By Rabbi Michael Berk Times of San Diego SAN DIEGO — Lately I have taken umbrage at President Trump’s intrusion into an aspect of Jewish culture that is not well understood outside the Jewish community, and at the same time is a key to Jewish persistence throughout history. Since Jewish survival is a mystery, and […]
Note to President Trump: We Jews love to argue Read More »
Jewish Religion, USA
By Cantor Sheldon Foster Merel ENCINITAS, California — The distinguished Rabbi Richard N. Levy paid tribute to his colleague, Cantor William Sharlin in recognition of 30 years as originator and Director of the Department of Music at the Hebrew Union College in Los Angeles. “William, you taught me the difference between davening and singing, between
Biography recalls Cantor William Sharlin’s career Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Cantor Sheldon Foster Merel, z"l, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, USA
By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson TROYES, France — Several years ago I was told that I really ought to visit the French town of Troyes (pronounced ‘Trois,’ like the number three in French), since it is a charming medieval town. It is also the birthplace of Rashi, the great twelfth century commentator on the Bible and the
A visit to Rashi’s home town Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Jewish Religion
Parasha Re’eh Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. SAN DIEGO — This Shabbat, Rosh Chodesh Elul, begins the season of “cheshbon hanefesh,” a sacred task involving an “accounting of the soul.” It’s no coincidence, of course, that the parasha we read, Re’eh, begins: See (look), I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: the
D’var Torah for August 31, 2019 Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell
Re’Eh Deuteronomy Chapters 11:26-16:17 By Irv Jacobs, M.D. LA JOLLA, California — This parsha focuses on blessings and curses, in anticipation of behavior after entering the promised land. I have chosen a few passages, clashing with, or at least puzzling to, modern sentiments. I. Deuteronomy, Ch. 12: vv. 2-3 Moses commands, “You must destroy all
Notes on Torah reading for August 31, 2018 Read More »
Irv Jacobs, MD, Jewish Religion
By Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin BOCA RATON, Florida — Professor Chaim Waxman, a prominent and highly respected sociologist of contemporary Orthodoxy, has made a superb assessment of the history, development, and current and future situation of Orthodoxy in his relatively short but comprehensive 178-page book, Social Change and Halakhic Evolution in American Orthodoxy, with 48
Orthodox Jewry Is Changing Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish History, Jewish Religion
By Caroline Kirk MARRAKECH, Morocco — This country’s belief in the strength of pluralism has energized me and shown me that difference can serve as a strength for any country, whether it is religious or secular, large or small, developed or developing. I was told that there are spiritual answers to the question, “Why Morocco?”—every
In Morocco difference is a strength Read More »
International, Jewish Religion, Science, Medicine, & Education, Travel and Food
By Rabbi Benj Fried Times of San Diego SAN DIEGO — A Times of San Diego article portrayed the major leaders and clergy in the San Diego Jewish community as passively mum in the face of President Trump’s anti-Semitic portrayals of Jewish Democrats as disloyal and vicious attacks on Congresswomen Tlaib and Omar. The article
When should rabbis address political issues? Read More »
Jewish Religion, San Diego County, USA
By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — It might surprise most people to know that ecological themes form an important part of the Torah and Tanakh. For example: Genesis begins with an important ecological truth: “The LORD God then took the man and settled him in the garden of Eden, to cultivate and
Massive tree planting program may save planet Read More »
International, Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle East, The World We Share, USABy Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin BOCA RATON, Florida — It is basic psychology that people cannot understand a subject unless they understand its opposite. In fact, this was the first lesson I learnt at Johns Hopkins in my first psychology class. Peter Kamara’s Ancient Roman Mythology contains a description of a Roman creation myth. It is
Comparing the biblical and Roman creation stories Read More »
International, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion
By Moshe Dann The Jerusalem Post JERUSALEM — The last “book” of Torah, Devarim (words), is also called Deuteronomy because it contains many laws especially relevant to the conquering and settlement of Eretz Yisrael (Land of Israel) that were not presented in the first four books. It reflects the transition from the end of one
Deuteronomy: The Book of Jewish Sovereignty Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle East
Nachmanides: An Unusual Thinker by Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin, Geffen Publishing House (c) 2018, ISBN 9789652-298874. By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — One of the most interesting books I have read in years is Rabbi Israel Drazin’s excellent primer on the Ramban, entitled, Nachmanides An Unusual Thinker about a brilliant rabbinic scholar
The Ramban vs. Maimonides in theological debate Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi
By Rabbi Joshua Dorsch SAN DIEGO — In our Torah portion this week, Eikev, we read about what traditional rabbis consider to be the biblical origin of Birkhat HaMazan, the traditional blessing that can be recited after a meal. The Torah teaches us that we should “eat and be satisfied, and bless the Lord our
This week’s Torah portion: Eikev Read More »
Jewish Religion
On October 21, 1961, I finished my bar mitzvah speech at Judea Center Synagogue in Brooklyn, thanking my parents for raising me as a Jew. Six months later, I interrupted our family’s Shabbat candle lighting to announce that I was finished with religion. [Michael Ginsberg]
Temple Shalom of Louisville: A love story Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Ginsberg, USA