The Menorah has become one of the foremost symbols of the Jewish people and for good reason. Let us explore some of these reasons together. [Word of Torah by Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort]
A Word of Torah: Why we light menorahs Read More »
Jewish Religion, Yeruchem Eilfort-Rabbi
On May 30th, 2020, the nation witnessed a spectacle that was reminiscent of the time Hitler and his brownshirts seized power in Germany. As my fellow writer, Bruce S. Ticker observed in his penetrating article, “Rioting in Los Angeles was an anti-Jewish pogrom” for San Diego Jewish World, “The Jews of the Fairfax neighborhood of Los Angeles were exposed to a modern, American-style pogrom on May 30 that should enrage us all. Not only were Jewish businesses sacked but five synagogues and three Jewish schools were reportedly vandalized in George Floyd’s name by thugs.” Ticker drew inspiration from Daniel Greenfield, who wrote on his blog, “One small business owner described a ‘Late Saturday night with people driving down the Fairfax district streets screaming effing Jews.’” [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]
BLM’s anti-Semitism must be addressed Read More »
Bruce Ticker, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, USA
In front of an outdoor menorah at Temple Beth Shalom in Chula Vista, seven Christian ministers joined host Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel in an interfaith service Wednesday that condemned the killing of George Floyd by the Minneapolis police, and extolled the teachings of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. on the importance of keeping protests non-violent. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
Interfaith service condemns violence, lauds peaceful protest Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, San Diego County, Sports & Competitions, USA
Laurie Baron, PhD, rounds up lectures and programs on a variety of Jewish subjects for the week of June 14, 2020.
Streaming Jewish lectures: Week of June 14, 2020 Read More »
Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Lawrence Baron, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
I have chosen five passages from this week’s Torah reading , for comparison with ancient pagan practices, from what I could find in Internet searches. [Irv Jacobs, MD]
What do Queen Esther and Natan Sharansky have in common? Courage! How about Isaiah and U.S. Supreme Curt Justice Ruth Bader Ginzburg? Fairness! [Donald H. Harrison]
Jewish lessons on courage, creativity, curiosity, fairness, and kindness Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Science, Medicine, & Education
Jewish Family Service of San Diego on Tuesday sponsored an internet panel discussion posing thorny questions about the Jewish community and race relations. The panel brought together Rabbi Yael Ridberg of Congregation Dor Hadash; Micah Parzen, the executive director of the San Diego Museum of Man, and Kelly Greenberg Young, education director for the San Diego regional office of the Anti-Defamation League. The moderator was Nate Looney, an African-American Jew who is Avodah’s recruiter of Jews of Color. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
Introspective JFS panel considers racism Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
Menasseh served the descendants of Portuguese and Spanish exiles, Jews like him who escaped from these lands. He made a small amount of money as a printer of books, a job he had to take because the community paid him a minimal salary as one of their rabbis. He worked hard to persuade the English king to allow Jews to live in England, but died believing he was not successful. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
Books: Menasseh ben Israel paved Jews way back to England Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish History
Oy! There’s a lot of whining in this week’s Torah portion, B’halot’cha. Come to think of it, it appears to be the basis of one of my mother’s oft-repeated sayings, “Keep complaining and I’ll really give you something to complain about.” Seems the Israelites grew tired of their repetitious diet of manna, pining for fish and other foods they ate “for free” as slaves in Egypt. Were they pining for the good old days of slavery? Our sages question whether the Egyptian taskmasters really gave the Israelites fish “for free” and suggest that the “freedom” that they are recalling in Egypt was actually a freedom from morality and responsibility (Midrash Sifrei 11:6). [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]
When Israelites thought their souls were ‘dried out’ Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell
In an international Zoomcast Tuesday, the secretary general of the Muslim World League invoked the shootings at Chabad of Poway and the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, along with other attacks on worshipers in Christchurch, New Zealand; Sri Lanka, Monsey, New York, and Halle, Germany, to call for world unity in fighting “the forces of hatred and intolerance.” [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
Jewish groups honor Muslim World League secretary general Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, USA
Why is Israel bashing like hockey in Canada, drinking furniture stripper methanol in Russia or shooting in the US – why is it such a popular pastime? The media and politicians rarely miss a chance to rage against Israel, never seeming cognizant of the following facts and arguments: [Ira Sharkansky, Ph.D]
The ‘Woke’ and the Left’s Israel Problem Read More »
International, Jewish History, Middle East, USA
Soille San Diego Hebrew Day School on Sunday, June 7, celebrated the 57th anniversary of its founding in a Zoom gathering that highlighted the life of the late Eilene Cummins, a longtime volunteer and former board president for the Orthodox school at 3730 Afton Avenue, San Diego. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
Hebrew Day School celebrates its 57th anniversary Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
In the summer issue of the online B’Yachad, published by the Jewish National Fund, attention is given to Israel’s desire to populate its northern “frontiers” — the Galilee to the north and the Negev Desert to the south. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
JNF aiding Negev communities including SD Jewish Federation’s sister region Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, USA
Jews and non-Jews who want to know more about the Bible (the Tanakh) and such questions as why biblical figures acted as they did, could do no better that to read Professor Nechama Price’s Tribal Blueprints. This book is part of the excellent Maggid Tanakh Companion series. Maggid is part of Koren Press. The series uses an interdisciplinary approach that incorporates traditional rabbinic interpretations with secular scholarly literary techniques to explore biblical characters and themes. Professor Price is a senior lecturer in Bible and Judaic Studies at Stern College and Director of Yeshiva University’s Graduate Program in Advanced Talmud Studies. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
‘Tribal Blueprints’ examines Jacob, his wives, sons, and descendants Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion