Judaism

Good News from Israel (Dec. 13, 2020)

In the 13th Dec 20 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
• A new Israeli stem cell treatment can halt and reverse MS.
• Israel has received its first deliveries of coronavirus vaccines.
• An Israeli-Ethiopian immigrant has won a scholarship to Oxford University.
• Over 130 Israeli hi-tech companies have been exhibiting in Dubai.
• New investment in Israeli startups is at record levels.
• An Israeli has won the NASCAR European championship for the 3rd time.
• Morocco and Israel are to establish diplomatic relations. [Very Good News Israel via San Diego Jewish World]
 

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Business & Finance, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Michael Ordman, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions, The World We Share, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food

How Hanukkah Is Regarded in Israel

We just received a note from a dear friend and longtime reader. She wrote: I know you once told me Hanukkah is a minor holiday in Israel but, so, just in case you feel like lighting a menorah, enjoy!  Wishing you as much joy as is possible at this moment in time.  Stay well and safe. My reply:  For sure we’re lighting candles and celebrating the holiday. I’ll clarify my previous comment: Minor doesn’t mean Hanukkah isn’t celebrated here. It’s minor only in the sense that the story of the Maccabees isn’t mentioned in the Bible. Here it isn’t among the most holy holidays. Presents are exchanged mostly around Rosh Hashanah or Passover, not so much during this holiday. Fried foods, such as doughnuts and potato pancakes (latkes) are a big thing. Hanukkah “gelt” (money) is often the gift of choice, along with chocolate “coins” and plain or fancy dreidels for games. … [Steve Kramer]

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Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Steve Kramer

Emirati, Bahraini ambassadors to US light Hanukkah third candle together

The Emirati and Bahraini Ambassadors to the US lit Hanukkah candles together on Saturday night, celebrating the third day of holiday, N12 reported.On Saturday night, the Israeli Embassy in Washington held a virtual candle lighting with the UAE Ambassador to the US Yousef Al Otaiba and Bahraini Ambassador to the US Abdulla Al Khalifa, who

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Jewish Religion, Middle East, USA

Two bricks from Buchenwald

The unspeakable horror; the ignored cries of pain,; the unimaginable suffering; the final resting place for more than 50,000 innocent souls. This was Nazi era Germany: This was Buchenwald, the death camp infamous for performing medical experiments on inmates. Its place in history marked by being the first camp liberated by Allied Forces. On a recent driving trip through the scenic countryside of the now unified Germany, we two Americans born after World War II gathered our courage to visit Buchenwald. Despite our each having twice before traveled to Germany, neither had mustered the psychological strength to witness the reality of the death camp tales we had heard all our lives. [John Brennan]

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International, Jewish History

Reunion of families who sheltered Kindertransport refugees

To mark the anniversary of the Kindertransport project, in which Britain agreed to accept ten thousand unaccompanied refugee children, the vast majority of whom were Jewish, from Germany, Austria and Czechoslovakia in 1938 and 1939, the AJR (Association of Jewish Refugees) recently held a special zoom meeting. This was hosted by British celebrity Dame Esther Rantzen and one of the main speakers was Sir David Attenborough, whose family had hosted two girls from Germany. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]

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Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Jewish History

A Holocaust Haggadah To Help Preserve Memory

The idea of a Holocaust Haggadah is fabulous; we have a Tu’B’ Shevat Seder Haggadah, why not one on the Holocaust—especially since Yom HaShoah occurs within a week after Passover ends?  Historically, the Passover Haggadah provided a practical template how to convey the meaning of Passover; Rabbi Rosenberg’s Holocaust Haggadah aims to create a practical syllabus on how to make the Holocaust relevant to the themes of Passover and redemption. For the children of Holocaust survivors (like myself), we must find new and creative ways to preserve the sacredness of Jewish memory. This is similar to the way the retelling of Passover serves to challenge new generations with the seminal thoughts since the time when the traditional observance of Passover ceased with the destruction of the Temple. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]

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Bernhard H. Rosenberg-Rabbi, Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi

‘Everybody Did It’ Is Poor Excuse for FDR’s Inaction on Holocaust

The actions by the president [Franklin D. Roosevelt] and his administration included welcoming Nazi warships to U.S. ports; allowing deceptive labeling on German imports to elude anti-Nazi boycotters; censoring anti-Nazi remarks by cabinet members; and refraining from publicly condemning the Hitler regime’s persecution of German Jews (from 1933 until late 1938). Our essay noted that none of this is mentioned in the exhibit on “Americans and the Holocaust” at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, in Washington, D.C. None of the museum’s staff historians have disputed the accuracy of our essay. Instead, the museum issued this statement by its communications director: “The exhibition reveals how many segments of American society, not just the president, but also Congress, the State Department, the media, and the public knew about the persecution and murder of the Jews while it was happening but for the most part failed to respond.” In other words, don’t focus the blame on FDR, because everybody was doing it.

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International, Jewish History, USA

Roald Dahl’s Family Apologizes For Author’s Antisemitic Comments

The family of Roald Dahl has apologized for the author’s antisemitism, which hurt his reputation during his lifetime and continues to taint interpretations of his work after his death, through a statement on the website that was recently discovered and publicized but has been up for an indefinite amount of time. “The Dahl family and

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Jewish History, Middle East, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Joseph learned Who really is in charge

As we here in San Diego face a new set of lockdowns, many continue wondering, okay, complaining, about the decisions of those who are “in charge.” This week’s Torah reading answers the question of who is in charge quite clearly. Just when we think all is well with our health, in our family, with our career, in our lives, G-d shows us He has another lesson for us to learn. It seems the only thing predictable about life is how unpredictable it can be. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]

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Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell