By Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin BOCA RATON, Florida — Rabbi Dr. Dan Ornstein has written the easy-to-read “Cain v. Abel: A Jewish Courtroom Drama,” an interesting, thoughtful, eye-opening, and thought-provoking book based on the two-dozen biblical sentences in Genesis 4 that report the fraternal murder of Abel by his brother Cain. Rabbi Ornstein includes the
The Cain v. Abel Trial Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion
(Israel Hayom via JNS) The president of the Republika Srpska of the Serbian Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina agreed on Monday to help exhume the bones of the grandfather and grandmother of Theodor Herzl, the father of modern political Zionism, and send them to Israel. President Željka Cvijanović visited Mount Herzl earlier this week. During
Bones of Theodor Herzl’s Grandparents Coming to Israel Read More »
International, Jewish History, Middle East
Jewish historian Joellyn Zollman will discuss “Editing American Jewish History–Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Stories,” at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 22, at Congregation Beth Israel, 9001 Towne Centre Drive, San Diego.
[Beth Israel Men’s Club]
Historian Joellyn Zollman to Address Beth Israel Dec. 22 Read More »
Jewish History, San Diego County
With people eager for community experiences, more than 300 congregations, JCCs, Federations, schools, camps, independent minyanim and Jewish organizations are mounting gatherings this Hanukkah marking a worldwide rededication of relational communities. Under the banner, Hanukkah Homecoming, events around the world will be held onsite and online November 28 – December 5, 2021, inviting those engaged and those not-yet-engaged to connect with community and each other. [Hanukkah Happenings]
San Diego Congregations Join in National Hanukkah Happening Read More »
Jewish Religion, San Diego County, USA
In honor of Chanukah, the Jerusalem-based nonprofit Shavei Israel designed and produced hundreds of dreidels with Mandarin lettering for the Chinese Jews of Kaifeng, China, as well as for 20 members of the community who have already made Aliya to Israel with the organization’s assistance. [Shavei Israel]
Kaifeng Dreidels Inscribed in Mandarin Read More »
International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion
The nation’s Second Gentleman, Douglas Emhoff spoke at the ceremony lighting the National Menorah on Sunday evening, the first night of Chanukah. Following are a transcript of his remarks as released by the Office of the Vice President. [Doug Emhoff]
Douglas Emhoff Celebrates Chanukah with Lighting of National Menorah Read More »
Jewish Religion, USA
This week’s parasha, Miketz, falls out during Chanukah. Yet, Chanukah isn’t mentioned even once in all of our Torah. Recall that in last week’s parasha, Vayeishev, Joseph was thrown into a pit. Joseph prayed and Hashem answered his prayers. This week, we read how his life changed, how Hashem saved his family and by extension, our lives as Jews as well, and how Joseph prayed prayers of thanksgiving…as do we, for Hashem delivering us miraculously as he did Joseph. Our endurance has little to do with military capacity or political perceptiveness, both clearly important, but rather from our own inner determination that is launched in our faith. This is the link between Miketz and Chanukah. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]
Joseph, Zechariah, the Maccabees, and modern-day Chanukah Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell
Rabbis sometimes invent short stories or elaborate on Jewish folktales to amplify the readings in Jewish Scriptures. Such a tale is known as a midrash. With Comic-Con in town November 26-28 and my grandson Shor in attendance, I learned that comic book writers also engage in a bit of midrashim. [Donald H. Harrison]
A Midrash on Samson at Comic-Con Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Shor M. Masori
In the November 28, 2021 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
–Two Israeli breakthroughs in cancer research.
–Two Israeli women “break the glass ceiling” – in innovation and IDF leadership.
–Two historic events uniting Israel and the UAE.
–Two more cool Israeli energy-saving innovations.
–Boost in Israel’s economic ties with Serbia and Morocco.
–Four more billion-dollar Israeli companies.
–Israeli wins at the Emmy awards and in the World jiu-jitsu championships.
–Two major Temple-era archaeological discoveries in Jerusalem [Michael Ordman]
Good News from Israel (November 28, 2021) Read More »
Business & Finance, International, Jewish History, Michael Ordman, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions, The World We Share, Travel and Food, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA
Brazilian-born San Diegan Carla Berg has issued a music video in Ladino, with English subtitles, in which she teaches that we can make our own Chanukah miracles by bringing light to other people’s lives. [Donald H. Harrison]
San Diegan Records Chanukah Music Video in Ladino Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts
The great Jewish texts and sources are an enormous trove of knowledge, insights, traditions, and wisdom. His months at Pardes will barely scratch the surface and are tantamount to studying the initial pages of the first volume of a 32-volume encyclopedia—just enough to know that he’ll hardly know anything. But through these months, he will have evolved both respect and appreciation for the works’ scope and breadth. [Doron Krakow]
3 Subjects Worthy of Deep Study: Torah, JCC’s, Mideast History Read More »
Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
The dead body of a British officer found floating in April 1943 in the waters off the coast of Southern Spain, near Huelva, may have been a key reason Hitler was unable to finish murdering the last Jews of Europe.
A valise, chained to the body’s wrist, contained top-secret military documents with plans to invade Greece by British and Allied forces. Nazi spies working with Spanish police copied the documents and sent them to Berlin. [Jerry Klinger]
British Deception Helped Defeat Nazis, Save Jews Read More »
International, Jerry Klinger, Jewish History
This short passage, mainly in good ancient poetry, is from minor prophet Amos, who arose from Judea to condemn both Judea’s and, more specifically, the Northern Kingdom’s ethics violations c. 784-748 BCE under King Jeroboam II. The violations, though referencing idol worship, mainly condemn behavioral sins against defenseless and vulnerable poor Northerners. [Irv Jacobs, M.D.]
Haftorah Reading for November 27, 2021 Read More »
Irv Jacobs, MD, Jewish Religion
Some of the rabbis of the previous centuries identified the turkey as the הוֹדוּ תַּרְנְגוֹל “Indian chicken,” and thought the bird originated in India. Jews were not the only ones who thought this way. The French referred to turkey as poulet d’Inde (“Chicken from India”), as did the Polish, Ukrainian and Russian countries. It was assumed that the rabbis in India permitted it. However, this was an assumption that could never be proven since it was based on a false assumption: Turkeys did not exist in India! [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]
Wait! Are Those Turkeys Kosher? Read More »
International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Judaism, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle East, Travel and Food, USA