Before being herded onto separate trains, the couple made a vow that they would meet each other back in the main square in Kaunas whenever they should be liberated. [Donald H. Harrison]
Couple’s Post-Holocaust Reunification Story Has Emotional Impact Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Holocaust, International, Jewish History
This book tells an amazing, true story about the Judean date palm that was thought to be extinct but was brought back to life thanks to two women scientists. [Donald H. Harrison]
The Miracle of the 2,000-Year-Old Date Seeds Brought Back to Life Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Israel, Jewish History, Science, Medicine, & Education
By Alex Gordon HAIFA, Israel — On June 28, 1914, the Serb student Gavrila Princip assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, in Sarajevo. A month later, the Austro-Hungarian Empire declared war on Serbia for the act of one Serb. The guilt of one person was shifted to the Serbian
The History of Insanity Read More »
Alex Gordon, International, Jewish History, Opinion
Published by DPA The story of the Sassoons, a family whose history spans centuries and nations, is now on show at New York’s Jewish Museum. The new exhibition follows four generations, from Iraq to India, China and England, showing their role in trade, art collecting, architectural patronage and civic engagement through more than 120 objects
Sassoon Family History on Display in New York’s Jewish Museum Read More »
Jewish History
By Sarah Ogince (JNS) “Cursed is Hitler, cursed is Mussolini … Blessed is Roosevelt, blessed is Churchill.” With these words, the Moroccan scribe Prosper Hassine concluded his account of World War II and the Holocaust. The story was familiar, but what made Hassine’s work unique was its style: Written on a long parchment scroll, it
How Jews Made Purim Personal Read More »
Holocaust, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, USABy Alex Gordon HAIFA, Israel — The struggle for equal rights for Jews began with the writings of the philosopher and educator Moses Mendelssohn. In his book Jerusalem (1783) he described his version of Jewish life: one must be a Jew who observes the commandments and an enlightened German; Jews are a cultural, religious, but
Felix Mendelssohn’s Dream Read More »
Alex Gordon, International, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Opinion
This work seems comprehensive, yet it is introductory. It covers five important aspects of Judaism – its history, its teaching, its practices, its calendar, and its lifecycles – and yet no single volume could teach all there is to teach about any one of these aspects, much less all of them. [Donald H. Harrison]
Jewish Knowledge Book Provides Broad Introduction to Judaism Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Jewish ReligionBy Alex Gordon HAIFA, Israel — The ideology of antisemitism is not dying, it is changing forms somewhat, but the imagination of the ideologues does not go far enough. It uses the experience accumulated by the technologists of the witch trials. Blaming the Jews of the Diaspora for the creation and policies of the state
The New Life of the ‘Protocols of the Elders of Zion: The Rudolf Slansky Trial Read More »
Alex Gordon, International, Israel, Jewish History, Opinion
An Israeli-American of close acquaintance, upon hearing that former U.S. President Jimmy Carter had entered hospice, commented that he “never liked that guy, he was an antisemite.” He noted that Carter helped propagate the lie that Israel is an apartheid state, even though Arabs have entered the highest levels of government and industry alongside their Jewish neighbors in Israel. Nevertheless, as we look back over his career, I think that we should be more charitable toward Carter, not forgetting his invaluable contributions as a mediator at Camp David, bringing about the peace between Israel and Egypt. [Donald H. Harrison]
B’Shalom: Jimmy Carter, Rose Schindler, U.S. Senate Aspirants, Gregory Peck Read More »
California, Donald H. Harrison, Holocaust, Israel, Jewish History, Opinion, USA
The very fact that we Jews can gather today is because of Rose Schindler and those like her. Our standing here is a testament to just how durable she was, and how resilient Jewish civilization is. Rose could record her story and tell it over and over again because she survived it. And we can tell it today because we’re still here. [Rabbi Mathew Marko]
Holocaust Survivor Rose Schindler, 93, Laid to Rest Read More »
California, Holocaust, International, Jewish History, Obituaries & memorials, USABy Alex Gordon HAIFA, Israel — Karl Marx grew a beard that emphasized his resemblance to Zeus from an ancient statue from the fourth century B.C., a scaled-down copy of which he kept in his office. Marx, an ardent atheist, thought he was God. In spite of his divine ambitions, Marx was a supporter of
Karl Marx: The Philosophy of Liberation From Jewishness Read More »
Alex Gordon, International, Jewish History, Opinion
Ronald Gruner, who spent his working career as a CEO of three different tech companies (Alliant Computer; Shareholder.com; and Sky.Analytics), is a lay historian deeply interested in economic policy and outcomes. His book, analyzing the presidencies of the 17 U.S. Presidents from Warren G. Harding to Donald J. Trump, focuses largely on issues like unemployment, interest rates, and inflation. But along the way he also makes mention of significant geopolitical events that occurred during those presidencies. I will leave it to economists to determine the value of Gruner’s economic analyses. They are beyond my depth. What I did take notice of was how often our fellow Jews, and issues of direct relevance to the Jewish community, cropped up in the book. [Donald H. Harrison]
Many Jews Receive Mentions in Brief History of 17 US Presidents Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Israel, Jewish History, Middle East, USA
The visit of First Lady Dr. Jill Biden to San Diego on Friday, Feb. 3 and Saturday, Feb. 4 highlighted three members of the American Jewish community: Sara Jacobs, Gabrielle Giffords, and Steven A. Cohen. [Donald H. Harrison]
3 Jews Had Roles in First Lady Jill Biden’s San Diego Visit Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, San Diego County, USABy Alex Gordon HAIFA, Israel — In August 1912, in Neue Rundschau, Stephan Zweig analyzed the work of notable new writers who had appeared in German literature: “Apart from Thomas Mann, certainly the one with the greatest hope of creating a truly German novel, two writers, Heinrich Mann and Jacob Wasserman have already shown with
Jacob Wasserman: The Story of Unrequited Love Read More »
Alex Gordon, Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Jewish History