By Sam Litvin TEL AVIV — On April 29th, a woman died in San Diego. She passed away quietly, in her sleep. Many knew this was coming. After all, she was 101. But her passing hit many who knew her hard, for 101 years she had given all who knew her much warmth and joy.
Fanya Bliachman, 101, had an exciting life Read More »
International, Jewish History, Obituaries & memorials, Sam LitvinBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — One of the obsessions of ultra-orthodox (Haredi) men is not to be close to women. Even proximity to mothers, wives and daughters is at times restricted. Though public transport in Israel doesn’t allow segregation, some private buses used by Haredim put the women at the back. There’re many reported
Haredim slowly changing Israeli society Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle East
AMHERST, Massachusetts (Press Release) – The visiting exhibit Through the Yiddish Looking Glass: The Art of Yiddish Children’s Literature is on view at the Yiddish Book Center in Amherst, Massachusetts. The exhibit will be at the Center’s Brechner Gallery through Fall 2018. Through the Yiddish Looking Glass features Yiddish children’s book illustrations, created by artists who
Art of Yiddish children’s books on exhibit Read More »
Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, USA
JERUSALEM (Press Release) — Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center, on Wednesday condemned a speech by Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestine Authority, about the Holocaust. Following is the statement from Yad Vashem: In his address on Monday, 30 April 2018, to the Palestinian National Council, the Chairman of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas,
Yad Vashem condemns Holocaust speech by Abbas Read More »
Jewish History, Middle East
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release) — The Annual Congressional Tribute event marking Jewish American Heritage Month will take place on Tuesday, May 8, in the Kennedy Caucus Room of the Russell Senate Office Building, featuring leading members of the United States House of Representatives and Senate. Among the members of Congress scheduled to attend are Senators
Congress to fete Jews of achievement May 8 Read More »
Jewish History, USA
Irreverent Forever: True Tales From a Newspaperman’s Outrageously Rewarding Life by David Arledge Feldman; © 2018, Gray Castle Publishing, ISBN 9781987-713190; 226 pages plus appendix and acknowledgments. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – Journalist David Arledge Feldman inherited his father’s sense of humor, but not his Jewish religion. For most of his life,
A journalist’s life in David Feldman’s memoir Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Middle East, San Diego County, USABy Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. SAN DIEGO — Here’s yet another finding in the ancient question about how to live longer. Attend synagogue regularly. That’s it. Simple isn’t it? Now before you assume the study backing up this recommendation was funded by a religious organization, think again. After all, this isn’t some medical study backed
Link found between longevity and shul attendance Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell, Travel and Food
SAN DIEGO (Press Release) –The Jewish Studies Program at San Diego State University has announced that Israeli political scientist, Dr. Luba Levin-Banchik, will be teaching courses in the History and Political Science Departments and will be in residence at SDSU for the 2018/19 academic year. Her residency is supported by a grant from the Murray
Levin- Banchik new Israeli scholar in residence at SDSU Read More »
Jewish History, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education
NEW YORK (Press Release) — The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations hosted an historic event at the Museum of Jewish Heritage recognizing and commemorating the acts of Muslims who welcomed, hosted and protected Jews during the Holocaust. His Excellency, Dr. Mohammad Ibn Abdulkarim Alissa, Secretary General of the Muslim World League headquartered
Muslim World League: ‘True Islam’ opposed Holocaust Read More »
International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion
NEW YORK (Press Release) — The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America – the nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization – has joined with other religious organizations in filing a ‘friend of the court’ brief that defends a longstanding tax exemption for housing costs for rabbis, pastors, and other clergy in the face of a lower court ruling finding the allowance unconstitutional. The legal brief, authored by law professor
Orthodox Union joins suit to protect parsonages Read More »
Jewish Religion, USA
NEW YORK (Press Release) –The Jewish Religious Equality Coalition (J-REC), a wall-to-wall coalition of Modern Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, and Reconstructionist communal leaders and organizations, strongly opposes the proposed conversion bill currently under consideration by the Israeli government. J-REC has long believed that the unofficial monopoly enjoyed by the Chief Rabbinate on matters of personal status,
JREC opposes proposed Israeli law on conversion Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle East, USA
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release) — Representatives Peter Roskam (R-IL), Nita Lowey (D-NY), Chris Smith (R-NJ), Eliot Engel (D-NY), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Ted Deutch (D-FL), Kay Granger (R-TX), and Marc Veasey (D-TX), the co-Chairs of the Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Anti-Semitism, issued the following joint statement on a recent report by the Kantor Center for the
Congress reacts to report of European anti- Semitism Read More »
International, Jewish History, Middle East, USA
SAN DIEGO (Press Release) — Beth Israel’s Men’s Club will host Rabbi Jeremy Gimbel as guest speaker at its May 16 Dinner Forum, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the temple at 9001 Towne Center Drive. Rabbi Gimbel will discuss “How to Translate Torah to the Next Generation.” This program is open to the entire San Diego Community,
Rabbi Gimbel to discuss Torah for the next generation Read More »
Jewish Religion, San Diego CalendarBy Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. SAN DIEGO — Someone once said that a well-adjusted person is one who makes the same mistake twice without making him/herself nervous. What’s the secret? Mental health experts claim it’s resilience. Personal elasticity if you will. Flexibility of the psyche, a springy attitude, a pliable outlook. Whatever you call it,
The Resilience Antidote Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell