Va’etchanan By Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. SAN DIEGO — The first word of this week’s parasha, Va’etchanan, means “I pleaded.” Moshe pleaded with Hashem to see the Land of Israel. Hashem heard his pleas, and the answer? “No.” How many times do we plead, pray, even beg Hashem for an outcome and it doesn’t go […]
D’var Torah for Shabbat, August 17 Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell
Torah parsha “Va-Ethannan”-Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11 By Irv Jacobs LA JOLLA, California The most memorable passages in this parsha are the Ten Commandments, the classic epitome of Jewish contribution to Western civilization. But are the Commandments original? Do these famous lines have precedents in earlier ancient cultures? In fact, the ideas of the Commandments made an early appearance in
Notes on Torah reading for August 17, 2019 Read More »
Irv Jacobs, MD, Jewish Religion
Story by Donald H. Harrison; photos by Shor M. Masori SAN DIEGO — It was a venue of juxtaposition on Sunday, August 11. In Mission Bay, a dog rode on a paddle board, with it and its master somehow keeping their balance as the wake from a powerboat rocked the board on its course. Elsewhere,
Tisha b’Av observance focuses on refugee plight Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Shor M. Masori, USA
By H. Applebaum SAN DIEGO — Every time I move to a new city and join a synagogue, I ask the rabbi what he thinks about political talk in the synagogue. In my parents’ time, it wasn’t an issue. Being so close to the suffering Jews had experienced in Europe under a myriad of different political
Politics and religion ought not to be mixed Read More »
Jewish Religion, USA
By Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin BOCA RATON, Florida — Repentance as we know it today is not a biblical concept despite the thinking of many that the prophet Hosea talked about it. Hosea 14:2 states “Shuva Yisrael ad Hashem Elokekha,” “Return Israel to the Lord your God.” Actually, Hosea says in chapter 14 what he
To repent, Christian and Jewish styles Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish ReligionBy Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. SAN DIEGO — If leadership is as difficult and challenging as Moshe so eloquently recounts in his “farewell address,” looking back over the past 40 years as he does in Devarim, why would anyone ever want or accept a position of leadership? When you think back over your past 40 years
D’var Torah: Devarim Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael MantellBy Irvin Jacobs, MD LA JOLLA, California — This is an example of the current status among scholars on how the Torah text came to be, referencing an essay by Haaretz reporter Elan Gilad. He is a prolific writer, with degrees in philosophy/political science and Hebrew (Master’s level) from Tel Aviv University. Modern scholarship on
How academics have changed Torah understanding Read More »
Irv Jacobs, MD, Jewish ReligionBy Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin BOCA RATON, Florida — The general consensus is that the Hebrew Bible does not mention life after death or even hint that it exists. Yet books such as The Everyday Bible Commentary: Daniel” by John C. Whitcomb argue that the Book of Daniel does speak of life after death. Dr. Whitcomb’s
Does the Torah mention life after death? Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish History, Jewish ReligionBy Steve Kramer KFAR SAVA, Israel — There is concern today by many in Israel that some Israelis are unappreciative of their Jewish heritage. Author and journalist Shmuel Rosner has challenged this by suggesting a new paradigm for most of us, whom he calls, “Jewsraelis.” Since Israel’s independence in 1948, Israelis have changed radically. There
What is a ‘Jewsraeli’? Read More »
Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Steve Kramer
By Cantor Sheldon Foster Merel ENCINITAS, California — In the early 1930 s, visionary Cantor Reuven Rinder of San Francisco ‘s Temple Emanuel raised $ 10,000 to commission the world acclaimed composer, Ernest Bloch to write a setting with the Reform Jewish Sabbath Morning Prayer book of the `1930s. Bloch was already an acclaimed composer
Singing Ernest Bloch’s sacred songs was a thrill Read More »
Cantor Sheldon Foster Merel, z"l, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, USABy Rabbi Joshua Dorsch SAN DIEGO — This week we read the double portion of Matot and Masei. The Torah lists each individual stop that the Israelites made during their forty years of wandering in the desert. The text doesn’t tell us what happened at each one of those places, or if anything of any
Weekly Torah portion: Matot/ Masei Read More »
Jewish Religion
By Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin BOCA RATON, Florida — Donald H. Harrison’s book Schlepping and Schmoozing through San Diego County, Vol. 1 is enjoyable, really fun to read, as one can tell by the book’s title. He has been a journalist since 1962 and is an excellent writer. His articles are not only enjoyable, sometimes witty,
Rabbi in Florida enjoys learning about San Diego Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish History, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Travel and Food, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USABy Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin BOCA RATON, Florida — Relying on prayer and divine help in daily life and when problems arise and not following the wise advice of Maimonides to use one’s intelligence, study the laws of nature, and act according to these laws, laws created by God, can, and usually does result in
Waiting for divine help can result in tragedy Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion
SAN DIEGO — Rabbi/ Cantor Arlene Bernstein, currently serving as the acting senior rabbi of Congregation Beth Israel, will share the story of her journey first into the cantorate and later into the rabbinate at buffet dinner meeting at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, August 21, at the temple, 9001 Towne Centre Drive, San Diego. Cost for
What led Arlene Bernstein to be a cantor and a rabbi? Read More »
Jewish Religion, San Diego County