By Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal (Eulogy delivered Monday, Feb. 9, 2015 at El Camino Cemetery, San Diego) SAN DIEGO — According to legend a certain Aran, jealous of Ibn Gabriol’s genius and accomplishments, killed him in a fit of jealousy and buried his body secretly beneath a tree. The legend continues that sometime after, people began […]
Marc Allen Rose (1938-2015) Read More »
Jewish Religion, Obituaries & memorials
By Rabbi Ben Kamin SAN DIEGO– There is nothing physically imposing about Lou Dunst—a cherubic, dignified man with a sweet smile yet deep sorrowful eyes. At times, when he walks slowly by, it seems that a stiff wind could knock him down. But then you realize that not even the wind could do such a
The Nazis thought he’d never hold a Torah again Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, USA
By Sheila Orysiek SAN DIEGO–There are entire libraries containing books written as commentaries on the Torah (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible). Many are difficult for the lay reader to access. Some are densely written in very small font, heavily notated and footnoted. Layout can be problematic; Bible verse and relevant commentary intersecting
Shall we judge a book by its author? Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle EastBy Rabbi Rafi Andrusier LA MESA, California — What is religion all about? We always hear of the fellow who found G-d while incarcerated. Was G-d “not found” while in the free world? (Had the inmate found G-d earlier, he may not be sitting in prison in the first place.) So is that truly the case;
Are God and religion crutches? Read More »
Jewish ReligionNEW YORK (Press Release)– The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) on Friday, Feb. 6, expressed its outrage to Allseas USA, the U.S. affiliate of the Dutch company, Allseas Group SA, which named its newest ship after a convicted Nazi war criminal and SS member, the father of the company’s owner. ADL urged the maritime construction service company to rename
ADL protests ship named for Nazi war criminal Read More »
International, Jewish Religion, USA
By Jenn Lindsay VATICAN CITY — We were on our way to meet Pope Francis. We—the participants in the 50th anniversary meeting of the Pontifical Institute of Arabic and Islamic Studies—departed together from the Urbaniana campus and rode an escalator cut inside the Janiculum Hill that dumped us out in front of the colonnades of Saint
The Pope and ‘the Jewess’ Read More »
International, Jewish Religion, The World We ShareBy Rabbi Ben Kamin ENCINITAS, California — At this moment in the Hebrew cycle of Torah readings, the narrative of the Ten Commandments is front and center: in synagogues all over the world, “The Revelation” will be chanted from the Torah scroll and many people will actually stand up during the interlude when the Ten
Which Command of the Ten is most important? Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Rabbi Baruch Lederman SAN DIEGO — Rabbi Yaakov Hopfer, formerly Rav of Cong. Zera Avraham of Denver and currently a prominent Rav in Baltimore, attended a meeting of a number of charity organizations in Baltimore. The meeting was hosted in the home of a member of the community. The committee was discussing the best
Why the rabbi did not eat Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO — One of my favorite “bits” from the Pixar movie Up is that no matter how serious the situation, the dogs were distracted by the appearance of a squirrel. (If you don’t understand what I am talking about, you need to see the film!) I think I like this “bit”
For holy work, prepare and concentrate Read More »
Jewish Religion
By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO—Some trees at Mission Trails Regional Park received hugs and a special birthday song on Wednesday, February 4, from elementary school-aged Hebrew School pupils studying with Chabad of East County. The occasion was Tu B’Shevat, also known as the birthday of the trees. Normally, students at the Chabad school, taught by
Happy birthday you tree, here’s a hug! Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, USA
By Anav Silverman JERUSALEM (TAZPIT)–In honor of Tu B’Shevat, the Jewish holiday that marks the beginning of the new year for trees, youth volunteering with Leket Israel, on Wednesday, Feb. 4, picked excess fruit remaining on trees in people’s private gardens to give to the poor. Over 1,000 children and teens from across Israel including kibbutzim
1,000 children pick fruit, celebrate Tu B’Shevat Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle East
By Alex Brummer AUSCHWITZ, Poland (WJC) — Wrapped in narrow striped blue and white scarves the survivors some ancient and frail, others upright, chests forward and proudly strong made their way out through the gate of death into the dark the snowflakes falling. They made the trudge through the crisp snow, in path dug alongside the
Auschwitz rite honors victims, reminds Europe Read More »
International, Jewish ReligionBy Dan Bloom CHIAYI CITY, Taiwan — Rori Shay’s first book, Elected is a Young Adult (YA) genre sci-fi/cli-fi hybrid novel, part of a projected trilogy she is writing, and it’s being followed up with a second book, Suspected, due out this month. In a recent interview with San Diego Jewish World, debut novelist Shay, 36, was kind
The Passover seder and climate change questions Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy David Strom SAN DIEGO–Forty Years in the Wilderness: My Journey to Authentic Living by Yiscah Smith is an amazing memoir of a woman trapped in a man’s body. For most of Yiscah’s life, she lived a lie. She lied to her parents and siblings; to her wife and children; to her friends and workmates; to
Judaism and mistaken gender identity Read More »
Jewish Religion