Jewish Religion

Lag Ba’Omer bonfires caused Thursday’s major wildfires

Lag Ba’Omer fires may have sparked the massive blazes in Emek HaArazim, Ramot, and Jerusalem’s Romema neighborhood the Fire Department announced Monday. A campfire in Emek HaArazim, near Ramot, probably started the blaze as Lag Ba’Omer festivities ended, spreading due to northwest winds at approximately 12:05 pm Thursday, the Investigative Department of the Jerusalem Fire […]

Lag Ba’Omer bonfires caused Thursday’s major wildfires Read More »

Jewish Religion, Middle East

Autistic teen celebrates Bar Mitzvah in special ceremony

A unique celebration took place at the Yeshivat Hesder Meir Harel in Modi’in Thursday, on Lag Ba’Omer: a special needs boy celebrated his Bar Mitzvah. The Bar Mitzvah boy, an autistic teen, was the first to celebrate the milestone since the inception of the Bar Mitzvah program Shahak LeBnei Mitzvah eight years ago, complete with

Autistic teen celebrates Bar Mitzvah in special ceremony Read More »

Jewish Religion, Middle East

Internet surprise: I’m quoted by a Christian philosopher

By Sheila Orysiek SAN DIEGO–Every once in a while it is interesting to type one’s name into Google and see what comes up.  It almost never fails to be amusing and upon occasion perplexing as well.   On one such recent excursion I came across an item which caught my eye: “Moral Issues and Christian Responses:

Internet surprise: I’m quoted by a Christian philosopher Read More »

Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish Religion

‘Creation’s First Light’ introduces Torah, spirituality

Creation’s First Light by Sandy Eisenberg Sasso, illustrated by Joani Rothenberg; © 2013 IBJ Book Publishing; ISBN 978-10934922-94-1; 32 pages. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – This might be subtitled “A Child’s Guide to Torah and Spirituality.”  Rabbi Sasso begins with a paraphrase of God’s first command, “Let There Be Light” and subsequently explains

‘Creation’s First Light’ introduces Torah, spirituality Read More »

Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion

Liberal Judaism, complexity science, and Israel

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Two friends, who I am sure do not know one another, have provoked this column with issues dealing with what appear to be different matters. One worries about the weakness of Liberal Judaism in Israel. Another sent me an item about “complexity science.” The topics link to one another. The “findings”

Liberal Judaism, complexity science, and Israel Read More »

Jewish Religion, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

I-8 Jewish Travel: Flames of love and destruction

-57th in a Series- Exit 27, Dunbar Lane, Harbison Canyon, California By Donald H. Harrison HARBISON CANYON, California – In this small community in the back country of San Diego County, the 4Ms of the Stroh family—Marty, Melissa, Mason and Max—are known for keeping the flame of Judaism burning bright inside their home, and for

I-8 Jewish Travel: Flames of love and destruction Read More »

Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Travel and Food

Jewish Orthodoxy and the modern world

Torah and Western Thought: Intellectual Portraits of Orthodoxy and Modernity by Rabbi Dr. Meir Y. Soloveichik, Dr. Stuart W. Halpern, and Rabbi Shlomo Zuckier, editors, Magid Books, New Milford, Connecticut;  ISBN 978-1-59264-436-0©2015, $29.95, p. 313, plus index and appendix By Fred Reiss, Ed.D.   WINCHESTER, California–Over its nearly 5,000 years of existence, Judaism has struggled with

Jewish Orthodoxy and the modern world Read More »

Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Fred Reiss, EdD, Jewish Religion

Character Day 2016 will be September 22

SAN FRANCISCO, California (Press Release)– Building on the global success and momentum of Character Day 2015, in which hundreds of thousands participated and viewed the films The Making of a Mensch and The Adaptable Mind, Emmy-nominated filmmaker Tiffany Shlain’s nonprofit Let it Ripple this year will broaden the initiative’s reach that uses film and discussion

Character Day 2016 will be September 22 Read More »

Jewish Religion, The World We Share, USA