By Eric George Tauber LA JOLLA, California — Sunday’s Community Holocaust Commemoration had been planned for months, long before the terrorist attack on Chabad of Poway the day before. But it felt that much more important to be there. And I’m glad we got there early as the house was packed with a multi-generational crowd
Past was very present at Yom HaShoah Read More »
Eric George Tauber, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, San Diego County
LOS ANGELES (Press Release) — As death closed in on the Jews of the Warsaw Ghetto during World War II, some of those coping amid the wretched conditions affirmed life in an extraordinary way: They operated a clandestine medical school. By one estimate, as many as 500 students received some medical education through the school
Warsaw Ghetto secret medical school recalled Read More »
International, Jewish History, USA
He found ways to obtain U.S. visas for persecuted European Jews By Jerry Klinger BOYNTON BEACH, Florida — On April 26, President Donald Trump declared Holocaust Remembrance Week to culminate with Yom HaShoah, May 1-2. Ebie Wood is the president of the historical society of Pound Ridge, New York. Many months earlier, she and the
Pound Ridge, N.Y., marker celebrates Rescuer Halle Read More »
International, Jerry Klinger, Jewish History, USA
By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – A 25-minute documentary on the life of Holocaust Survivor Ruth Goldshmiedova Sax, who recently died at age 90, had its premiere Sunday night at Tifereth Israel Synagogue on a doubly sad occasion. It was Yom HaShoah, which is the annual date for memorializing victims of the Holocaust, and
Film on Holocaust Survivor ‘Ruthie’ Sax premieres Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Lawrence Baron, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
Editor’s Note: Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein of Chabad of Poway, back at his post after surgery attempted to save his index finger, described his experiences when a shooter came into his synagogue on Saturday, which was both Shabbat and the last day of Passover, and killed a dear friend, and wounded three other people, including the
Lori didn’t deserve to die! Moment of silence needed! Read More »
Jewish History, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, USABy Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin BOCA RATON, Florida –There are many interpretations of biblical event that people were taught to believe which are clearly untrue. The following are three examples. Adam lied to his wife resulting in a catastrophe Genesis 2:16-17 states that before Eve was created, “The Lord God commanded the man, saying: ‘You
Some common mistakes about Bible stories Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish History, Jewish Religion“We keep on being told that religion, whatever its imperfections, at least instills morality. On every side, there is conclusive evidence that the contrary is the case and that faith causes people to be more mean, more selfish, and perhaps above all, more stupid.”― Christopher Hitchens By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California —
Violence, fanaticism are the curse of many religions Read More »
International, Jewish History, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle East, USA
By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – In the American History Theater’s current production of The Diary of Anne Frank, some American theater history is being reprised. Back in 1959, Shelley Winters won an Oscar as best supporting actress for her performance as Mrs. Van Daan in the movie version of that play, which dramatized
Niece reprises Shelley Winters’ role in ‘Anne Frank’ Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USABy H. Applebaum SAN DIEGO — What do parents do if they are raising a Jewish child, yet have no resources at hand? The cause could be intermarriage, or living far from family or other Jews, or all of the above. When Jews leave traditional Jewish enclaves, and children come along, it presents a challenge.
PJ Library helps families seeking more Jewish context Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, USABy Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin BOCA RATON, Florida — The Torah says count weeks, but Jews count days. As I described in detail in my book Mysteries of Judaism, the ancient religious Jewish group Pharisees, who existed from about 320 BCE until 70 CE, and the rabbis who followed them changed all of the Jewish practices
Rabbis, not Torah, decreed counting days of the Omer Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish History, Jewish Religion
Streit’s Matzo and the American Dream by Michael Levine, © 2017 Menemsha Films, 83 minutes; available via Amazon. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – Those of us with Eastern European origins could visit Ellis Island where immigrants were processed, then go to New York’s Lower East Side to tour the Tenement Museum, which recreates
DVD Review: ‘Streit’s Matzo and the American Dream’ Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USABy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — The late Bernard Lewis, the great scholar of Islam, has written about how Muslims have adopted Christian anti-Semitism for their own polemics against Jews, Zionism and the State of Israel. A recent illustration of a notorious, persistent and lethal lie is provided by a video posted on YouTube last
Matzah and the blood libel Read More »
Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East
By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – A line formed after Eva Schloss, stepsister of Anne Frank, spoke recently at Chabad of Poway. When it was the turn of 15-year-old Bryn Williams to kneel next to the chair of the 90-year-old Schloss, they had a particularly animated discussion. Williams, a veteran of the Pickwick Players
Junior high girl prepares for Anne Frank role Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, San Diego Calendar, Theatre, Film & BroadcastBy Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin BOCA RATON, Florida — Many Jewish practices are not as old as people think and many had no religious significance when first introduced. We do not even know how or when most Jewish practices began and why they began. We can only guess. And in many instances our guesses reveal
Passover Haroset’s mysterious origin Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Travel and Food