By Rabbi Jeffrey Lipschultz ROCK ISLAND, Illinois — As Passover approaches many Jews go into spring-cleaning mode. Getting rid of chametz (food made from wheat and its crumbs) turns into actions such as changing over all of our everyday pots and dishes for special Passover ones, or making them kosher for Passover. Many of us […]
Ridding ourselves of spiritual chametz Read More »
Jewish Religion
You may know her as Amy Fowler from The Big Bang Theory television, or as Blossom Russo, the titular character from the mid-90″s sitcom Blossom. Mayim Bialik has played dozens of roles in television and film in a career that stretches back nearly 30 years. In that sense, Bialik is very much at home in
Bialik: Tough to be Shomer Shabbat in Hollywood Read More »
Jewish Religion, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
In preparation for the upcoming Passover holiday, President Reuven Rivlin on Sunday carried out the ritual selling of the chametz (leavened foods that are forbidden on the Jewish holiday) with Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem Rabbi Shlomo Amar. In the brief ceremony, the President appointed Rabbi Amar to act as an emissary of the President
Rivlin sells chametz to Chief Rabbi Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle EastBy Hillary Clinton/JNS.org I didn’t grow up celebrating Pesach. But over the years, I’ve attended seders where I was inspired by the remarkable story told in the haggadah—a tale of a people who, sustained by fortitude and faith, escaped slavery and reached their freedom. As Jewish people around the world prepare for this festival, I wanted
Hillary Clinton: Lessons I’ve learned from Passover Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle East, USABy Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO — Each year before Pesach, members of my congregation ask me to sell their chametz to a non-Jew for the duration of the holiday. The chametz is repurchased after Pesach, but during the festival it is not in its original owner’s possession. This sale allows us to fulfill the mitzvah of
Words for Pesach: ‘chametz’ & ‘moat chittim’ Read More »
Jewish ReligionMistakes Happen – Failure is Chosen By Rabbi Yaakov Marks SAN DIEGO — The Metzora was a person who was so involved in gossip and tale-bearing that even after several types of divine warnings he refused to give up or sometimes even recognize his immoral behavior. Some people even considered their inappropriate behavior to be virtuous.
Weekly Torah portion: Metzora Read More »
Jewish ReligionThe Brussels Jewish community’s Passover celebrations will go on as usual this year but with a few additional guests — namely security guards, police officers and heavily armed soldiers. Security measures at Jewish sites in the country will be heightened during the Passover holiday in light of lingering security concerns following last month’s terror attacks
Elijah to face armed guards outside Brussels seders Read More »
International, Jewish ReligionAMSTERDAM (dpa) – The Protestant Church in the Netherlands on Monday distanced itself from the anti-Semitic writings of the German reformer Martin Luther (1483-1546), calling some of his statements “disgusting and objectionable.” In its declaration, the Church condemned for instance Luther’s 1543 pamphlet On the Jews and their Lies (Von den Juden und ihren Luegen),
Dutch Protestants denounce Luther’s anti- Semitism Read More »
International, Jewish ReligionSage Advice: Pirkei Avot Translation and Commentary by Irving (Yitz) Greenberg; Maggid Books, New Milford, Connecticut; ISBN 978-1-59264-444-5 ©2016, $24.95, p. 336 plus index By Fred Reiss, Ed.D. WINCHESTER, California — Pirkei Avot, literally meaning “Chapters of the Fathers,” but often translated as “Ethics of the Fathers,” is part of the Talmud, the written form
‘Sage Advice’ unlocks some Pirkei Avot mysteries Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Fred Reiss, EdD, Jewish ReligionBy Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO — On Wednesday I had the honor of teaching our sixth and seventh grade Ratner Torah School classes. In the sixth grade class we studied one of the original sources for the Passover Seder in the Mishna and learned that the majority of rabbis did not consider eating charoset
All the mitzvot are for our sake, not for God’s Read More »
Jewish ReligionLook at It! No! Look at Him! By Rabbi Yaakov Marks SAN DIEGO — Tzoraas is a misunderstood phenomenon. The Torah describes it as various discolorations that can happen to clothing, houses, or a person’s body. A trained Cohen examined the object or person and depending on the shade of the color, placement, and several
Weekly Torah portion: Tazriah Read More »
Jewish Religion
Muslim rioters attacked a group of dozens of Jewish worshipers at the tomb of the Biblical Jewish patriarch Joseph in Shechem, during a pilgrimage to the site. Israeli Border Police forces and IDF Kfir Brigade soldiers accompanied 20 busloads of Jewish worshipers to the holy site last night. Under the Oslo Accords and other agreements
Arabs riot as Jews make pilgrimage to Joseph’s Tomb Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle East
The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem by Sarit Yishai-Levi St. Martin’s Press, 2016; ISBN 978-1-250-07816-2; 372 pages; $25.99 By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO– The heart rules supreme, or at least it should have, in this novel covering four generations of Ladino-speaking Israelis. Next time that you try to forbid a son or a daughter from
Marriage choice should be “right” not “in” nor “out” Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion
Dr. Susannah Heschel said century of studies led to interfaith harmony Dr. Susannah Heschel said Jewish scholars’ admiration for Islam enhanced their own connection to Judaism. Photos by Debra Rubin Heschel speaks to attendees at her program, “Jewish Scholars and the Study of Islam.” At a time when both Jews and Muslims faced discrimination in
Scholars enhanced Islamic- Jewish relations Read More »
International, Jewish Religion, Middle East