A person who adds a requirement to the law is, in effect, saying to the community I know a better way than God, how to be a perfect human being. God said fast a single day, and I say two days; I am correct while God is wrong. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
Why Jews Ought not be Stricter than the Torah Commands Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion, Staff and Bylined Contributors
Whenever Sammy the spider observes the human family of Jason Shapiro celebrating a Jewish holiday, he invariably expresses the wish that he too could have that experience. Just as invariably, Sammy’s mother, Mrs. Spider, tells him that spiders don’t do that, but rather “spiders spin webs.” [Donald H. Harrison]
Mrs. Spider Teaches Her Son Sammy About Judaism Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Staff and Bylined Contributors
He made two significant contributions to Jewish thought, both controversial and not accepted by all scholars, one dealing with the Talmud and the other with the Torah. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
Book about David Weiss Halivni Can Prompt People to Consider Self-Improvement Read More »
Israel, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA
I have watched the brutal war between Israel and Hamas, the fight over antisemitism that has embroiled the American Jewish community, and the unfolding of the devastating and racist war on African Americans that was fiercely launched this year. [Barrett Holman Leak]
OpEd: The Silence of God? Read More »
Antisemitism, Barrett Holman Leak, Israel, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Opinion, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors
In his theological reflection on the Holocaust, David Weiss Halivni grapples with the haunting question of why God did not intervene in the Shoah. He dismisses the idea that the event was a punishment for sin, arguing that the scale of destruction was disproportionate to any conceivable transgression. Instead, Halivni connects the Holocaust to the concept of beḥirah ḥofshit (free will) and a historical shift in divine presence. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]
Parsha D’varim opens with Moses standing on the cusp of the Promised Land, ready to deliver his final, heartfelt address to the Children of Israel. It’s a moment pregnant with meaning, filled with both reflection and anticipation. [Barrett Holman Leak]
Contemporary Torah: A Breakdown of Trust, a Failure of Vision Read More »
Barrett Holman Leak, Jewish Religion, Staff and Bylined Contributors
Whether you fully observe Tisha B’Av or not, possibly reflect on how we are resilient and how we can try to focus on something positive each day to drown out the darkness and hate in the world. [Cailin Acosta]
Tisha B’Av: A Day for Reflection Read More »
Cailin Acosta, Holocaust, International, Israel, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food
Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed. Millions are displaced. Entire families are gone. Children buried under rubble. Mothers starving. Aid blocked. Babies and children are dying from starvation. Hope crushed. [Sean Elo-Rivera, Times of San Diego]
OpEd: ‘Atrocities Do Not Undo Atrocities. Brutality Does Not Cancel out Brutality.’ Read More »
Antisemitism, Israel, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Opinion, San Diego County
My heart aches for the families in Israel who continue to wait in anguish for their loved ones, still held in cruel captivity, and for a nation that continues to reel from grief too heavy to bear. … I see the devastation in Gaza, and it tears at my soul. [Rabbi Jason Nevarez]
Israel-Gaza Fitting Topic for Mournful Reflection over Tisha B’Av Read More »
Israel, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors
Meir Kahane (August 1, 1932 – November 5, 1990) was an American-born Israeli Orthodox ordained rabbi, writer and ultra-nationalist politician. Founder of the Israeli political party Kach—whose legacy continues to influence militant and far-right political groups active today in Israel —he was convicted of multiple acts of terrorism in the United States and in Israel. [Wikipedia]
Today’s Jewish Birthday: Meir Kahane Read More »
Israel, Jewish Religion, Today's Jewish Birthday, Wikipedia
When Moshe speaks, he’s speaking to ALL Jews, including you and me, today and is creating a deeply personal connection with each one of us. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D.]
Parsha Devarim: ‘Words Which Come from the Heart Enter into the Heart.’ Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell, Staff and Bylined ContributorsI always find something new when I attend an introduction to Judaism course that maybe I have forgotten about or am learning about for the first time. [Cailin Acosta]
Congregations to Offer ‘Introduction to Judaism’ Classes Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Cailin Acosta, Holocaust, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food
Rabbi Rothbaum—known affectionately as “Rabbi Mike”—brings over 25 years of experience in building inclusive, vibrant Jewish communities across the country, including New York, California, Massachusetts, and most recently, Georgia. [Press Release]
Dor Hadash Announces Hiring of Rabbi Mike Rothbaum Read More »
Jewish Religion, Press Release, San Diego County, USA
Our tradition teaches that silence in the face of suffering is not neutral. As Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel reminds us: ‘In any free society where terrible wrongs exist, some are guilty – all are responsible.’ [Press Release]
FJMC President Says Jews of Conscience Must Speak Out about Suffering in Gaza Read More »
International, Israel, Jewish Religion, Press Release, Travel and Food, USA