Q: Why do we need to use a Siddur (prayer book) to pray? Why can’t I simply share with G-d my personal feelings, wants, and needs? Why would someone think that the men who wrote the prayer book a couple of thousand years ago would have a better approach for me to reach G-d than I would myself? [Ask the Rabbi column by Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort]
Ask the Rabbi: Why do we need prayer books? Read More »
Jewish Religion, Yeruchem Eilfort-Rabbi
hank G-D for music. The miracle of splitting of the Red Sea is done to the sound of music, as the Hebrews are all in song, following the lead of Miriam in Shirat Hayam–the Song of the Sea. The fall of the walls of Jericho is done to the sound of trumpet. David plays the lyre. The entirety of the Psalms–Tehillim–are under the direction of a choirmaster/conductor. [Omer Zalmanowitz]
Five women cantors celebrate Shabbat Read More »
Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts
Seacrest Village Retirement Community has reported that as of Friday, it had tested 125 residents for coronavirus, and thus far had received results for 104 residents — all negative. “We expect the remaining 21 test results within the coming days and will report back to you as soon as possible,” reported Pam Ferris, President and CEO of the home for seniors which is run under Jewish community auspices. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
Some coronavirus restrictions eased at Seacrest Village Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Sports & Competitions, USA
These are busy times for Maya Abed, who hopes that in her near future she will be even busier.
This weekend she graduates from California State University Long Beach, where she completed a bachelor’s degree in communications. She also has signed up to learn Spanish this summer in an effort to add another language to her fluent English, Hebrew, and American Sign Language. And, for the next several months, at least, she is working as an IsraAID volunteer coordinator with the Jewish Family Service food distribution program in San Diego County. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
Meet Maya Abed, IsraAID volunteer coordinator in San Diego Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Middle East, San Diego County, USAThe beginning of this week’s portion deals with many of the laws directed to the Priestly class, known in Hebrew as Kohanim. The verbiage in the first passage is unique, which means it has profound lessons for all of us. The passage says multiple times to transmit information through ‘saying’ it to others. This, in and of itself, is not so unusual, but the words used Emor and Vi’Amarta, typifies a specific type of articulation. [Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort]
A Word of Torah: Differences in how we say things Read More »
Jewish Religion, Yeruchem Eilfort-Rabbi
In the trailer above for the documentary Einstein: Still a Revolutionary, the children seen and heard chanting “Einstein! Einstein! Rah! Rah!” are San Diegans. Possibly some of them may be centenarians still alive today. The full documentary briefly shows Einstein being greeted in San Diego by Mayor Harry C. Clark on December 31, 1930 as he disembarked here from the Belgenland. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
Einstein documentary includes historic San Diego footage Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Middle East, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA
I have chosen three passages from Leviticus 21-24 for comparison with ancient paganism, from internet sources. [Irv Jacobs, M.D.]
Priestly duties, animal sacrifice, blasphemy in ancient societies Read More »
International, Irv Jacobs, MD, Jewish Religion
Many people today, Christians, Muslims, and Jews, as well as people of other religions, are convinced that good people go to heaven when they die, while people who acted improperly go to Hell. But the notion that these places exist is pagan and entered Judaism only in the late second temple period, probably round 320 BCE. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
Ancient ideas about heaven and hell Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion
Laurie Baron, Ph.D, compiles a list of movies and documentaries addressing American anti-Semitism.
Streaming movies about American anti-Semitism Read More »
Jewish History, Lawrence Baron, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA
Perhaps we need this week’s parasha, Emor, more than many other times in our history. With protests for and against seemingly everything, vitriol and bitterness filling the media, contempt and temper raging in many homes, and hostility and acrimony swelling in the political arena, what we can learn from Emor, speaking with love and sensitivity, is vital to our healthy future. And isn’t it interesting that we read Emor during the Omer, words that appear to be the same, but jumbled? Could it be because we stop counting the Omer when we receive the eseret hadibrot, and dibrot, daber, emor, vayomer, ve’armata, are all words connected to speaking, specifically, Hashem speaking to all of us? But just what’s the difference between speaking and…speaking? [Michael R. Mantell, PhD]
A Torah command to speak softly, gently Read More »
Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Michael Mantell
Rabbi Dov Singer’s Prepare My Prayer: Recipes to Awaken the Soul is one of the best books I have read in recent years on the meaning of Jewish prayer. The author is head of Yeshivat Makor Chaim in Israel and has done considerable work with Israelis showing them how Judaic prayer can facilitate a meaningful spiritual renewal in the worshiper. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]
Prayer can be Do-It-Yourself Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi
During what Hillel of San Diego described as a webcast report from the front lines on Monday, May 4, UC San Diego student Bianca Kermani posed a question to San Diego State University graduate Sheryl Warfield, who is now working as a nurse in the intensive care unit of the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona. “What flaws have you noticed in the system?” she asked. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
Hillel webcast ponders ethics of pandemic Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
Wherever you go, whether to the local corner market or to the mall, the all-seeing eye of surveillance monitors virtually every segment of modern life—whether you go to the hospital, or to a school—even the sidewalks. Nobody ever thinks to question its legitimacy; it is a fact of today’s modern technological age. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]
Has Orwell’s ‘1984’ arrived 36 years later? Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi
On the positive side of the Jewish experience in America, Elan Carr, the U.S. Special Envoy to Combat anti-Semitism, mentioned today the late Dr. Jonas Salk, developer of the successful anti-polio vaccine, and founder of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla. On the negative side, he brought up last year’s attack on Chabad of Poway, at which Lori Gilbert Kaye was murdered. [Our Shtetl San Diego Column by Donald H. Harrison]
Fighting Jew-Hatred on the Internet Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Middle East, USA