Dr. Irv Jacobs scours the Internet to find parallels and contrasts between biblical ideas and those of the pagan world on such subjects as leaving land fallow every seven years, duties of slaveholders to their slaves, and the concept of divine rewards and punishment.
Ancient ideas: agriculture, slavery, divine punishment Read More »
Irv Jacobs, MD, Jewish Religion
Prof. Laurie Baron, Ph.D., rounds up streaming Jewish content from a variety of sources for those who wish to deepen their Jewish educations.
Streaming Jewish content this coming week Read More »
International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Lawrence Baron, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USA
Editor’s Note: Parsha Behar (Leviticus 25:1-26:2) will be read in synagogues around the world on Saturday, May 16. Poet Jeremy Friedman notes its special significance in this time of the coronavirus pandemic. By Jeremy Friedman Parsha Behar tells of the Sabbatical year – the Shmita, when work ceases for people and beasts Not something we
The Rest of Ourselves Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish Religion
Jewish and pro-Israel organizations responded favorably to the passage in the U.S. Senate of the Never Again Education Act, H.R. 943, which would provide federal funding to help give teachers across the country the necessary resources to teach about the Holocaust in their classrooms. The bill passed the House on January 27 and now goes to the President for his signature. Following are comments from some of the organizations {Compiled from news releases]
Never Again Education Act passage hailed Read More »
International, Jewish History, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
As this third book of the Torah, the middle book, comes to an end, we are given nechemta, with a hopeful view of future generations. The parasha tells us, “If you follow My statutes and observe My commandments and perform them, I will give you rains in their time, the Land will yield its produce, and the tree of the field will give forth its fruit. Your threshing will last until the vintage…and I will grant peace in the Land…You will pursue your enemies, and they will fall by the sword before you…” (Leviticus, 26:3-7). A lovely thought, a tranquil image, comforting indeed. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]
Keeping faith amid the turmoil Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell
In a Zoom meeting on Wednesday, Charlene Seidle, executive vice president of the Leichtag Foundation, interviewed three panelists who help to make certain that the health and rights of workers in the food industry are recognized as an important priority for our society. [Our shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
Protecting workers in San Diego County’s food chain Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Travel and Food, USA
But how do you celebrate such a festive occasion when the plague of our own era demands that we distance ourselves from one another and avoid gatherings? Make it a drive-through. Welcome to the Lag Ba’Omer Drive Thru Circus Experience. Chabad Hebrew Academy located along Pomerado Road in Scripps Ranch set up multiple stages in their parking lot. Festival patrons slowly drove through in their cars. They were greeted by arches of red and yellow balloons (representing flames) Chasidic music, stilt-walkers, unicyclists, acrobats, jugglers, hula hoops, puppets and clowns. [Eric George Tauber]
Celebrating safely at a drive-thru circus Read More »
Eric George Tauber, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
The American Jewish community experienced the highest level of antisemitic incidents last year since tracking began in 1979, with more than 2,100 acts of assault, vandalism and harassment reported across the United States, according to new data from ADL (the Anti-Defamation League). The record number of incidents came as the San Diego Jewish community grappled with a violent, antisemitic shooting in Poway, along with horrific antisemitic attacks in Jersey City, Monsey, and a spree of vicious assaults in Brooklyn. [Anti-Defamation League press release]
Antisemitic acts at highest recorded level in U.S. Read More »
Jewish History, San Diego County, USA
Epicurus was not as bad as he is portrayed. Judaism describes a non-believer in God as an Apicorus, a name most likely derived from the Greek philosopher Epicurus (341-270 BCE), as Professor Marcus Jastrow states in his famed Dictionary, although Maimonides in his essay “Chelek” states it is an Aramaic word. The rabbis thought that Epicurus denied the existence of God and was a hedonist who stressed that people should pursue happiness. According to the Babylonian Talmud Sanhedrin chapter 10, an Apicorus would have no life after death. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
In defense of Epicurus Read More »
International, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion
So, imagine you are shopping, and into the store comes someone who is wearing a Ku Klux Klan hood, or a face mask with a swastika on it, as happened respectively at a Vons and a Food4Less outlet in Santee recently. What should you do? [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
Some advice if you see a Nazi or a Klansman Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food
Two jails-separated by thousands of miles-reflect two 20th century struggles for independence. The irony lies in the fact that these two geographically distant fights for freedom were against the same harsh ruler and jailer, the British Crown. Today, neither Israel’s Central Prison Jerusalem (C.P.J.) nor Northern Ireland’s Crumlin Road Gaol in Belfast house inmates, but even as museums, their powerful histories continue to echo in the halls and cells. [Deborah Rubin Fields]
Two jails: One tough jailer Read More »
International, Jewish History, Middle East, Travel and FoodLaurie Baron, PhD, takes a look at Latin American movies that deal with Jewish issues. Some of them you can watch just by clicking a link; others can be streamed on your television set.
Streaming Latin American Jewish movies Read More »
Jewish History, Lawrence Baron, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts
Rock and roll pioneer Little Richard died last week at the age of 87. Richard (whose real name was Richard Penniman) had his first hit, Tutti Frutti, in 1955, followed by other hits including Long Tall Sally, Good Golly Miss Molly, Jenny Jenny, and Slippin’ and Slidin’. He was a major influence on so many musicians who followed, including the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Joan Jett, Brian Wilson, Bette Midler, and Elton John. Which of the following is true about Little Richard? [Mark D. Zimmerman]
Jewish trivia quiz: Little Richard, RIP Read More »
Jewish History, Mark D. Zimmerman, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Obituaries & memorials, USA
My wife, the former Nancy Zeiden, having a last name that started with “Z,” typically found herself at the end of the line, or the person whose name was printed last or near last in any program. This being mother’s day, I thought I’d correct this alphabetical injustice for anyone who has found herself in the same situation. Therefore, we are running our Mother’s Day salute in reverse alphabetical order! We start with Shelley Zimmerman’s mother, Elaine Zimmerman… [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
We celebrate our Jewish mothers! Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Eric George Tauber, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Middle East, San Diego County, Sandi Masori, USA