Jewish Religion

Jewish community raises $2 million for Covid-19 emergencies; more needed

Approximately $2 million has been raised for the San Diego Jewish Community Emergency Fund, created by the Jewish Community Foundation, the Leichtag Foundation, and the Jewish Federation of San Diego County, professionals of those three organizations noted Monday in a Zoom conference. However, more will be needed, according to Beth Sirull, the president and CEO of the Jewish Community Foundation. “The pandemic has the makings of a real humanitarian nightmare,” she said, noting that as people are thrown out of work, they are struggling to meet such basic needs as purchasing foods and medicines. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Judaism, Lifestyles, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Thinking of skipping your seder this year?

This year many will be sitting down to a seder table alone, or perhaps with another person with whom they share a home. People who have never conducted a seder themselves may find that they now need to. Even for those who are comfortable with utilizing technological devices on a holiday and open to the idea of a virtual seder via FaceTime or Zoom, the usual schmoozing, singing, learning, and eating among family and friends may be replaced by sitting alone at a table with a seder plate, a haggadah and a laptop computer. [Rabbi Ralph Dalin]

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Jewish Religion, Lifestyles

Surveying the passing scene

Let me start off with a kind offer from Sandy Scheller of Chula Vista who volunteers to sew cloth face masks at no charge like the one she is wearing at the right for people who contact her via her email. When she lived in Las Vegas, Sandy had a business called “Kosher Couture.” Those who take her up on her kind offer will have to arrange to pick up the masks.  Scheller also is the organizer of the year-long Project RUTH — Remember Us The Holocaust exhibit which is now shuttered, along with everything else, at the main branch of the Chula Vista Public Library.  So, sewing masks gives her desire to serve the community another beneficial outlet. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Cantor Sheldon Foster Merel, z"l, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, San Diego County

Three poems of Passovers past

Editor’s Note: Shirley Confino-Rehder is a certified interior designer who lectures on universal design and the Americans for Disabilities Act.  She resides in Norfolk, Virginia. Why This Night IS Different Than Any Other Night – 2010 As we start our Passover Seder, we wonder Why this Night is different than any other night… Once again we

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Jewish Religion

Havdalah moves west with San Diego connections

Those with Internet connections could watch the Havdalah ceremonies with San Diego connections move west on Saturday from Israel to New Jersey en route to San Diego.

In Israel, Cantor Hanan Leberman, who serves for specified holidays as a cantor at Tifeeth Israel Synagogue in San Diego, provided songs and traditional chants in the ceremony marking the end of the Sabbath and the beginning of the regular week.  As is customary, he drank wine, smelled spices, and watched the flames of the havdalah candle flicker shadows from his fingers to the palm of his hand. Hours later, in Vorhees, New Jersey, Cantor Alisa Pomerantz-Boro of that township’s Congregation Beth El, was accompanied by her daughter Rebecca as she marked the end of the Sabbath.  [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Trivia, Humor & Satire

Humans — and countries — always responsible for actions

The Mishnah discusses an interesting case concerning an individual assuming personal liability for damages that one inadvertently causes to another. The text reads: “A human being is always considered ‘forewarned’ and is responsible in all situations where he inadvertently or purposely caused damage to another—whether he was awake, or even if he was asleep. If someone blinded another person’s eye, or broke his vessels, he must pay full damages. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]

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International, Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi

A Word of Torah: Parashat Tzav

This is a very special Shabbos. It is so special, in fact, that it is designated Shabbat HaGadol – The Great Shabbos. This Shabbos is intrinsically connected with the holiday of Passover, which is in many ways considered the greatest of all the holidays. The story behind Shabbat HaGadol stretches back over 3,300 years ago. The Jews were still enslaved in Egypt despite the fact that the Egyptians had suffered through nine horrific plagues. Still, however, they obstinately held captive the Jewish people. The long-awaited redemption had begun, the suffering had decreased, yet the Jews were still not free. [Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort]

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Jewish Religion, Yeruchem Eilfort-Rabbi

Our special nuclear Pesach seder

We were stunned. A seder with just our nuclear family? What does that even look like? It was wonderful. The center of the focus was undeniably and only the children. “Vehigadta l’bincha. – And you shall tell [the Pesach story to] your son.” We finished early, as they fell asleep, and we sang all the lovely fun songs at the end of the Haggadah the next day, at lunch. [Toby Klein Greenwald]

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Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Toby Klein Greenwald

A call for a United Kehilla of San Diego

Albert Einstein once observed, “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution.” For several years I’ve been imagineering – well, truth be told, I’m always imagineering – but in particular, I’ve been prying into a vision of I’ve had of a “United Kehilla of San Diego.” Please, no eye rolling, just grow with this. I mean go with this. No, I categorically mean grow with this. I’ll explain. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]

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Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell, San Diego County