There are many disagreements about four ancient Jewish institutions: the Sanhedrin, the Men of the Great Assembly, the Pharisees, and the Sadducees. Put differently, no one knows the truth about these institutions, even though that for many Jews, the subject is profoundly important.
Four extinct Jewish institutions Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion
When Jordi was just ten years old, his grandfather said, “This is how we butcher a chicken,” as he demonstrated the kosher slaughtering method. Jordi’s grandfather thereby revealed that the family was Jewish, a startling surprise for a young boy in the 1990s living in Spain, whose family was ostensibly Roman Catholic like everybody else. This revelation, that they were Crypto-Jews (secret Jews), had a profound effect on Jordi, who eventually became the first rabbi in 500 years to be ordained in Spain.
New Mexico’s Crypto-Jews subject of informative tour Read More »
International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Steve Kramer, Travel and Food, USATradition mandates that Jews should read the biblical book Kohelet, also spelt Koheleth and Qohelet, called Ecclesiastes in English, during the holiday of Sukkot. Both the Hebrew and English names mean “collector” or “collection.” We do not know why this mandate was made. Some say that since Sukkot is a very happy holiday, we need the sober thoughts of Kohelet to modify our joy and make it more reasonable. The book was considered heretical by many ancient rabbis who wanted to exclude it from the Bible.
Difficulties, explanations regarding Kohelet Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion
In Genesis: 1:28 we are taught that God blessed mankind instructing it to, “… rule over the fish of the sea, the bird of the sky, and every living thing that moves on the earth.” At the Monterey Bay Aquarium, a visitor can conclude that the phrase “rule over” is interpreted to mean “do everything in your power to help all living creatures.” This becomes evident in light of the aquarium’s successful efforts to rescue otters, to teach about conservation, and to instruct children in the fascinating ways of marine life.
Aquarium teaches how good ‘rulers’ treat their subjects Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Science, Medicine, & Education, The World We Share, Travel and Food
Items in today’s column include
*State creates fund to protect at risk non-profit institutions such as synagogues
*What our children/ grandchildren are reading
*Jewish War Veterans to honor returning active duty service members
*Political bytes
*Coming Our Way
(To read more, please click on the headline.)
Our Shtetl San Diego County: October 11, 2019 Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Travel and Food
Israeli families, students and really everyone who has not left the country for vacation, takes to the streets by foot, bike or scooter. The whole country, every city and every street becomes a park. They begin walking around at sundown and do not stop until the next sundown. There are picnics, there are gangs of 10 year olds on bikes, there are gangs of girls on skates, there are toddlers in the middle of the street, there are skateboarders pulled by bikers, there are old men and young men, women and children, sitting on streets and corners and talking, enjoying each other’s company. They have no food, they have no drinks, there is no trash. It is just pure joy to be outside without having to go anywhere and without having to watch out for cars. (To read more, please click on the headline.)
Yom Kippur is very different in Israel Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle East, Sam LitvinLeviticus 23:40 states that the Israelites should take four species on the first day and “rejoice before the Lord your God seven days.” While the Hebrew words used for the four species are obscure, the Jewish Publication Society’s 1960 translation defines them as “the fruit of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook.” An apparently separate command in verse 42 states, “Ye shall dwell in booths seven days.” The first biblical description of the implementation of this command is in the biblical book Nehemiah. It is entirely different than the way the holiday is celebrated today. (To read more, please click on the headline.)
Origins of the Sukkot holiday Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion
From the moment we entered the city, I felt the presence of the Jews who are no longer there. I wondered about every Czech person we met (and they were all lovely). Where were their parents or grandparents during the Shoah? Did they help or hide any Jews, or did they stand along the sidewalks and cheer the Germans as they entered the city? I loved the magnificent architecture, taking my photo next to a statue of Franz Kafka, walking the picturesque streets, but my soul couldn’t escape the past. (To read more, please click on the headline.)
A Very Personal Trip to Prague Read More »
International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Toby Klein Greenwald, Travel and Food
This parasha more or less recapitulates Chapter 31, but in a poetic form recited “by Moses” before they are to cross the Jordan to enter the promised land. After the poem, prose text tells the assembled Israelites, that Moses will ascend Mount Nebo, overlook the promised land from the east, and die there. With a new curiosity for biblical poetry, I have explored its elements as expounded by Professor Emeritus Jeffrey Tigay of the University of Pennsylvania in his commentary on Deuteronomy, published by the Jewish Publication Society (1996). (To read more, please click on the headline.)
Notes on Torah Reading for October 12, 2019 Read More »
Irv Jacobs, MD, Jewish Religion
Items in today’s column include:
*Google service places inappropriate ads on our website
*Lineup for “Tapestry” on Nov. 17 announced
*Nikki Haley featured in L’Chaim Magazine
*Political bytes
*Twelfth Night at the Old Globe
*Coming Our Way
(To read more, please click on the headline.)
Our Shtetl San Diego County: October 10, 2019 Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA
This week’s parasha begins with “Listen, O heavens, and I will speak! And let the earth hear the words of my mouth!”
הַאֲזִינוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וַאֲדַבֵּרָה וְתִשְׁמַע הָאָרֶץ אִמְרֵי־פִי
The parasha immediately draws our attention to two key words, two essential capabilities, to key gifts, hearing and listening. To see that though, depends on two other facilities, vision and sight. Let’s understand this in the service of our striving to live a more fully engaged life, with more openness and receptivity to the world around us. (To read more, please click on the headline.)
D’var Torah for October 12, 2019 Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael MantellItems in today’s column include:
*Congressional effort underway to protect San Diego’s clean water supply
*Jewish Studies events at San Diego State University
*Dr. Seuss Enterprises to debut Green Eggs and Ham on Netflix
*Political bytes
*Rabbi, recalling R-E-S-P-E-C-T popularized by Aretha Franklin and Otis Redding, says society needs more
(To read more, please click on the headline.)
Our Shtetl San Diego County: October 9, 2019 Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & BroadcastIn my book Unusual Bible Interpretations: Jonah and Amos, I raised problem areas in the book of Jonah in my introduction and answered them in the pages that followed. Here are some but not all of the problem areas. (To read more, please click on the headline.)
Problems with Jonah that make us think Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion
Twelve year-old Numa Beron, a longtime Cedars-Sinai patient who has spent much of her life in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, recently celebrated her Bat Mitzvah, a coming of age party for Jewish girls, in the medical center chapel. Beron was born with lissencephaly, a degenerative brain malformation leaving her unable to stand or speak. (To read more, please click on the headline.)
Cedars-Sinai hosts bat mitzvah for intensive care patient Read More »
Jewish Religion, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA