Judaism

World Wide Wrap Day and the making of tefillin

By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO — Across the United States and in Conservative congregations around the world, Men’s Club members and guests spent Sunday morning, Feb. 7, well in advance of the televised Super Bowl game, learning about the significance of tefillin and the prayers said in association with wearing the ancient phylacteries.  The

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David Ogul, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Shor M. Masori

Haredim excoriate non- Orthodox after decision on Wall

By Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — The decision by the Israeli government to create a parallel praying area at the Western Wall for egalitarian – largely Reform and Conservative – worshippers by extending the existing facility at the southern end has generated (a) enthusiasm from potential beneficiaries, (b) indifference from those who aren’t awed by the

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Jewish Religion, Middle East

Can a derivative story teach the Holocaust?

The Tree in the Courtyard: Looking Through Anne Frank’s Window by Jeff Gottesfeld; illustrated by Peter McCarty; ©2016 Alfred A. Knopf, Junior Library Guild Selection; 34 pages; $17.99 By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – This beautifully written, magnificently illustrated, sentimental remembrance of Anne Frank is being marketed as a children’s book, but I’m not

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History

‘Ghosts’ illustrates reverence for our war dead

Ghosts: Images of War by Carrie Zeidman; © 2015 Swiss Creek Publications; ISBN 978-0970227652; 71 pages; $40. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – This is an unusual book of photo essays touring venues of the American Revolutionary War, Civil War, World War I, World War II and the Holocaust.  Photojournalist Carrie Zeidman visits these places

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, USA

Book review: ‘The Myth of the Cultural Jew’

The Myth of the Cultural Jew: Culture and Law in Jewish Tradition by Roberta Rosenthal Kwall, Oxford University Press, New York;  ISBN 978-0-19-537370-7 ©2015, $34.95, p. 297, plus index By Fred Reiss, Ed.D. WINCHESTER, California — If you’ve ever heard a new employee at work say something like, “We didn’t do it that way when I

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Fred Reiss, EdD, Jewish Religion

A political victory for non- Orthodox Judaism

By Rabbi Dow Marmur   JERUSALEM — The recent Israel cabinet decision to provide a site next to the existing Western Wall that would allow non-Orthodox Jews to hold egalitarian services outside the jurisdiction of the Orthodox rabbinate is unquestionably a political victory for the Reform and Conservative movements in Israel and respectful recognition of

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Jewish Religion, Middle East