Judaism

Drive-in Chanukah Concert Dec. 14 at Del Mar Fairgrounds

In their efforts to bring meaningful and uplifting Chanukah events to the Jewish community the 25+ Chabad Centers throughout San Diego County have joined together to host the first ever Drive-In Chanukah Concert at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. The featured entertainer is Israeli superstar Gad Elbaz, who is known for his high energy and powerful voice! The opening act will feature Rabbi Yossi Rodal, himself a local Chabad rabbi and Director of Chabad of Carlsbad-North. [Press Release]

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

Debating Life’s True Meaning

What are we created for? What is our destination? What is the destination of this endlessly-large and incomprehensible universe? These are centuries-old questions which come to the mind of every thinking human being. The Torah tells us: “To glorify Gd!” But other purposes for which everything was created, and the final destination of humanity and the universe in general, are known only to Gd. We humans can only come up with some guesses and assumptions based on our experience and observations. [Arkady Mamaysky]

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Arkady Mamaysky, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles

Some little known facts about Hanukah

Many Jews, even those who do not observe any Jewish practice other than Yom Kippur and Passover, observe Hanukah, mostly because their children want gifts, but they have wrong ideas about the history relating to the holiday. Even most observant Jews have wrong ideas, as do many non-Jews.  The late Dr. Howard Rubenstein of San Diego published a fascinating book about the history of Hanukah called Maccabee: An Epic in Free Verse. Based upon the Books of Maccabees. The book is very readable. One should not be turned off by the words “free verse.” In fact, Rubenstein’s free verse is easier to read than the average novel written for the general population, and is more interesting. I recommend the book. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion

Torah for Children: Better Now than Later

The Torah portion read earlier today in synagogues was Vayishlach. Jacob wants to meet with his brother Esau. But Jacob fled from his home years ago to keep away from Esau. Jacob tricked his father into giving him the blessing his brother was supposed to receive. He stayed away because he knew how mad Esau was. But now, Jacob sends many cows, donkeys and sheep to his brother, hoping to make up for what he did. [Marcia Berneger]

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Jewish Religion, Marcia Berneger

‘Laverne & Shirley’ star David L. Lander, aka Squiggy, dies at 73

David L. Lander, the Jewish comic actor best known for his over-the-top portrayal of 1950s greaser Squiggy on “Laverne & Shirley,” has died at the age of 73. Lander passed away Friday from complications from multiple sclerosis at a Los Angeles hospital, his wife, Kathy, told TMZ. Variety confirmed Lander’s death on Saturday. Kathy Lander

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Jewish History, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

How Hanukkah came to be an annual White House celebration

President Donald Trump speaks during a Hanukkah reception at the White House in 2019. AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta President Trump’s plan of holding an in-person Hanukkah reception at the White House on Dec. 9, despite concerns over the coronavirus, is getting much attention on social media. Some asked whether anyone would be reckless enough to

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Jewish Religion, USA

A Word of Torah: Appeasing Evil?

This week we read of the brotherly reunion of Yaakov and Esav after their long separation. As a brief reminder Yaakov (Jacob) hurriedly left the house of his righteous parents Yitzchak (Isaac) and Rivka (Rebecca) due to the homicidal rage of his (evil) twin Esav who wanted to murder him. Why did Esav want to murder his twin brother? He was enraged that Yaakov, through stealthy means, acquired his father’s blessing instead of him. Ultimately, everyone agreed-including Esav himself-with Rivka’s assessment that the potent blessing would find an appropriate vessel within Yaakov rather than Esav. [Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort]

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Jewish Religion, Yeruchem Eilfort-Rabbi

How to fight Holocaust denial in social media – with the evidence of what really happened

Holocaust survivor Shalom Stamberg holds a book with a photo of himself in Auschwitz, alongside a copy of his concentration camp record. AP Photo/Ariel Schalit One in four American millennials believe the Holocaust was exaggerated or entirely made up, according to a recent national survey that sought to find out what young adults know about

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International, Jewish History, USA

Free Exercise of Religion vs. Promoting the General Welfare

It all comes down to “promote the general welfare” vs. “the free exercise…of religion.”

On Nov. 8,  Satmar Grand Rabbi Aaron Teitelbaum more than freely exercised his religious traditions by hosting a family wedding in Brooklyn reportedly attended by 7,000 guests at a time when coronavirus cases persisted at high levels of infection. On Nov. 23. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio promoted the general welfare by socking the organizers with a laughable $15,000 fine. On Nov. 26,  our dysfunctional Supreme Court stamped a final judgment on a synagogue attendance case – rooted in Brooklyn – prioritizing “the free exercise…of religion” over “the general welfare.” [Bruce S. Ticcker]

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Bruce Ticker, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, USA

US Jewish doctor tweets on treating Covid patient with Nazi tattoos

Los Angeles (AFP) – A Jewish doctor working with coronavirus patients in California shared his shock about the moment he saw neo-Nazi tattoos on the body of a severely ill man he was treating. As his team – which included a Black nurse and a respiratory specialist of Asian descent — prepared the man to

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Jewish History, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Comparing Torah (VaYishlah) with Ancient Practices

This essay covers: Jacob’s anxious strategy for meeting Esau after 20+ years; Jacob’s wrestling with an ‘angel’; the circumcision and double-dealing against the Schechemites by Jacob’s sons.  I have chosen three passages, for comparison, via the Internet, with writings attributed to ancient Israel’s neighbors. [Irv Jacobs, MD]

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Irv Jacobs, MD, Jewish Religion

The Great Jewish Calendar Controversy

According to the Book of the Calendar Controversy, found in the Cairo Genizah in the early twentieth century, Aaron Ben Meir, a highly esteemed scholar and Head of the Jewish community living in Muslim-occupied Israel, challenged, in A.M. 4682 (921 CE), Babylonian Jewry’s power to construct the Jewish calendar by declaring on the Mount of Olives that the months of Heshvan and Kislev would be defective (both having 29 days), and as a result, Passover 4682 will fall on Sunday, contradicting the pronouncement of the Babylonian Sanhedrin whose calendar said the months of Heshvan and Kislev will be full (both having 30 days) and Passover falling on Tuesday, two days later. [Fred Reiss, Ed.D]

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Fred Reiss, EdD, Jewish History, Jewish Religion