The Wine Company Alessandro Lunardelli was founded in the Pasian di Prato region of Italy (the northeast corner) in 1968, with an annual production of around 100,000 bottles. Why is the Lunardelli Wine vineyards controversial within the Jewish community [Mark D. Zimmerman]
Jewish Trivia Quiz: Italian Wine Read More »
International, Jewish Religion, Mark D. Zimmerman, Trivia, Humor & Satire
The Jewish calendar is a lunisolar calendar because the Torah requires Passover to fall in “Hodesh Ha-Aviv,” the month of spring. If the Jewish calendar were not linked to the seasons, ruled by the Sun, the Jewish calendar would retrogress about 11 days a year, or one season every eight years. The calendar achieves this balance by adding thirty-day month 7 times every 19 years, a scheme learned during the Babylonian captivity and taught by the Greeks. Rosh Hashanah falls early or late every year compared to the secular calendar because these “make-up days” are sometimes added two years and sometimes three years apart, rather than annually. [Fred Reiss, Ed.D]
Some Little-Known Jewish Calendar Facts Read More »
Fred Reiss, EdD, Jewish History, Jewish Religion
The Greek philosopher Aristotle (384-322 BCE) wrote that humans are better than plants and animals because humans can think. He stressed that a person who does not think is no better than a plant or animal. The Jewish philosopher Maimonides (1138-1204) agreed but took one step further. He added that when the Bible states that God placed the image of God in humans, this image is the ability to think. The main benefit of reading is acquiring information about the world, how it functions, how humans behave, and how we can use this information to improve ourselves and society. [Rabbi Israel Drazin]
What Should We Read and Why? Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion, USA
By Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. Look for the “I” in the words happy, joy, glad, cheerful, and pleased and you obviously won’t find it. In this week’s Torah reading, we learn an important insight into this simple observation. There is a recurring theme in Re’eh regarding simcha, meaning happy or joyful. The Hebrew root of
Parashat Re’eh: Leave the ‘I’ and Enter the ‘We’ Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell
By Rabbi Israel Drazin BOCA RATON, Florida — Although virtually all readers of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer did not live or think as Tom, they enjoyed and still enjoy his adventures, Mark Twain’s sterling writing, his humor, and insights. The same applies to Levi Welton’s magnificent memoir, Be Like the Moon. Welton’s book does this
This Book is Better Than Mark Twain’s Tom Sawyer Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion, USA
(Press Release) OneTable, a national non-profit that empowers people (21-39ish) to find, share, and enjoy Shabbat dinners, today announced two new exciting features for Guests and Hosts to elevate hospitality at Shabbat dinner tables. The “guests +1” feature and “open your dinner, unlock $300 nourishment” options are immediately available through OneTable [onetable.org]. “We are excited
By Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. With half of the month of Av behind us, many of us are focused on the benefits the month of Elul and the High Holy Days present to us. How will we change for the better? How we improve ourselves and become better than we’ve been? Surely, we know that
Parashat Eikev: Self-Improvement Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell
By JD Krebs As Rosh Hashanah comes around the corner, Jews across the country are looking for ways to enhance the High Holiday experience. Fortunately, Jewish National Fund-USA’s Online Mitzvah Marketplace has a wide variety of Holiday gifts designed to make everyone’s Rosh Hashanah one to remember. Originally established by Jewish National Fund-USA during the
Jewish National Fund-USA’s Top Rosh Hashanah Gifts to Enhance the High Holidays Read More »
Israel, Jewish Religion, Middle East
By Teresa Konopka SAN DIEGO — When it comes to the topic of moschiach (messiah), there is no shortage of opinions. Some claim the messiah already came and is “coming back” one day to fulfill the entirety of messianic prophecies. Unfortunately, this is an unfalsifiable claim since it hinges on waiting for an undetermined point
Will the Real Moschiach Please Stand Up? Read More »
Jewish Religion, Opinion, Teresa_KonopkaBy Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. SAN DIEGO — Wow! Talk about a special Shabbat. First, this is Shabbat Nachamu, the Sabbath of Comfort, based on the first verse of the Haftarah reading that says, “Console, console my people, says your God.” This, of course, follows Tisha B’Av in which we deeply re-experienced a litany of
Parashat Va’etchanan-Shabbat Nachamu: Meaningful Relationships Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell
By Selwyn Isakow SAN DIEGO — This week we mark Tisha B’Av, the saddest day in the Jewish calendar. So many tragedies have happened to the Jewish people on this date – the 9th of Av, including the destruction of the First Temple of Jerusalem by the Greeks, and 656 years later the Romans destroyed
Tisha B’Av Reflections: Building a Better Future Read More »
Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Opinion, San Diego County
By Rabbi Israel Drazin BOCA RATON, Florida — I enjoyed The Old Testament and the Truth by S. Seth Haas. His book deserves five stars. I did not agree with all of Haas’s conclusions from his study of the Five Books of Moses. But this did not detract from my enjoyment. I found, as his
Obscure Items in the Bible Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish ReligionBy Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. This Shabbat, traditionally known as Shabbat Hazon, “Sabbath of Vision,” we begin reading the Book of Deuteronomy. This is the Shabbat directly before Tisha b’Av, beginning on Saturday night, August 6, a day of collective communal Jewish mourning. This day solemnizes some of the most overwhelming losses in our history
Parashat Devarim: Respecting All as Human Beings Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell
CARLSBAD, California (Press Release) — Temple Etz Rimon of Carlsbad hosted an open house event in the Ocean Hills Community of Oceanside. The gathering was a complete success. Prospective new members learned everything the Reform Congregation has to offer. Speaking at the event were Cantor Caitlin Bromberg, the Temple’s spiritual leader and Mary Weiss, the
Temple Etz Rimon of Carlsbad Hosts Open House for Prospective New Members Read More »
Jewish Religion, San Diego County