Jewish History
The Mexican artist Frida Kahlo (1907-1954) is the subject of several murals at Chicano Park. Modern genealogists say that she was the daughter of a mother of mixed indigenous and Spanish descent, Mathilde Calderon y Gonzalez, and a German Lutheran father, Guillermo Kahlo. However, Frida herself always insisted that her father, who was an important influence on both her life and her art, was actually Jewish. [Donald H. Harrison]
Frida Kahlo Loved Jews So Much She Invented Jewish Ancestry Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, California, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Lifestyles, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Travel and Food, USA
By Jacob Kamaras Times of San Diego LA JOLLA, California — By finding at least one Jewish story at every exit from the Mexican border to Old Town San Diego, veteran journalist Donald H. Harrison’s book Schlepping and Schmoozing Along the Interstate 5 transforms the West Coast’s main north-south highway into a treasure trove of
New Book Stops ‘Exit by Exit’ Along I-5 to Recount Jewish Experience in San Diego Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jacob Kamaras, Jewish History, San Diego County
The “christening” ceremony featured a principal ceremonial address by Milk’s nephew, Stuart Milk, as well as remarks by Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro; Vice Admiral Jeffrey Hughes, deputy chief of naval operations for warfighting development; and Rear Adm. Michael Wettlaufer, commander of the Military Sealift Command. Sponsors of the ship were U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who had served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors with Milk, and Paula Neira, clinical program director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Transgender Health. Neira shattered a bottle of sparkling wine across the ship’s bow in a time-honored Navy tradition. [Donald H. Harrison]
Assassinated Gay Jewish Political Leader Harvey Milk Is Honored by the U.S. Navy Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, California, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Celebrities, Jewish History, San Diego County, Travel and Food, USA
By Dorian de Wind The Moderate Voice AUSTIN, Texas — Reminiscing about a 2015 visit to the Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial, in Margraten, I wrote, “Walking among the more than 8,000 white marble crosses and Star of David headstones laid out in long, silent curves across the pristine verdant lawn, we could not be
Jewish World War II Heroes Finally Rest Under the Star of David Read More »
Dorian de Wind, International, Jewish History, USA
By Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin BOCA RATON, Florida — Dr. Emily Michelson, senior lecturer in history at the University of St. Andrews, describes the over two and a half centuries when the Roman Catholic Church in Rome, Italy, forced Rome’s Jews to attend weekly hostile sermons. The Church’s aim was to convert the Jews to
Centuries of Despicable Behavior Against Jews Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish History
By Jerry Klinger The words together will offend someone, perhaps more than just one someone. The Holocaust was a horror that converted millions of Jews into mincemeat. Operation Mincemeat was an impossibly successful British military operation that saved at least a million Jews from being exterminated. April 24, in Hackney, London, a black polished historical
Operation Mincemeat and the Holocaust Read More »
Holocaust, International, Jerry Klinger, Jewish History
By Jerry Klinger Though elected by a very distinct, minority of the American people, Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated as the 16th President of the United States, March 4, 1861. The population of the country was just north of 31 million. The country consisted of 33 individual states forged into a common, increasingly tenuous union since
Cancel Abraham Lincoln? Read More »
Jerry Klinger, Jewish History, USA
By Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin BOCA RATON, Florida — Professor Abraham A. Sion — author of the interesting, significant, and eye-opening book “To Whom Was The Promised Land Promised?” — knows the subject of the Israeli and Arab claims to the land of Israel better than most people. He served as deputy state attorney for
To Whom Was the Promised Land Promised? Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish History, Middle East
By Jerry Klinger HUTCHINSON ISLAND, Florida — The Florida Coast Oceanographic Center is located on picturesque Hutchinson Island between the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian River. It is the home of the Florida Oceanographic Society, whose mission is to “inspire environmental stewardship of Florida’s coastal ecosystems through education, research, and advocacy.” The environment of tomorrow
A Simple Paver, Jews, the Environment, and Oceanography Read More »
Jerry Klinger, Jewish History, USA