Judaism

Ugandan-American Tells of Fateful October Visit to Israel

Then, the first siren rang. We were bewildered and befuddled but the amazing hotel staff shuffled us into the basement along with the other hotel guests.  In my imagination, this was just another one-day scuffle. Such is what passes for “peacetime” in this part of the world, I thought. [Shoshana McKinney]

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International, Israel, Jewish History, Shoshana McKinney, Travel and Food

Bais Betzalel Chabad Celebrates Its First Bris

There is a special Jewish custom that in the months leading up to the delivery, the father opens up the Aron Kodesh to bring out the Sefer Torah. The Zohar says, “When the congregation takes out the Torah Scroll, the Heavenly Gates of Mercy are opened, and G‑d’s love is aroused.” The husband opening the Gates of Heaven hopefully elicits G‑d’s merciful blessing that the birth be easy and without complications. [Rabbi Yehuda Trestman]

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Jewish Religion, San Diego County

The Man for Whom Ma’alot Harav Shlomo Goren Was Named

Born in Poland in 1917 and emigrated to Palestine at the age of eight, Rabbi Goren was a brilliant, colorful, and sometimes controversial, Talmudist and halakhist. Young Shlomo Goren was a prodigy: at the tender age of twelve, he began his formal Talmud studies as the youngest student ever at Jerusalem’s Hebron Yeshiva and he published the first of many books when he was just seventeen years old. [Gedaliah Borvick]

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Gedaliah Borvick, Israel, Jewish History, Jewish Religion

Los Angeles Theater Critic, San Diego Jewish World Contributor Cynthia Citron Dies at 89

Cynthia Wynn Taylor Citron, born September 16, 1934, in Boston, died November 11, 2023, in New York, of pneumonia and old age. For nearly 20 years she was a well known theater critic in Los Angeles, writing for the Santa Monica Daily Press, San Diego Jewish World (for which she served as L.A. County Bureau

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California, Obituaries & memorials, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

The Hidden Passion and Joy of Psalms Described by Two Rabbis

Most identify the Book of Psalms as a collection of Jewish hymns, prayers, and poems mostly focusing on praising and adoring God. Rabbis Jack Riemer and Elie Spitz, co-authors of Duet on Psalms, with their long careers as pulpit rabbis recognize for too many, reciting psalms is a perfunctory exercise, spoken without passion and devoid of their intrinsic meaning. [Fred Reiss, Ed.D]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Fred Reiss, EdD, Jewish Religion

Terry Wunder: Rejoicing in a Jewish Identity

Growing up, Wunder had a mixed set of experiences – a family that loved him and was very protective of him versus schoolmates and authority figures who singled him out because he was Asian. “It was anything from kids making fun of your eyes to the food that you eat, or assuming you speak another language and making fun of it, even if you don’t,” recalled Wunder, who works today as Director of Community Engagement for Temple Solel in Encinitas. Wunder is also one of 15 persons across the nation chosen in 2022 for a Wexner Field Fellowship. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Fred Kropveld, Jewish Religion, San Diego County

Jewish Vets Share Their Military Experiences

Julius Katz shared the story of his friend who spoke fluent German and was in WW II stationed at a camp in Europe near the end of the war, He was awakened from a deep sleep and summoned into the main room where there about a dozen Nazi soldiers fully armed. He and his troops were quite frightened, and his friend spoke to them in German asking them what they wanted, they responded to him in German that they came to surrender, and he told them in German to drop their arms and raise their arms which they did . [Bill Sperling]

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Jewish History, San Diego County, USA

Who Are We? San Diego County Jewish Demographic Study Released

Editor’s Note: The executive summary of the demographic study of San Diego’s Jewish population is published below.  A community meeting will be held from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Sunday,  Dec. 3rd at the Lawrence Family JCC to gather, interpret the results, and gain community insight.  As space is limited, registration via this website is

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Judaism, San Diego County