The last week has been filled with many words and ten times as much food, with various seders at people’s homes. A very important one took place this year, symbolizing hopes for more liberation through unity. [Barrett Holman Leak]
ADL Seder Highlights Allyship with Other Communities Read More »
Barrett Holman Leak, Holocaust, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food
The legacy media, aka mainstream media, has harbored a severe anti-Israel bias for decades. It holds Israel to a different standard than any other country, except maybe the US. In fact, it holds Israel to an impossible and deeply hypocritical standard. [Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort]
OpEd: Mainstream Media Abets Antisemitism Read More »
Antisemitism, International, Israel, Jewish History, Middle East, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA, Yeruchem Eilfort-Rabbi
Why teach the Holocaust? Because memory fades. Survivors age. And hatred, sadly, persists. Antisemitism has not been relegated to the past. [Darren Schwartz]
3 Yamim in April: From Catastrophe through Sacrifice to Rebirth Read More »
Antisemitism, Holocaust, Israel, Jewish History, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA
“It’s the final countdown!” I don’t know about you, but my broom has stayed in the kitchen and dining room for the past couple of days sweeping up the matzo crumbs from every meal. [Cailin Acosta]
Passover Nears End; So Too Does Tending to Matzo Crumbs Read More »
Cailin Acosta, Holocaust, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Obituaries & memorials, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA
As a pulpit rabbi, I frequently engage with congregants navigating the intricate landscape of identity in America, sometimes hearing the complex sentiment, “I am an American first, a Jew second.” [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]
The Case for ‘Dual Loyalty’ Read More »
Antisemitism, Books, Poetry & Short Stories, California, Holocaust, Israel, Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors
Despite Leviticus dealing with the no longer existing tabernacle and the priests who functioned in it, the book contains important lessons for us today. The following are three such lessons in the portion Shemini (9:1-11:46) as seen by the rational thinker Shadal. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
Three Lessons in This Week’s Torah Portion Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion, Staff and Bylined Contributors“Did you feel that?” I heard this all day yesterday and even today in the aftermath of an earthquake measuring 5.2 on the Richter Scale and centered near Julian. I checked in with my friends who have balance issues to ask if they were okay and if they needed anything. [Cailin Acosta]
Monday’s 5.2 Earthquake Rattled San Diego County Read More »
Cailin Acosta, Israel, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA
Ruben is preparing for his Bar Mitzvah and getting fitted for his powder blue tuxedo. As the family waits for the great reveal, he comes out in an elegant dress and sings a song he has been practicing. [Cailin Acosta]
‘Transmitzvah’ Tells of a Late Coming-of-Age Ceremony for a Trans-Girl Read More »
Cailin Acosta, International, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
In 1927 Lecache founded the League Against Pogroms, which the following year, became the International League Against Antisemitism, and in 1979, became the International League against Racism and Antisemitism. He was the president from 1927 to 1968. [Alex Gordon]
There was an interesting article in the weekend edition of the Jerusalem Post by Jonathan Lieberman, a rabbi and physician living in Netanya, but originally from Manchester, England. He wrote “A time machine of Jewish memory,” describing Seders from past times. [Steve Kramer]
This book is a valuable primer not only for entering college freshmen but also for adults who haven’t kept up on their reading. [Donald H. Harrison]
Book Provides Jewish College Students with Facts about Israel and the Jewish People Read More »
Antisemitism, Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Israel, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA
I have been reflecting on the enduring relevance of the Passover holiday, and why the story of the Exodus always seems to meet the current moment. I wish that was not true; that instead the story of Passover felt purely historical. But this year especially, it feels more relevant than ever. [Heidi Gantwerk]
Passover Observance is Relevant for Current Moment Read More »
Antisemitism, Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Heidi Gantwerk, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors
In 2019, the Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation proposed to the Buchenwald Memorial, the German authorities who ran the Buchenwald Concentration Camp historical site, a memorial honoring the American liberators of the camp. There was none heretofore. JASHP would pay for it. [Jerry Klinger]
80 Years Ago Today, Buchenwald was Liberated by U.S. Troops Read More »
Holocaust, International, Jerry Klinger, Jewish History, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA
While I have always known I was born B’tzelem Elohim (in the image of God), as a child and through college, I saw many rabbis, but did not see anyone on the bima who looked like me. No one female. Definitely no Black female rabbis. Eventually, I learned there were some women rabbis, and in 2009, one African American woman rabbi was ordained in the Reform tradition. [Barrett Holman Leak]
Contemporary Torah, Parsha Tsav: We Are Each Called Read More »
Antisemitism, Barrett Holman Leak, Jewish Religion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA