The history of our people is strewn with agony. But the period between the Cyrus Declaration, in 539 BCE, and the beginning of the Hasmonean revolt, in 166 BCE, was relatively a quiet one and marked by a great achievement: being a role model of unity for the nations, even if briefly. [Michael Laitman, Ph.D]
Jewish Unity and Antisemitism, Part VI Read More »
Jewish History
I’m so proud of President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Cabinet Secretaries Alejandro Mayorkas and Xavier Becerra, San Diego County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher, our city’s Mayor Todd Gloria, the folks at Jewish Family Service, and San Diego Jewish World’s own contributor Mimi Pollack. [Donald H. Harrison]
Proud of the U.S. and local response to migrant children Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Mimi Pollack, San Diego County, USA
Jewish Programming via Internet of interest to lay and academic audiences [Laurie Baron, Ph.D]
Streaming Jewish Programs (March 28-April 6, 2021) Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Lawrence Baron, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USA
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the March of the Living will be hosting multiple virtual events and programs to commemorate Yom HaShoah- Holocaust Remembrance Day. View the promo video https://youtu.be/akdIQv9M9dk to learn more about this year’s theme and how we will be place memorial plaques on the train tracks leading into Auschwitz-Birkenau. [March of the Living news release]
Virtual March of the Living Set for April 8 Read More »
International, Jewish History, Marcia Tatz Wollner, San Diego County, USA
Almost all of the Dead Sea Scrolls that have been found to date are housed in the Shrine of the Book at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. How did Israel obtain a number of the Dead Sea Scrolls? [Mark D. Zimmerman]
Jewish Trivia Quiz: Dead Sea Scrolls Read More »
Jewish History, Mark D. Zimmerman, Middle East, Trivia, Humor & Satire
Rabbi Samuel ben Meir, known as Rashbam (c. 1085–c. 1158), a grandson of Rashi, was the author of a superbly rational commentary on the Bible and Talmud. Rashbam wrote in his commentary on Genesis 1:5 that the biblical day began at daybreak. The Torah states in Genesis 1 that God performed certain acts of creation on the first day; then there was evening and then morning when the first day ended, and God began new activities in the morning of the second day. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
Biblical days started at daybreak not sunset Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish History, Jewish Religion
The March 21, 2021 edition of Israel’s good news includes the following highlihts:
• With half the population fully vaccinated, Israel’s Covid-19 infection rates have plummeted.
• The UK benefits from two more Israeli medical innovations.
• Many Israeli activities for Good Deeds Day – the country where it began 14 years ago.
• Israeli-designed Instagram Lite is rolled out to 170 countries.
• Israelis enjoy newly opened parks, restaurants, entertainment and sporting events.
• Kosovo opens its Jerusalem embassy.
• 1900-year-old Jewish relics discovered in Dead Sea cave. [Michael Ordman]
Good News from Israel (March 21, 2021) Read More »
Business & Finance, International, Jewish History, Michael Ordman, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USA
Ambassador Raphael Morav did not plan to move to Israel; his parents brought him there when he was still in primary school. He did not plan to become a diplomat, he simply saw a listing for jobs, took a test, and got in. He never planned on becoming the Ambassador of Israel to Ethiopia, but that is the position that opened up at the time and he applied. Lastly, Ambassador Morav never planned on completely changing Ethiopian Jewish life nor perceptions of Jews in Addis Ababa. But that is what he did, with calm and persistence and his usual kind demeanor. [Sam Litvin]
Israel’s Envoy Seen as ‘Modern Moses’ in Ethiopia Read More »
International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Sam Litvin
So many of the Holocaust survivors who I grew up with have passed away. They were all so important to me and they conveyed a special feeling that no others could. To the second and third generation I seek to offer this comfort: [Rabbi Dr. Bernhard Rosenberg]
From One 2nd Generation Survivor to Others Read More »
Bernhard H. Rosenberg-Rabbi, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles
Two months into our “cruise” (sans spas and umbrella drinks), it’s January 1985, when we start planning for a battlegroup-wide Passover seder for thirty when we discovered the ship’s supply system was ill-equipped for the task. [Jeff Goldfinger]
The Case of the Missing Matzoh Read More »
Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, USA
Not many Jews today recall a 19th century Jewish leader who wrote a booklet that inspired young Jews to move to the Land of Israel. The man at first believed passionately in assimilation as an answer for Jews and later, due to what he saw as rising anti-Semitism advocated a new idea, what eventually became known as Zionism. He himself met with notables all over Europe to advance his plans. The booklet made an impact and led to his chairing a movement that convened a groundbreaking convention of Jews who came from all over Europe to speak about practical ways to spark a mass Return to Zion. [Moshe Phillips]
A Bicentennial to Mark Modern Zionism Read More »
International, Jewish History, Middle East
Initially, the event on Sunday, March 14, was advertised by the Tifereth Israel Synagogue Men’s Club as a lox and bagel brunch, during which members could gather by Zoom and discuss how the coronavirus pandemic affected them, and what they look most forward to when it is over. Members were invited to drive to the synagogue’s parking lot, where a boxed lox n’ bagel meal would be waiting for them. As my wife Nancy had some errands to run in the neighborhood of the synagogue, she volunteered to pick up the boxed brunch. Inside of the box were two individual fruit pies — one apple, another cherry — in addition to the advertised lox, bagels and cream cheese. How come? “It’s pi day,” explained Bram Rubinstein, a Men’s Club member. [Donald H. Harrison]
In San Diego, it was lox, bagel and ‘pi’ day Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Travel and Food, USAWhen Israelis were exiled, they were sent to Babylon, from which Abraham had previously come. There, in Babylon, they dispersed and assimilated until once again, a great hater of Jews arose and sought to destroy them: the arch-antisemite known as Wicked Haman. [Michael Laitman, PhD]
Jewish Unity and Antisemitism, Part V Read More »
Jewish History, Jewish Religion
Earlier this week, an unidentified resident advisor at South Campus Plaza North, a large dormitory serving hundreds of students at San Diego State University, found scrawled on the exterior of the building three swastikas and coded messages often associated with white supremacist philosophy. She immediately got some poster board to cover the offensive messaging, and drew hearts upon the poster board along with the message “Spread Love.” After campus police were called to the scene and photographs taken of the offending material as part of an ongoing investigation, the antisemitic message was eliminated. [Donald H. Harrison]
Antisemitic graffiti riles SDSU Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education