(c) Oliver B. Pollak LAFAYETTE, California — In the late 1960s Reform seminaries accepted women as students. The first was ordained in 1972. Like law school and medical school female presence was small and unusual. This distinct and growing cohort, a result of the Second wave feminism, became the norm and in some instances the majority […]
Rabbi Judy Shanks retires from Lafayette pulpit Read More »
Jewish Religion, Oliver Pollak, USABt Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. SAN DIEGO — Ahh, Shavuot is soon upon us. With its extended synagogue services, special readings including the story of Ruth and the 10 Commandments among others, Tikkun Leil Shavuot –the practice of staying up all night studying Torah — and of course all of those traditional delectable dairy dishes
How to THINk THIN for Shavuot Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell, Travel and FoodBy Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort CARLSBAD, California — Today (May 14) has already been an historic day and it’s barely 9am here in California. Today truth trumped lies and virtue vanquished evil. Today the great Name of G-d was sanctified in His Chosen Land, in His Holy City, by His Chosen People. No, unfortunately, the Holy
OpEd: Embassy move a reason to rejoice! Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle East, USA, Yeruchem Eilfort-Rabbi
JERUSALEM (Press Release) — Sixty deaf and hearing impaired young adults from all over Israel participated in the annual Bar/Bat Mitzvah celebration ceremony organized by the International Young Israel Movement (IYIM) on May 7 in the Beit Yaakov Synagogue in Jerusalem. This event was held in cooperation with Acha (The Association of the Deaf in
60 deaf students join joint bar/ bat mitzvah rites Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle East
Editor’s Note: This is the tenth 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, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 By Donald H. Harrison
A runner runs a hotel at sea Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Travel and FoodThe Israel Bible edited by Rabbi Naphtali “Tuly” Weisz, Menorah Books, New Milford, CT and Jerusalem, © 2018, ISBN 978-1-940516-80-6, p. 2141, plus introductory and supplemental material, $59.95. By Fred Reiss, Ed.D. WINCHESTER, California – The Israel Bible, produced in honor of Israel’s seventieth anniversary by Israel365, an organization promoting the essence and importance of
The Israel Bible offers precise translations Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Fred Reiss, EdD, Jewish ReligionBy Joel H. Cohen NEW YORK — A Brooklyn entrepreneur plans to introduce a full-service organization that will install and maintain a community’s eruv, the wire or string that (in combination with existing structures such as telephone poles) forms a symbolic barrier enabling Shabbos observers to push strollers and carry items within its confines
‘Just Kidding’: Coming soon, a full- service eruv Read More »
Jewish Religion, Joel H. Cohen, Trivia, Humor & SatireBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Kever Shmuel and/or Nebi Samwil is one of the sites that includes within its stories the long and controversial history of this place, as well as ongoing disputes about who did what, and its justification or suitability for moral condemnation. The place is the highest point in the area of
The dispute over the Prophet Samuel’s Tomb Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Jewish Religion, Middle East
By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – Two ancient traditions briefly were juxtaposed on Thursday, May 3, as Chabad of East County celebrated the Jewish holiday of Lag B’Omer at the foot of Kwaaypay (Chief, Headman) Peak at the Kumeyaay Lake Campgrounds in Mission Trails Regional Park. When the indigenous Kumeyaay were a semi-nomadic
Lag B’Omer at Kumeyaay Lake campground Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, San Diego CountyNEW YORK (Press Release) — The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America – the nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization – on Thursday commended President Donald Trump for issuing an executive order establishing The White House Faith and Opportunity Initiative. The executive order signed today at a Rose Garden ceremony creates the White House
OU lauds White House faith initiative Read More »
Jewish Religion, USABy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — One of the obsessions of ultra-orthodox (Haredi) men is not to be close to women. Even proximity to mothers, wives and daughters is at times restricted. Though public transport in Israel doesn’t allow segregation, some private buses used by Haredim put the women at the back. There’re many reported
Haredim slowly changing Israeli society Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle EastBy Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. SAN DIEGO — Here’s yet another finding in the ancient question about how to live longer. Attend synagogue regularly. That’s it. Simple isn’t it? Now before you assume the study backing up this recommendation was funded by a religious organization, think again. After all, this isn’t some medical study backed
Link found between longevity and shul attendance Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell, Travel and Food
NEW YORK (Press Release) — The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations hosted an historic event at the Museum of Jewish Heritage recognizing and commemorating the acts of Muslims who welcomed, hosted and protected Jews during the Holocaust. His Excellency, Dr. Mohammad Ibn Abdulkarim Alissa, Secretary General of the Muslim World League headquartered
Muslim World League: ‘True Islam’ opposed Holocaust Read More »
International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion
NEW YORK (Press Release) — The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America – the nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization – has joined with other religious organizations in filing a ‘friend of the court’ brief that defends a longstanding tax exemption for housing costs for rabbis, pastors, and other clergy in the face of a lower court ruling finding the allowance unconstitutional. The legal brief, authored by law professor
Orthodox Union joins suit to protect parsonages Read More »
Jewish Religion, USA