Jewish History

Fourth Yahrzeit for Shimon Peres Observed

The Peres Center for Peace & Innovation on Tuesday hosted the first virtual ceremony of its kind, to commemorate the fourth anniversary since the passing of the Ninth President of the State of Israel, Shimon Peres. Participants in the ceremony, attended by  Peres’ three children — Tzvia, Yoni and Chemi —  included Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Hillary Clinton, Tony Blair, Prince Hassan of Jordan, Nicolas Sarkozy, Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame, singer Barbara Streisand and actress and producer Sharon Stone. They were joined by more than 100,000 schoolchildren from across Israel, many at schools proudly named in Peres’ memory. {Press Release from the Peres Center for Peace & Innovation]

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Jewish History, Middle East, Obituaries & memorials, Yoni Peres

RBG’s death prompts Jewish pride, sorrow

Back to work following the two-day observance of Rosh Hashanah, Jewish organizations are paying tribute to the life and legacy of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died at age 87 just before the High Holy Day. Among the tributes were the following: [Donald H. Harrison, “Our Shtetl San Diego County”]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Middle East, Obituaries & memorials, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Jewish Trivia Quiz: Ray Frank

Ray Frank was the great granddaughter of Rabbi Elijah ben Solomon, the renowned Gaon of Vilna. She actually organized the service that night in Spokane, Washington, as that community did not have a synagogue. She preached such a compelling message to the thousand attendees (Jews and non-Jews) about the importance of the Jewish community coming together and creating a congregation that a non-Jewish audience member stood up and offered the donation of a site for the Jewish community to build a synagogue. [Mark D. Zimmerman]

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Jewish History, Mark D. Zimmerman, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA

We must not let the Holocaust be ‘old news’

“Old news” is perhaps the most dismissive way an editor can reject a suggestion from a reporter, or an outside contributor, about an issue that the media outlet should tackle. San Diego Jewish World promises never to consider the Holocaust “old news,” whatever form that news may come, be it in recollections of still-surviving Holocaust victims; the efforts of second and third generation survivors to measure the Holocaust’s impact on their lives and those of their children; the novelists and playwrights who retell Holocaust stories; or the efforts of some in the academic world to minimize or distort the Holocaust. [Donald H. Harrison, ‘Our Shtetl San Diego County’]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Tracking the Fate of My Grandparents

“We don’t know anything about what happened to our (mutual) grandparents. Our parents never talked about them,” my American cousins told me when I visited them last year. The two sons of my mother’s brother, the late Dr. Kurt Hirsch, live comfortable lives in Virginia. Jack and Harry and their families maintain their connection with Israel and Judaism, and are loyal American citizens. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]

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Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Jewish History, Middle East, USA

Preserving Holocaust memory in the future

For years I have been predicting that all the Holocaust education, the museums, the books and the testimonies will not save Holocaust memory. I remember saying this at a recent lecture I gave and a teacher challenged me telling me we had a great Holocaust commission. Yes I answered, I served on it for nine years, was one of its original founders,and served as one of the editors of the curriculum. [Rabbi Bernhard H. Rosenberg]

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Bernhard H. Rosenberg-Rabbi, Jewish History, Jewish Religion

UAE, Bahrain, Israel and U.S. agree in peace ceremony

U.S. President Donald Trump is now engaged in two campaigns – one for reelection to the presidency, the other for the Nobel Peace Prize.On Tuesday, Sept. 15, the same day that a ceremony was held at the White House in which President Trump was joined by ranking ministers of Israel, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates to sign peace agreements known as the “Abraham Accords,” the White House Press Office issued a news release titled “Bahrain-Israel Deal Shows Why Trump Deserves Nobel Peace Prize.” [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Middle East, USA

Jewish pirates took revenge on Inquisition’s nations

You might get the idea from the title of this book that it is about a BBYO Group enjoying a favorite ride at Disneyland. However, it is far more serious than that. It tells about the war Jewish refugees waged against Portugal and Spain and their Grand Inquisitors. It also offers a hint concerning the dispute between Spain and Portugal over the true nationality of 16th century explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, USA

Wishes for the New Year

In a short while, we will be wishing one another Shanah Tova (have a good year), the Hebrew equivalent of Happy New Year. But the beginning of the Hebrew year is not only a time of joy. First and foremost, it is a time of reflection. This year, it seems especially pertinent to reflect on where we are, where we are going, and what we can do to make this year, and the years to follow, safer, happier, and better for ourselves, for our loved ones, and for all of humanity. [Michael Laitman, Ph.D]

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Jewish History, Jewish Religion

Fiction: Jewish perspectives on Niue

Boarding a comfortable but fast boat that would circumnavigate the South Pacific island of Niue, Noa and Esther were pleased with their earlier meeting with the country’s premier, who had promised his government’s cooperation as they explored the possibility of installing a desalination plant on the island.  However, he warned them that due to the atoll’s geography, rising as it did straight up from the Pacific Ocean, there were very few spaces for beaches or natural harbors. So, he said, finding a suitable location for a desalination plant might be very difficult indeed. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish Fiction, Jewish History, Middle East, San Diego County, Travel and Food, USA

We need a memorial for Jews who saved Jews and others

Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem honors non-Jews who chose to save Jews, even at the risk of their own lives. Yad Vashem does not honor, document or recognize Jews who saved other Jews during the Holocaust, even at the risk of their own lives. Honoring Jews who saved Jews was and is not part of its mandate. Were not their life-risking efforts worthy of memorialization? There is no memorial to Jews who saved Jews and others, in Israel, or anywhere. [Jerry Klinger]

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Jerry Klinger, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Obituaries & memorials, USA