By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — You can have a flock of sheep and a herd of cows, a covey of witches and a murmuration of starlings, so why not a transport of translators? This is one of the thoughts that occurred to me in the course of the recent annual Conference organized by the
Public speaking translates into misery Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Jewish History, Middle EastBy Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO — Although God is the central “actor” in the Torah, Moses plays a significant supporting role. In fact, from the story of his birth on, there is not one parasha in the Torah that does not mention Moses by name…except parashat T’tzavveh. In parashat T’tzavveh, Moses’ name does not
Why T’tzaaveh doesn’t include the name of Moses Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Rabbi Yaakov Marks SAN DIEGO — The Mishkan (the portable Tabernacle) was built to be a place where G-d could dwell, presenting a more concentrated manifestation of Himself than He emanated to the rest of the world. It was the place where the people could go, with the proper preparation, to communicate with G-d
Weekly Torah portion: Tetzveh Read More »
Jewish Religion
By Donald H. Harrison CHULA VISTA, California –Temple Beth Shalom, a Conservative congregation that in 1958 became one of the first local Jewish houses of worship to locate outside the City of San Diego, was designated on Wednesday, Feb. 17, as a historic site of the suburban City of Chula Vista. The Jewish congregation, then
Temple Beth Shalom declared a historic site Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, San Diego County
By Lisa Herndon NEW YORK — At 102, J. Zel Lurie “39 is likely the Columbia Journalism School”s longest-working journalist. Lurie, who lives in Delray Beach, Florida, suffers from macular degeneration and can no longer read, but it has never occurred to him to end a writing career that started decades ago. Only now, he
Retire at 102? Not a chance! Read More »
Jewish History, Middle East, USABy Jack Forman SAN DIEGO — Righteous Rebel: The Story of Rabbi Avi Weiss, a wide-ranging, celebratory feature-length documentary by filmmaker Phil Schneider honoring the life and the activism of the well-known and controversial Orthodox Rabbi who has been in the public limelight for almost a half a century screened before an attentive audience of
Jewish Film Festival Review: ‘Righteous Rebel’ Read More »
Jewish Religion, Theatre, Film & BroadcastPoland to outlaw phrase ‘Polish death camps’ WARSAW (WJC) — Poland is planning to adopt a law to punish people who use the phrase “Polish death camps” in relation to Nazi concentration camps in German-occupied Poland during World War II. Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro declared on a radio channel that his bill would “meet the expectations of Poles, who
Never Again: Holocaust News for February 15, 2016 Read More »
International, Jewish HistoryFalse Facts and True Rumors: LaShon HaRa in Contemporary Culture by Rabbi Daniel Z. Feldman, Maggid Books, Jerusalem; ISBN 978-1-59264-441-4 ©2015, $29.95, p. 261, plus bibliography and indexes By Fred Reiss, Ed.D. WINCHESTER, California–The Hebrew expression lashon hara, literally meaning “an evil tongue,” is often translated as slander, gossip, and malicious or disparaging speech. In contemporary
How Judaism views evil speech Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Fred Reiss, EdD, Jewish ReligionNEW YORK — The American Jewish Committee (AJC) fully shares the outrage of the Reform movement in response to the disparaging remarks made by Israeli Tourism Minister Yariv Levin. The controversy erupted after Levin declared that “Reform Jews in the U.S. are a dying world.” “His words are both offensive and off-base,” said AJC Chief
Tourism Minister Levin’s remarks on Reform assailed Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle East, USABy Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO — Tifereth Israel Synagogue owns twelve Torah Scrolls. Nine are in the Silverman Sanctuary, two are in the Goodman Chapel, and one is a Holocaust Memorial Scroll. Visitors to the synagogue are impressed by the number of Torah scrolls in our Arks. They are even more surprised to learn
Protecting the Torah from errors Read More »
Jewish ReligionAnti-Semitic cartoon printed, prosecutor offends Holocaust survivors in Europe (JNS.org) Anti-Semitism has come to the forefront in European media this week after an anti-Semitic cartoon was published in Spain and an Austrian prosecutor said that a magazine was justified in describing Holocaust survivors as a “plague.” In Spain, the Jewish community is threatening legal action
Never Again: Holocaust news for February 12, 2016 Read More »
International, Jewish History, USA
By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – A movie about an Israeli boy who drops a Torah in his Moroccan Jewish neighborhood prompted a discussion at the San Diego Jewish Film Festival on Wednesday, Feb. 10, about the time that the wooden roller of a Torah scroll rolled off the reader’s table and onto
Someone drops the Torah and then what? Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & BroadcastAdding More Equals Less By Rabbi Yaakov Marks SAN DIEGO — The Talmud Sanhedrin(29a) debates the source from where the concept ‘Whoever adds (to the Commandments) adulterates them’ is derived. Several rabbis derive it from the wording of the measurements used in the construction of the Mishkan. No matter where this concept is derived, all the
Weekly Torah portion: Terumah Read More »
Jewish Religion(JNS.org) Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Tuesday convincingly won the Democratic presidential race’s New Hampshire’s primary over opponent Hillary Clinton, 60-38.3 percent, becoming the first Jewish candidate to ever win a presidential primary. Clinton, the former secretary of state and first lady, had narrowly defeated Sanders in the Iowa caucus earlier this month. Business
Sanders first Jew to win a presidential primary Read More »
Jewish History, Middle East, USA