Jewish Religion

Of Robots, Banned Books, Dying, and Abortions

Elkins was one of three presenters at a Tikun Leil Shavuot, a Shavuot night study session at Tifereth Israel Synagogue. The others were Marcia Tatz Wollner, who spoke about book banning and burning through the ages, and Dr. Seth Krosner, M.D., a critical care surgery specialist, who discussed what Jewish texts have to say about decisions concerning end of life and abortions. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Holocaust, International, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Technology

Popular Instructor Says Judaism and Yoga are Complementary

When an acquaintance suggested that she try yoga, Gadd was skeptical at first. “How can that help me?” she asked. “Just come and see,” counseled the acquaintance. Moving her body in specific ways, according to the directions of her yoga instructor, “led to clarity of thought,” she said.  Mindfulness helped her “dissipate the stress, the mental shpilkes, something like giving your dog exercise so it can calm down,” Gadd recalled. She found that she left the yoga sessions feeling better, without need for medications. “Deep breathing and so forth can create physiological changes,” she explained. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Fred Kropveld, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions

Shining Bright at San Diego Hebrew Day School’s Diamond Jubilee Gala

By Kayla Swartzberg San Diego Hebrew Day School’s Head of School Rabbi Simcha Weiser says it best: “Without a Jewish day school, continuity of Jewish life would not be sustainable.” “Now, this clarity is obvious to all.” This past week, the Jewish day school celebrated its 60th anniversary hosting a Diamond Jubilee Gala. With good

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Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education

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