Jewish Religion

Jewish News Around San Diego, June 18, 2021

The Balboa Park-based San Diego History Center has embarked  on a $100,000 fundraising campaign “to edit, conserve and preserve” more than 90 hours of interviews that were conducted in preparation for its 2017-2018 exhibition Celebrate San Diego: The History of San Diego’s Jewish Community and a companion documentary film. To the Ends of the Earth: A Portrait of San Diego.  The fundraising campaign is being led by Jeff and Karen Silberman. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Torah portion for June 19, 2021: Chukat

The Pure Red Heifer, the Parah Adumah T’mimah which we read about in this week’s parasha, Chukat, opens the door to learning about a purification process that defies rational understanding. Burn a perfectly good cow without blemish and its ashes can make those who burn it imperfect, impure, while making the impure, the imperfect, pure and perfect. What a paradox! [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]

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Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell

Jewish Stories Are Everywhere — Especially in Books

It’s my joy to review for this publication many current books — especially memoirs, biographies, and novels — but occasionally when there are none left on the pile to review, I have the opportunity to tuck into older books recommended to me by friends and relatives who know that I love to find stories corroborating this publication’s mantra that “There is a Jewish story everywhere.” [Donald H. Harrison]

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

8-Month Prison Term for Defendant in Chabad of Poway Fraud Case

Stuart Weinstock, an Escondido businessman and former owner of Salsa Market in Vista, was sentenced in federal court Monday to eight months in custody for evading over $180,000 in taxes as part of an eight-year tax-evasion scheme with former Chabad of Poway Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein. [U.S. Attorney’s Office, San Diego]

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Jewish Religion, San Diego County, USA

Was Baruch Spinoza Wrong or Wholly or Partially Correct?

Since the average Jew and non-Jew in the seventeenth century believed in such things as the ever presence of God, a soul, the inerrancy of the Bible, faith rather than reason, the power of prayer, and the existence of helping angels, and since the Christians killed even their fellow religionists who rejected these notions, the Jewish officials excommunicated several Jews who held contrary views to protect the rest of the Jewish community from Christian outrage and death. One of these was Spinoza, who was excommunicated at age 24, in 1656. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]

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Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion

A Modern Look Into the Hebrew Bible

Tanakh, the all-inclusive Hebrew word for the Bible—Torah, Prophets, and Writings—holds many problems and puzzles: What does an infrequently used biblical Hebrew word actually mean? Does the Bible describe true historical fact, or just fantasy? What is the origin of particular prayers? Attorney and independent biblical researcher Mitchell First, in his newest book Links to Our Legacy, continues his mission to find lost meanings and correct inaccurate historical accountings. [Fred Reiss, Ed.D]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Fred Reiss, EdD, Jewish Religion

A Word of Torah: Korach, Rebel with the Wrong Cause

This week’s Torah portion is titled Korach, who was known as a very bad person who came from wonderful stock. Korach was a rebel. He accused Moses and Aaron of nepotism. Korach was an expert at making populist pronouncements while in fact he was an elitist. Korach was insincere. Korach ridiculed the Torah and its number one expert, Moses. [Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort]

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Jewish Religion, Yeruchem Eilfort-Rabbi

App Unveiled to Help Law Enforcement Be More Culturally Sensitive

San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan announced on Thursday the development of a new phone app to help members of law enforcement be more culturally sensitive when they have interactions with any of 12 ethnic and religious groups. The dozen groups include 1) African American Youth; Asian; Chaldean; East African/ Somali; East African/ Somali Youth; Karen/ Karenni (from Burma); Latinx Youth; Mexican and Mexican American; Muslim; Native Americans, Samoans, and Vietnamese. It was not deemed necessary to include Jews among the groups, but I think this was a mistake. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, San Diego County, USA