Judaism

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]

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

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

Long-Overdue Recognition for British-Jewish War Hero Jack Nissenthall

By Jerry Klinger The BBC called Jack Nissenthall “The VC (Victoria Cross) Hero Who Never Was.” Eighty years on from the 1942 British raid on Nazi coastal facilities and radar installations in Dieppe, Nissenthall’s extraordinary, courageous actions remain hidden by the British Secrecy Acts. What he did, what he learned, what he saw, remain British

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International, Jerry Klinger, Jewish History, Opinion

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

Revisiting the the Rothschilds

By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — While sorting through and getting rid of books in order to accommodate a new item of furniture I came across “The Rothschilds: A Family Portrait,” which I had given to my father for his birthday in 1965. It still bears my dedication, “To Daddy, with love,” reminding me

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Jewish History

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

Forum Illustrates American Jewish Uneasiness over Israeli Policies

Congregants of Tifereth Israel Synagogue observed Israel Independence Day on Wednesday night with singing, dancing, flag waving, and a frank discussion about the embarrassment some feel over the current course of the Israeli government. [Donald H. Harrison]

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

The Jewish Eye: Eviction Protection; Prostitution Clampdown; Trump’s Court Battles; Israel’s Independence Day

By a margin of 8-1, the San Diego City Council on Tuesday gave preliminary approval to an ordinance that would require landlords to provide two to three months rent money to blameless tenants whom they have evicted. Seniors would receive a greater allowance under the proposal. Council President Sean Elo-Rivera, who proposed the ordinance that will come up for a final vote May 16, commented: “San Diegans who are paying their rent and abiding by their lease should not live in fear of eviction.  Sadly, too often, San Diego renters are being evicted despite the rules.  These evictions cause massive financial and emotional distress to families and can lead to displacement and put people at risk of homelessness. This ordinance provides the protections that San Diego renters need and deserve.”  Councilwoman Dr. Jen Campbell was the lone vote against the measure, saying she was following the wishes of many constituents to whom she had spoken in her 2nd Council District. [Donald H. Harrison]

The Jewish Eye: Eviction Protection; Prostitution Clampdown; Trump’s Court Battles; Israel’s Independence Day Read More »

Business & Finance, California, Donald H. Harrison, Holocaust, Israel, Jewish History, San Diego County, Sports & Competitions, USA

The Jewish Eye: S.D. Civic Improvements; Carlson Aftermath; Reich’s ‘Treason’ Argument

Entertainment attorney Bryan Freedman has been separately retained by cable news hosts Tucker Carlson and Don Lemon, who on Monday were both dismissed from their respective positions at Fox News and Cable News Network.  Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, welcomed Carlson’s departure saying in Tweet: “It’s about time.  For far too long, Tucker Carlson has used his primetime show to spew antisemitic racist, xenophobic & anti-LGBTQ hate to millions.” Meanwhile Ken Stone of Times of San Diego has reported that San Diego-based One America News’s CEO and Founder Robert Herring Sr. said, “It would be great if we could get Tucker! I might give him around $25 million. And he would be well worth that!”  U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Maryland) tweeted: “Now that fox has fired Carlson, who blundered by speaking off-camera truth about lies Fox told on air, will Fox recant Trump’s Big Lie, Carlson’s ‘Patriot Purge’ Jan. 6 false-flag disinformation & the toxic Great Replacement Theory? Or was he just fired for saying he hated Trump?” [Donald H. Harrison]

The Jewish Eye: S.D. Civic Improvements; Carlson Aftermath; Reich’s ‘Treason’ Argument Read More »

California, Donald H. Harrison, Israel, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Sports & Competitions, Theatre, Film & Broadcast