Jewish Religion

An Introduction to Jewish Biblical Commentators

By Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin BOCA RATON, Florida — Dr. Avigail Rock’s book (1971-2019) “Great Biblical Commentators,” is a very informative, eye-opening, thought-provoking introduction to 24 of the many rabbis and scholars who commented on the Tanakh, the Hebrew Bible. All of the many who did so could not be listed in the 426 easy-to-read […]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion

The Jewish Foods of India in Five Distinct Sub-Cultures

Author Esther David tells of the history and cuisines of five Jewish communities in India –the Bene Israel, centered in Mumbai; the Cochin Jews on India’s southwestern coast around Kochi;  the Baghdadi Jews on India’s northeastern coast around Kolkata (close to Bangladesh); the Bene Ephraim of Andhra Pradesh on India’s central eastern coast around Machilpatnam; and the Beni Menashe of Manipur and Mizoram on the northeastern arm of India bordering Myanmar (Burma). [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish Religion, Travel and Food

The Jewish Eye: San Diego Teen Philanthropists; Mayorkas, Sanders Under Fire

In Jewish tradition, the fate of the world depends upon 36 upstanding people known as the Lamed Vavniks.  As a matter of interest, there are 36 leaders and officers of the Jewish Teen Foundation (JTF) in San Diego County.  They will be awarding philanthropic funds that they have raised to various nonprofit organization at a 4 p.m. ceremony Sunday May 21 at Congregation Beth Am in the Carmel Valley neighborhood of San Diego.  [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Business & Finance, California, Donald H. Harrison, International, Israel, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Parshiot Behar – Bechukotai: A Message of Comfort, Hope, and Peace

By Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. SAN DIEGO — Nechemta, a message of comfort, hope, and peace often heard at the close of a rabbi’s sermon, is something we can always benefit from hearing, but particularly with increased antisemitism that we are facing daily, it strikes me as an even more cherished message. In this week’s

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Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell

Dancing With the Stars: Congregation Beth Israel’s Annual Fundraiser

SAN DIEGO (Press Release) — Are you ready to swing into action at Congregation Beth Israel’s Annual fundraiser? Cheer on our very own dancing stars as they take to the dance floor with professional dance partners to bring you a night of high-energy dance performances on Saturday, June 3, from 6-10 p.m. Kick-off the evening

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Jewish Religion, San Diego County

The Jewish Eye: Transgender Rights; Fighting Antisemitism; Israel-Palestinian Conflict in California Senate Race

Current and former San Diego County Rabbis Nadav Caine (formerly Cong. Ner Tamid), Mark Hurvitz (formerly Etz Chaim), Dana Magat (formerly Beth Israel), Jason Nevarez (Beth Israel), Yaffa-Shira Sultan (formerly Dor Hadash) and Nicole Nevarez, national director of Ta’amod Stand Up, are among 1,885 Americans so far who have signed an open letter from the Keshet organization in support of LGBTQ+ rights that calls upon Jewish leaders to embrace transgender Jews and to “use your voice and your platform to speak out for our kids and our community. Follow the lead of the Central Conference for Reform Rabbis, who issued a powerful resolution defending transgender people.  Demand that your elected officials take action for trans rights and LGBTQ+ equality.” [Donald H. Harrison]

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California, Donald H. Harrison, International, Israel, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Sports & Competitions, Technology, USA

Prof. Deborah Hertz Researches Liberated Jewish Women

Deborah Hertz, a UC San Diego historian who holds the Herman Wouk Chair in Modern Jewish Studies, has focused in her career on Jewish women who broke free of the bonds of “daughter, wife, and mother” and made their marks in a variety of fields. [Donald H. Harrison]

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California, Donald H. Harrison, International, Israel, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Hadar Institute Announces Major Expansion to the West Coast

(Press Release) To build more vibrant, practicing, and egalitarian communities of Torah, Avodah, and Hesed, the Hadar Institute is expanding to the West Coast. “Hadar West Coast” will be led by Rabbi David Kasher with new programming offered in LA and the Bay Area. “I’m thrilled to bring more of Hadar’s meaningful Torah and community

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California, Jewish Religion, USA

The Jewish Eye: S.D.-Bound Israeli Professors; U.S. Supreme Court Controversies

Susan Lapidus, director of the Murray Galinson San Diego-Israel Initiative, has announced next semester’s lineup of Israeli professors who will be teaching at two major universities in San Diego County.  Coming to San Diego State University are historians Amos Nadan and Yoav Alon and poet Maya Tevet Dayan, all from Tel Aviv University; filmmaker Uri Bar-on from Reichman University; and literary scholar Dekel Shay Schory who divides her time between Hebrew University and Ben-Gurion University.  Coming to UC San Diego are filmmaker Dan Geva from Beit Berl Academic College and anthropologist Dan Rabinowitz from Tel Aviv University. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Business & Finance, California, Donald H. Harrison, International, Israel, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Documentary Intimately Records Eli Timoner’s Choice to End His Life

The heartbreaking loss of lives in the airplane crash resulted in Air Florida going into bankruptcy, and the stroke reduced Timoner’s earning capacity. He held on for nearly 40 years, but when congestive heart failure made him even more dependent on others, he decided that as a California resident he would take advantage of the Golden State’s “Right to Die” Law. [Donald H. Harrison]

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California, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Science, Medicine, & Education, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

The Jewish Eye: Outdoor Menorah; Banning Books; Gun Safety

Barry Soper, who has contributed to many political campaigns, now has political figures donating money to build a new, less destructible outdoor menorah at Chabad of San Diego State University, which is led by Rabbi Chalom Boudjnah.  Among contributors are the current and previous two San Diego County Assessors/ Clerks/ Recorders respectively Jordan Marks, Ernie Dronenburg, and Greg Smith.  The menorah, which symbolizes the Jewish hope to bring light into the world, has been vandalized on several occasions over the years.  Overseeing construction of a new one is Joshua Soper, son of Barry Soper. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Israel, Jewish Celebrities, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USA

Sanctuary Modeled After Those of Lost Eastern European Communities

Stone’s first thought was to commission I.M. Pei himself to “design a building that takes in an old sanctuary from Eastern Europe that was destroyed in the Holocaust and use concrete and glass to rebuild it – an ode to the past in a modern context.” At the nearby library of UC San Diego, Ryan found illustrated books about the synagogues of Eastern Europe, whose congregants had been annihilated in the Holocaust. Synagogues Without Jews by Rifka and Ben-Zion Dorfman proved particularly helpful. [Donald H. Harrison]

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California, Donald H. Harrison, Holocaust, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, USA