Jewish Religion

Koren Publishers’ new siddur: An appraisal

A siddur does not merely tell Jews what words to say. Its primary purpose is to help congregants understand what they are saying and why: the meaning of what the siddur contains, their biblical and historical sources, and why ancestors suggested they read them. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Technology

San Diego’s Chinese museum tells stories of Shanghai refugees

Created in collaboration with the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum, the Chinese American GI Project and the local community, the exhibition explores the journeys of Jewish refugees to Shanghai and their lives during and after World War II. (Cailin
Acosta)

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Cailin Acosta, Holocaust, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food, USA

Long-time chaplain draws inspiration from the dying

Humor appears alongside heartbreak, as it does in real life. Inspiration is earned rather than asserted. Resilience is shown in the slow, often invisible work of continuing to show up—for patients, for families, for one’s own life—after the worst has already happened. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Obituaries & memorials, Staff and Bylined Contributors

California can put Jewish day school tuition within reach

A new federal program, enacted by Congress, offers taxpayers a federal tax credit of up to $1,700 for donating to nonprofit Scholarship Granting Organizations. Those organizations then award scholarships to eligible K-12 students for tuition and a wide range of educational expenses: tutoring, transportation, technology, special education services, textbooks, uniforms, and after-school programs. [Neuriel Shore)

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Business & Finance, California, Jewish Religion, Opinion, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Rabbi reviews another rabbi’s analysis of the biblical books of Samuel

The Book of Samuel, which follows Judges, describes the emergence of kingship. Samuel begins in this atmosphere but does something much more complicated than simply saying, “Israel needs a king.” The book introduces Samuel, a prophet and judge; then Saul, Israel’s first king; and then David, Israel’s great kingThe crucial question becomes: Can human political power be exercised responsibly under God’s authority? That is precisely the question that interests Rabbi Silber. (Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin)

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Jews, Catholics to dialogue on counter measures to hate

Anti-Defamation League of San Diego announces “Confronting Extremism: Oren Segal in Conversation with Father Brent Kruger” at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 9, in Carmel Valley. [Cailin Acosta]

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Antisemitism, Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Cailin Acosta, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food

Parsha Ki Tetse: The Torah forbids cruelty to animals

The companion law is equally revealing: “You shall not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain” (Deut. 25:4). The animal that labors is entitled to taste the fruit of its labor. The rabbis long ago noted the human parallel: a person capable of muzzling an ox is only a short step from muzzling his workers. History confirmed their suspicion. In Italy, vineyard owners once forced migrant laborers to wear muzzles so they could not eat the grapes they harvested. The Torah saw the danger centuries earlier. Cruelty, it turns out, is a transferable skill. (Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel)

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animals, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Hillel is a major component in the decision to lead an active Jewish life

They’re showing up at the Jewish Federation’s Mosaic launch, or hosting massive Shabbat dinners, or even creating their own Jewish non-profits. The number-one indicator of a young adult’s engagement in Jewish life is Hillel. (Karen Parry)

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Antisemitism, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Teshuvah is one skill that separates humans from animals

Rosh Hashanah is traditionally associated with the creation of Adam, the first human being, on the sixth day of creation. Humanity was created immediately before Shabbat, and according to the Torah’s account, Adam’s first mistake came almost immediately. In that sense, the need for teshuvah is nearly as old as humanity itself. But what distinguishes a human being from an animal or from an angel? (Cailin Acosta)

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animals, Cailin Acosta, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

AJC unveils guidebook for confronting antisemitism in the schools

With school back in session from Kinder to College, the American Jewish Committee shares key resources and guidance designed specifically for schools, students, and parents to create learning environments that are inclusive of all identities, including Jewish identity, and safe from harassment and fear. [Cailin Acosta]

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animals, Antisemitism, Cailin Acosta, Israel, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food

‘Shalom Bayit’ doesn’t ask you to be perfect

We have a beautiful phrase in our tradition: shalom bayit, peace in the home. It is worth protecting. But many couples turn it into something it was never meant to be. They think it means a home with no conflict. So, every argument feels like a failure, and they measure how far they fall from a peace that exists nowhere. (Jené Verchick)

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Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors

The Israel Bible pays particular attention to Holy Land geography

What makes The Israel Bible unique and special is its unapologetic centering of the entire Tanakh around three interlocking realities: the Land of Israel, the People of Israel, and the God of Israel. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]

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Israel, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Parsha Shoftim: Pursuit of justice begins with cleaning up your own act

Shabbat Shoftim is often called the Shabbat of Justice. Its opening words set the tone: Shoftim v’shotrim titen lekha — “You shall appoint judges and officials for yourselves.” Not for some distant ideal, but for yourselves. The pursuit of justice begins at home, in the quiet decisions we make about how we treat one another. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]

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Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Staff and Bylined Contributors