By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — So long as the Ultra-Orthodox rabbis in Israel act as though they are the only true Jewish leaders, I think rebuilding the Temple would only serve to divide and not unite the Jewish people. With a fractured Jewish polity, what good would rebuilding the Temple be if […]
On Tisha B’Av, let’s also remember R. Yohanan Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiFor the second year, ahead of Tisha B’Av, President Reuven Rivlin today (Thursday) hosted at his residence, a study session which brought together different streams of the Jewish community. The event, which focused on ‘Remembering Jerusalem’, was held by the President’s Office in partnership with the Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI). Tisha B’Av is a
President Rivlin marks Tisha B’Av with a study session at home Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle East
“We’ll Sing and Dance To the Sky, With Our Spirits So High” By Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. SAN DIEGO–With chaos, conflict and confusion so continually evident in our lives more and more, how can anyone find peace these days? “Shabbat can do that.” That’s the inspirational mantra Shabbat San Diego 2016 begins and ends its
Shabbat San Diego weekend set for Nov. 10-12 Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell, San Diego Calendar, San Diego CountyBy Rabbi Ben Kamin OCEANSIDE, California — When Khizr Khan, the brave and dignified Muslim father whose son, Capt. Humayun Khan, gave his life fighting for this country in Iraq, Mr. Khan challenged Donald Trump: “Have you ever even read the Constitution of the United States?” Khan said more in his grieving and passionate words
Khizr Khan also illuminated Hebrew Scripture Read More »
Jewish History, Jewish Religion, USAMinister of Education Naftali Bennet announced on Sunday this year’s winners of the Education Minister’s Prize for Jewish Culture in the field of literature: Haim Sabato and Sarah Friedland. The committee responsible for electing the winners wrote of Sabato: “His work […] reveals the world of the Sephardic traditions of Torah – in which sharpness
Winners of Jewish Culture Prize for literature announced Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish Religion, Middle EastHidden beneath the surface of Parshat Pinchas, the sages uncovered a story of great poignancy. Moses, having seen his sister and brother die, knew that his own time on earth was coming to a close. He prayed to God to appoint a successor: “May the Lord, God of the spirits of all mankind, appoint a
Moses’ disappointment Read More »
Jewish ReligionMembers of the burial society that arranged the funeral of former Minister Yosef (Tommy) Lapid, who died in 2008, revealed this week that they said a secret “Kaddish” prayer over his body, despite his son (now MK) Yair Lapid’s request that they not do so during the funeral. The Kaddish prayer is traditionally said over
The secret Kaddish for Tommy Lapid Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle EastForty years on and plenty of challenges remain Rabbi Sally Priesand, front and center, is honored with an aliya at the 2012 Central Conference of American Rabbis convention in Boston as she celebrates 40 years since her ordination as a rabbi, surrounded by other women rabbis. Photos courtesy Central Conference of American Rabbis Rabbis Mary
Women in the rabbinate Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, USATexas Senator Ted Cruz was turned away from the luxury suite of Jewish billionaire Sheldon Adelson after he refused to endorse Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in his speech at the Republican National Convention Wednesday night, Newsmax reports. A former U.S. senator quoted in the reported said that Cruz approached the suite after his speech.
Adelson snubs Cruz over his failure to endorse Trump Read More »
Jewish Religion, USARabbi Ratzon Arusi, the Rabbi of Kiryat Ono (near Tel Aviv) and an expert in Jewish law, weighed in yesterday (Monday) about the growing media storm over LGBT issues, calling for a more civil and substantive debate. The “LGBT issue” has come to the fore in Israeli discourse once again in recent days, following controversial
‘The homosexuals who came to consult me weren’t proud’ Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle EastThe Donald Trump campaign has found a new Rabbi. After Rabbi Haskel Lookstein – who’s been the subject of much recent controversy in Israel over the Rabbinical Court’s decision not to recognize his conversions – backed out of an engagement to deliver and “invocation”, or prayer, at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland tonight (Monday),
Trump campaign finds new Rabbi Read More »
Jewish Religion, USAA series of controversial proposals being weighed by the United Nation”s Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) have been shelved yet again, following the terror attack in southern France and attempted coup in Turkey over the weekend. The current UNESCO session, which was meeting in Istanbul, Turkey, was ended early following disruptions caused by the
UNESCO hearing on ‘offensive’ Temple Mount resolution delayed Read More »
Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle EastRabbi Haskel Lookstein, the rabbi who oversaw Ivanka Trump”s conversion to Judaism, has withdrawn from speaking at the Republican National Convention next week, JTA reported Friday. In a letter to members of his community, Lookstein wrote that he had accepted Ivanka Trump”s invitation to deliver an invocation at the convention “out of respect for her
‘Ivanka’s rabbi’ withdraws from Republican convention Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle East, USABy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — One of my favorite concepts in logic is the reductio ad absurdum (Latin: “reduction to the absurd”) argument, which is a logical method of argument that proves the falsity of a premise by following its implications to a logical but absurd conclusion. The latest news regards the nullification
Conversion by Rabbi Lookstein should be honored Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi