© Oliver B. Pollak RICHMOND, California — Kippot are among the dozen or so things I have mindlessly acquired over the years. Orthodox Jews cover their heads in public and in worship as a sign of humility before God. Conservative Jews and increasingly Reform Jews cover their heads in synagogues and temples. We acquire skullcaps, […]
Keeping the kippot Read More »
Jewish Religion, Oliver Pollak
Beyond the Instant by Rabbi Mark Wildes; Skyhorse Publishing © 2018; 141 pages. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – I read this book with great enthusiasm, possibly because I agreed with almost everything Rabbi Mark Wildes writes about such subjects as happiness, love, sex, success, blaming, taking charge of one’s life, understanding one’s place
A Jewish guidebook for life’s big questions Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish ReligionBy Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. SAN DIEGO — King Solomon wrote in Proverbs 24:17, “Though a righteous person may fall seven times, he will arise.” In more contemporary words, “Winners are not people who never fail, but people who never quit.” Does this mean that when you fall you just get up again and keep going?
Psychology and benefits of prayer Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release) – Rabbi Dr. Meir Soloveichik, Orthodox rabbi and spiritual leader of the oldest Jewish congregation in the U.S., is the 2018 Canterbury Medalist for his public defense of religious liberty for people of all faiths. The Canterbury Medal, Becket’s highest honor, recognizes an individual who has demonstrated courage and commitment to
Medal for Shearith Israel rabbi Read More »
Jewish Religion, USABy Eileen Wingard SAN DIEGO — A world premiere will be featured at Tifereth Israel Community Orchestra’s concerts Saturday evening, April 7, 8:30 p.m. and Tuesday, April 10, 7:30 p.m. at Tifereth Israel Synagogue. Unetane Tokef by composer John Michael Luther, will feature the East County Mormon Chorale and shofar soloist, Steven Ovitsky. Ovitsky, who recorded Hugo Weisgall’s
World premiere of ‘Unetane Tokef’ April 7, 10 Read More »
Eileen Wingard, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual ArtsBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — The phrase, סלח לעווננו כי רב הוא in one of the Jewish penitential prayers is normally translated as, “Forgive us our iniquity for it is great.” However, with a little mischief it can also be rendered, “Forgive us our iniquity for he is a rabbi.” This second version seems
Save Israel from its chief rabbis Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle EastBy Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. SAN DIEGO — A Jewish young man was seeing a psychologist for an eating and sleeping disorder. “I am so obsessed with my mother… As soon as I go to sleep, I start dreaming, and everyone in my dream turns into my mother. I wake up in such a state, all
To Life, To Life, L’Chaim Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell, Travel and FoodBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Anyone who really knows the Bible, probably knows that it is a book that is full of sexual themes—from one end of Tanakh to the other. Lot sleeps with his daughters; Reuben’s affair with his stepmother Bilhah, and the biblical version of Romeo and Juliet are
By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Children have an unusual ability when it comes to confronting our spiritual hypocrisy as parents and as adults; very often they get to the essence of the problem as they perceive things. Frequently, as parents we often fail to hear the questions our young people ask
The best question of the Pesach seder Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Ben Kamin OCEANSIDE, California — A bittersweet irony it is that the freedom festival of Passover arrives just prior to the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and one day before the rebirth of hope for our Christian neighbors—Easter Sunday, We all come to our April festivals this
Passover 2018, Easter, and MLK’s murder Read More »
International, Jewish Religion, Middle East, USA
By Stanley Tiger SAN DIEGO — There are two main sources of Jewish information – the Torah and Chinese fortune cookies (which were invented, as the legend goes, by a Jewish baker working his way across China. The crisp shell of the cookie was a reminder of matzo while at the same time he had lottery
Moses, Messages and Matzo Read More »
Jewish Religion, Trivia, Humor & SatireBy Joel H. Cohen NEW YORK — The first Orthodox Jewish member of the U.S, Senate, Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, who ran for U.S. Vice President in 2000, has just published a book of philosophical essays related to counting the Omer. The book, With Liberty and Justice: The Fifty Day From Egypt to Sinai, (Maggid/OU Press),
As VP, he would have been on call 24/6? Read More »
Jewish Religion, Joel H. Cohen, USA
By Judy Lash Balint JERUSALEM — What’s it like to be in Israel where, according to a 2017 Jewish People Policy Institute survey, 97% of Israeli Jews host or participate in a Passover Seder? If you’ve never heard an Arab calling out “alter zachen” (‘old things’) in Yiddish, then you’ve never experienced pre-Passover preparations
Israel gets ready for Passover Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle EastBy Mark D Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York — In RASHI, RAMBAM and HAGGADAH-LAMADINGDONG: A Quiz Haggadah of Jewish Trivia Facts & Fun, there is a question about unusual Haggadot that have been published in recent years, including Ina Gada Haggadah, Haggadah for Jews & Buddhists, and The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County Haggadah. Since the publication of that question,
Jewish trivia quiz: New Haggadot Read More »
Jewish Religion, Mark D. Zimmerman, Trivia, Humor & Satire