Judaism

As Rosh Hashanah nears, what is a Jew?

By Rabbi Ben Kamin  ENCINITAS, Californa — A Jew is a constituent of the longest-running, most confounding, hardest to categorize, most widely-scattered, historically hunted and murdered, nomadic, demographically-challenged, resilient, despised, and admired faith community without a firmly-set liturgy in history. A Jew is a nationality without a nation who therefore is sincerely and deeply hyper-patriotic […]

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Jewish Religion

Touring holy places of three religions

By Steve Kramer JERUSALEM — I had last visited the Temple Mount in 1982, on a synagogue-sponsored trip from New Jersey. My memories of that visit are hazy, but Michal and I got another chance just before Operation Protective Edge in Gaza. We joined a Tel Aviv University-sponsored trip, guided by archeologist/historian Dr. Stephen Rosenberg, whose

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Jewish History, Middle East, Steve Kramer

Oldest siddur journeys from Oklahoma to Israel

By Anav Silverman JERUSALEM (TNA) –It was a historical moment at Jerusalem’s Bible Lands Museum on Thursday night, September 18, as the world’s oldest known Jewish prayer book was displayed for the first time to the general public with leading Jewish and Christian figures present. The siddur, which is 1,200 years old, belongs to Steve

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Jewish Religion, Middle East, USA

So swiftly flow the years

By Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO — Mike Zak’s, z”l, was a Past President of Tifereth Israel Synagogue,a longtime active and supportive congregant, and a Holocaust survivor. One of his favorite stories was about his arrival in San Diego as a refugee and having to obtain a Social Security card. He asked, “What is Social

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Jewish Religion

Memphis Orthodox Jews recruiting families

MEMPHIS, Tennessee (Press Release)– Faced with an uncertain national economy plus skyrocketing costs of housing and education, an increasing number of young Jewish families are choosing to move to the “vibrant, affordable, and friendly” community of Memphis, Tennessee. Sensing an opportunity to welcome a skilled, talented cohort of active Jews looking to establish roots, the local

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Jewish Religion, USA

Jewish Collaborative ready for High Holy Days

CARLSBAD, California (Press Release)  — The Jewish Collaborative of San Diego (JCo) has announced the formation of a new North San Diego County synagogue describing itself as “multi-generational, post denominational, democratic and highly participatory.” It will be led by the husband and wife team of Rabbi Josh Burrows and Rabbi/ Cantor Gabi Arad starting this

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Jewish Religion, San Diego County

Rosh Hashanah is special time for the Jewish collective

By Rabbi Ben Kamin ENCINITAS, California — In other denominations, confession is a personal event, often realized between the confessor and a priestly intermediary. The cleric is charged with admonition but also the release, by virtue of so many devotions, mantras and other rituals. Not so with the Jews: As the community soon gathers for

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Jewish Religion

Brigitte Bardot opposes kosher, hallal animal slaughter

PARIS (WJC)–The European Jewish Congress (EJC) on Tuesday expressed outrage after the publication of an open letter by former French actress Brigitte Bardot in which she called for a ban on religious slaughter of animals. EJC President Moshe Kantor said Bardot’s text was “deeply offensive and a slur against the Jewish people.” It also showed

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International, Jewish Religion