By Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — The phrase, סלח לעווננו כי רב הוא in one of the Jewish penitential prayers is normally translated as, “Forgive us our iniquity for it is great.” However, with a little mischief it can also be rendered, “Forgive us our iniquity for he is a rabbi.” This second version seems […]
Save Israel from its chief rabbis Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle EastBy Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. SAN DIEGO — A Jewish young man was seeing a psychologist for an eating and sleeping disorder. “I am so obsessed with my mother… As soon as I go to sleep, I start dreaming, and everyone in my dream turns into my mother. I wake up in such a state, all
To Life, To Life, L’Chaim Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell, Travel and FoodBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Anyone who really knows the Bible, probably knows that it is a book that is full of sexual themes—from one end of Tanakh to the other. Lot sleeps with his daughters; Reuben’s affair with his stepmother Bilhah, and the biblical version of Romeo and Juliet are
By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Children have an unusual ability when it comes to confronting our spiritual hypocrisy as parents and as adults; very often they get to the essence of the problem as they perceive things. Frequently, as parents we often fail to hear the questions our young people ask
The best question of the Pesach seder Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Ben Kamin OCEANSIDE, California — A bittersweet irony it is that the freedom festival of Passover arrives just prior to the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and one day before the rebirth of hope for our Christian neighbors—Easter Sunday, We all come to our April festivals this
Passover 2018, Easter, and MLK’s murder Read More »
International, Jewish Religion, Middle East, USA
By Stanley Tiger SAN DIEGO — There are two main sources of Jewish information – the Torah and Chinese fortune cookies (which were invented, as the legend goes, by a Jewish baker working his way across China. The crisp shell of the cookie was a reminder of matzo while at the same time he had lottery
Moses, Messages and Matzo Read More »
Jewish Religion, Trivia, Humor & SatireBy Joel H. Cohen NEW YORK — The first Orthodox Jewish member of the U.S, Senate, Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, who ran for U.S. Vice President in 2000, has just published a book of philosophical essays related to counting the Omer. The book, With Liberty and Justice: The Fifty Day From Egypt to Sinai, (Maggid/OU Press),
As VP, he would have been on call 24/6? Read More »
Jewish Religion, Joel H. Cohen, USA
By Judy Lash Balint JERUSALEM — What’s it like to be in Israel where, according to a 2017 Jewish People Policy Institute survey, 97% of Israeli Jews host or participate in a Passover Seder? If you’ve never heard an Arab calling out “alter zachen” (‘old things’) in Yiddish, then you’ve never experienced pre-Passover preparations
Israel gets ready for Passover Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle EastBy Mark D Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York — In RASHI, RAMBAM and HAGGADAH-LAMADINGDONG: A Quiz Haggadah of Jewish Trivia Facts & Fun, there is a question about unusual Haggadot that have been published in recent years, including Ina Gada Haggadah, Haggadah for Jews & Buddhists, and The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County Haggadah. Since the publication of that question,
Jewish trivia quiz: New Haggadot Read More »
Jewish Religion, Mark D. Zimmerman, Trivia, Humor & Satire
Editor’s Note: This is the third in a series of stories researched during Don and Nancy Harrison’s 50th Wedding Anniversary cruise from Sydney, Australia, to San Diego. Previous installments of the series, which runs every Thursday, may be found by tapping the number of the installment: 1, 2. By Donald H. Harrison SYDNEY,
Australian rabbi grew up in secular Los Angeles home Read More »
International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Travel and Food, USAEternally Yours, God’s Greatest Gift to Mankind: Exodus by Rabbi Reuven Mann, Observant Artists Community Circle, Inc. Hewlett, New York, © 2017, ISBN 978-0692991329, p. 197, plus glossary, $12.95 By Fred Reiss, Ed.D. WINCHESTER, California – From the perspective of Rabbi Reuven Mann, long-time teacher and pulpit rabbi, and presently a teacher at the Masoret
Book of Mann offers wisdom of God Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Fred Reiss, EdD, Jewish ReligionWith Liberty and Justice: The Fifty-Day Journey from Egypt to Sinai by Senator Joe Lieberman with Rabbi Ari D. Kahn, Maggid Books and OU Press, New Milford, CT, © 2018, ISBN 978-1-59264-501-5, p. 165, $24.95 By Fred Reiss, Ed.D. WINCHESTER, California – An ancient midrash explains that just after the Israelites left Egypt, Moses told
Lieberman writes book about U.S., Jewish basic laws Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish Religion, USA
JERUSALEM (Press Release) — Thirty four Haredi Women graduated a United Hatzalah EMT course on Thursday, joining the Women’s Unit of the organization. The newly trained EMTs will be tasked with providing emergency medical care as first responders to women in the Haredi communities of Jerusalem and the surrounding area. Director of United Hatzalah’s Women’s
United Hatzalah certifies 34 women to serve Haredim Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Educationhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KKSf-1YCrQ&feature=youtu.be By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO — I suppose it’s not unusual for a cantor to be able to sing show tunes and operatic arias in addition to Hebrew prayer melodies. But when the cantor still can hit the high notes at age 93, that’s truly remarkable. Cantor Sheldon Merel, the cantor emeritus of
Cantor Merel’s life story now on video Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County