Judaism

Editor’s Notebook: Navigating an Unforgettable Sense of Limbo on Simchat Torah

By Jacob Kamaras LA JOLLA, California — In San Diego and across the Jewish world, this past Simchat Torah holiday won’t be forgotten anytime soon. While I was on volunteer security duty at Congregation Adat Yeshurun during Shabbat/Shemini Atzeret, bits and pieces of the devastating news in Israel began to emerge. We heard that 100

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Israel, Jacob Kamaras, Jewish Religion, Opinion, San Diego County

Ceramicist Herman’s Works are ‘Intentionally Not Conceptual’

Ceramicist Josh Herman’s tile work is on display throughout the upscale Paridisea Restaurant in the remodeled interior of the Piano Building in La Jolla’s Bird Rock neighborhood. His “modern, sensual, organic” ceramic sculptures made the cover of the French edition of Architectural Digest in July 2016 when the authoritative magazine profiled the La Jolla Farms Road home known as the Razor House, now owned by singer Alicia Keys. [Donald H. Harrison and Emily Scalmanini}

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Lifestyles, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County

P.A.’s Abbas Tells Terrible Lies About the Holocaust

By Rabbi Dr. Bernhard Rosenberg EDISON, New Jersey — The chairman of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas,   claimed that Jews were murdered in the Holocaust not because of their Jewishness. “This is explained in many Jewish books,” Abbas said. “They say that Hitler killed them because of their Jewishness. Not so. They (the Nazis) fought

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Bernhard H. Rosenberg-Rabbi, Holocaust, International, Jewish History, Middle East

OneTable Expands, Creating Meaningful Shabbat Dinner Practices for New Generations

(Press Release) OneTable, a North American non-profit best known for empowering people in their 20s and 30s to envision new rituals and build community through Shabbat dinner, is launching a new program aimed at older adults. Those aged 55ish+ are invited to register at Together @OneTable, a peer-to-peer platform dedicated to connecting people to create

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Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, USA

Famous Cantors, Past and Present, Featured in High Holy Day Music at the JCC

High Holiday Music will be featured as the first of a series of three Jewish Holiday Music programs from the Music Collection of the Astor Judaica Library. This free presentation will be held from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. Thursday afternoon, September 28,  in the second floor library of the Lawrence Family JCC. [Eileen Wingard]

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Eileen Wingard, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County

Recognizing the Miraculous in the ‘Mundane’

the personal stories told from Rabbi Zedek’s own experiences were the ones that most resonated with me as I read this slim volume.  Perhaps this is because I know from personal experience that we can intellectually quote from the works of others without taking their meanings deep into our hearts, but when we relate our own experiences, we are telling about something that in the everyday course of living made us take special notice. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion

Two Witnesses Prove God Exists

By Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin BOCA RATON, Florida — The weekly portion of Haazinu (chapter 32), the penultimate Torah’s ending, is “The Song.” In it, because he realizes the significance of his message, Moses reemphasizes the benefits and consequences derived from observing and disobeying the divine law. Jewish law generally requires, with few exceptions, two

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Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion

Discovering Purpose

By Teresa Konopka SAN DIEGO — With Rosh Hashanah this past weekend, there were plenty of festivities. From services to lunch to dinner to shofar blasts to tashlich, the opportunities to connect with community were endless. Chatting up friends old and new, I broke the ice with my standard question — “any new year’s resolutions?”

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Jewish Religion, Opinion, Teresa_Konopka

Amid High Holidays, New Resources Focus on People Experiencing Fertility Challenges

(Press Release) Focusing on an audience that is often neglected in Jewish communities, Recustom has launched a new initiative timed with the High Holidays to support and resource anyone seeking to start or grow families who is experiencing fertility challenges. Formerly known as Haggadot.com, Recustom helps people create personalized, customizable, and meaningful Jewish ritual experiences

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Jewish Religion, USA

Rosh Hashanah: What Does it Mean to be Human?

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

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Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Opinion

Book Presents 21 Jewish Role Models for Grade School Girls

In chronological order, the women whose accomplishments are praised are Emma Lazarus, Henrietta Szold, Marthe Cohn, Shari Lewis, Golda Meir, Vera Rubin, Devra Kleinman, Judy Blume, Nalini Nadkarni, Barbra Streisand, Marlee Matlin, Rusty Kanokogi, Judit Polgar, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Cheryl & Nikki Bart; Dara Torres, Annie Leibovitz; April N. Baskin, and Jessica Meir. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History