By Sheldon Foster Merel ENCINITAS, California — Three years ago, Claire Weiner, a resident at Seacrest Village, decided to start a creative activity for women to use their hands, eyes, and brains. By chance, she met Arlene Schapnick , the Director of the North County Knitting Guild, and learned about its program to […]
Spinning yarns for Seacrest Village’s sukkah Read More »
Cantor Sheldon Foster Merel, z"l, Jewish Religion, San Diego CountyBy Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York — A primary part of the celebration of the Sukkot holiday is the practice of holding and shaking the lulav and etrog. The lulav consists of three parts–branches from the palm tree, the willow, and the myrtle. The etrog is a citrus fruit similar in appearance to a lemon.
Jewish trivia quiz: ‘Etrog Wars’ Read More »
Jewish Religion, Mark D. Zimmerman, Trivia, Humor & Satire
SAN DIEGO (Press Release)– For several years in San Diego and across the globe for one weekend, Jews in 1500 cities in 97 countries have come together to experience a personally meaningful Shabbat, build community connections and be a part of the worldwide pride, identity and solidarity. This year, the Shabbat San Diego leadership team
Week- long ‘Jewish Xperience’ planned Oct. 21-27 Read More »
Jewish Religion, San Diego CalendarBy Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, NEW YORK — In 1998, Rabbi Shalom Greenberg and his wife Dina moved to Shanghai, China where they established the Shanghai Jewish Center under Chabad auspices. Since then the rabbi has overseen the growth of the local Jewish community and catered to the needs of visiting Jewish travelers, business people and students.
Jewish trivia quiz: Shanghai Sukkot Read More »
Jewish Religion, Mark D. Zimmerman, Trivia, Humor & Satire
By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – In an irony of modern history, the marauding, barbaric, and pillaging destroyers of culture who came to be known collectively as ISIS inadvertently may have shed light on the story behind a shrine to the biblical Jonah as well as upon an ancient king of Assyria. Such
Jonah tomb destruction leads to Esarhaddan Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle East, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
By Toby Klein Greenwald EFRAT, Israel — More than twelve years ago, a friend of mine, Myra Gutterman, came to me with a creative new idea. She had decided to record and transcribe the experiences of balaniot (mikva attendants) and of women who use the mikva (ritual bath), to be performed as a show
Playwright tells story behind ‘Mikva’ Musical Read More »
Jewish Religion, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Toby Klein Greenwald
By Judy Lash Balint JERUSALEM — Ben Gurion Airport closed at 1 p.m today and won’t reopen until three hours after the end of Yom Kippur tomorrow night. Public transportation all over Israel grinds to a halt by 2:30 p.m. In the streets later in the day, men hurry along with towels to the nearest mikveh
The sights of Yom Kippur in Israel Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle East
SAN DIEGO (SDJW)– For many youngsters the bar/bat mitzvah age is 13. However, for Ruth Goldschmiedova Sax, that was not possible. She was 13 when she was forcibly taken to a concentration camp by the Nazis. She would survive that one and two others before the Holocaust was over. On Saturday, at age 90, Sax
Survivor, on her bat mitzvah, offers 13 tips for life Read More »
Jewish Religion, USAClick here to hear Cantor Merel’s chanting of Kol Nidre By Cantor Sheldon Merel SAN DIEGO — On the evening of Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), the holiest day of the Jewish year, Jews around the world gather in their synagogues to hear the chanting of Kol Nidre (all vows) The ark is opened at the beginning
Kol Nidre is not a prayer Read More »
Cantor Sheldon Foster Merel, z"l, Jewish History, Jewish ReligionAnne Frank Center releases open letter to Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg “We understand it’s not easy keeping 2 billion members happy, much less shouldering the weight for all the nasty things they might say to one another. We genuinely appreciate all the good social media can accomplish: the personal connections, the charity drives, the human compassion,
Editor’s E-Mail Box: September 12, 2018 (4 items) Read More »
Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, USABy Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York — The recitation of the Unetaneh Tokef prayer is one of the central liturgical moments of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services. The prayer speaks to one of the major themes of the holidays–“Who shall live and who shall die. Who shall perish by water and who by fire. Who shall
Jewish trivia quiz: Unetaneh Tokef Read More »
Jewish Religion, Mark D. Zimmerman, Trivia, Humor & SatireBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — The good news – according to a poll published in Ha’aretz on the Eve of Rosh Hashanah – is that 54% of all Israelis believe in God and another 21% believe that we’re governed by a Higher Power. The bad news is that, as a result, 37% don’t believe
How religious are Israeli Jews? Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle EastComing Home: Living in the Land of Israel in Jewish Tradition and Thought by Rabbi Dov Lipman, Gefen Publishing House, Jerusalem, © 2018, ISBN 978-9652299369, p. 141, $14.95. By Fred Reiss, Ed.D. WINCHESTER, California – Dov Lipman, author of Coming Home, has selected a propitious time for publishing a book about the historical and emotional ties
Israel in global Jewish tradition and thought Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Fred Reiss, EdD, Jewish ReligionBy Stanley Tiger SAN DIEGO — The following is a touching story about two great minds – one, a Jewish atheist respectfully confronting a religious Jew. Their reflections are in keeping with the solemnity of Rosh Hashana. The old friends and collaborators unexpectedly met while in Washington, D.C.. Nobel physicist, Richard Feynman (1918 – 1988)
Science v. Religion, a.k.a Feynman v. Wouk Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish Religion, Science, Medicine, & Education