Judaism

San Diego Students Discover the Pioneering Spirit of David Ben-Gurion

I had the privilege of teaching San Diego students—preschoolers at Beth Montessori of La Jolla and 2nd-graders at San Diego Hebrew Day School—about the pioneering spirit of David Ben-Gurion (Israel’s first prime minister) and the modern relevance of his legacy. [Jacob Kamaras]

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Israel, Jacob Kamaras, Jewish History, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors

A Short Story: The Poet of Uz

There was no rabbinic academy then, no definitive text—only scrolls that wandered from town to town like goats, a few psalms humming under their breath, a few laws clean and sharp as a knife’s new edge. Prophets came and went as sandstorms do: sudden, convincing, then gone. The poet—let us call him simply the poet—kept his own counsel, carried a knife and an abacus, and learned the shapes of rumors. [Sam Ben-Meir]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish Fiction, Jewish Religion, Sam Ben-Meir, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Veterans Day: An Honor to Shake Hands with Those who Served

My father-in-law is a Vietnam Veteran (so was my Dad, z”l) and I am always so humbled when strangers shake his hand, give him a hug, and thank him for his service. It is touching to see people go out of their way to show gratitude for those who risked their lives to fight for our freedom. [Cailin Acosta]

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Cailin Acosta, International, Jewish Religion, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Sports & Competitions, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Columnist’s Book Deeply Dives into History of Antisemitism in Ukraine

My Dear Dissonances is presented in two forms – stories and essays. I wrote my book in the genre of tragicomedy, as the tragic and comic in the history of this people are inevitably intertwined. The dramatic duality of Jewish existence encompasses a combination of the funny and the frightening – tears of laughter and tears of sorrow. [Alex Gordon]

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Alex Gordon, Antisemitism, Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Holocaust, International, Jewish History, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Life at the JCC: Many Attractions at the Same Time

By the time my sister spoke those words, “I still haven’t figured out how to be two places at once,” I realized that within the walls of our JCC, I had been doing exactly that: physically in one place, yet emotionally, spiritually, and relationally in many. [Betzy Lynch]

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Israel, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Sports & Competitions, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Television: Black, Jewish and Boston Blue

With everyone gathered around the dinner table reciting the Mourner’s Kaddish in Episode 4 and lighting a yahrzeit candle in memory of family patriarch Ben Silver, my soul felt seen. With Boston Blue, showrunners Brandon Sonnier and Brandon Margolis have successfully delivered a show that is both immediately familiar and surprisingly ambitious. [Barrett Holman Leak]

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Barrett Holman Leak, Jewish Religion, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Memorial Marker for 11 Olympians from Israel Replaced in London, England

Sugarman explained, “Hackney was designated an Olympic Borough. (It was) Part of the Games facilities were in our Borough. We asked for a site in the Olympic Park, but it was designated too political and would upset the Arabs and others. Then we tried the Stratford Westfield shopping Centre, right near the stadium/. It would have been perfect. No.  So we went with this site.” [Jerry Klinger]

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Antisemitism, Holocaust, International, Israel, Jerry Klinger, Jewish History, Obituaries & memorials, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

November is Men’s Health Awareness Month

November is known as Men’s Health Awareness Month. About 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. But each person’s risk may vary, based on age, race/ethnicity, and other factors. [Cailin Acosta]

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Cailin Acosta, Holocaust, Israel, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food