By Martin Miller LOS ANGELES — The first time George Berci heard a siren, he was 23 years old. It was the summer of 1944, on the outskirts of Budapest, he was one of hundreds of Jewish conscripted laborers who were packed into a railroad car as human freight. They were bound for a concentration
Cedars- Sinai surgeon tells of Shoah survival Read More »
Jewish History
© Oliver B. Pollak RICHMOND, California — Kippot are among the dozen or so things I have mindlessly acquired over the years. Orthodox Jews cover their heads in public and in worship as a sign of humility before God. Conservative Jews and increasingly Reform Jews cover their heads in synagogues and temples. We acquire skullcaps,
Keeping the kippot Read More »
Jewish Religion, Oliver Pollak
Beyond the Instant by Rabbi Mark Wildes; Skyhorse Publishing © 2018; 141 pages. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – I read this book with great enthusiasm, possibly because I agreed with almost everything Rabbi Mark Wildes writes about such subjects as happiness, love, sex, success, blaming, taking charge of one’s life, understanding one’s place
A Jewish guidebook for life’s big questions Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish ReligionBy Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. SAN DIEGO — King Solomon wrote in Proverbs 24:17, “Though a righteous person may fall seven times, he will arise.” In more contemporary words, “Winners are not people who never fail, but people who never quit.” Does this mean that when you fall you just get up again and keep going?
Psychology and benefits of prayer Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell
Editor’s Note: This is the fourth and final article in a series about Jewish Family Service of San Diego’s centennial celebration, and eight women who will be honored at the organization’s gala on April 21. To see previous stories please click on the number in the series: 1, 2, 3. By Donald H. Harrison SAN
JFS, looking back a century, recalls Rose Neumann Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, San Diego County
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release) – Rabbi Dr. Meir Soloveichik, Orthodox rabbi and spiritual leader of the oldest Jewish congregation in the U.S., is the 2018 Canterbury Medalist for his public defense of religious liberty for people of all faiths. The Canterbury Medal, Becket’s highest honor, recognizes an individual who has demonstrated courage and commitment to
Medal for Shearith Israel rabbi Read More »
Jewish Religion, USABy Eileen Wingard SAN DIEGO — A world premiere will be featured at Tifereth Israel Community Orchestra’s concerts Saturday evening, April 7, 8:30 p.m. and Tuesday, April 10, 7:30 p.m. at Tifereth Israel Synagogue. Unetane Tokef by composer John Michael Luther, will feature the East County Mormon Chorale and shofar soloist, Steven Ovitsky. Ovitsky, who recorded Hugo Weisgall’s
World premiere of ‘Unetane Tokef’ April 7, 10 Read More »
Eileen Wingard, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual ArtsBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — The phrase, סלח לעווננו כי רב הוא in one of the Jewish penitential prayers is normally translated as, “Forgive us our iniquity for it is great.” However, with a little mischief it can also be rendered, “Forgive us our iniquity for he is a rabbi.” This second version seems
Save Israel from its chief rabbis Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle East
Story by Donald H. Harrison; photos by Shor M. Masori VALLEY CENTER, California – Not being an incorporated city, Valley Center is not so well known as neighboring Escondido, located about nine miles to its southwest. But, perhaps surprisingly, this rural town has lots of Jewish history—and U.S. presidential history as well. The Lilac Ranch,
Eleanor Roosevelt’s Valley Center days Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, San Diego County, Shor M. Masori, USABy Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. SAN DIEGO — A Jewish young man was seeing a psychologist for an eating and sleeping disorder. “I am so obsessed with my mother… As soon as I go to sleep, I start dreaming, and everyone in my dream turns into my mother. I wake up in such a state, all
To Life, To Life, L’Chaim Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell, Travel and FoodBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Anyone who really knows the Bible, probably knows that it is a book that is full of sexual themes—from one end of Tanakh to the other. Lot sleeps with his daughters; Reuben’s affair with his stepmother Bilhah, and the biblical version of Romeo and Juliet are
By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Children have an unusual ability when it comes to confronting our spiritual hypocrisy as parents and as adults; very often they get to the essence of the problem as they perceive things. Frequently, as parents we often fail to hear the questions our young people ask
The best question of the Pesach seder Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Ben Kamin OCEANSIDE, California — A bittersweet irony it is that the freedom festival of Passover arrives just prior to the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and one day before the rebirth of hope for our Christian neighbors—Easter Sunday, We all come to our April festivals this
Passover 2018, Easter, and MLK’s murder Read More »
International, Jewish Religion, Middle East, USA
By Stanley Tiger SAN DIEGO — There are two main sources of Jewish information – the Torah and Chinese fortune cookies (which were invented, as the legend goes, by a Jewish baker working his way across China. The crisp shell of the cookie was a reminder of matzo while at the same time he had lottery
Moses, Messages and Matzo Read More »
Jewish Religion, Trivia, Humor & Satire