By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Socrates is famous for saying, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” If Socrates had a preferred Jewish holiday, I believe it would undoubtedly be Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. These holidays offer us an opportunity to reflect, review, and reconsider who we are, what we’ve […]
Rosh Hashanah: What Does it Mean to be Human? Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Opinion
Knowing that we have the strong, vocal support of city and county leaders is crucial as we work with our partners and allies to address the abhorrent flyering, “swatting,” and other dangerous antisemitic acts that have been all too common in San Diego lately. [Heidi Gantwerk]
Rosh Hashanah Messages from Mayor Gloria and Heidi Gantwerk Read More »
Jewish Religion, San Diego County
Parshat Nitzavim-Vayelech 5783 By Rabbi Daniel Reich LA JOLLA, California — Rabbeinu Yonah, the great 13th-century Torah scholar, describes in his monumental work “Sha’arei Teshuva – The Gates of Repentance” the importance for each one of us to audibly reaffirm to ourselves on a daily basis, “Hashem loves me” or “Hashem believes in me.” In
Climbing Beyond the Summit Read More »
Daniel Reich-Rabbi, Jewish Religion
By Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin BOCA RATON, Florida — Just as fights exist between religious Zionists, they exist among the Zealots. Judaism is destroying itself. Maggid Books in Israel has reprinted the original 1920 version of the classical mystical book “Orot” (Lights), by the famous Rabbi Abraham Isaac Hakohen Kook. The 2023 publication appears in
Fights Among the Zealots Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish History, Jewish Religion
By Rabbi Rosette Barron Haim (JNS) When I think of the High Holy Days, I think of generations of our people who have come together to worship and reconnect to the tradition. Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and the days in between the holidays present an ideal time to strengthen our ties to God, Torah and
The High Holy Days Appeal: Words That Matter for Israel Read More »
Israel, Jewish Religion, Opinion, USA
By Elie Klein With Rosh Hashanah on the horizon, I am filled with excitement for the pomp and piety of the Jewish New Year. From rapturous prayer services to magnificent meals replete with ceremony and symbolism, I adore every element of this elevated and holy day. Though there is a vast collection of classic symbols
On Pomegranates and Human Potential Read More »
Israel, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles
By Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. SAN DIEGO — This year, we read Torah portions Nitzavim and Vayeilech, on the Shabbat before Rosh Hashana. It asks us where we stand as we enter the new year. The parasha teaches that G-d tells us, “I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. You
Parshiyot Nitzavim-Vayeilech: Choosing Life Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell
“The way of my rabbinate and my personal life is living a life of balance,” Kornberg continued. “What I have been able to do and what I try to do is bring [the religious and secular] worlds together with a sense of balance; you don’t have to live in one or the other. You can have a rich religious Jewish life and still live in the secular ‘real world’ so to speak…” [Donald H. Harrison]
Rabbi David Kornberg of Congregation Beth Am: ‘Balance Is My Mantra’ Read More »
Ben Dishman, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, USAParshat Ki Tavo 5783 By Rabbi Daniel Reich LA JOLLA, California — Among the many different Mitzvot and insights in Parshat Ki Tavo, right at the beginning of the Parsha we have the Mitzvah of “Viduy Maaser”, also known as the Maaser Confession. We are instructed to announce before God and to vocalize within the
Cultivating Self-Belief Read More »
Daniel Reich-Rabbi, Jewish ReligionBy Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. SAN DIEGO — To be a Jew is to be a grateful person. As we enter Shabbat with Psalm 92, we read, “It is good to give thanks.” Rabbi Zelig Pliskin teaches, “Living with gratitude elevates your entire life. You become a more spiritual person. You become a more joyful person.
Parashat Ki Tavo: An Attitude of Gratitude Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell
Published by ANI News Tel Aviv [Israel], August 28 (ANI/TPS): In preparation for the upcoming Yom Kippur holiday – the Jewish Day of Atonement – Israel’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development emphasized to the public the importance of observing the custom of redeeming atonements with money and not chickens. In the days between Rosh
Israelis asked to avoid using live chickens in annual atonement ritual Read More »
Jewish Religion
A seven-hour mediation. A secret recording device. Accusations of extortion. These are the latest twists in the ongoing, ugly saga over control of the Southern California synagogue that survived a 2019 mass shooting only to face a federal fraud conviction of its founding rabbi. [Louis Keene, the Forward]
Fraud, Betrayal and Spy Gear: Inside the Messy Battle for Chabad of Poway Read More »
California, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, USA
(Press Release) Sefaria unveiled a groundbreaking digital collaboration, the “Global Community Torah,” that is a unique opportunity for anyone to have a small part in “writing” a Torah—all 304,805 letters. The ambitious project launched at a virtual 10th anniversary celebration for Sefaria, the non-profit organization that digitizes and freely shares Jewish texts in Hebrew and
Sefaria Launches First-Ever ‘Global Community Torah’ Digital Writing Project Read More »
Jewish Religion, USAParshat Ki Teitzei 5783 By Rabbi Daniel Reich LA JOLLA, California — Our tradition tells us that there are 613 Mitzvot contained in the Torah, spread out among its 54 Parshas. So one might have assumed that these 613 statues are evenly distributed throughout the Torah, coming to approximately 11 or 12 Mitzvot per Parsha.