When I posted the article containing a long list of obscure items in the Tanakh, I heard from many readers who found the list interesting and thoughtful. Some even offered their own interpretation of the obscure item. In view of the interest. I am listing some more of the hundreds of obscure words and events that could be listed. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
More obscure items in the Torah Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion
School, High Holidays, travel to Uman. They are all problematic, and causing squabbles for us, as well as the government of Ukraine with its Jewish President. Most immediate is the opening of school, set for today. Until now we’ve been wondering about a teachers strike, the prospect of paying an extra several thousand teachers and aides to allow smaller classes, and how the various grades will be treated with respect to masks, teaching in class or from home, as well as the thousands of students still without computers or internet connections that would allow some kind of distant learning. [Ira Sharkansky, Ph.D]
Israel muddled by coronavirus, school openings, High Holidays Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education
This history of one Holocaust family’s experiences, together with a book by Julie Gray that I reviewed yesterday — The True Adventures of Gidon Levin in which Gray traveled with Lev to the major venues in his life, — leave me with a hopeful sense that we are moving into a new era of Holocaust research and scholarship. I’m hopeful because I’ve often heard Holocaust survivors ask plaintively, “When we’re gone, who will tell our stories?” The answer is that an entirely new generation of journalists, descendants, and academics will probe the history of the mass murder of six million Jews, unearthing untold stories and bringing to them fresh new perspectives. [Book review by Donald H. Harrison]
A new generation of writers tackles the Holocaust Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History
Willie and Laura Pincus were a forever couple. There was never any Willie without Laura, nor Laura without Willie, even after he died. He was sixty-five when he checked out, after many years of heart trouble. Jerry Lewis, the comedian once said; “Good Jewish food killed more of my people than the Holocaust did!” Willy had too many delicious pastrami, and chopped liver, sandwiches. When he died, Laura felt cheated. She often told me that she was waiting to rejoin him. She had to wait twelve long years, but finally her patience paid off, and I’m left to tell the tale. [Ira Spector]
Willie the plumber and Lavender Laura Read More »
Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County
Holocaust survivor Gidon Lev had written a memoir but he needed an editor. Julie Gray, who had recently made Aliyah to Israel, had a background as a writer for magazines and periodicals. Even though Lev had children older than Gray, their relationship became more than a work match; the two would travel together, become lovers and lifelong companions, and produce a joint memoir that was both an exploration of Lev’s experiences and Gray’s reaction to them. [Book review by Donald H. Harrison]
Memoir of a Holocaust survivor, Kibbutznik, lover Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Middle East, USA
An important part of this parashah are rules to follow when you find something that belongs to someone else. If you find an animal that has wandered away from its home, the Torah says you must return it. If you don’t know to whom it belongs, you can keep it until the owner claims it and then you must give it back. The Torah says “…and so too shall you do with anything your fellow loses and you find.” [Marcia Berneger]
Torah for Children: Return lost objects Read More »
Jewish Religion, Marcia Berneger
There were different types of war that the Jewish people would engage in. Those wars that entitled conquering the Holy Land were called, “Milchamot Mitzvah,” “Mitzvah” wars, as it was a positive commandment to conquer the land and expel the Canaanites, who were exceedingly evil people. Lest we accuse the Israelites of being colonialists it is appropriate to remember that the Canaanites had driven off the offspring of Noah’s son Shem, from whom the Jewish people trace our roots. In other words, the Jews were simply repatriating the land that belonged to them and which the Almighty had given in a bequest to Abraham our father. Astonishingly we learn about a different type of war – a war that was optional. The Torah explains that under certain circumstances the Jewish people would be allowed to expand the borders of Israel and fight wars with her neighbors in order to conquer additional lands [Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort]
A Word of Torah: ‘Optional’ warfare Read More »
Jewish Religion, Yeruchem Eilfort-Rabbi
Editor’s Note: The San Diego County Democratic Central Committee will vote on Tuesday, Sept. 1, on a resolution dealing with anti-Semitism. A previous meeting on the subject indicates that there is considerable opposition to the resolution among some of the committee’s membership. By Matthew Finkelstein SAN DIEGO — I knew some in the San Diego
San Diego Democrats to vote on anti-Semitism Read More »
Jewish History, Middle East, San Diego County, USA
Laurie Baron, Ph.D., has combed through Internet listings for programs of direct Jewish interest from Sunday, Aug. 30 through Thursday, Sept. 3.
Streaming Jewish programs, Aug. 30-Sept. 3 Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Lawrence Baron, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
From Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19, I have chosen four passages for comparison, from the internet, with ancient Israel’s neighbors regarding female captives, death penalties, found objects, and mixing prohibitions. [Irv Jacobs, M.D.]
Ancient practices: female captives, death penalty, found objects, mixing prohibitions Read More »
Irv Jacobs, MD, Jewish Religion
Karen Parry, a Jewish community professional who grew up and held her earliest positions in San Diego County, will return to her native city from Seattle to become the executive director of Hillel of San Diego. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
Karen Parry new Hillel of San Diego executive director Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Middle East, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
The Museum of the Jewish People has temporarily transformed itself into an “airport terminal” so children and families can “travel” the world both in-person and virtually despite ongoing air travel limited due to COVID-19 safety concerns. There’s even a “Museum Airlines” to help visitors’ imaginations take flight. [Press Release0
Museum pretends to be an airport terminal Read More »
International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Travel and Food, USA
This week’s parasha, literally meaning, “When you go out…” opens with a description of facing war with enemies. Maimonides tells us that more than seventy mitzvot spring from this week’s Torah portion, from weights and measures and collecting debts in a righteous way, to proper ways to divorce and keeping promises. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]
Overcoming evil inclinations Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell
Zoom services may be good, but those in the open air are better in the opinion of Rabbi Mendy Begun of Chabad of Chula Vista. With what he hopes will be the help of other Jewish congregations, the rabbi plans to put on a free second night of Rosh Hashanah shofar blowing and concert by Cantor Daniel Moreno in Cottonwood Park in Chula Vista. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
An outdoor Shofar service for 2nd night Rosh Hashanah Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Travel and Food