Jewish Religion – Page 205 – San Diego Jewish World

Suicide’s memoir indicts the Gur sect of Hassidim

July 18, 2018

Doing His Will (Osah Kirtzono) by Esti Weinstein, published in Hebrew by Kinneret, Zmora-Bitan, Dvir, 2016. By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson JERUSALEM –The poor woman who wrote this book (and eventually committed suicide) was born into a specific sect, tantamount to a cult, of ultra-Orthodox Judaism known as the Gur Hassidim As a child and teenager the author […]

Suicide’s memoir indicts the Gur sect of Hassidim Read More »

Editor’s E-Mail Box: July 16, 2018 (2 items)

July 16, 2018

Visiting HaKotel on Tisha B’Av Many Jews visit the Kotel (Western Wall) on Tisha B’Av, a day of mourning and remembrance for the destruction of both the First and Second Temples and other tragedies in Jewish History. How many Jews? Newspapers report that thousands, even tens of thousands stand before the Kotel on Tisha B’Av.

Editor’s E-Mail Box: July 16, 2018 (2 items) Read More »

Jewish Religion, Middle East, USA

‘Just Kidding:’ Trump wants Tisha B’Av to be ‘fun again’

July 10, 2018

By Joel H. Cohen NEW YORK — Perplexed and more than a little peeved, President Trump was on a tear about the responses he’d been receiving from rabbis and other Jewish leaders he’d invited to a gala White House event the coming weekend of July 21-22. “Almost every RSVP for the kosher extravaganza has been along

‘Just Kidding:’ Trump wants Tisha B’Av to be ‘fun again’ Read More »

Jewish Religion, Joel H. Cohen, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA

Jewish religion stands in defense of animals

July 8, 2018

By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — The story is a familiar one. Once a man went out for a walk through the forest. To his sudden surprise, he sees a grizzly bear chasing him. After the bear traps him, he prepares himself for his last rites, he says the Shema Prayer, and

Jewish religion stands in defense of animals Read More »

Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi

Ruach, plenty of spirit, at Camp Mountain Chai

July 8, 2018

By Donald H. Harrison ANGELUS OAKS, California—Along with a few other San Diegans, I visited Camp Mountain Chai in the San Bernardino Mountains last week. On arrival, I saw a Baer. It turned out that Dan Baer is the director of the camp, located 134 miles from the parking lot of the Jewish Federation of

Ruach, plenty of spirit, at Camp Mountain Chai Read More »

Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USA

Editor’s E-Mail Box: July 6, 2018 (8 items)

July 6, 2018

40 rabbis tour migrant centers in Tijuana, urge U.S. welcome immigrants This week, nearly 40 rabbis from across the country toured migrant centers in Tijuana as a part of a delegation to the U.S.-Mexico border. A growing number of asylum seekers have found temporary shelter and social services in Tijuana as they try to seek

Editor’s E-Mail Box: July 6, 2018 (8 items) Read More »

International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

The prejudice against non- Orthodox Judaism in Israel

July 5, 2018

By Rabbi Dow Marmur SAN DIEGO — According to the infamous forgery, The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, and countless other anti-Semitic tracts, the Jews rule the world. According to Yinon Azulay, Member of Knesset on behalf of the ultra-Orthodox Sephardi political party Shas, Reform Jews are worse in his eyes than he himself

The prejudice against non- Orthodox Judaism in Israel Read More »

Jewish Religion, Middle East, USA

Rabbi- historian examines the destiny of the Jews

July 3, 2018

By Steve Kramer KFAR SAVA, Israel —Rabbi Ken Spiro’s new book, Destiny, successfully guides the reader through the central themes of Judaism: the impact of Jewish values on civilization, Jewish determination, the disproportionate impact of the Jewish people, anti-Semitism and its message, the Jewish vision of history and conception of time, and [even] mankind’s ultimate

Rabbi- historian examines the destiny of the Jews Read More »

Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Steve Kramer

Personal blog: The joy of Jewish reading

July 1, 2018

By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO — Perhaps it is my bias, but sometimes I think that rabbis should often talk about the lessons drawn from their own lives and not only about the morals we should glean from the legends of such rabbis of old as Shammai, Hillel, and Tarfon. This is not to

Personal blog: The joy of Jewish reading Read More »

Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, USA

Editor’s E-Mail Box: June 25, 2018 (4 Items)

June 25, 2018

Israeli Reserve Duty to Earn Academic Credits The Knesset on Monday passed in its third and final reading a law that will provide two academic credits to students who serve a minimum of 14 annual days of reserve duty. The measure was a initiated by Education Minister Naftali Bennett (Jewish Home), MK Meirav Ben-Ari (Kulanu),

Editor’s E-Mail Box: June 25, 2018 (4 Items) Read More »

Jewish Religion, Middle East, San Diego Calendar, Science, Medicine, & Education

Orthodox rabbi answers Michael Chabon

June 24, 2018

By Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — Any Jew who in the name of feigned or real commitment to Judaism wanted to badmouth Reform Judaism has been given a welcome opportunity to do so by Michael Chabon, the Pulitzer Prize winning American-Jewish writer. He was invited last month by the Hebrew Union College, the Reform Seminary, in

Orthodox rabbi answers Michael Chabon Read More »

Jewish Religion

Reunite and aid asylum families now

June 23, 2018

By Rabbi Yael Ridberg & Michael Hopkins SAN DIEGO — Despite the Executive Order ending the forced separation of families at the U.S.-Mexico border issued by President Trump this week, there is still a humanitarian crisis unfolding for the 2,300 children who have been separated from their parents, with no plan for reunification. Federal officials cannot

Reunite and aid asylum families now Read More »

International, Jewish Religion, USA

‘Jacob and his Sons’ at the Israel Museum

June 22, 2018

By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson JERUSALEM — The exhibition of paintings by Francisco de Zurburan, a seventeenth-century Spanish painter, has been a major attraction at the Israel Museum for the last few weeks. I had never heard of him, so I made use of a free morning to go and take a look. What met my eyes

‘Jacob and his Sons’ at the Israel Museum Read More »

Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts

New Jersey affirms Jewish connection to Jerusalem

June 21, 2018

TRENTON, New Jersey (Press Release) — The New Jersey Legislature on Thursday voted unanimously on a measure which affirms the historical connection of the Jewish people to Jerusalem and condemns efforts by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to deny Jews’ historical, religious, and cultural ties to Jerusalem. Avi Posnick, StandWithUs Northeast Managing

New Jersey affirms Jewish connection to Jerusalem Read More »

Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, USA