By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Attitude is everything. But in hard times, it’s a lot easier to sit and complain rather than do something about bettering our life circumstances and attitudes. I am reminded of an old story I came across almost 10 years ago, which I filed away for a […]
Rosh Hashanah is a time to celebrate life, opportunity Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi
By Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO — After Torah School on Wednesday, Judaica teacher Cheryl Katz, told me about her experience teaching her students about parashat Nitzavim: “You stand this day, all of you, before the Lord your God…to enter into the Covenant of the Lord your God….” (Deut. 29:9-11) She was trying to explain
Remembering the covenant made at Sinai Read More »
Jewish Religion“Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past. Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders, and they will explain to you.”—Deuteronomy 32:7 By Dr. Erica Brown/JNS.org It’s that time again: a new Hebrew year is upon us. It’s time for the Jewish year in review based on a mandate
Year in review 5772 Read More »
Jewish Religion
By Rabbi Baruch Lederman SAN DIEGO — When we adhere to G-d’s commandments, we are a truly blessed nation, as the following true account illustrates: Back in the mid nineties a Jewish advertising executive in New York came up with an idea. What if the New York Times – considered the world’s most prestigious newspaper
The enduring Sabbath tradition Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO — This week’s parasha, Ki Tavo, contains a declaration that the Israelites were to make after they had settled the land and brought their first fruits to the Kohen as an offering. The declaration begins: “I acknowledge this day before the Lord your God that I have entered the
Coded message, or history, in Deuteronomy? Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Kenneth L. Marcus/JointMedia News Service Jewish Americans should be concerned about the recent verdict in the Italian libel case that involves parliamentarian Fiamma Nirenstein. In 2008, cartoonist Vauro Senesi published a caricature of Nirenstein that depicted the Jewish-Italian politician, in classic anti-Semitic fashion, as a hook-nosed monster wearing a Star of David together with
Second-stage Anti Semitism Read More »
Jewish ReligionJerusalem language returns to Democratic platform after three attempted votes (JNS.org) Recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, at first controversially omitted from the 2012 Democratic Party Platform, will return to the document after three attempted voice votes at the party’s convention in Charlotte, NC, on Wednesday. On all three voice votes, a seemingly indistinguishable
JNS News Briefs: September 6, 2012 Read More »
International, Jewish Religion
By Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinreb NEW YORK — It is a question which I learned never to ask. I first learned this lesson in my training as a psychotherapist, long ago. I was seeing a gentleman for a number of problems, including his marital difficulties. Despite the passage of the years, I still vividly remember
To really see, we must desire to see Read More »
Jewish Religion
The Aleppo Codex: A True Story of Obsession, Faith, and the Pursuit of an Ancient Bible by Matti Friedman, Algonquin Books, Chapel Hill, NC; ISBN 978-1-61620-040-4 ©2012, $24.95, p. 277, plus notes By Fred Reiss, Ed.D. WINCHESTER, California — Unlike the Cairo Geniza, whose vast treasure of medieval correspondence came to light accidentally late in the
Who hid the Aleppo Codex– and why? Read More »
Fred Reiss, EdD, Jewish ReligionBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — While practicing law, George G. Vest, a former U. S. Senator from Missouri, defended a farmer whose dog was involved in a minor damage suit. Here is part of his speech: “The one absolutely unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world, the one that
Treatment of animals presages how we treat humans Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO — During one early visit to Israel, Judy and I entered a coffee store to buy a pound of ground coffee. We watched in amazement as the proprietor held a paper bag under a chute, opened the door, closed it, and placed our coffee on his scale: it weighed
The measures of honesty Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinreb NEW YORK — We have been hearing a lot lately about the dangers of the Internet. Not long ago, thousands of Orthodox Jews gathered in a large sports stadium to publicize the negative consequences that exposure to the Internet has in store for adults and children alike. Most of the
Guarding against lashon hara in the internet age Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO–This week’s parasha contains the famous verse, “Justice, justice, shall you pursue.” The Hebrew root for “justice” is tzedek. It is the foundation of many other Hebrew words such as tzedakah, charity. The linguistic connection between tzedek and tzedakah reminds us that in Judaism, helping others is not just a
Justice, justice we should pursue Read More »
Jewish ReligionYoung Israel At 100: An American Response to the Challenge of Orthodox Living, 1912-2012; by Yaakov Kornreich, Joel Saibel, Deborah Hart Strober and Gerald Strober; National Council of Young Israel, New York; ISBN 978-1-4751-5792-5 ©2012, $24.95, p. 237 By Fred Reiss, Ed.D. WINCHESTER, California — To believe that during most of its history, Judaism represented
Movement still ‘Young’ Israel at 100 Read More »
Fred Reiss, EdD, Jewish Religion