Changing the Immutable: How Orthodox Judaism Rewrites Its History by Marc B. Shapiro, Littman Library of Jewish Civilization, Portland, Oregon; ISBN 978-1-904113-60-7 ©2015, $19.95, p. 285, plus bibliography and index By Fred Reiss, Ed.D. WINCHESTER, California — Changing the Immutable by Marc B. Shapiro, who holds the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Chair in Judaic Studies at
Censorship in the haredi community Read More »
Fred Reiss, EdD, Jewish ReligionBy Dorothea Shefer-Vanson DOMEYROT, France — I know I’ve written about this subject before, but it’s one that simply isn’t going to go away, and in fact is getting worse every day, every hour, every minute. Many of these unfortunates come from Africa, from countries where conflicts, poverty, corruption and hopelessness are endemic. Others come from
Jews can empathize with refugees Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Jewish History, Middle East, The World We Share
By Donald H. Harrison CARLSBAD, California – Chabad of La Costa on Sunday, Aug. 23, celebrated the completion of what its spiritual leader, Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort, called the “floor of the present” containing an 88-seat sanctuary, offices, a small library, and a kosher kitchen. Already roughly constructed, but needing such important finishing touches as an
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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Yeruchem Eilfort-RabbiBy Michael R. Mantell, PhD SAN DIEGO — According to Jewish tradition, on the tenth day of the Hebrew month Tishri, Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the second set of tablets of the Ten Commandments after Hashem forgave the Jews for the sin of worshipping the golden calf. That day is called Yom
Tis the season to seek to be forgiven Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell
Somewhere There Is Still A Sun by Michael Gruenbaum with Todd Hasak-Lowy; Aladdin Books © 2015; ISBN 978-1-4424-8486-3; 378 pages including after words; $17.99 By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – This book is what you might call a combination of a memoir and historical fiction—the two genres mixing in a tale intended for middle
A Holocaust tale for middle schoolers Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History
SAN DIEGO (Press Release) — Members of Congregation Beth Israel elected Mitch Siegler as president of the congregation for a two-year term during its annual membership meeting. He follows Meg Mandel, who has served as president of the Board since 2013. Siegler has been an active member of Beth Israel since 1990. Most recently, he
Mitch Siegler new Beth Israel president Read More »
Jewish Religion, San Diego County
-18th in a series– Exit 6, Texas Street, San Diego — Old Tifereth Israel, Beth Jacob By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO –Although San Diego’s Jewish community started in Old Town San Diego in the 1850s, moving to downtown and environs in the late 1800s and early 1900s, it was on the move again
I-8 Jewish Travel: Shuls on the move Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, San Diego County, Travel and FoodBy Rabbi Ben Kamin ENCINITAS, California — None of the innumerable presidential contenders is saying much about it: there is great dignity in the work of human hands—regardless of the labor involved. The vanities of the impetuous, limo-riding Donald Trump and the platitudes of the entitlement-ridden Hillary Clinton are light years away from Dr. Martin Luther
America is not about politics; it’s about honest work Read More »
Jewish Religion, USA
Oskar and the Eight Blessings by Richard Simon and Tanya Simon, illustrated by Marc Siegel, Roaring Brook Press of MacMillan Children’s Publishing Group; ISBN 978-1-59643-949-8; 40 pages; $17.99. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO — Back in the early 1970.s, when I worked for the Associated Press in New York City, I was always
A refugee and the great American hope Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, USABy Natasha Josefowitz, Ph.D. LA JOLLA, California — When France fell, we knew we could not go home again. We lost everything and eventually, almost everyone I had ever known. When the Germans crossed into Lithuania, they took my grandparents out of their home, marched them to a nearby school, and shot them point blank. A
Our WWII refugee family found its way to California Read More »
Jewish History, Natasha Josefowitz, USA
By Rose Aslan Granddaughter LAGUNA WOODS, California — Bernice Loeb (née Seiler), of Laguna Woods, returned to her Creator on Wednesday, July 29, after a short illness, at the ripe old age of 93. She lived a long and fulfilling life. Bernice was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1922, daughter of Charles and Rose
Bernice Loeb (July 24, 1922 – July 29, 2015) Read More »
Obituaries & memorials, San Diego CountyBy Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. SAN DIEGO — Someone once said, “Character is what we do when no one else is looking.” Of course, we believe there really never is such a time, with G-d in Heaven. Yet, there are those who still believe, “The measure of a man’s real character is what he would do
Hints for improving your character Read More »
Jewish ReligionLike Dreamers, The True Story of the Israeli Paratroopers Who Reunited Jerusalem and Divided a Nation, by Yossi Klein Halevi (HarperCollins Publishers, 2013) By Sheila Orysiek SAN DIEGO — In June 1967, the Israeli Defense Forces miraculously overcame the combined attack launched by three of its neighbors: Egypt, Jordan and Syria. But as miraculous as
From the Jewish library: ‘Like Dreamers’ Read More »
Jewish History, Middle EastBy Joe Spier CALGARY, Alberta, Canada — Tibor (Ted) Rubin enters the room. The President of the United States, bound by tradition, rises and salutes him. Rubin, born a Hungarian Jew, is one of 79 persons who command the salute of the President. They are the living recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor, the highest
The story of Tibor Rubin’s heroism in the Korean War Read More »
International, Jewish History, USA